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Author Topic: Downstream  (Read 1717 times)

maddogmurph

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Downstream
« on: March 29, 2016, 05:15:04 pm »

Thoughts?
« Last Edit: March 29, 2016, 10:25:40 pm by maddogmurph »
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Maddog Murph
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KMRennie

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #1 on: March 29, 2016, 07:28:57 pm »

I like the composition but the greens look oversaturated to me. The sky looks a little unatural as well.
Ken
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maddogmurph

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #2 on: March 29, 2016, 10:27:24 pm »

I like the composition but the greens look oversaturated to me. The sky looks a little unatural as well.
Ken

Is this pulled back enough? I'm taking suggestions on how to fix the sky... I took a slight warm filter off of it in this version. I do feel like it loses some of it's contrast flare/pop when I tone down the saturation.  I just noticed there's a sunstar in this one, only can be seen on the larger file... wish I could push that out more somehow...
« Last Edit: March 29, 2016, 10:30:57 pm by maddogmurph »
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drmike

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2016, 02:36:02 am »

I agree with Ken, unless you want that electric green look try desaturating the yellows a bit and don't be shy! Nice scene.
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Paulo Bizarro

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2016, 03:38:05 am »

I prefer the first one, but in this type of scene I don't mind a bit of saturation, as it adds a bit of life.

Chris Calohan

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #5 on: March 31, 2016, 02:04:11 am »

Toughie...but I found the over-saturated greens and yellows much too much. In PS I made a duplicate layer to which I applied an adjustment of "Match Color" and clicked on the "Neutralize" to take out the green in the sky and to toned them down a bit more overall. Next I did a Select by Color Range only in the areas of the sky which as well picked up the water and created a Color Adjustment layer increasing both the red and yellow sliders until I had a sky that would match the tonal contrast presented in the reflections of the watercourse. Copying that layer, I added an Exposure Layer with slight negative bumps in both the saturation and gamma channels. One more Color Adj layer to push and pull the yellows and greens by painting back some highlights gives a richer and to me more inviting entrance into your scene. It is just another opinion. I do like the scene. There is probably a happy place somewhere in the middle.
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francois

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #6 on: March 31, 2016, 04:06:35 am »

I like the first version too. The electric greens are not very realistic but they give some punch. Now, to bring this shot into reality, Chris C's version is quite good but I find that there's too much magenta in the foreground so it's not a 5 second job. Since I'm lazy I'd keep the original version.
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Francois

thierrylegros396

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #7 on: March 31, 2016, 04:26:17 am »

I like the first version too. The electric greens are not very realistic but they give some punch. Now, to bring this shot into reality, Chris C's version is quite good but I find that there's too much magenta in the foreground so it's not a 5 second job. Since I'm lazy I'd keep the original version.

+1

Thierry
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maddogmurph

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #8 on: March 31, 2016, 03:28:20 pm »

Frankly this photo probably wasn't worth the time and effort I put into processing it. I've given up here and posted it to the world. I went back and forth between over-saturated and true color so to speak. It was of course more towards true color to begin with, sort of drab and lifeless, and didn't really give the feel of actually being in such a lush, green, beautiful place. I decided to push it towards dramatic and then went back and forth on what's too much, not enough, who cares, what looks better, and what my intention is behind communicating the scene. Mostly this was a learning photo for me. I practiced quite a few new techniques and the layers became bafflingly complex. I'm not really 100% satisfied, but part of that may be that was that I was never sure the image was compelling to begin with. Trying to make something out of nothing perhaps.
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Arlen

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #9 on: March 31, 2016, 03:52:14 pm »

Well I think you nailed the Jurassic effect. It looks like a big Rex could come running down that stream at any moment.   :)
(Jurassic can be good.)
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Colorado David

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Re: Downstream
« Reply #10 on: March 31, 2016, 04:03:05 pm »

Frankly this photo probably wasn't worth the time and effort I put into processing it. I've given up here and posted it to the world. I went back and forth between over-saturated and true color so to speak. It was of course more towards true color to begin with, sort of drab and lifeless, and didn't really give the feel of actually being in such a lush, green, beautiful place. I decided to push it towards dramatic and then went back and forth on what's too much, not enough, who cares, what looks better, and what my intention is behind communicating the scene. Mostly this was a learning photo for me. I practiced quite a few new techniques and the layers became bafflingly complex. I'm not really 100% satisfied, but part of that may be that was that I was never sure the image was compelling to begin with. Trying to make something out of nothing perhaps.

I like this version the best.  It no longer appears to me that the area of sunlight is clipping.  I looked at your image earlier today and have just come back to it now.  I have experienced lighting conditions that make the world look like this.  In October of 2004 I was on a shoot for a magazine in the hardwood forested area of northeast Kansas. Just before sundown a cloud bank moved into the western sky and hid the sun.  The light became completely flat and drab.  I thought it was the end of the shooting day. As the sun got lower in the western sky and the cloud bank moved eastward things got really interesting.  As it turned out the sun set, but then light from the sun from beyond the horizon illuminated the cloud bank reflecting light over what looked like the whole world. When the sun set, it actually appeared brighter and the quality of the light made everything look far more dramatic and saturated, very much like your scene.  The effect was like bouncing a light off of a warm gold reflector.

I really like the composition and don't feel at all that you've wasted any effort on the processing.  Nice work.
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