Our challenge photo has potential, but can you realise it?

Back by popular demand - and, yes, we should run the challenge more often, here is the fifth DPNow.com Photo Fix Challenge. It's very simple really; take the image below (and we will supply the original RAW and JPEG camera file) and make it better.

(click for a larger view in a new window) Can you make this picture better?

If you are interested in taking up the challenge, I'd recommend you download one of the original camera files (you have the choice of the RAW file or the JPEG file) and having a closer look than the previews available on this page.

The picture was taken in rural north-eastern Thailand in January last year during a local celebration. The oldies were gathered separately nearby. The time of day was early evening, as the mellow shadows indicate. There are obvious problems with the picture that you will, at the very least, have to tackle: although the exposure has compensated to a degree for the kids being in the shade of the thatched hut, it hasn't compensated quite enough. The background highlights are almost completely bleached out. There is an out of focus leaf at the top of the frame which is distracting. As a reasonably high ISO setting was used, there is some noise that needs to be managed. And the whole image could do with some sharpening up. Here on a Web page the image flattered; it's not nearly so good when you see the original detail close up. You can adjust the image tonality, crop, sharpen, dodge, burn; anything you like!

In the past we've had challenge entries that have added an artistic element to the picture and so do feel free again to enhance the image in this way if you feel it's appropriate.

Original image file download links:

Original camera RAW file

Original camera JPEG file

Please note that these files and their images are copyrighted. Permission is granted for use and editing/manipulating for the sole purpose of entering this challenge. The images and derived images are not to be used for any other purpose without permission. In return, we promise not to use entries to the challenge for commercial gain without permission from the entrant.

Submit your entry

Once you have completed your work on the image, send a JPEG version to us attached to an email via [email protected] Please ensure that the JPEG file size does not exceed 5MB.

We will then judge the best entries and present them to DPNow visitors and invite them to vote for their favourites. The winning entrant will win a copy of the excellent book 'Cuba' by Magnum photographer, David Alan Harvey.

Finally, the deadline for entries is 8AM UK time on Monday, 3rd May, 2010.

Have fun with the challenge and good luck!

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