Not farmin' anymore XXII

[Katherine Enns]

Invermere BC, Late August in pouring rain, 4:30 PM and getting dark.
Canon Rebel XT
f/22
1/160s
IS0 400
24-105 @ 24 m
The first thing you might tell me is as what I needed f/22 for? not got an answer.

[Robert Amoruso]

Kat,

I can see what attracted you to the scene - the odd shaped tree, old building and fences. I believe that a stronger composition lurks here. Using the fence, you can create a leading line to guide the viewer into the scene. To do that here a different perspective was required and walking around the scene may have revealed it. The odd post on the lower right seems out of place and could have been eliminated by moving left some.

Also lowering your camera position could have juxtaposed the shed and tree against the BG sky only.

I reposted an tweaked version of the image. My goal here is to point you in a direction for post processing the image. You can vary my recommendations as you see fit based on the mood. However, I felt the image was too dark and the shadows muddy looking.

1) Curves adjustment with the 1/2 tones (i.e. place point in middle of curve) pulled left and up to brighten up image. On same curve, point at 3/4 tones (i.e., place point in the upper 1/4 point of the curve) and pull down and right to darken sky.

This has the affect of lightening the shadows and keeping the sky at the same tonality.

2) Lowed saturation a bit.

3) Shadows/Highlights adjustment to bring up shadows a bit more.

4) USM sharpening at 125/0.3/0. Some halos occurred in the tree but you will do better with an original.

Work done in PSCS3. After looking at this a second time I probably went to bright and should have eliminated step 3. Thanks for posting.

[Katherine Enns]

Thanks Robert. I was hoping you would look at this. Again should have been posted in ETL. I had several cracks at this from various angles.

I have some straight on shots of buildings like this that may not suit you. Too documentarian, I guess. I will send by PM possibly? I appreciate the work you have done here it really makes a difference to me.

Interesting you used Shadows Highlight. When processing these, I often look at the image of an old wooden building in SH and it does brighten it and get rid of the dark tones that characterize wood shaded by a roof, thats old and dark anyway. However, it loses the glowering kind of forlorn aspect, I dont know how to describe, it. Kind of makes it look too **** cheerful. Does this sound nuts? So if I can find a minute I will try what you have done without SH and see. I have been looking at your tutorials.

Kat

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Kat,
Greetings from Alaska! This will be a tough one to play around with as the sky pokes into the tree a lot. I do like the FG lightening but agree it may be too much. Maybe just straight levels and tweak the black slider along with lightening the mid tones.......endless possibilities. I would try to see if you can bring out anything more in the sky....pretty slate grey......and pulling out some more depth will help. I do like the curved tree next to the barn but I am debating the front RH post.....moving a little to the left and eliminating it would help.

[Katherine Enns]

Thanks! I guess we will see some Alaska shots soon!!!? Heck Roman, I already took one fence post right out! Thanks though. Would I use quick mask to try and pull more expression out of the sky? And do what, enhance the black in it? I just started to understand how that works, and I dont know enough yet. Hope you dont mind dumb questions.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Kat,
Good thing for the 4 hour time difference from NJ.....I need sleep though (although not that far off BC time)......try a multiplied layer (Robert has it in the tutorials in tonal range/contrast tweaks).....you can vary the opacity to a level you like and then work on the bottom 1/2 seperately. Hope this helps!
PS If the internet wasn't painfully slow here.....I might give it a go! Will check tomorrow.

[Katherine Enns]

We have had no access at all to BPN all day, until just now. I would try what you suggest, but I cant face my office for another second today. You are on the same time zone here, as western BC. Thanks for the suggestion. I will need help with this though, which means you know who.

Kat

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Kat,
hope it works as the sites been down for a while...here goes....multiplied layer on the sky at 100% opacity.....don't forget to blur it....added black in selective color to everything except darker barn face......some brigtness/contrast to everything except highlight area in sky. Still dark and moody....but added definition to sky. Changing opacity will change the look considerably.