Cloud over Walkworth Castle

[eysha]

I am new to this forum but have been told if i post here i can get some good critique on any photo i post. Being new to photography i would be very interested in your comments and advice on how to improve my skills. Also i think some may say this photo isn't straight and that might be true. I am not sure if it is me or not but in case it is me can anyone tell me how to straighten a photo in photoshop 7 please?
Many thanks in advance
E.

[ianpinion]

Hello Eysha,

Now you mention it the photo does seem to slope down slightly from left to right, but it's surprisingly simple to correct in photoshop. You will find the straightening tool either in your tools palette (shown as a rectangular photo with another photo underneath it on the slosh) or in the Image menu. Once you've clicked on it, your cursor should change to a cross and you basically place you cursor on the left-hand edge of the roof of the keep in your shot and click. Then take it across to the right-hand side of the roof and click again. You've just told photoshop that this line should be horizontal and it will now rotate your picture round to level it up. You then click on the green tick if you're happy that's it's now level and it should crop it square.

I like your photograph and the sky looks great. You've not blown the highlights which is good and it's all nice and sharply focused. The only things I think that might have improved it are if you'd taken the shot from closer to the ground to give your shot a bit more foreground interest and if you'd taken it at a time when the sun wasn't so high in the sky to give you longer, more dramatic shadows. If you still wanted to capture it with the sun coming from the same direction, this would mean taking the photograph between late autumn and early spring. Otherwise, you'd need to take it either very early in the morning or towards sunset in the evening.

[pburness]

Hi Eysha,
Instead of using the straighten tool, try using the lens correction filter, you'll need to correct for vertical and horizontal distortion. It will result in you having to crop a little, but will get all the verticals correct.

I don't use PS 7 so not sure of the exact menu location - you should be able to find some help on the internet. There is a simple demo here, but you should be able to find others http://designertoday.com/Tutorials/P....Tutorial.aspx

Phil

[donoreo]

To make sure we are clear, old, old Photoshop 7 or you mean Photoshop Elements 7?

I would agree, it does not look straight. Aside from that, I really like the sky.

[eysha]

Thanks for the replies, i do appreciate them. As you can see the ground isn't level so i just wasn't sure if it was me or not but it is so good to know how to correct that fault.
I would llik to have taken that shot at a different time of day. We did get some sun but also heavy showers too. I was with a friend on a day trip there. Not sure if you looked at the exif but that photo is taken on a Panasonic FZ38, not that that makes a difference really, i think. I am hoping to get a dslr in the future so i am learning on this camera for now but i'm finding it a bit complicated, so much to remember.
I will look at that tutorial and learn a lot so thanks for the link, i appreciate that.
Again many thanks for your advice, both of you.
E.

[eysha]

Photoshop 7 is what i have and i also have photoshop elements 6. I know they are old but they are fine for me.

[Stars]

Originally Posted by eysha

I am new to this forum but have been told if i post here i can get some good critique on any photo i post. Being new to photography i would be very interested in your comments and advice on how to improve my skills. Also i think some may say this photo isn't straight and that might be true. I am not sure if it is me or not but in case it is me can anyone tell me how to straighten a photo in photoshop 7 please?
Many thanks in advance
E.

I like it

Talking about strightening it, if you straighten the castle, the wall to the right will lean in more and if you straighten the wall, the castle leans more Must be the lie of the land.

Straightening in Photoshop 7

[eysha]

Thanks Star, i can honestly say that i have spent today looking at tutorials on how to straighted that photo but it looks like it wasn't me taking a slanty photo
I took a lot of photos at Walkworth castle so i played with other photos from there too and i came to the conclusion that the lay of the land is not straight. I put grids on the photos and straightened the photo tothe vertical lines of the grid but other verticals went of so in the end i gave up with the thought that it wasn't my fault after all,
I am really pleased to get the feedback as it helps a lot so my thanks to everyone.
E.

[pburness]

Originally Posted by eysha

Thanks Star, i can honestly say that i have spent today looking at tutorials on how to straighted that photo but it looks like it wasn't me taking a slanty photo
I took a lot of photos at Walkworth castle so i played with other photos from there too and i came to the conclusion that the lay of the land is not straight. I put grids on the photos and straightened the photo tothe vertical lines of the grid but other verticals went of so in the end i gave up with the thought that it wasn't my fault after all,
I am really pleased to get the feedback as it helps a lot so my thanks to everyone.
E.

Hi Eysha,
It's not your fault, it's not the lay of the land either
I hope you don't mind - I had a go with Lightrooms Lens Correction and this is how it came out...



I had to tweak the converging verticals (this happens when a lens is pointed upwards, particularly when using wide angles).
Using grids and lining the verticals to it is not the answer, the photo needs to be 'twisted' back into shape and the lens correction tools do this.
I also darkened the exposure just a bit (to show off the lovely blue sky and white cloud) using the exposure compensation, and removed a slight green cast that seemed aparant on my monitor

I'll delete it after a few days as it's your photo and shouldn't be in my gallery

Phil

[Stars]

Nice Phil

I've still a lot to learn

Rog