Reflections of Gold

[Bruce Murden]

Nikon D80, Nikon 105mm macro, polarizer, 1.5s @ f/11, ISO 200, tripod.

Oneonta Gorge, near Portland, OR, in the Columbia River Gorge. It was a sunny day, but the water and rocks are in the shade, reflecting colors from trees, sky, and even some people standing by out of frame.

I want to tone down the small rock a bit, but I'm having difficulty doing so - any suggestions for methods?

[Dan Brown]

Hi Bruce. In this repost I created a dupe layer and then did a brightness/contrast layer on it, then adjusted the brightness and contrast down 20 points or so. Then I backed off the opacity to about 60%. This seems to have worked, although I don't know what you had in mind? Dan Brown

[Bruce Murden]

Thanks, Dan. I did pretty much the same thing, masking so the effect worked on just the small rock, but I couldn't kill enough of the bright reflections off the little rock -- I didn't want it to steal the show from the gold on the big rock.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Bruce,
I would leave your original color and correction but remove the top distraction with a crop and then a bit off the ight. I only had a chance to try it with the browser.......but it seems to work for the composition. I love the colors you captured and the placement of the rocks in the frame.

[Robert Amoruso]

Love the colors and water flow Bruce. Don't have time now to play around with the tonality but will come back and do so.

[Julie Kenward]

I also love the colors and the flow of water but I agree with Roman - cut out that back rock...it only pulls your eye away from what the real focus should be.

What an unusual image!

[Bruce Murden]

Here's a new version, taking into account some of your suggestions. Does it work better?

[Julie Kenward]

I think it does! Wow...much better!!!

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Bruce,
This really works for me now. Very well done implementing the suggestions!