Rainbow/flare - too cheesy?!

[leahp26]

At a 4th of July cookout and just fooling around - took a pic of some friends , was trying to get the big barn in the background. The sun was pretty strong and I had to crop due to horrible lens flare (plus I completely blew out the sky - terrible shot really!! I should be ashamed to post!) but they are really good friends and were saying that they hardly have any pictures of themselves (just their kids!)....

Much rambling - sorry - my question is:

I used a gradient mask (saw this suggested by Peano for another poster looking for selective color - thanks Peano for steps!) and then painted over the rainbow to show it in the color it was originally (flare???) - does it just look totally fake?

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Thanks!!

 

[alberthuynhphoto]

Ruins the pic, IMO.

 

[David_Bailey]

It doesn't do anyting for me. You may want to try that effect in the sky portion of the photo and see how it looks.

Just my .02 cents.

 

[nuccifamily]

Agreed. Don't like it at all. Just doesn't belong.

 

[leahp26]

Thanks all - I had my suspicions and you all confirmed them.
David - are you suggesting I copy the rainbow/flare (that was really how it showed up in the original!) and put it in the sky? Or just bring back the color of the sky?
Thank you for your honest comments!

 

[Compulsion]

Instead of completely desaturating the rest of the photo, try dropping it most of the way, but allow a bit of color to come through. No guarantees, but it may give you the effect you want without looking to fakey

 

[leahp26]

Thank you Ron - will try this tonight and repost

 

[redemptioncalls]

as simon would say, "absolutely dreadful"

 

[leahp26]

Not sure who simon is - sorry! Thanks for honest feedback - I will stay away from rainbows in future.

 

[Bill N]

Not sure who simon is - sorry! Thanks for honest feedback - I will stay away from rainbows in future.

Don't do away with rainbows. Just keep shooting, that is one of the great things about digital. If you don't like it, just try again. Maybe the next one will be perfect!

I think you might want to try as suggested above. Just take away a small amount of color from the rest of the photo (from original) and see what you have. You just never know...
Thanks for posting, we all learn from each other here. It's nice to put something up and not get slammed for it. Good honest criticism given fairly.

 

[leahp26]

Thank you for the kind words Bill! I'm fine with all kinds of critique - here to learn so it's all good feedback!


Here's the original - SOOC:

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Here's taking down some of the color from the rest of the photo (per David & Bill) - it helps some definitely but I think I may have to give up on it

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Here's a couple more I got of them - maybe one of these is better?

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Thanks again

 

[shanelu87]

That rainbow doesn't belong there. A lucky shot, but a wrong lucky shot I like the third and fourth picture, however. May help if you boosted the shadows in the last one a bit.

 

[leahp26]

Thanks Shane - I am inclined to agree on the "un" lucky shot concept - I think I'll retire that photo now. Will try boosting the shadows in the last one - do you mean go to Image - Adjustments - Shadows/Highlights and play there? Or something else? I'm still pretty new to PS and figuring my way around it. Thanks!

 

[shanelu87]

Yes. Play with the highlights, make the exposure more even.- this will introduce a bit more noise, but I think you should be fine, I take it you took this at ISO 100 or 200, so you should have no troubles. Good luck!

 

[StL_Don]

Sorry Leah but that is a bit bucket image.
The second two are much better but still look over processed.

Don

 

[Seneca]

Doesn't work for me.

 

[WHISTLING_WINGS]

Like the location but as the concensus the rainbow IMHO ruins the photo, the lens flare I find hinders the photo as well.

Nice local I'd give it a second shot.:smile: