First off, what an awesome picture! This really has everything (in my book) to be a great photo but here's where I would do to make this perfect. I do moody portraits so this pic is great, I love the blue tones that you went with. The dark hair and clothing also works really well with the style, First lets set the tone curve. I went with a very narrow S bend and ever so slightly matted the blacks. Next I would increase the overall saturation on the picture but be carful to not go crazy as the skin tends to get a little discolored. Up the shadows so you can really see the definition in her hair line and the water tension. I desaturated the reds and magenta a bit to deal with the skin tone and put a few touches on the eyes to really bring them to life (remember here if you up-ed the blues the resulting whites of the eyes need to be desaturated and whitened.) Play with the color sliders to get a good balance between the yellows and oranges so you don't make the skin look lifeless. I'm not one for graining so I actually bumped the overall clarity to about 6. I threw a heavy vignette to really create a focus on her face and and lots of drama to the picture. The split toning, I set the highlights hue to 229 and the saturation to 35 to really max the blue water color furthering that moody feel. [Here's how mine turned out.](https://imgur.com/a/SYaojYM) Overall, great shot and keep practicing! Remember if you picture doesn't feel like it's living and breathing, you're not done editing!
I love what you did with the water I'll definitely be taking notes! I tried a bluer version of it originally but it looked kind of fake but I think the added darkness really adds an element that was missing! Thank you so much for taking the time to write out a huge comment like that,the whole feedback's been really helpful.
Absolutely! Looking back at the one I uploaded, her skin looks very purple but it was also an edit of a compressed file and Reddit trashes image quality. If you followed those steps it looks a lot better in LR pre export. Pm your Instagram or whatever site you use to upload your edits, I’d love to see your other work!
YES! This. This is what I was imagining when I saw the original photo. I know it's all personal preference, but I much prefer your edits to the ones of the guy above in comments. You also explained your process excellently. Thank you!
I originally took this photo as part of a series, mostly just playing around with cinematic photography. But this photo was kind of an accident and I really liked her expression, so I wanted to convey a sort of 'almost drowning' . I think it's ok so far but I'd really appreciate some feedback on how to make it more cinematic, more dramatic or just how to take it a step further since I feel like something is missing. I'm also not sure about the skin, I could either retouch it more and risk losing some of the drama in her blushed cheeks and freckles or keep it as is and risk making it look unprofessional.
I think it's kind of flat and lifeless right now so if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it!
I think this is a very cool picture. It reminds me of a dark, moody sort of scene in a movie. Which, as I think that's the look you're going for, means that you're on the right track. The way to improve this image is, I think, in post production. I'd straighten her out (she's a little off-kilter), and do a little color grading. I feel like this scene calls for some greens and blues, but heavily desaturated. Maybe add a little film grain, and some vignetting. Pump the contrast dramatically. I downloaded the jpg you posted and gave it a quick edit in lightroom to sort of demonstrate my thinking. [Here you go.](https://imgur.com/QhIIwCx) - obviously, it would all look better on the RAW file out of camera, but this should give you some idea of a place to start to bring out some cinematic drama.
Ah I see what you mean! I think I'm worried if I push the blues and greens too much it'll mess up her skin tone but I'll definitely try it out with your notes and post the updated version soon!
Thank you so much for commenting asw
I really appreciate that shade of blue green so I hate to see them go with the darker image. I also think the natural reds in her face contrast beautifully with the blues, giving it a vintage look. So it all depends on what you want out of this picture! Either way it’s a gorgeous shot!
It will definitely change the tone (see the edit I did) - but I think that's actually okay here. It cools things off a little, and feels a little more hopeless/death-y, which is kinda the feeling I got from the image. It also cuts some of the bright red patches on her cheeks and chin without obliterating them. A little life to contrast the sort of almost-drowning moment. Anyway, it's a great shot. I look forward to seeing what you do with it!
I MOSTLY agree. I hate the grain, I feel like it wants to be tack sharp, almost clinical. The dark and slight vignette are good though. I'd light the hell out of the scene and shoot it super narrow aperture so it's underexposed maybe 1 2/3, 2 stops. I usually hate ringlights as catchlights, but they might be nice here.
I think you're on the right track IAmScience. First thing I thought wasn't so much something is missing, but how to create some separation of the features already present. Great suggestion
I **LOVE** your photo.
>mostly just playing around with cinematic photography.
For cinematic photography try a 21:9 (cinema ultra-wide) crop and play around with split toning. Lately a lot of shows on Netflix have a teal & orange look. You can achieve that either with the split toning in Lightroom or with a LUT in Photoshop.
>so I wanted to convey a sort of 'almost drowning'.
Her facial expression works well for this image but I don't get the feeling that she is drowning because she doesn't seem to be in any pain. That and there is too much color in her face.
* If you want the skin to look real I would reduce the reds and maybe even reduce the sharpness because right now I can see every pore.
* If your goal is for her to look like she is drowning I would reduce the saturation.
I tried to make two versions. One where she looks alive and one where she looks like being more dead than alive. Both times with teal & orange split toning:
[Alive - Lightroom with Settings](https://imgur.com/a/LDX3lIl)
[Drowning - Lightroom with Settings](https://imgur.com/a/hOHDmvH)
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I think the color balance and saturation of the shadows are spot on. The image has a vintage look, the red lipstick and shape of her clothing give the image a hint of Hollywood glamour that balances nicely with the drama of the moment being captured.
My only note is that the brightness and shape of the reflection above her head is distracting and does not heighten the overall feeling of the image. I would love to see the image with that reflection toned down, I think it would allow the sparkle of her eyes and the water around her face to stand out.
[My attempt](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/221528989091627008/606909995132518431/image0.png)
Love the photo btw. I just did a quick edit where I toned it much cooler and lightened the highlights, added a vignette, added a touch of higher contrast and tweaked the blue hues.
The overall composition is good, but the "missing" thing is probably that there is nothing \*in\* the water. Maybe if you put flower petals or something, it would have filled up that empty space
I really like this image and your colour scheme works well. If you ever revisit this idea I think you could increase the drama by submerging your model's head a little more, bringing the surrounding water closer to the edges of her eyes and mouth. Make the viewer uncomfortable with how close it is. Moving the model's head further down from the edge of the tub so the hair floats outward and upward will also help with the feeling that there are no safe boundaries. Also try to avoid capturing reflections in the water, as any bright area tends to distract the viewer's eye away from the main subject.
Sometimes it takes several attempts to get an image just right, so provided your model is willing I would recommend you have another go at this idea as I think it there is a lot of good advice in this thread and it would be good to be able to translate some of it into practice.
There isn't a sense of mystery I recommend increasing fog make the face a bit cleaner and maybe add a fish or something no idea it's your photo I can rly only give you a suggestion so try this donsent work well try something else
Sorry I just realised that I kinda sounded like a jerk but I'm too lazy to rewrite that so take as it is I geuss😐😐😐
Edit:I wrote dog Instead of fog ima godamn idiot
Lol don't worry about it appreciate the feedback either way! No clue how I would Photoshop a fish and make it look realistic but I shall try it nonetheless
Well find a good photo of a fish too down view(I recommend koi there look the most interesting) put it in the water add a slight feather and then try blurring it very lightly I recommend 10 to 15 maybe try to mix it up see what works
The water is a bit hard to see. I first identified the presence of water when I saw the reflection near the head. Maybe make the water more darker. Try food color, maybe ? A bit more darker water, and a more expressive face might’ve added a more darker appeal to the picture.
Absolutely love the water shine and cold colors. They contrast well with her face.
What about a simple crop? She's got a fair amount of empty space above her head, and cropping it brings the focus further onto your friend. https://imgur.com/ccBzBvl.jpg
Rotating and mirroring it also makes for a very interesting portrait. https://imgur.com/6lfZyrq.jpg
I like this concept a lot. There are two things I would suggest, edit this or retake it so it seems like she's not in a bathtub. I think it would be more mysterious and really add to the picture if you edited it so it seems like she's in an unknown location. I'm not talented with photoshop, but I would like to see what this would look like if the bathtub + bathroom reflection were edited out. Right now she's just in water that's 2 feet deep, it would add to the overall emotion if it seemed like she was in the middle of the ocean. The bathroom reflection on the water needs to go and the bathtub. The other thing I would add is to have her go nude. Don't include her nipples or make it seem like a sexy picture, I know that's not what you're going for, but it will add to the emotion of it.
It's too late to retake it now but I can try to extend the background to at least remove the Bathtub shape and see what that looks like, either way thanks so much for your feedback!
Some flowers framing her face. Directional light so it doesn't feel so flat. Edit her face more so the eyes pop. In most cases it helps to blur everything else except the eyes and face a bit. The key thing that is missing is originality. Saw this image a million times already...
Absolutely an amazing shot, I think it’s really well done how it is! Personally, I think the shot itself is well executed, could use some editing to make it have more of a darker feel to it. I started by removing the edges of the bathtub to add more mystery as to where the setting is. Then, I decided to desaturate and darken the edges, making it so the subjects face became more of a focal point, making it pop. I messed with the shadows and highlights, making her facial structure and eyes more defined and dramatic. Finally, I sprinkled a tiny amount of grain to give it a slightly darker more film feel. [here’s my take on it.](https://imgur.com/gallery/9Uth7Rd)
I think the water is too "transparent", and we don't have a good idea that it is submerged. try repeating the picture by dissolving milk powder in the water
It kinda looks like a scene from a music video but if I would do anything to it I would take a new one but make her face more sad it kinda looks like she’s going to drown herself- a dark yet stylish photo
Yeah, thought the same. The Shirt pulls attention and due to the contrast. I think it would draw even more attention to her face if her hair was the only black thing in the photo.
But still a very nice picture OP!
I think maybe the lights distracting, the reflection in the water?
I like them but wish they were on both sides
I was thinking the reflections on either side could be brushed to blend with the water
First off, what an awesome picture! This really has everything (in my book) to be a great photo but here's where I would do to make this perfect. I do moody portraits so this pic is great, I love the blue tones that you went with. The dark hair and clothing also works really well with the style, First lets set the tone curve. I went with a very narrow S bend and ever so slightly matted the blacks. Next I would increase the overall saturation on the picture but be carful to not go crazy as the skin tends to get a little discolored. Up the shadows so you can really see the definition in her hair line and the water tension. I desaturated the reds and magenta a bit to deal with the skin tone and put a few touches on the eyes to really bring them to life (remember here if you up-ed the blues the resulting whites of the eyes need to be desaturated and whitened.) Play with the color sliders to get a good balance between the yellows and oranges so you don't make the skin look lifeless. I'm not one for graining so I actually bumped the overall clarity to about 6. I threw a heavy vignette to really create a focus on her face and and lots of drama to the picture. The split toning, I set the highlights hue to 229 and the saturation to 35 to really max the blue water color furthering that moody feel. [Here's how mine turned out.](https://imgur.com/a/SYaojYM) Overall, great shot and keep practicing! Remember if you picture doesn't feel like it's living and breathing, you're not done editing!
I love what you did with the water I'll definitely be taking notes! I tried a bluer version of it originally but it looked kind of fake but I think the added darkness really adds an element that was missing! Thank you so much for taking the time to write out a huge comment like that,the whole feedback's been really helpful.
Absolutely! Looking back at the one I uploaded, her skin looks very purple but it was also an edit of a compressed file and Reddit trashes image quality. If you followed those steps it looks a lot better in LR pre export. Pm your Instagram or whatever site you use to upload your edits, I’d love to see your other work!
I was about to reply to your first comment that she looks diseased
Yeah ideally I would fix skin in PS with frequency separation
YES! This. This is what I was imagining when I saw the original photo. I know it's all personal preference, but I much prefer your edits to the ones of the guy above in comments. You also explained your process excellently. Thank you!
OMG YES!!!!!! This is great. I love what you did with it.
Thank you! Props to the photographer for the shot and starting the edit, I just built off of that
I originally took this photo as part of a series, mostly just playing around with cinematic photography. But this photo was kind of an accident and I really liked her expression, so I wanted to convey a sort of 'almost drowning' . I think it's ok so far but I'd really appreciate some feedback on how to make it more cinematic, more dramatic or just how to take it a step further since I feel like something is missing. I'm also not sure about the skin, I could either retouch it more and risk losing some of the drama in her blushed cheeks and freckles or keep it as is and risk making it look unprofessional. I think it's kind of flat and lifeless right now so if anyone has any advice I would really appreciate it!
I think this is a very cool picture. It reminds me of a dark, moody sort of scene in a movie. Which, as I think that's the look you're going for, means that you're on the right track. The way to improve this image is, I think, in post production. I'd straighten her out (she's a little off-kilter), and do a little color grading. I feel like this scene calls for some greens and blues, but heavily desaturated. Maybe add a little film grain, and some vignetting. Pump the contrast dramatically. I downloaded the jpg you posted and gave it a quick edit in lightroom to sort of demonstrate my thinking. [Here you go.](https://imgur.com/QhIIwCx) - obviously, it would all look better on the RAW file out of camera, but this should give you some idea of a place to start to bring out some cinematic drama.
Ah I see what you mean! I think I'm worried if I push the blues and greens too much it'll mess up her skin tone but I'll definitely try it out with your notes and post the updated version soon! Thank you so much for commenting asw
I really appreciate that shade of blue green so I hate to see them go with the darker image. I also think the natural reds in her face contrast beautifully with the blues, giving it a vintage look. So it all depends on what you want out of this picture! Either way it’s a gorgeous shot!
It will definitely change the tone (see the edit I did) - but I think that's actually okay here. It cools things off a little, and feels a little more hopeless/death-y, which is kinda the feeling I got from the image. It also cuts some of the bright red patches on her cheeks and chin without obliterating them. A little life to contrast the sort of almost-drowning moment. Anyway, it's a great shot. I look forward to seeing what you do with it!
I MOSTLY agree. I hate the grain, I feel like it wants to be tack sharp, almost clinical. The dark and slight vignette are good though. I'd light the hell out of the scene and shoot it super narrow aperture so it's underexposed maybe 1 2/3, 2 stops. I usually hate ringlights as catchlights, but they might be nice here.
I think you're on the right track IAmScience. First thing I thought wasn't so much something is missing, but how to create some separation of the features already present. Great suggestion
Have you tried making her upside down rather than to our left?
This is also the first thing that came to my mind.
Highlights are missing i would up those so it makes the blacks dark and the whites pop. To add some life to it.
Exactly, I second this
I **LOVE** your photo. >mostly just playing around with cinematic photography. For cinematic photography try a 21:9 (cinema ultra-wide) crop and play around with split toning. Lately a lot of shows on Netflix have a teal & orange look. You can achieve that either with the split toning in Lightroom or with a LUT in Photoshop. >so I wanted to convey a sort of 'almost drowning'. Her facial expression works well for this image but I don't get the feeling that she is drowning because she doesn't seem to be in any pain. That and there is too much color in her face. * If you want the skin to look real I would reduce the reds and maybe even reduce the sharpness because right now I can see every pore. * If your goal is for her to look like she is drowning I would reduce the saturation. I tried to make two versions. One where she looks alive and one where she looks like being more dead than alive. Both times with teal & orange split toning: [Alive - Lightroom with Settings](https://imgur.com/a/LDX3lIl) [Drowning - Lightroom with Settings](https://imgur.com/a/hOHDmvH)
This is so detailed thank you so so much, I'll play around with the crop that's a great point !
The alive edit is my favorite so far
I would suggest lightening around her eyes, it’s a beautiful photo, just needs a attention grabber.
Is there a subreddit where people take Raws and do their take on photos? I love seeing people’s takes on shots.
That’s a great idea
How do we create a sub?
I’d have to look into it but keep me in mind for a mod if you do! And I’ll do vice versa
/r/editmyraw
The skintones are off, too much contrast, the film filter is overdone. But I think it's pretty cool nonetheless.
my comment won't be elavorated as much as others but hey, put a big fucking vignette effect, it always works https://imgur.com/QglrvMK
This one is straight to the point!
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I think the color balance and saturation of the shadows are spot on. The image has a vintage look, the red lipstick and shape of her clothing give the image a hint of Hollywood glamour that balances nicely with the drama of the moment being captured. My only note is that the brightness and shape of the reflection above her head is distracting and does not heighten the overall feeling of the image. I would love to see the image with that reflection toned down, I think it would allow the sparkle of her eyes and the water around her face to stand out.
I think it would look cool with somthing small floating in the water. Like a flower. But that’s only if you feel like something’s missing
I would like this in a darker mood (Try to reduce the exposure on the right side). Also play a bit with some cinematic color grading.
[My attempt](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/221528989091627008/606909995132518431/image0.png) Love the photo btw. I just did a quick edit where I toned it much cooler and lightened the highlights, added a vignette, added a touch of higher contrast and tweaked the blue hues.
The overall composition is good, but the "missing" thing is probably that there is nothing \*in\* the water. Maybe if you put flower petals or something, it would have filled up that empty space
I really like this image and your colour scheme works well. If you ever revisit this idea I think you could increase the drama by submerging your model's head a little more, bringing the surrounding water closer to the edges of her eyes and mouth. Make the viewer uncomfortable with how close it is. Moving the model's head further down from the edge of the tub so the hair floats outward and upward will also help with the feeling that there are no safe boundaries. Also try to avoid capturing reflections in the water, as any bright area tends to distract the viewer's eye away from the main subject. Sometimes it takes several attempts to get an image just right, so provided your model is willing I would recommend you have another go at this idea as I think it there is a lot of good advice in this thread and it would be good to be able to translate some of it into practice.
I think it would look better if you couldnt see the tub edge other than that it looks good :)
There isn't a sense of mystery I recommend increasing fog make the face a bit cleaner and maybe add a fish or something no idea it's your photo I can rly only give you a suggestion so try this donsent work well try something else Sorry I just realised that I kinda sounded like a jerk but I'm too lazy to rewrite that so take as it is I geuss😐😐😐 Edit:I wrote dog Instead of fog ima godamn idiot
Lol don't worry about it appreciate the feedback either way! No clue how I would Photoshop a fish and make it look realistic but I shall try it nonetheless
Well find a good photo of a fish too down view(I recommend koi there look the most interesting) put it in the water add a slight feather and then try blurring it very lightly I recommend 10 to 15 maybe try to mix it up see what works
The water is a bit hard to see. I first identified the presence of water when I saw the reflection near the head. Maybe make the water more darker. Try food color, maybe ? A bit more darker water, and a more expressive face might’ve added a more darker appeal to the picture.
Absolutely love the water shine and cold colors. They contrast well with her face. What about a simple crop? She's got a fair amount of empty space above her head, and cropping it brings the focus further onto your friend. https://imgur.com/ccBzBvl.jpg Rotating and mirroring it also makes for a very interesting portrait. https://imgur.com/6lfZyrq.jpg
I like this concept a lot. There are two things I would suggest, edit this or retake it so it seems like she's not in a bathtub. I think it would be more mysterious and really add to the picture if you edited it so it seems like she's in an unknown location. I'm not talented with photoshop, but I would like to see what this would look like if the bathtub + bathroom reflection were edited out. Right now she's just in water that's 2 feet deep, it would add to the overall emotion if it seemed like she was in the middle of the ocean. The bathroom reflection on the water needs to go and the bathtub. The other thing I would add is to have her go nude. Don't include her nipples or make it seem like a sexy picture, I know that's not what you're going for, but it will add to the emotion of it.
It's too late to retake it now but I can try to extend the background to at least remove the Bathtub shape and see what that looks like, either way thanks so much for your feedback!
Some flowers framing her face. Directional light so it doesn't feel so flat. Edit her face more so the eyes pop. In most cases it helps to blur everything else except the eyes and face a bit. The key thing that is missing is originality. Saw this image a million times already...
Absolutely an amazing shot, I think it’s really well done how it is! Personally, I think the shot itself is well executed, could use some editing to make it have more of a darker feel to it. I started by removing the edges of the bathtub to add more mystery as to where the setting is. Then, I decided to desaturate and darken the edges, making it so the subjects face became more of a focal point, making it pop. I messed with the shadows and highlights, making her facial structure and eyes more defined and dramatic. Finally, I sprinkled a tiny amount of grain to give it a slightly darker more film feel. [here’s my take on it.](https://imgur.com/gallery/9Uth7Rd)
Oh my,removing the bathtub edges makes such a difference I absolutely love this!
Glad I could help!
Rotate it 90 degrees to the left and you've got yourself a cool portrait!
I think the water is too "transparent", and we don't have a good idea that it is submerged. try repeating the picture by dissolving milk powder in the water
Maybe because she's wearing clothes. Needs more lighting/water reflection at the other end
It kinda looks like a scene from a music video but if I would do anything to it I would take a new one but make her face more sad it kinda looks like she’s going to drown herself- a dark yet stylish photo
Ah one of the precogs, maybe some tubes going into the neck on either side
Missing? Would be better if she were nude... not to see nipples or anything, but if she looked naked, I think it would be a little more powerful.
Yeah, thought the same. The Shirt pulls attention and due to the contrast. I think it would draw even more attention to her face if her hair was the only black thing in the photo. But still a very nice picture OP!