My original entry for the 'Backlight' challenge finished just above 5, however several comments indicated a haze and some mentioned applying a curve. I applied a curve and a small amount of USM. I would appreciate comments on whether or not the image has been improved.
It's definitely getting there, but the contrast is still not fully *there*.. the blacks are still a bit hazy and grey.. but you're definitely on the right track.
Very nice improvement! I am one of those you doesn't know a gamma if it hit me in the face, but I can tell the difference. Nice work! Is that a cross-filter you used?
Very nice improvement! I am one of those you doesn't know a gamma if it hit me in the face, but I can tell the difference. Nice work! Is that a cross-filter you used?
4 point star filter. I was focused on the water droplet on the end of the leaf.
still looks a bit washed out to me. I would like to see richer colors. Maybe even just lowering brightness with a little contrast boost could do wonders.
maybe...
still looks a bit washed out to me. I would like to see richer colors. Maybe even just lowering brightness with a little contrast boost could do wonders.
You beat me to it. What adjustment did you do?
edit: removed image as it has been adjusted again and reposted in a later entry
For my edit I reduced sat of the red channel quite a bit and boosted green and yellow. If you weren't entirely sure of what was going on ;-)
also levels adjustment then brightnest contrast, but not much of that.
For my edit I reduced sat of the red channel quite a bit and boosted green and yellow. If you weren't entirely sure of what was going on ;-)
also levels adjustment then brightnest contrast, but not much of that.
Thanks. I didn't even think of using hue/saturation. My latest attempt (on top of other attempts via layers) was just a brightness contrast adjustment and I think a little too much. The first attempt was just curves and usm.
Its really a beautiful picture, a real shame that you didnt adjust it before the challenge. The problem is that your darks arent dark enough. Find the darkest part of your photo and compare it to something black... Its going in the right direction but not yet completely there.
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
My original entry for the 'Backlight' challenge finished just above 5, however several comments indicated a haze and some mentioned applying a curve. I applied a curve and a small amount of USM. I would appreciate comments on whether or not the image has been improved.
I don't have access to curves without firing up my laptop and using a beta version of the jasic program... forget what it's called. and that screen is kinda off anyway.
I just tried it out right now in PS and the only thing you really have to do is Levels... Bring the left bar thingy to the left edge of the curve and the right bar thingy to the right edge of the curve and viola!
Next question, could this problem be related to incorrect exposure (my guess) or could it be that the dynamic range of the scene was too much for the camera to handle?
No contrast etc adjustments done in camera. For the latest attempt I left all settings in camera RAW as default except for contrast which I pushed to 100. For the original I don't think I made any adjustment in camera RAW.
I believe the star filter is resposible for some of the contrast reduction. If you look thru that filter, what you see will have a slightly "foggy" appearance, that is, reduced contrast. So you must boost it later.
On your shot, levels works wonders, and a little further work with curves & hue/sat also helps significantly.
It truly is "live & learn" here, and the learning is sure interesting sometimes.
Funny, I gave your original an 8 based on the fact that I knew it would look great with some simple processing. :) I've been trying to think that way during voting. Just because people don't have all the photoshop savvy of other people doesn't mean they didn't take a great photograph that could easily be made into a top contender with ps.
