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Bill Dix
08-31-2016, 03:09 PM
This is my take on the oft-photographed Kirkjafell in Iceland, taken at 11:30 PM on 7 July. I experimented with a number of exposures. In this one I exposed for the sky, such that in the RAW file the rest looked almost black; you could barely tell there was a waterfall. I brought up the shadows considerably, and removed a strong blue cast. I applied a bit of Nik Tonal Contrast, and cloned out a few tiny photographers on the path on the far side of the falls. As a newbie in processing landscapes, I'd appreciate any suggestions. See next pane for an alternate approach.

D7200, 18-70 @ 18mm. ISO 100, 1/20s @ f/16.

Bill Dix
08-31-2016, 03:11 PM
Here's an alternate approach, converting the above to b&w using Nik Silver Efex Pro with a light sepia preset.

Andrew McLachlan
08-31-2016, 08:50 PM
Hi Bill...I quite like the original post and the color tones within it. I am not so crazy about the B&W version..perhaps a bit more contrast needed but also there is little interest in the sky due to clear conditions and I think that works better in color than it does in B&W....very nicely done!

Morkel Erasmus
08-31-2016, 10:12 PM
A classic view Bill, and the sunset/great light adds something not often seen with photos of Kirkjufell.
I do think you can process it better, especially considering you made this from one exposure - there are significant halos along the mountain and horizon line.
It sounds like you took additional exposures, it could be worth blending them to an HDR (the new automated approach in Lightroom can be surprisingly good)...
I too prefer the colour one.

Don Railton
08-31-2016, 11:19 PM
Hi Bill

I too like like the colour version best.. I like the composition and agree that with additional exposures available blending might get around having to push the image so hard, which i assume is causing the brown halos. I have never noticed the road and fence lines in other images of this spot, nice to get an 'honest' view of this spot..

DON

Bill Dix
09-01-2016, 10:56 AM
Thank you all. Funny, I saw the brown on the mountain but didn't realize it was a halo. I thought it was just the way the light hit the contours, but did think it a bit odd. (I told you I was a newbie to landscape.) I've gone back and stacked the sky from the OP with the frame just prior to it, taken 1 minute earlier and with a 1/4 second SS. This gives a more silky water texture which some may like and some may not. It did get rid of the halo. I haven't tried HDR, but this addressed at least some of the issues. Thanks for your help.

Adhika Lie
09-01-2016, 05:59 PM
Bill, definitely a huge improvement. I really love the smoother waterfall on the RP. I do see some kind of glow around the mountain... but it could very well be the way the light hit the mountain.

Don Railton
09-01-2016, 11:30 PM
yep, big tick on the last for me too..

Don Lacy
09-03-2016, 08:51 PM
HI Bill, The last post is really nice the light is wonderful and i like the composition.

Bill Dix
09-04-2016, 06:17 AM
Thank you all for your help and comments.