| Author | Thread |
|
|
08/19/2007 11:47:36 PM · #1 |
Are there editing steps for bringing out the clouds in photographs?
I've been toying with Photoshop all day trying to bring them out well and it just doesn't seem to be working out. |
|
|
|
08/19/2007 11:56:14 PM · #2 |
| Post a sample photo. Let us all see what you're looking at. |
|
|
|
08/19/2007 11:59:42 PM · #3 |
|
|
|
08/20/2007 12:02:41 AM · #4 |
| That's a very nice shot! Deep blue-saturated sky with a nice gradient. High contrast clouds, what more could you ask for? Or, is this your shot after editing and you're now happy with it?? |
|
|
|
08/20/2007 12:05:35 AM · #5 |
| Looks like it came from this portfolio. |
|
|
|
08/20/2007 11:56:23 AM · #6 |
nah i didn't edit it :P
maybe that one was a bad example. |
|
|
|
08/20/2007 12:13:20 PM · #7 |
I find that it's much better to get the exposure right in camera (which admittedly, is not always easy or possible). I'm looking around for an image where I HAD to do a bunch of work on the sky and clouds. I can't find one yet, but here is one where it came out perfect with virtually no editing:
|
|
|
|
08/20/2007 12:18:51 PM · #8 |
Here's one from the same location shot just last month. This one could use some help desperately. The terrestrial elements are a little underexposed, the sky a little over. Bringing it all back into balance in a pleasing way would be the goal. It was shot in JPG, not RAW.
|
|
|
|
08/20/2007 12:24:25 PM · #9 |
| i was trying to make skies look like yanko's. My friend is able to do it. But he won't tell me hehe |
|
|
|
08/20/2007 02:16:40 PM · #10 |
PLay with hues, curves and dodgin and burnin. Should give you some interesting results.
Here's one that's in BW that I did some D&B to to make dramatic. I got a colour one but it's in a challenge right now.
Message edited by author 2007-08-20 14:19:29.
|
|
|
|
08/20/2007 02:53:20 PM · #11 |
| Using a polarizer when you take the shot will help bring out the contrast betweeen the clouds and the sky. |
|
|
|
08/20/2007 02:55:56 PM · #12 |
My fake polarizer trick for deep blue skies is Selective Color. Tinker with the blue and cyan channels. Adding black and yellow usually does the trick (and helps restore some definition in the clouds since deepening the blues deepens the shadows).
|
|
|
|
08/20/2007 04:35:15 PM · #13 |
| I was considering buying a polarizer. |
|
|
|
08/20/2007 04:40:42 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by cujee:
I was considering buying a polarizer. |
I would buy a polarizer, I use it all the time. Not just for clouds, but to cut down on reflections, it adds a stop or so to your exposure but well worth it. |
|
|
|
08/20/2007 04:41:51 PM · #15 |
One trick that works really nice for me.
Add a channel mixer adjustment layer. 100% red/monochrome
And set it's blend mode to multiply
Adjust mask to personal taste
Enjoy ;)
|
|
|
|
08/20/2007 04:42:09 PM · #16 |
In reality, the sky wasn't dramatic, just mostly very bright and flat, you could just see the cumulous clouds. I shot with a long zoom, and used HDR to bring out the definition in the clouds. I didn't use an dodging/burning, though that's a good method, maybe easier too.
Message edited by author 2007-08-20 16:43:23.
|
|
|
|
08/20/2007 07:09:09 PM · #17 |
You might want to become familiar with CTRL+SHFT+ALT+~ (PC shortcut) to select hightlights if you're not already using it. Whatever you apply to it will blend in more naturally. To select the shadows simply inverse the selection. If you want more selected hit the keys again or use the 1,2 or 3 keys instead of the tilde. This is what I typically start out doing when editing skies.
Once you have your mask you can then apply adjustments to it to effect just the shadows, highlights or midtones. It really doesn't matter what tools you use from there so long as you're controlling them and not the other way around. Masking is the key to that.
One of my pet peeves is seeing special effects applied pretty much straight out of the box. Sometimes they look good but more times than not they produce ungodly artifacts that for some reason was allowed to remain in the photo. Nevermind that these special effects filters when used in the most basic of ways does nothing to make your own work stand out.
That said, masking allows you to find your own look and feel because once you control more you're able to explore more. I often put layer masks inside of folder masks, each with their own mask transparency, layer opacity, blending modes, blending options, etc. Other times a simple adjustment layer will do. Really depends on the photo and your imagination.
Message edited by author 2007-08-20 19:10:58.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Prints! -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/24/2024 08:27:54 PM EDT.
