Twisted tree

KenCo1964 · 24-08-2005, 12:18

I like this pic but the colour version was pants IMO, the sky is very blown out and if anyone has any tips on rectifying this i'd like to hear. It was taken just outside Stanhope (not exactly Teesdale) a little place we sometimes go for a picnic. Tea time sun I'm affraid, with the 28-70.

Hedgehog · 24-08-2005, 12:22

Superb shot... I can see how it works so well in B&W compared to colour & it's a cracking conversion... the whites up top seem a little too vibrant for my taste... to contrasty. Definitely a keeper... which wall is it going on?

***Steve*** · 24-08-2005, 12:26

Its a great shot Ken but as you say the sky is blown and very distracting. Is the photo a raw conversion or was it shot in jpg? If the first, then re-process it twice, once for all the detail in the bottom and the other for the sky, then combine the two to get a perfectly exposed picture.

This is definately stong enough to warrant the work it will take to get it right.

KenCo1964 · 24-08-2005, 12:34

Thanks Hedgehog very kind, i'm affraid my wife is a Minimalist and the less she sees of my photography the better.
Steve it is a raw file, I took quite a few with different apertures and even took some A/B (3 exposures) but still can’t seem to blend them together. I will give it another go, this is just the one shot though.
ISO100
F/22
1/10sec. @28mm

SammyC · 24-08-2005, 12:37

I suspect you'll be having problems with the dark tree against the bright sky. I have had similar recently but I don't think I ever got around it so I'd be interested to see how you do.

***Steve*** · 24-08-2005, 12:40

the way to do it is forget what the picture looks like as a whole and process it twice, the first for the sky, obviously the lower half of that shot will be almost black but as long as the sky is right it wont matter. Then process the raw file again abut this time for the lower half, here the sky will look horrible and be totally blown out but you only need this file for the lower half.

Then open both of them into your post processing software and overlay them, using a mask you can just expose the darker sky onto the lower half of the correctly exposed picture.

Or you can combine them using the method Matt has shown in his tutorial if you are using PS or the one Silkstone has written if you are using PSP.

Take your time with it as the end result will be made or broken by the small details.

***Steve*** · 24-08-2005, 12:50

If you are really struggling Ken, you can email me the raw file and I will have a play for you.

steve@thephotographyforums.com

PM me if you send the email as I will have to change rigs to collect the file.

SammyC · 24-08-2005, 12:59

I think this may be the issue, I expect it to be a fairly automatic process but it needs a lot of hand tweeking.

***Steve*** · 24-08-2005, 13:11

Yes and it will be good practice for him but I would hate for it to be too much and Ken to lose the photo through struggling with a difficult amount of post processing work.

Garnock · 24-08-2005, 14:10

Steve's right. Process the image twice in your RAW software.
The sky does look a bit extreme and, if thats the case, it might look a bit grainy using the above process.

Consider using ND grad filters like Cokin. Not expensive and work well.

I'm not a fan of pasting in another sky but in this case the foreground is so good I would consider it.

Cameron

CT · 24-08-2005, 14:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garnock

I'm not a fan of pasting in another sky but in this case the foreground is so good I would consider it.

Cameron

That was my first thought. There's so much detail in the scene anyway, that a 'busy' sky isn't needed, so I'd go for as simple and plain a sky as possible. It's a super shot and would look great on any wall so it's well worth the effort.

KenCo1964 · 24-08-2005, 17:56

Thanks Steve that's a kind offer, my email will only allow me to send 2meg. Anyway tried a few different ways, this is my latest and best attempt yet, I think. How's this for you?

***Steve*** · 24-08-2005, 18:05

Thats 100% better, the sky is perfect but I feel the bottom could do with being a touch darker, with a little more contrast and not quite a much sharpening. the latter could be a result of the compression though when you reduced the size of the picture for web viewing.

Thats much, much better and shows how good the shot really is.

CT · 24-08-2005, 18:14

Good job!

***Steve*** · 24-08-2005, 18:15

Actually I have just had a very quick play in PS and the problem is that your foreground is the same brightness as the sky, it should be 1 stop lower to look correct. Its also a tad over sharp which is making it look un-natural. If you can lower the brightness of the bottom slightly and then reduce the picture size before applying sharpening, you will get a great shot

You do realise that you cant enter this into this months competition now though as eveyone will know its your work

Its a shame as I am sure it would have done very well.

Matty · 24-08-2005, 18:17

great shot, really like that, definately a hanger!

***Steve*** · 24-08-2005, 18:25

Here you go.

I have lost detail in the shadows with having to work with your low res version but at least you can see the difference and decide if you want to do the extra work I have suggested. I also applied a slight amount of blur on the bottom to take the edge of it.

KenCo1964 · 24-08-2005, 18:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve

You do realise that you cant enter this into this months competition now though as eveyone will know its your work

Its a shame as I am sure it would have done very well.

Got something ready for this months comp????? And it's thanks to the comp that I had decided to go through some of my pics and try the B/W conversion for practice. It does turn a not so good shot into a better one lol.
I'm just having another play before the footie comes on, I thought it still needed adjusting darker.

24-08-2005, 12:18	#1 (permalink)
KenCo1964 Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Co. Durham England Posts: 1,069	Twisted tree I like this pic but the colour version was pants IMO, the sky is very blown out and if anyone has any tips on rectifying this i'd like to hear. It was taken just outside Stanhope (not exactly Teesdale) a little place we sometimes go for a picnic. Tea time sun I'm affraid, with the 28-70.

24-08-2005, 12:22	#2 (permalink)
Hedgehog New here Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Any Pub - Derbyshire Posts: 38	Superb shot... I can see how it works so well in B&W compared to colour & it's a cracking conversion... the whites up top seem a little too vibrant for my taste... to contrasty. Definitely a keeper... which wall is it going on?

24-08-2005, 12:26	#3 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,144	Its a great shot Ken but as you say the sky is blown and very distracting. Is the photo a raw conversion or was it shot in jpg? If the first, then re-process it twice, once for all the detail in the bottom and the other for the sky, then combine the two to get a perfectly exposed picture. This is definately stong enough to warrant the work it will take to get it right.

24-08-2005, 12:34	#4 (permalink)
KenCo1964 Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Co. Durham England Posts: 1,069	Thanks Hedgehog very kind, i'm affraid my wife is a Minimalist and the less she sees of my photography the better. Steve it is a raw file, I took quite a few with different apertures and even took some A/B (3 exposures) but still can’t seem to blend them together. I will give it another go, this is just the one shot though. ISO100 F/22 1/10sec. @28mm

24-08-2005, 12:37	#5 (permalink)
SammyC Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bristol Posts: 1,466	I suspect you'll be having problems with the dark tree against the bright sky. I have had similar recently but I don't think I ever got around it so I'd be interested to see how you do.

24-08-2005, 12:40	#6 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,144	the way to do it is forget what the picture looks like as a whole and process it twice, the first for the sky, obviously the lower half of that shot will be almost black but as long as the sky is right it wont matter. Then process the raw file again abut this time for the lower half, here the sky will look horrible and be totally blown out but you only need this file for the lower half. Then open both of them into your post processing software and overlay them, using a mask you can just expose the darker sky onto the lower half of the correctly exposed picture. Or you can combine them using the method Matt has shown in his tutorial if you are using PS or the one Silkstone has written if you are using PSP. Take your time with it as the end result will be made or broken by the small details.

24-08-2005, 12:50	#7 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,144	If you are really struggling Ken, you can email me the raw file and I will have a play for you. steve@thephotographyforums.com PM me if you send the email as I will have to change rigs to collect the file.

24-08-2005, 12:59	#8 (permalink)
SammyC Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bristol Posts: 1,466	I think this may be the issue, I expect it to be a fairly automatic process but it needs a lot of hand tweeking.

24-08-2005, 13:11	#9 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,144	Yes and it will be good practice for him but I would hate for it to be too much and Ken to lose the photo through struggling with a difficult amount of post processing work.

24-08-2005, 14:10	#10 (permalink)
Garnock Getting Comfy Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 242	Steve's right. Process the image twice in your RAW software. The sky does look a bit extreme and, if thats the case, it might look a bit grainy using the above process. Consider using ND grad filters like Cokin. Not expensive and work well. I'm not a fan of pasting in another sky but in this case the foreground is so good I would consider it. Cameron

24-08-2005, 17:56	#12 (permalink)
KenCo1964 Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Co. Durham England Posts: 1,069	Thanks Steve that's a kind offer, my email will only allow me to send 2meg. Anyway tried a few different ways, this is my latest and best attempt yet, I think. How's this for you?

24-08-2005, 18:29	#19 (permalink)
DaveG Been here a while

24-08-2005, 18:05	#13 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,144	Thats 100% better, the sky is perfect but I feel the bottom could do with being a touch darker, with a little more contrast and not quite a much sharpening. the latter could be a result of the compression though when you reduced the size of the picture for web viewing. Thats much, much better and shows how good the shot really is.

24-08-2005, 18:14	#14 (permalink)
CT Feet under the table Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: West Mids UK Posts: 3,500	Good job!

24-08-2005, 18:15	#15 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,144	Actually I have just had a very quick play in PS and the problem is that your foreground is the same brightness as the sky, it should be 1 stop lower to look correct. Its also a tad over sharp which is making it look un-natural. If you can lower the brightness of the bottom slightly and then reduce the picture size before applying sharpening, you will get a great shot You do realise that you cant enter this into this months competition now though as eveyone will know its your work Its a shame as I am sure it would have done very well.

24-08-2005, 18:17	#16 (permalink)
Matty Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: kings hill Posts: 5,269	great shot, really like that, definately a hanger!

24-08-2005, 18:25	#17 (permalink)
*Steve* Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: An Englishman living in Germany Posts: 16,144	Here you go. I have lost detail in the shadows with having to work with your low res version but at least you can see the difference and decide if you want to do the extra work I have suggested. I also applied a slight amount of blur on the bottom to take the edge of it.