Chianti region

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hi, everyone. I'm back from my latest trip to Italy and this time I took an enhanced color IR camera that I bought on eBay to try doing something different. I'm slowly learning about the enhanced color. Most of the time I'm switching the color channels so I get the blue sky (I downloaded a handy action that makes is fast and simple). I'm masking the effect on certain items (this time the buildings in the background). And I corrected the color cast with White Neutralizer in Nik CEP and then Selective Color. Sometimes I like leaving the red channel which means I have dreamy salmon colored skies. I'll be posting more of these as the days go by (and of course a couple of blurs).

[Dennis Bishop]

Very nicely shot and processed. With the vertical positions of the horizon and the far end of the vineyard, and the horizontal location of the widest separation between the rows, the composition is superb. The lighter foreground and the leading lines add to the feeling of depth. I look forward to more of these (and some blurs).

[Anita Bower]

Great composition! Strong leading lines, and repetition of patterns of lines beyond the forward ones.

The tones of the image are lovely. I find the blue sky distracting from the beautiful details, lights and darks, patterns, etc. of the rest of the image. I experimented with making the sky color similar to the rest, and preferred it. The sky is strong enough to hold it's own.

Cheryl--your photos are perfect for OOTB. You push me to expand my appreciation of OOTB images. In this case IR.

[Nancy Bell]

I am intrigued by your approach to processing the IR images. Can't wait to see the variations. Love the lines of the vineyard sweeping you back to the details of the middle layer. I like the hints of color and would consider making the sky blue a notch less blue. Or maybe cropping the blue out, leaving a band of just all clouds. For me that puts more emphasis on the interesting middle layer. I like how IR seems to create hyper-details in that area. I guess due to the particular natural colors of the area and your processing. But I like the definite field row lines that can be seen and the details of many of the buildings, such as the windows. The pale, pale salmon color on the buildings is almost just a whisper, but it adds subtle impact.

[Mitch Carucci]

IR looks like fun! I would have thought an ice storm had hit! I have enjoyed your Italy pics. Was this a new trip?

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Cheryl.

Wow, way cool. The color in the clouds is great and the pattern detail. Good show! Thanks for posting.

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Cheryl Slechta]

Thanks everyone for your comments. Here's what it looks like out of the camera (with a whites adjustment - I'd love to hear from everyone on how they do that - I've been using Selective Color and reducing the blacks. I'd welcome better suggestions. I tried White Neutralizer in Nik CEP but got varying results). Also, I added a little tonal contrast because the action I downloaded that switches the color channels adds some. Thanks for looking

[Anita Bower]

Cheryl: I prefer the repost, but I think the sky still dominates the image. Perhaps that is what you intended.

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Cheryl, Thanks for the repost of the near SOOC version. I started with just a tonal adjustment but the color was so interesting... a dozen layers later...



After working with many different methods for adjusting whites over the years, I've settled on SEP (to adjust luminance contrast separately) then luminosity blend (to reintroduce color) and finally saturation adjustments (I use Topaz Adjust for this). What I like about SEP is the global tools (brightness, contrast) with local contrast (structure) mix split between highlights-midtones-shadows.

My repost started with the above, top and bottom darkening with a gradient for slight tunnel 3D, then channel mixer to a near blue sky which was colored with a blue fill layer blend masked for just the sky. A second tonal adjustment (SEP etc) to soften the clouds.

Anyway... it was fun working your image. I'm really wanting an IR camera. ;-)

Cheers,

-Michael-

[Diane Miller]

Michael hit on what I was thinking as I read down -- I think the image holds together better with more analogous tones in the FG to match the sky --i.e. a cooler FG. Lots of choices with a "color" filter, although you can certainly go pure B/W.

Michael, go for it -- with your facility with color manipulation, you'd love it! Get one with Live View, for focusing. Even if it's "focus calibrated" it won't be good for all lenses. MF is really necessary, looking right at the magnified image on the sensor. Some of the older sensors are worse for the notorious center hot spot, too.

[Dennis Bishop]

Michael, I really like what you did. If we all came out to Santa Cruz, would you go through it with us step-by-step?

I don't actually mean we should all show up at your front door. Every once in a while, though, I think it'd be a great idea if there was some gathering at which a lot of us could be face-to-face and share some ideas.

[Diane Miller]

What a great idea! If there was some good photo-op to draw some of us to the same place, arranging some get-together time would be a great idea!

[Cheryl Slechta]

Thanks everyone for your comments and Michael - thanks! for your workflow - I like what you've done. I think Dennis' idea is marvelous - I'm game - when and where???

[Michael Gerald-Yamasaki]

Dennis, a meet up would be fun. I have a goal over the next year or two to participate in a local Open Studio tour (artists present their work where it's created in locations all over Santa Cruz County)...

But other than that... there used to be a processing tricks sticky thread... not sure when that disappeared.

Cheers,

-Michael-