SEPTEMBER CHALLENGE - OLD PHOTO IMPROVEMENT

[rtwo]

My modest proposal for a September challenge (which would meet what I love to do) is that participants submit a photo they have either posted before or have never shared. The magic in the challenge is that you have to feel like you have improved it using Photoshop/Lightroom etc.
Ideally you would share a couple of the steps/concepts you followed to improve your image.

I've found real insights digging into old photos I had previously ignored and then worked on making them presentable .... even excellent. The joy in this is that one doesn't have to feel at all guilty using an old image!!

What do you all think? Gulp, I've never proposed a challenge before

[janicecd]

Hi Robin
I have Photoshop but I know there are others who don't use any photo software like that.
What I have enjoyed about the challenges is the fact that I go out each month to look for and take photos for the challenge.
I'd be happy to join a separate challenge if you want to start one about improving old photos, Robin. That's a good idea as I have lots of old photos I could improve
And if others are happy with your choice, I'd go along with it, but personally I still want to go out daily and have a reason to take photos for the monthly challenge
Cheers
Janice

What do others think?

[amoxtli]

While I like the idea of trawling through the archives (I have over 8,000 photos posted) and searching for old as yet unrecognized chestnuts, I do enjoy the challenge of having to produce freshly taken images for the monthly topic. I have participated in many monthly challenges for two reasons, first it has forced me to go out and look for images and has improved my photography as a result, secondly I have always enjoyed how fellow participants interpret the challenge and this has also improved my photography. For me it would really be no challenge at all to go through my galleries and look for images I could improve, especially many of the older ones could certainly use a touch up, and maybe that would get me to delete a few hundreds or thousands. Perhaps the photo improvement should be a separate challenge. Personally I love the challenge of having to come up with new ideas and interpretations, which is why I do a Photo a Day Gallery as well. So, I would prefer a hands on challenge, hands on the camera that is. Allow me to add a quote by the great photographer Harry Callahan.

“To be a photographer, one must photograph. No amount of book learning, no checklist of seminars attended, can substitute for the simple act of making pictures. Experience is the best teacher of all. And for that, there are no guarantees that one will become an artist. Only the journey matters.” - Harry Callahan

[lynnh]

Thank you for the idea, Robin!
While I think that you have come up with a good one, I don't think it is suited for the PAD forums. I think your idea is great for the SHOW & TELL forums, instead.
Also, I don't have photoshop. I'm limited to straghten and crop. Every once in a while I can borrow a computer at work to do something artsy, but I could never sustain 30 days of photo editing.
Please don't get discouraged about your suggestion. We are always hunting for ideas.

Lynn

[herb1rm]

NO

[marielou]

Hi Robin,

For me it's a great idea, very welcomed and appropriate.
As I just had a great loss in my family, old pictures are on the top of files....

And will be very "pedagogical" for other participants who don't know to use tools to enhance a picture.

Thank you

Marielou

[norm4fun]

An excellent idea, but one that cannot be used by everyone, a seperate post by software users should be fun. A monthly challenge must be acceptable by everyone.

[cynthia1]

Old photos doesn't get us out photographing new ideas. How about expanding the thought to photos of old becoming new? I'm thinking of renovated buildings, old people with new ideas and images, new uses and concepts of old stuff, kids wearing retro, new uses for old things?