jarrett: thanks for your well thought out and detailed comment. For what it's worth, I didn't sharpen this shot very much at all. In fact after your comment, I put the unprocessed version and this one side by side on my screen and really couldn't see much evidence of sharpening. Not even around her sunglasses.

I know you said you couldn't put your finger on it, but I'm interested to know how the colour balance feels off? Is it her skin? Because I can assure you, she is that white. ;)

Hey Heat,

No, it isn't the pale skin. That is a natural color for some people's skin.

Since you asked, I have gone back and literally studied this shot pixel for pixel. I noticed that no matter what happens, my eye keeps going back to that magenta colored pillow at the left and my brain thinks that, whatever it is that "I can't put my finger on" is over in that area. So I went and just kept looking at it, and, what I am seeing is something strange with the lighting and the coloration over there.

The coloration, at least very close to the lower left hand corenr, seems like it is "splotchy" for lack of a beter description. This seems like it should be a flat, consistent, color field, and on my screen at least, it isn't. There are sharp transitions between areas of lighter and darker magenta that I can make out.

As for the lighting, it is that bright spot right above the top of her head. I keep looking at that. I realize that it may actually be the natural lighting condition, especially given that isolated highlight in her hair, and the way these two spots line up with the bright area on her jeans. But even if it IS right, there is something about that that just doesn't "seem" right upon the initial viewing of the image.

The variation in the magenta flat field area is similar to what you often see when someone has totally jacked up the sharpening, creating contrast along edges which, in their unsharpened state, would have been smooth tonal transisitons. So, since that has been my experience, that is the initial explanation/conclusion that I reached when I initially viewed this.

I appreciate that you went back to compare, and then provided the results because now I might not necessarily assume "oversharpening" as quickly. Maybe in some cases, it is a combination of characteristics that are similar to oversharpening, but are generated by something else.

How's that for detailed feedback ;)

BTW, I know your name isn;t "Heat" but "Heath". If you play sports that would be a cool nickname though.

BTW, I know your name isn;t "Heat" but "Heath". If you play sports that would be a cool nickname though.

jarrett: thanks again for taking the time for such a detailed response. I see what you mean about those colour differences in the pillow. I don't want to sound over-defensive, or like I'm making excuses, but they're a result of the natural lighting (under the dappled shade of a palm tree) and the blotchy, worn pillowcase.

Oh, and my mountain biking friends actually call me 'heaps', short for 'heaps carnage'. I don't really crash *that* much. :)

pursang: Paul Frank. Although, this is a fake, bought at some markets in Malaysia ;)