PING: SavageDuck

In an earlier post I mentioned that there were some photographs where
those ominous, dark skies with swirling black clouds do work. Here's
one that I wish I could have processed that way. I've never liked the
sky in this image that I took last year in Virginia. Also, I might
crop the right side right up to the bottom of the stairs.

Note, by the way, the words on the window of this church.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9-11-22-01.jpg

If you want to play with it, I can send you the .dng file.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On 2010-12-28 23:10:57 -0800, tony cooper said:

In an earlier post I mentioned that there were some photographs where
those ominous, dark skies with swirling black clouds do work. Here's
one that I wish I could have processed that way. I've never liked the
sky in this image that I took last year in Virginia. Also, I might
crop the right side right up to the bottom of the stairs.

Note, by the way, the words on the window of this church.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9-11-22-01.jpg

If you want to play with it, I can send you the .dng file.

"retired" I guess we can relate to that.

Sure I would love to play with that shot. You have my e-mail, just
{REMOVESPAM}. Let's see what we can come up with.


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:10:57 -0500, tony cooper
wrote:

In an earlier post I mentioned that there were some photographs where
those ominous, dark skies with swirling black clouds do work.

This is a photo of a scene that could have been shot differently and
processed with the sky effect. Unfortunately, it was taken from an
angle where sky couldn't be included. I was on the road, and the road
was quite a bit higher than the barn door. I had to shoot down.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9-11-30-02.jpg

An ominous sky would have tied in with the horses staying in the
shelter of the doorway. Not enough sky in image to work with, though,
to add anything to this.

I don't oppose the treatment entirely. I just think there should be a
connection with the treatment and the subject.

As you can tell, I have no objection to dull, dead grass in a photo or
dull, leaden sky. That was Virginia (near the Blue Ridge Parkway) in
November, and that's what the scene was.

--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On 2010-12-28 23:36:04 -0800, Savageduck said:

On 2010-12-28 23:10:57 -0800, tony cooper said:

In an earlier post I mentioned that there were some photographs where
those ominous, dark skies with swirling black clouds do work. Here's
one that I wish I could have processed that way. I've never liked the
sky in this image that I took last year in Virginia. Also, I might
crop the right side right up to the bottom of the stairs.

Note, by the way, the words on the window of this church.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9-11-22-01.jpg

If you want to play with it, I can send you the .dng file.

"retired" I guess we can relate to that.

Sure I would love to play with that shot. You have my e-mail, just
{REMOVESPAM}. Let's see what we can come up with.

OK!
This was my attempt to work on your shot using single image tone
mapping with NIK HDR Efex Pro.
I used HDR Efex to remove the "Blue" cast in the clouds, upped the
contrast and structure (NIK terminology), and dropped the exposure for
the clouds.
For the building I upped the structure, contrast, and exposure.
I did two versions, the second with CS5 Lens Correction profile applied
for the 18-55mm used at 18mm on the D40.

Adjustment #1;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechut...24_1_TM-1w.jpg
Adjustment #1 + Lens Correction;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechut..._1_TM-LC1w.jpg

Comparison with original;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Church-compAw.jpg


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 2010-12-29 07:32:52 -0800, tony cooper said:

On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:10:57 -0500, tony cooper
wrote:

In an earlier post I mentioned that there were some photographs where
those ominous, dark skies with swirling black clouds do work.

This is a photo of a scene that could have been shot differently and
processed with the sky effect. Unfortunately, it was taken from an
angle where sky couldn't be included. I was on the road, and the road
was quite a bit higher than the barn door. I had to shoot down.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9-11-30-02.jpg

An ominous sky would have tied in with the horses staying in the
shelter of the doorway. Not enough sky in image to work with, though,
to add anything to this.

I don't oppose the treatment entirely. I just think there should be a
connection with the treatment and the subject.

As you can tell, I have no objection to dull, dead grass in a photo or
dull, leaden sky. That was Virginia (near the Blue Ridge Parkway) in
November, and that's what the scene was.

That is a nice shot regardless of the sky. Certainly some deepening of
shadows and contrast could add some dramatic effect. I am sure you
could make some adjustment to the clouds without too much trouble.
--
Regards,

Savageduck

Savageduck wrote:
Savageducsaid:
tony cooper said:

In an earlier post I mentioned that there were some photographs where
those ominous, dark skies with swirling black clouds do work. Here's
one that I wish I could have processed that way. I've never liked the
sky in this image that I took last year in Virginia. Also, I might
crop the right side right up to the bottom of the stairs.

Note, by the way, the words on the window of this church.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9-11-22-01.jpg
If you want to play with it, I can send you the .dng file.
"retired" I guess we can relate to that.

Sure I would love to play with that shot. You have my e-mail, just
{REMOVESPAM}. Let's see what we can come up with.

OK!
This was my attempt to work on your shot using single image tone mapping
with NIK HDR Efex Pro.
I used HDR Efex to remove the "Blue" cast in the clouds, upped the
contrast and structure (NIK terminology), and dropped the exposure for
the clouds.
For the building I upped the structure, contrast, and exposure.
I did two versions, the second with CS5 Lens Correction profile applied
for the 18-55mm used at 18mm on the D40.

Adjustment #1;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechut...24_1_TM-1w.jpg
Adjustment #1 + Lens Correction;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechut..._1_TM-LC1w.jpg

Comparison with original;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Church-compAw.jpg

That sure gives it a haunted house feeling!

On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:06:39 -0800, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2010-12-28 23:36:04 -0800, Savageduck said:

On 2010-12-28 23:10:57 -0800, tony cooper said:

In an earlier post I mentioned that there were some photographs where
those ominous, dark skies with swirling black clouds do work. Here's
one that I wish I could have processed that way. I've never liked the
sky in this image that I took last year in Virginia. Also, I might
crop the right side right up to the bottom of the stairs.

Note, by the way, the words on the window of this church.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9-11-22-01.jpg

If you want to play with it, I can send you the .dng file.

"retired" I guess we can relate to that.

Sure I would love to play with that shot. You have my e-mail, just
{REMOVESPAM}. Let's see what we can come up with.

OK!
This was my attempt to work on your shot using single image tone
mapping with NIK HDR Efex Pro.
I used HDR Efex to remove the "Blue" cast in the clouds, upped the
contrast and structure (NIK terminology), and dropped the exposure for
the clouds.
For the building I upped the structure, contrast, and exposure.
I did two versions, the second with CS5 Lens Correction profile applied
for the 18-55mm used at 18mm on the D40.

Adjustment #1;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechut...24_1_TM-1w.jpg
Adjustment #1 + Lens Correction;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechut..._1_TM-LC1w.jpg

Comparison with original;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Church-compAw.jpg

You done good, Duck. The abandoned church and gravestones on the
hillside make this a good candidate for that type of treatment.

I do regret losing the Retired
Business
Closed

on the door, though. Churches are a business.

You didn't feel cropping it on the right would improve it?






--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On 2010-12-29 11:08:29 -0800, tony cooper said:

On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 10:06:39 -0800, Savageduck
wrote:

On 2010-12-28 23:36:04 -0800, Savageduck said:

On 2010-12-28 23:10:57 -0800, tony cooper said:

In an earlier post I mentioned that there were some photographs where
those ominous, dark skies with swirling black clouds do work. Here's
one that I wish I could have processed that way. I've never liked the
sky in this image that I took last year in Virginia. Also, I might
crop the right side right up to the bottom of the stairs.

Note, by the way, the words on the window of this church.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f2...9-11-22-01.jpg

If you want to play with it, I can send you the .dng file.

"retired" I guess we can relate to that.

Sure I would love to play with that shot. You have my e-mail, just
{REMOVESPAM}. Let's see what we can come up with.

OK!
This was my attempt to work on your shot using single image tone
mapping with NIK HDR Efex Pro.
I used HDR Efex to remove the "Blue" cast in the clouds, upped the
contrast and structure (NIK terminology), and dropped the exposure for
the clouds.
For the building I upped the structure, contrast, and exposure.
I did two versions, the second with CS5 Lens Correction profile applied
for the 18-55mm used at 18mm on the D40.

Adjustment #1;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechut...24_1_TM-1w.jpg
Adjustment #1 + Lens Correction;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechut..._1_TM-LC1w.jpg

Comparison with original;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Church-compAw.jpg

You done good, Duck. The abandoned church and gravestones on the
hillside make this a good candidate for that type of treatment.

I do regret losing the Retired
Business
Closed

on the door, though. Churches are a business.

You didn't feel cropping it on the right would improve it?

Thanks.

The sign is still quite readable, and since I liked it I did what I
could to ensure it was retailed, check your e-mail for the full sized
effort, it is more obvious there. I will try a different version later
today to see what I can do to emphasize the door & sign.
Yup! Churches are a business. At least he wasn't a hypocrite, unless he
was also running a mortuary and funeral undertaking business as a
sideline.

BTW, there was a lot of noise in the clouds and I applied quite
aggressive noise reduction in those clouds as there was no detail as
such to preserve.

As far as cropping goes, I thought it best to leave that as your option.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 11:41:27 -0800, Savageduck
wrote:

Comparison with original;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Church-compAw.jpg

You done good, Duck. The abandoned church and gravestones on the
hillside make this a good candidate for that type of treatment.

I do regret losing the Retired
Business
Closed

on the door, though. Churches are a business.

You didn't feel cropping it on the right would improve it?

Thanks.

The sign is still quite readable, and since I liked it I did what I
could to ensure it was retailed, check your e-mail for the full sized
effort, it is more obvious there. I will try a different version later
today to see what I can do to emphasize the door & sign.
Yup! Churches are a business. At least he wasn't a hypocrite, unless he
was also running a mortuary and funeral undertaking business as a
sideline.

BTW, there was a lot of noise in the clouds and I applied quite
aggressive noise reduction in those clouds as there was no detail as
such to preserve.

The ISO was 400. It was very late in the afternoon on a day without
sunlight. I had just shot something else that was an interior shot,
so I left the ISO at 400.

As far as cropping goes, I thought it best to leave that as your option.

I have no further plans for the photo. I was just wondering what you
might think of the need to crop.


--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

On 2010-12-29 13:03:32 -0800, tony cooper said:

On Wed, 29 Dec 2010 11:41:27 -0800, Savageduck
wrote:

Comparison with original;
http://homepage.mac.com/lco/filechute/Church-compAw.jpg

You done good, Duck. The abandoned church and gravestones on the
hillside make this a good candidate for that type of treatment.

I do regret losing the Retired
Business
Closed

on the door, though. Churches are a business.

You didn't feel cropping it on the right would improve it?

Thanks.

The sign is still quite readable, and since I liked it I did what I
could to ensure it was retailed, check your e-mail for the full sized
effort, it is more obvious there. I will try a different version later
today to see what I can do to emphasize the door & sign.
Yup! Churches are a business. At least he wasn't a hypocrite, unless he
was also running a mortuary and funeral undertaking business as a
sideline.

BTW, there was a lot of noise in the clouds and I applied quite
aggressive noise reduction in those clouds as there was no detail as
such to preserve.

The ISO was 400. It was very late in the afternoon on a day without
sunlight. I had just shot something else that was an interior shot,
so I left the ISO at 400.

As far as cropping goes, I thought it best to leave that as your option.

I have no further plans for the photo. I was just wondering what you
might think of the need to crop.



If anything perhaps a slight crop on the left.
It was an interesting exercise, and knowing that you favor hunting
certain repositories of decaying metal, wood, and brick for subject
material, I would have thought HDR or tonemapping would give you some
very appealing and interesting results.


--
Regards,

Savageduck