Bridge in the mist

[Randy Carone]

This was a throw-away in color and I can't decide if the B & W version saves the image. Any thoughts?[attachment=19170:falls.jpg]

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

This was a throw-away in color and I can't decide if the B & W version saves the image. Any thoughts?[attachment=19170:falls.jpg]

It's a keeper, IMHO. Nice mood.


Eric

[Randy Carone]

thanks Eric - I like your site.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

thanks Eric - I like your site.

Thank you Randy. I'm now starting to add old pre-digital stuff via the scanner. Iceland 1974 is the first of those.

[jasonrandolph]

I think the mist is what makes it work for me.

[Justan]

I like it.

I haven't done any color to B&W conversions. What steps do you take?

[ckimmerle]

Randy,

I like the photo, but am not sure the toning really accentuates the subject matter to full effectiveness. My eyes are continually drawn to the contrast between the very dark side of the bridge and the blown out sky (neither of which is an important element), when they should be drawn to the falls. My recommendation would be to add some density to the sky and brighten the muddy-looking falls to help bring overall balance to the image as well as direct attention to the main subject. . You have a very nice starting image, but IMHO it just needs a little finessing.

I've played with the image a bit and have included my version here, but am in no way saying this is exactly how it should look. I'm only including it here as an example of what I was suggesting and how it draws attention to the falls rather than the sky. It is far from perfect. Hope no offense is taken.

[Randy Carone]

Chuck,
Thank you. Absolutely no offense taken. This pic has gone from tack sharp color to soft B&W, then brought back to a somewhat sharper image. Thanks for the input. If you don't mind, can you tell this novice what you did to the image?

Justan,
I have several methods for converting to B&W that range from Lightroom, a plug-in called B & W Styler (?), Channel Mixer, etc. This one was an unusual one. I brought the original into PS Raw Converter and started playing with Clarity, Vibrance and Saturation and ultimately moved them all to the left side, which desaturated (obviously) and softened the image and seemed to accentuate the "mist effect". It has been a fun image to play with and I'm sure I'm not done yet.

Randy

[John R]

Randy,

I like the photo, but am not sure the toning really accentuates the subject matter to full effectiveness. My eyes are continually drawn to the contrast between the very dark side of the bridge and the blown out sky (neither of which is an important element), when they should be drawn to the falls. My recommendation would be to add some density to the sky and brighten the muddy-looking falls to help bring overall balance to the image as well as direct attention to the main subject. . You have a very nice starting image, but IMHO it just needs a little finessing.

I've played with the image a bit and have included my version here, but am in no way saying this is exactly how it should look. I'm only including it here as an example of what I was suggesting and how it draws attention to the falls rather than the sky. It is far from perfect. Hope no offense is taken.

I think this a good example of what the author is looking for. Though I do find the sky a little too much and muddy in your modified version. The image with the extreme whites of sky and mist and water just may not be salvageable with ordinary PP.

JMR

[ckimmerle]

I think this a good example of what the author is looking for. Though I do find the sky a little too much and muddy in your modified version....

You might be right. My excuse is that I didn't mean it to be perfect. I'm stickin' to that!



Randy,

All I did was use three layers adjustment layers (with appropriate masks):

-the first was to slightly darken the sky
-the second was to lighten the left side of the bridge and lower that areas contrast
-the third was to lighten the waterfalls

(I used simple gradient tools for 1 and 3 layer masks, and a lasso selection for #2 mask)

I also used a global curves to bring out bring out the midtone contrast a bit.

As you have the original file, you'll be able to make it look much nicer.

[RSL]

Randy, I think the original post is very good. Why was it a "throwaway" in color?

[Randy Carone]

Maybe throwaway was too harsh. I looked at it with the other photos from the day and moved on. It didn't strike me until a few weeks later when I was reviewing past folders. I always make sure to go back and look at recent images to see if I like them better in retrospect. Here is the original with nothing done, other than opening through PS Raw Converter on Auto and save as jpeg for web.[attachment=19198:_DSC4796.jpg]