Teach_Yourself_Photoshop_Elements_2

PHOTO CLINIC

02

Converting the

image to mono

suits both the subject

and the weather

PHOTO CRITIQUE

01

Great composition,

and a natural pose

and expression, create an

engaging street portrait

03

The image lacks

punch. Both the

overall contrast and the

fine detail need a boost

Andy says “I took this shot in Helsinki in November.

Photography in that part of the world late in the

year can be quite challenging, as it starts to get dark

by early afternoon, but one cloudy and miserable

Sunday I decided to try my hand at some street

photography. This accordion-playing busker caught

my attention, because he was so cheerful despite the

poor weather, and because I could see that there was

bags of character in his weather-beaten face. I shot

with my EF 24-70mm f/2.8L lens wide open and at

70mm, both to let in as much light as possible and

also so that I could blur the background. This was

my first serious attempt at converting a picture to

black and white, which I did in Photoshop Elements,

using the Urban Snapshots preset in Convert to Black

and White. I also added a subtle vignette to focus

attention on the subject. I’ve been meaning to start

a portfolio for a while, and I thought this shot would

be a good start. When I got the picture printed I

ordered two copies, as I knew I would be in the same

area again a week later, and you should have seen the

busker’s face when I gave him a copy of the picture to

keep – he really lit up!”

We say “This is a great street portrait Andy, and it

looks all the better for being converted to black and

white, which really brings out the subject’s character

• and it also disguises the fact that the weather was
  lousy! The depth of field is perfect, as you’ve kept
  enough of the subject’s surroundings sharp to show
  the urban environment, while blurring the more
  distant detail so it doesn’t compete for our attention.
  However, the image lacks a little in terms of punch,
  because the tones are relatively flat; there are too
  many midtone greys in the scene, and not enough
  highlights to create strong contrast. Fortunately, we
  can add instant impact to the shot with a few simple
  edits in Elements.”

Canon EOS 5D Mk II

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

Aperture f/2.8

Shutter speed 1/640 sec

Helsinki

Busker

BY ANDY HOLLINGSBEE

02

03

01