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09/06/2006 10:48:16 AM · #1 |
Alright, I just got back from my Yellowstone trip, and I have started post-processing. Here is a photo that I think is good, but can't seem to get it where I want it. I was thinking B&W, maybe monochrome.
If anybody is bored, and got an idea...go ahead flip it. Much appreciated for sure. List the steps of course, I'm always on for a learning thread.
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09/06/2006 11:36:33 AM · #2 |
Very, very difficult image. Not sharp, very undramatic light, underexposure in shadows hard to deal with. Here's a clumsy take on it, involving contrast masking, a glow layer added and faded way down, a draganized layer added and faded way down, lots of dodge and burn on a neutral overlay layer, gradients applied on an overlay layer to the edges, lots of USM. I can't say I'm very happy with this at all, but here it is:
The image does not work well in B/W IMO; it lacks the light and contrast for this.
R.
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09/06/2006 11:38:32 AM · #3 |
It's a tough shot to work with. The haze or your lens kept the mountains fairly soft. I think for them to pop you need them to be sharp sharp sharp. I upped the USM, but had to use history brush on the top edge to keep a halo from appearing.
One thing you discovered, is that fir and pine trees are hard to make look good unless the light is just right. They quickly deteriorate into what I call a "muddled mess". That's not your fault, just part of shooting in the west. I haven't solved it yet, except to have strong light behind you and low.
I made the skies more dramatic by duplicating the later on multiply and then adding a gradient to keep the effect to the top 1/3rd of the photo. I upped the contrast to +20. In the B&W conversion I just used the red channel because it looked best.
I added the border just cuz. ;)
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09/06/2006 11:48:32 AM · #4 |
Originally posted by DrAchoo:
One thing you discovered, is that fir and pine trees are hard to make look good unless the light is just right. They quickly deteriorate into what I call a "muddled mess". That's not your fault, just part of shooting in the west. I haven't solved it yet, except to have strong light behind you and low. |
Yeah, that's the part that makes it "not want to be B/W in my mind. You did fine with the mountains and the sky.
R.
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09/06/2006 12:54:51 PM · #5 |
My attempt:
Message edited by author 2006-09-06 12:56:19. |
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09/06/2006 12:56:12 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by btuck:
My attempt:
[thumb]//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=392030[/thumb] |
fixed link
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09/06/2006 12:56:45 PM · #7 |
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09/06/2006 12:58:11 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by btuck:
Thanks Steve. |
NP! Looks like you got it.
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09/06/2006 01:40:27 PM · #9 |
 
Editing was working in a new layer, adjusting levels paying attention to a certain area only really, then erasing back the areas I didn't want affected. Did some toning in the color balance of highlights, midtones and shadows in a new layer, like bring the foliage more into the green realm, then erasing back areas I didn't want affected. Selected teh yellow stripe and did the color balance thing again until I got the color and shade of yellow I wanted, then erased up close to the lines to undo what wasn't the yellow line. Desaturated the highway to remove the blue & cyan cast. Did some selective adjustments to the blue & cyan channels to change the sky a bit and dropped the highlight levels in the sky. Added a light soft focus to the trees and foliage, erasing back any parts of the mountain and road, tehn did a strong unsharp mask in a new layer (I do all adjustments in a new layer, then flatten, then make a new layer again and keep repeating as necessary) faded back a bit until I got what I wanted, then erased back some of the road and foliage. About 15 minutes spent, no filters or actions, just CS2.
The Black & White was a stronger contrast of the final color version with a touch of yellow toning to give the platinum look.
Only problem is, I never know when to quit - usually go overboard huh?
What's fun, is to open the original in a new window, then open the edit in a new window,
then switch between them in the taskbar to see the changes.
Message edited by author 2006-09-06 13:59:04. |
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09/06/2006 01:44:22 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by BradP:
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WOW, Brad ... both of those are amazing ... care to share any processing secrets? I'm especially interested in the B/W version ... |
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09/06/2006 02:16:40 PM · #11 |
Whew, ya Brad, your B&W is far superior to mine...
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09/06/2006 03:42:39 PM · #12 |
| Thanks Brad ... I've got a lot to learn! |
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