Critique Please

[hoodman3]

Latest photo. I'm way behind and would like to upload tomorrow nite.

It's not finished but I need feedback please.
Thanks,
Pete

[kstruve]

Wow, this looks really good.  My only critique is about the floor.  It looked browner in the original, like it was carpeting or something.  Also, I would apply a gradient to it to make it lighter in the foreground than it is in the background to give it a sense of depth.  Right now it looks almost like a vertical surface.

Kurt

[hoodman3]

Thanks Kurt. I didn't manage my time too well with this one and I'm under the gun. Do you think the shadow on the right looks right? Also what about the areas outside the tree & window? Also the area below the window? Got to get this back to Christine before Wednesday.
Thanks
Pete

[kstruve]

Pete,

Yeah, I think the shadow looks just fine the way you have it.  The window also looks good.  Nice work!

Kurt

[hoodman3]

Thanks again Kurt. I'll work on it tomorrow and upload to Christine. I'm probably going to add another present under the tree on the left to hide the damage. Tweak the carpet and by the way the hands I got from Google and also the gift on the right. Hope that doesn't break any rules. Thanks for your help.
P

[cmpentecost]

Hey Pete,

Unless you are on another time frame crunch, don't worry about me and the OPR guideline of one week.  As long as I know you are working on the photo, I have no worries.  Take your time and get it right for the family who owns the photo, as that is most important.

Christine

[glennab]

Hi Pete

You've done a fine job on this one.  The only thing I'd question is the uneven border.  I think it'll make framing the photo difficult.  My suggestion would be to fill in enough blanks to get it back to a rectangular shape. I have to admit, however, that I think the way you handled the outer edge is VERY interesting.  I like it.

Nice work!

Glenna

[phischer]

Thanks again Kurt. I'll work on it tomorrow and upload to Christine. I'm probably going to add another present under the tree on the left to hide the damage. Tweak the carpet and by the way the hands I got from Google and also the gift on the right. Hope that doesn't break any rules. Thanks for your help.
P

Um, as far as I know, that DOES break the rules. You should not be adding hands or gifts found on google.  The idea is to repair and restore the memory that the photograph captures, not to create new prettier scenes.

[hoodman3]

Um, as far as I know, that DOES break the rules. You should not be adding hands or gifts found on google.  The idea is to repair and restore the memory that the photograph captures, not to create new prettier scenes.

My thinking was that the hands and gift wrapping were incidental items so it wouldn't matter. I could have drawn them in myself with the brush tool but then they would have come from my imagination instead of Google. What's the difference? It was quicker using Google.
Anybody else want to comment on this?
Thanks
P

[Hannie]

Great job, Pete!  :up2:
I remember the original photo, it was obvious that the child had two hands so what you did seems OK to me.  The hands of little children do not differ all that much that it would interfere with the owner's memory of how it looked before.
Also I would like to remark that the uneven border was there in the original photo so it probably should stay there, just like you did!
With regards to adding another present, it is also a possibility to add a little more of the surrounding branches and shadow just like at he other side of the child.

Hannie

[OPRAng]

Phischer gets the star! It DOES break the rules and it does matter. We are in the "business" of restoring memories not creating pretty pictures. Leave the little bit of damage, it is OK. There is a fine line between speculation and just making stuff up. Please don't make stuff up--the family will know immediately. We don't want them to tell their friends what a great job excpet for the stuff  added that never happened. Think of the photos as a quote--we don't want to rewrite history.

Let us know if you have any questions.

And by the way, you are doing a great job on the restoration. The family will be happy to have this back--you can tell someone is into scrapbooking, so you know they remember everything about the photo--they'll be very happy to have it back home again...

[Ausimax]

Hoodman3,  Check the restoration guidelines, rule no 4.

http://www.oprworkshop.org/forum/index.php?topic=271.0#quickreply

Max

[Hannie]

 :-[