Egidio has set this weeks challenge. He asks us to find a few rejected photos. Images that didn’t make the cut for some reason and see if we could fix them using photo editing software. You can find Egidio’s original post here.
The challenge theme, has once again, worked out well for me. I’m currently putting a photo book together with images from our trips to Marrakesh, Morocco over that last few years. I’ve had to edit some of those images for the book so below are some really recent examples.
My first before and after image is a genuine rejected image I took back in 2009. Luckily I kept it and modern software has allowed me to make it a usable image. It’s a shot across Manhattan taken from the top of the Rockefeller Centre. I’d wanted to take this shot so we arrived early evening (I knew it was going to get busy with like minded people). I secured a spot on the edge of the building with a small ledge I could place the camera on. No tripods are allowed and I knew it would need a long exposure. I had planned as well as I could but, what I hadn’t allowed for was the building or top deck moving slightly with the wind or other vibrations.
The net result was that all the images I came away with were ever so slightly blurred or blurred beyond salvaging. I tried to repair them as best I could with the software I was using back then but I was never happy with the results. Roll onto to now and Topaz noise reduction and sharpening tools. I think it’s done an excellent job with my limited skill set and the repaired image was accepted through my stock sites quality control. The original image would have been rejected out of hand for blur and noise. The first image is the original raw with the worked on image below.
The next image is a re-worked image for my Marrakesh book. I wanted to use this photograph as a closing image on the last page of the book. However, it had a few distractions in the original. Mostly people close to the girls and a lamp post coming out of one of their heads.
There was nothing I could do at the time of taking the shot as it was busy and we were walking along behind them. So, in post processing, I’ve used the new Photoshop Generative Fill tool to remove the distractions. This tool is amazing and I’ll regularly have a wow moment after using it. You can see to the side of the girl on the right that its removed the guy close to her right shoulder. He’s been replaced with someone further away and burred him into the bokeh. The original RAW is shown first followed by my reworked image below. It’s bit like playing ‘Spot the difference’!
I’m cutting it short there because today is my wifes birthday. I’ve been granted some time to write a post for this weeks challenge, but I’m not going to push my luck! Thank you to Egidio for hosting this week. I’ve enjoyed the responses already posted online and reading the comments with everyones views on how far to go with post processing.
All images: ©Stephen Hyde 2007-2025 – All rights reserved.
Steve Hyde 
Great processing on that city scape image – incredible view!
Thank you Pamela. It’s a great view. I prefer that view to the view from the top of the Empire State Building. Its a much nicer building and less crowded as well 🙂
I love that cityscape view, but your street scene works for me. The power of editing software these days to improve upon a photo is amazing.
Thank you John. The software is amazing. I continually see edit wizards on Instagram reels that blow my mind. I save them all but never go back and view them. I tend to forget software processes pretty quickly unless I’m continually using them 🙂
Steve, what great edits these are! The sky view is beautiful, and the three women photo truly got me saying “wow” to that edit. Excellent job!
Thank you for the kind comments Egidio – a great challenge 🙂
Steve, both of your edits are incredible. Happy birthday to your wife!
Thank you Beth. She had a nice day with the family yesterday 🙂
Two excellent examples Steve. I too am a big fan of P/S Generative Fill. I’m also a fan of book-making and have done one for each of our major adventures. We go back to them often and the best moment came recently when our 19-year-old granddaughter was visiting with a girlfriend and while waiting for dinner she took out several of my books to share with her.
Thank you Tina. This is the second recent book I’ve compiled. Like the photography software the book quality, and book software, has improved considerably since I last made a book about ten years ago. I’ve been really impressed with the book quality. We plan to make them regularly now. That must have been a lovely moment when your Granddaughter took your books out to show her friend 🙂
Happy birthday to your wife Steve. Great images, I didn’t get that one of the Empire State Building when I was there, either way I loved it.
Thank you Leanne 🙂
Excellent work, Steve, amazing how sharp the first one is!
Thank you Sofia. All down to Topaz. You have to be careful with it as it goes to far sometimes and can give some funny effects with things like fur or hair 🙂
Now I’m curious 😀
The night shot turned out very well. The photo of the three girls looks crisper without the cross traffic.
Thank you Rebecca. I prefer the girls without the distractions. It’s one of those that I had to shoot what was there and there was no other way to manipulate it at the time 🙂