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10/19/2007 03:12:19 PM · #1 |
I'm finally starting to realize the value of adjustment layers!! Yeah, yeah....I know....two years+ on this site. Something I should have figured out a long time ago ;-)
But, since I'm just starting to play with them, I'm curious if I'm taking things a little too far. For example, a couple shots from my recent trip to Italy. First one is close to out of the camera (minimal "realistic" editing) and the second is heavier on the PP.
 --original(ish)
 --edited
The one is certainly much darker, though I think I'm ok with that. For my album I'll do one more as we saw it, but I'd like to have one that really "pops"!! Plus, it's good practice for me with these crazy layers. So, have I come close? Did I go too far? Any suggestions that would help make this shot really stand out? |
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10/19/2007 03:16:10 PM · #2 |
The second one is clearly more striking (and appealing), but the sky becomes the focal point for me as it "out-shines" the landscape and house.
I wonder if a bit of HDR would bring out the land portion. Even a slight S/H would do the same.
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10/19/2007 03:32:13 PM · #3 |
Oh - excellent image and processing!
I would just say bring back the middle of the ground section with simple levels and contrast adjustments, and you've got yourself one great image.
I like the composition a lot! The house works very well with the landscape, adds a lot of interest and balances the photo. Great sky as well. I like your processing too, it brings out all that was good in the image and adds a lot of drama. Good choice to desat some of the colors, especially in the sky. Congrats on a very good image. |
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10/19/2007 03:34:42 PM · #4 |
Great processing - can I send you my images? LOL
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10/19/2007 04:04:55 PM · #5 |
For what it's worth, per the earlier suggestion, this is what it looks like with a quick tone mapping. I didn't do any real work otherwise. Something between this and the Dentist's version might be ideal. If I had to choose between the two, I'd take his: very moody and atmospheric. But the sky is badly blown in that version, in most of them actually.
The tone mapping (or shadow/highlight) can be done much better from full size. And the tone-mapped version can be overlaid on the "dentist" version and the foreground can be erased, giving a more balanced sky.
Nice shot, altogether!
R.
Note that this is an example of how tone mapping can suck all the life out of a heavily-nuanced midtone area. It's NOT an example of "good" tone mapping...
Message edited by author 2007-10-19 16:06:38.
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10/19/2007 06:18:24 PM · #6 |
The_Dentist: Thank you! Looking at it again more closely, I agree....definitely need some more middle tones, don't I? I like what you've done...so I'll have to go play around a bit more :-)
Bear: I don't have Photomatix, but I do have CS2 with the S/H feature....that works for tone mapping as well, right? I'll see what I can come up with combining these two suggestions :-)
Thanks so much everybody! Keep 'em coming if you've got 'em!
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10/19/2007 06:29:19 PM · #7 |
Is this a bit better? Somewhere kinda inbetween, I think. |
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10/19/2007 08:00:44 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by ladyhawk22:
Is this a bit better? Somewhere kinda inbetween, I think. |
That's quite a bit better. But PLEASE either rotate, or use the skew tool, to level the apparent horizon. I did it with the skew tool so as not to have to crop much.
R.
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10/19/2007 08:04:39 PM · #9 |
| I need a Level-Horizon Nazi picture. |
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10/19/2007 10:55:46 PM · #10 |
| hmm...yeah...not all horizons are level...or equal...or something |
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10/19/2007 11:12:06 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by CEJ:
hmm...yeah...not all horizons are level...or equal...or something |
Nevertheless, on THIS shot the horizon tilts dramatically to the left, and so does the house, so the cumulative effect is of a carelessly-framed image. I'm not some insane horizon Nazi, no matter what Brother ROFLMAO is implying with his scurrilous and possibly slanderous post :-)
R.
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10/20/2007 01:36:49 AM · #12 |
ooops! Forgot about that :-) Setting off to fix it....
Ummm, Bear....where do I find this magic "skew" tool? Is it the measuring tool? Or something else?
Edit** alright, fixed it using measure and rotate :-) Thanks so much again for the advice and tips!
Message edited by author 2007-10-20 01:42:58. |
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10/20/2007 02:16:41 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by ladyhawk22:
...where do I find this magic "skew" tool? |
It's a transform tool (Edit -> Transform). |
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10/20/2007 02:26:47 AM · #14 |
| CTRL+T (free transform), then grab a corner handle and pulllllllllllll. :) If you hold ALT down, it will affect the opposite side equally and holding shift constrains your motion horizontally or vertically. |
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10/20/2007 02:29:59 AM · #15 |
Originally posted by Bear_Music:
scurrilous and possibly slanderous |
Scurrilous AND slanderous! Woohoo! DOUBLE points for me!
I was jesting, bear. Albeit jesting scurrilously. :P |
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