Thursday, April 10, 2008

Theme Thursday - Perfection



Perfection is something I obsess over strive for in my photos. It rarely happens. Usually something is off, lighting, focus, shutter speed. When I do manage to get a combo of these things right, then there could be something wrong with the subject I am shooting. I am not all that diligent about cleaning their faces before I run for the camera. My poor baby girl battles eczema around her face often. I use many of the healing and cloning techniques to make her face as close to perfect as I can. Take this before pic:

V Close

This shot isn't terrible. Its somewhat dark but she isn't blurry or running from me. But it has many imperfections. Here is what I did with it:

V Close Edit

That's better! Of course I feel somewhat dishonest when I doctor up photos of the kids. I really don't want to erase the true state of my kids as they grow. I hold onto those memories in my photos. But occasionally its nice to dream that they are all perfect little angels, even though I know better!

14 comments:

Kim April 10, 2008 at 9:14 AM  

Photoshop can work wonders (as I'm slowly realizing). Do you keep all the originals? I like flipping back and forth between the original and doctored.

I love your baby's esys!

Stacy April 10, 2008 at 10:29 AM  

Beautiful fix of your beautiful little girl. Oh, those eyes!! They just swallow you up! :)

Occassionally I feel a little guilty, too, but really not about the snot or the food. I have the originals to remind me if I really want to look. ;)

When I first started getting interested in photography, I had a friend who was helping me along. She took one of my pictures and edited it for me, and she cloned out that "dirt" on the bridge of her nose. It was her little freckle! I think only the mothers are allowed to clone because they know what needs to stay LOL!

chaoticfamily April 10, 2008 at 11:08 AM  

It's nice to see both perspectives - and they are each full of PERFECTION

Anonymous April 10, 2008 at 12:31 PM  

Wow! what a difference! Of course, she is such a cutie pie regardless.

Megan April 10, 2008 at 3:15 PM  

sometimes when you get a shot that's so cute....except for the dirt, food, etc. so prominently featured, you have to get rid of it! otherwise it's just distracting in the photo! i have *plenty* of "real" kid shots, so cleaning up a few is A-OK with me :)!

Killlashandra April 10, 2008 at 4:36 PM  

Nice doctoring job! I'm not sure I'd feel too guilty as long as I still had the original. Sometimes it's fun to put them side by side in a photo album with a few funny comments. But really, awesome photo.

MamaGeek @ Works For Us April 10, 2008 at 5:05 PM  

You did an AWESOME job. But to be honest, both shots are fantab. You have some serious photoshop skills HG.

Then again, with that face how could you take a bad shot?? :)

Andi April 10, 2008 at 5:11 PM  

I just keep realizing more and more that I HAVE to get a photo editing program! I can understand feeling a bit dishonest, but it makes the photo look so much better. Both of these are great simply because your daughter is such a cutie. But, I can see why mothers would use these PS tools. Thnaks for the thoughts...

kim April 10, 2008 at 6:47 PM  

She's a doll. Love those eyes! You did a wonderful job with the photo. I don't think there's anything wrong with a little clean up. I do it too.

Maggie April 10, 2008 at 9:47 PM  

Isn't photoshop like a little slice of heaven?! There is nothing wrong with being able to take an ordinary picture and making it into something that you love. I think that you did a great job with this fix - she is just so cute!

Anonymous April 10, 2008 at 10:24 PM  

It's okay to doctor now and again. How's her forehead? Healing up?

Anonymous April 11, 2008 at 9:36 AM  

Fantastic job! The eczema doesn't make her her, though. A freckle or mole would. I think you did great.

Kat April 11, 2008 at 5:19 PM  

Beautiful! What a doll! I need that kind of editing on pics of myself! ;)

Maya April 11, 2008 at 9:03 PM  

I think it's okay to take out small fixes! Your daughter is gorgeous!

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Welcome to my family blog. I am a mom to three, work FT and love to take pictures. Please visit my website to see more of my work.

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