31 Days of Before & After Shots: Day 9

Today’s photo is from two and a half years ago and I cannot believe how much these boys have grown. My son has a sixth sense about when I’m going to take his picture. I love his expression and gesture here, enough that I thought it was worth some creative cropping to isolate it.

The Edits:

Crop.
Increase contrast.
Remove the zit on his nose.
Remove the sign behind his head in Photoshop.

I hear you saying “How in the world do I remove a sign in Photoshop?!” It’s actually easier than you might imagine if you have CS5 (which I use) or later and the miracle called content aware fill, which magically deletes things and then rebuilds content to fill the gaps. (It’s based on algorithms—now that’s math I’ll use in real life!) I remove a lot of things in Lightroom with the spot removal tool, too.

Now that I’ve mentioned content aware fill, I have to show you this video about the release of Photoshop CS5. I’ve watched it an embarrassing number of times and it never fails to amuse. Enjoy!

Find Day 1 and links to the whole series here. Be sure to subscribe for email updates either at the end of this post or over on the right above my picture to receive new posts in your inbox each day.

[Click here to read my other 31 Days series, 31 Days of Encouragement and 31 Days of Real Life.]

6 Comments

Southern Gal on October 8, 2012 at 11:26 pm

I love his expression, too. I’ve only used the spot removal tool a couple of times in Lightroom 3. I keep forgetting it’s there! One of my favorite photos of my oldest son is one that I cropped (a girl friend out) and changed to black and white. It hangs on my wall now. You’d never know it except for a stray blonde hair that only I notice. 😉

Dawn on October 9, 2012 at 12:23 am

Cropping can really save a picture, can’t it? (I assume the girlfriend is long gone.) 😉

Elise Daly Parker on October 8, 2012 at 11:35 pm

Well I’m not photographer, but your button on 31 Days intrigued me. I love your before and after pics. Thanks!

Dawn on October 9, 2012 at 12:24 am

Elise, I’m glad to hear the button caught your eye! I hope there’s something here for you even if you don’t consider yourself a photographer. 🙂

Olivia on October 9, 2012 at 4:28 pm

i am having so much with the Before and After “challenge”! I just have to make sure I keep up! I’m on Day Three. . . . Thank you for the encouragement to do this.

Dawn on October 9, 2012 at 10:50 pm

Olivia, thanks for not only reading, but taking your own challenge!

Southern Gal on October 8, 2012 at 11:26 pm

I love his expression, too. I’ve only used the spot removal tool a couple of times in Lightroom 3. I keep forgetting it’s there! One of my favorite photos of my oldest son is one that I cropped (a girl friend out) and changed to black and white. It hangs on my wall now. You’d never know it except for a stray blonde hair that only I notice. 😉
- Dawn on October 9, 2012 at 12:23 am
  
  Cropping can really save a picture, can’t it? (I assume the girlfriend is long gone.) 😉
Elise Daly Parker on October 8, 2012 at 11:35 pm

Well I’m not photographer, but your button on 31 Days intrigued me. I love your before and after pics. Thanks!
- Dawn on October 9, 2012 at 12:24 am
  
  Elise, I’m glad to hear the button caught your eye! I hope there’s something here for you even if you don’t consider yourself a photographer. 🙂
Olivia on October 9, 2012 at 4:28 pm

i am having so much with the Before and After “challenge”! I just have to make sure I keep up! I’m on Day Three. . . . Thank you for the encouragement to do this.
- Dawn on October 9, 2012 at 10:50 pm
  
  Olivia, thanks for not only reading, but taking your own challenge!