Stonehenge

[Rachel Hollander]

Another from my trip in May with after hours access to the inner circle.

Canon 7D
16-35 @ 16 mm
1/200
f6.3
ISO 400
HH, levels adjustment, LCE and sharpened in CS5, slight crop for comp.

I've debated a slight warming filter or increase to the WB but left it as shot.

C&C welcome and appreciated. Thanks,

Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

A very reflective image of the location Rachel. Might have tried going for a lower POV looking up to give a more dramatic feel, less FG and more sky perhaps? :w3

Could run either aN ND filter via Gradient adj to darken the sky, or making this in RAW a Smart object and working with two layers to strengthen the sky and give it more depth. Would lighten the stones a tad too, IMHO.

TFS
Steve

[Robert Amoruso]

Rachel,

Warming would be OK but I like it as is. I would work to upgrade the look of the sky using my Multiply adjustment (below).

THis will make the FG somewhat dark so use a curves correction to lightening. Pin the upper 50% of the curve and then pull up and left at the 1/4 point on the lower 50% of tones and the FG and rocks will brighten right up.


Highlight selection:

1) Channels palette.
2) Ctrl key and click the RGB channel. Photoshop will now create a feathered selection around highlight pixels in the image. Photoshop has selected pixels based on how bright they are. Pure white pixels are selected 100%. Pure black pixels are not selected and pixels falling in-between those two extremes are selected based on a percentage of how close they are to white.

Blending Mode Adjustment:

1) Go back to layer palette - you will see selection.
2) Create BG copy.
3) Create mask on the BG copy from the selection.
4) Selection is grayscale shaded.
5) Change blending mode to Multiply.
6) Adjust opacity.

[Don Railton]

Hi Rachel

I you do add a bit more depth to the sky then l would think about/look at trimming off some of the foreground, maybe to where the worn patch narrows. Would place the horizon approximately on the lower third.

DON

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Robert, be interested to know your thoughts.

Over the past year I have found that using Smart objects for the initial building of certain files works very well, especially when it comes to exposure ie like the sky in Rachel's post that needs some strength to it. As you are working directly from the RAW surely the quality, colour, blending etc is better rather than an adjustment/blending layer?

Would welcome your thoughts.

cheers
Steve

[Ken Watkins]

Rachel,

I have not seen this for a long time, the last was in 1970 on my way to the Bath Festival, the UK's equivalent of Woodstock. In those days you could just walk in!

Brings back fond memories for me:Whoa!:

Remarkable how small it is.

I would try cropping some from the bottom, otherwise very fine.

[Steve Kaluski]

Hi Robert, just reflecting on my question, no need for a reply actual. :w3

cheers
Steve

[Robert Amoruso]

Rachel,

As it is mentioned twice, I would not crop from the bottom as the path acts as a leading line to the rocks.

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks all for the comments and suggestions, much appreciated and I'll play a bit and repost. I prefer the more full version on this one with the path but do have some other images that I prefer as a pano. Thanks Robert for coming back and clarifying your thoughts with respect to the crop too.

Steve - shot this one while sitting on the ground but didn't think about angling the lens up at the time. :2eyes2:

Thanks again,
Rachel

[Steve Kaluski]

Well the location can side track you a little when you visit and you got special access too, still very impressive for a pile of stones, LOL. :w3

FYI there was a bad accident there at the weekend, closed the road for several hours.

[Rachel Hollander]

Here's a repost following Robert's suggestions with the opacity for the multiply at 40%.

[Jay Gould]

Robert's recommendations and Rachael's application has created a winner. A wonderful presentation of a pile of rocks. :5

BTW, dare I ask how you obtained the after hours access?

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Jay. You can arrange it directly with English Heritage or there are a couple of companies that run "day" trips which include the Inner Circle access which is only done before or after hours.

Rachel

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Rachel, a little late to the party, but quite like the repost. nice work!

[Rachel Hollander]

Thanks Andrew