Taken on the Maine Coast at sunrise. Combined 5 exposures. Adjusted curves, saturation, hues, and lens distortion. Resize, save for web.
Holy MOLY!! I can't believe that I got a ribbon in a free study, AND broke 7 for the first time with one entry! Thank you all so very much for the comments, favorites, and votes. I'm floored.
This image is far and away the most important to me personally that I've ever taken. I went to Maine for the memorial celebration for my Aunt. It was a rainy, cold, miserable weekend, and I REALLY wanted to take a shot that I could frame for my family from that trip. For just about an hour at sunrise the morning of the service, the sun broke through and I was treated to this little miracle. I figure that was probably compliments of my Aunt Kate.
Well, this image is being DQ'd. Thanks for all the nice comments. Per Scott Kelby's CS4 book, when I import my RAW files, I've been checking "Convert to DNG". He goes into great depth in Chapter 4 as to why this is an important step to future proof your images. According to the site council that makes your original files ineligible for validation. That's all I've got so, this image is going to be gone. Oh well, this was for my family anyway, and way more important to me than some ribbon in a challenge.
Disqualification Details
You must retain your original, unedited file (exactly as recorded by your camera), and provide it to the Site Council along with a list of your editing steps within 48 hours of any validation request. Files that have been saved or altered with any editing or transfer software are NOT originals.
Statistics
Views since voting: 4658 Views during voting: 295 Comments: 65 Favorites: 36 (view)
any chance of seeing the original 5 before combining, this HDR lark is driving me nuts a bit and it would be interesting to see the starting material.
Actually, it's not an HDR image. I manually blended the 5 exposures. 2 for the sky, 1 for the sun, 1 for the water, and 1 for the rocks/house. If you saw the RAW files, they wouldn't look like much because each area is exposed differently. For example, on the image where the sky is exposed properly, its completely black in the bottom half of the frame. The choice to expose this is either to use Graduated ND filters, which I didn't have, to do HDR, which I tend to not like, or to manually blend the exposures which is what I did here. Hope that helps explain it better!
First, pity about the DQ, but as you say it's not that big a deal in the context of the image and what it means to you, which is good.
However, regarding the statement above ("It's not an HDR image...") you couldn't be more wrong. A "High Dynamic Range" image is exactly what it is, and you accomplished it the old-fashioned way, by tedious and detailed hand work. In that, you're in good company, as this approach is ideal for producing "natural looking" HDR images. With the HDR programs out there, there's another (and often very useful) element at work, the enhancing of "local area contrast", and it's basically the exaggeration of that effect, combined with an extreme flattening of the tonal range, that produces thew "cartoonish" effect that so many incorrectly believe *is* HDR.
You did a great job here,a nd congrats on that :-)
Miles, I just became aware of this incredibly beautiful shot and its unfortunate DQ. I hope you don't let it discourage you from entering future challenges, that would be a loss for all as you are clearly very talented and produce great images.
Wonderful image and great story behind it. Sorry to see it was DQ'ed, but as you said, it's more about the image and what it means to you than where it placed... and... you know it placed 3rd except for a silly technicality. Seems like we (DPC) may need to revisit some of the rules to continue to encourage the best photographic practices rather than encouraging a less-than-best-practice for the sake of the rules.
Wonderful colors and composition. Thanks for creating it and sharing!
I am sorry that your work was DQ'd, but let me say that among all of the outstanding work I have seen on DPChallenge, this is one of the best of the bunch IMHO. I look forward to seeing more of your outstanding work in the future.
Oh, DARN, Miles!!! DARN ! Well, I just read thru the comments, and I'm very happy to see that you have such a great perspective on the whole DQ thing. It really IS about the beauty of this phenomenal photo and what its significance is to your family. I had a ribbon disqualified once because I unknowingly did something illegal in editing; then recently had one disqualified but it ended up getting reinstated, but I took the whole DQ process harder than you. Can I be you when I grow up????? :)
Just keep sharing these amazing works of art with us! We will all grow from your work!
Thanks Sandy! Yes you can be me when you grow up :)
It's no big deal, really. I was thrilled with the ribbon, but easy come, easy go. This image accomplished what I was hoping it would, so I'm really happy with it!
Oh, DARN, Miles!!! DARN ! Well, I just read thru the comments, and I'm very happy to see that you have such a great perspective on the whole DQ thing. It really IS about the beauty of this phenomenal photo and what its significance is to your family. I had a ribbon disqualified once because I unknowingly did something illegal in editing; then recently had one disqualified but it ended up getting reinstated, but I took the whole DQ process harder than you. Can I be you when I grow up????? :)
Just keep sharing these amazing works of art with us! We will all grow from your work!
Absolutely stunning image! I am sure your family members will treasure the prints forever... I'm sorry about the DQ. It would be nice for someone from Site Council to revisit methods of importing images without alteration. I know I can't figure it out (and so haven't entered challenges for a very long time).
Hi-
Photoshop is absolutely amazing when it comes to blending landscape shots like this. You really utilized it to its capacity and made a stunning image...
I didn't realize that when you convert to a DNG file (which is encouraged by only the most professional photographers and computer graphics individuals) that you loose some of the metadata. Isn't there a side car reference on the DNG? And when you did the conversion, did you save your RAW files? Conceiveably you can send in the data from the five RAW/JPEG converted shots to show that you used them for conversion purposes. In fact I thought when you do massive amounts of Photoshop post processing substantial amounts of data were lost as well. OY, I'm confused. Maybe you can re-explain.
Totally beautiful image, once again. You should be proud.
Diana K.
Hi Diana,
I'm not very smart when it comes to DNG conversions and what it does/doesn't do. To be honest, I only did it because the CS4 book that I bought by Scott Kelby told me too! There are several advantages (according to him) to doing so when you import your RAW files from your camera, so I just figured that was a normal process than most people do! I did not save the RAW file, because that just takes up extra HD space. The only time I can think of that I would ever need the RAW file and not the DNG is for this website, so I'm not sure I want to change my whole workflow just for DPC. I'll take a look into the RAW+JPEG, as I was told by the Site Council that would have worked as well, but I didn't know there was a problem at the time so didn't shoot that way. I wish I could explain more about it, but I don't know anything else! Oh well, in the long run it doesn't really matter all that much. I was really pleased to have gotten a ribbon, and thrilled to get so many nice comments and fav's. This image is all about my family anyway, and I don't want to get bogged down in what I did/didn't do correctly when saving the files, so I just told the Site Council to go ahead and DQ it if thats what needs to be done. It's fine... I'm not mad or even that disappointed. I've still accomplished what I wanted to accomplish with this photo, and that was to have a strong image that I can print for my family to remember Kate by. I'm perfectly satisfied with how it turned out. Thanks tons for all your support!
This is truly an outstanding shot. I can't stop looking at it. The viewer becomes part of the image. I can smeel the sea; feel the spray. DQ or not, hold your head high. You accomplished what you set out to do, and that cannot be taken away. I have been inspired. I would really like to put this shot on my desktop screen, if that's OK.
Thanks very much Xappa. Feel free to use it as your desktop. Thanks for asking!!
Request you to post a tutorial on how you achieved it and put it up at the "How'd they do that" section of DPC so that we amateurs can learn the art too.
Thanks very much anantbhatia. When I get a little more time, I'd be happy to write up a quick tutorial. I'm certainly no photoshop expert, so it won't be too long! :)
Hi-
Photoshop is absolutely amazing when it comes to blending landscape shots like this. You really utilized it to its capacity and made a stunning image...
I didn't realize that when you convert to a DNG file (which is encouraged by only the most professional photographers and computer graphics individuals) that you loose some of the metadata. Isn't there a side car reference on the DNG? And when you did the conversion, did you save your RAW files? Conceiveably you can send in the data from the five RAW/JPEG converted shots to show that you used them for conversion purposes. In fact I thought when you do massive amounts of Photoshop post processing substantial amounts of data were lost as well. OY, I'm confused. Maybe you can re-explain.
Totally beautiful image, once again. You should be proud.
This is truly an outstanding shot. I can't stop looking at it. The viewer becomes part of the image. I can smeel the sea; feel the spray. DQ or not, hold your head high. You accomplished what you set out to do, and that cannot be taken away. I have been inspired. I would really like to put this shot on my desktop screen, if that's OK.
Request you to post a tutorial on how you achieved it and put it up at the "How'd they do that" section of DPC so that we amateurs can learn the art too.
You accomplished your goal in having a photo you can frame. It is simply stunning. You could probably make a packet from this one. I know it's crushing to get this close - heck, you made the grade - and then have it taken away. But you know you can do it.
Beautiful image, and a shame about a DQ for something like that. As a thought, shoot RAW + JPEG. That way you have the richness of data in the RAW, and the JPEG for validation.
any chance of seeing the original 5 before combining, this HDR lark is driving me nuts a bit and it would be interesting to see the starting material.
Actually, it's not an HDR image. I manually blended the 5 exposures. 2 for the sky, 1 for the sun, 1 for the water, and 1 for the rocks/house. If you saw the RAW files, they wouldn't look like much because each area is exposed differently. For example, on the image where the sky is exposed properly, its completely black in the bottom half of the frame. The choice to expose this is either to use Graduated ND filters, which I didn't have, to do HDR, which I tend to not like, or to manually blend the exposures which is what I did here. Hope that helps explain it better!
and a true tribute to Aunt Katie...she smiled on you for your diligence and patience...well timed capture(s). Your family will no doubt love this on their walls! I sure would...
peace!
Hey! I didn't know you were over here too :) Yayy! And CONGRATULATIONS on your 2nd place prize for this amazing tribute to your Aunt Kate :) I think ALLLLL your photos deserve ribbons :)
Everything about this image is beautiful. Well composed. I really like the feel of the water gently lapping up against the rocks as the sunsets sun rises on the horizon. How did you get the sun to have the star shape?
almost doesn't look real.. I can never capture the sun like that.. We never have cloudy skies like this either.. totally jealous.. Love this.. 10 for me
Wow!!! This could be a painting, the colors are perfect the focus is sharp and yet kind of soft at the same time, the glow on the rocks and house are perfect. One of my two 10's in the challenge. I hope this ribbons.
Add photograph to your favorites
Add photographer to your favorites
Photographer found comment helpful.
