DSS #27 - which one?

CWSkopec

[Disclaimer] These are just quick Lightroom edits to make the black & whites. Before I submit the final, I'll process and render my entry in Photoshop!

But after spending the entire evening and most of today looking at piles of rocks, I can't decide which to process and I'm really short on time this upcoming week! Any help figuring out which one or at least which comp to spend the most of my time on would be GREATLY appreciated! :thumb

I'm thinking of a title along the lines of "Many Become One" but I haven't nailed that down yet either!

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[Disclaimer 2] The quick processing in Lightroom came out uber-dark. The RAW files actually have much better range and highlights to work with. Here a quick example:

Katmitchell

Neato
Hey Chris..

Neat idea and you really nailed the whole perspective factor.

I like number #1 #4 .. it would be awesome if you could process the rocks to look like # 6, they are nice and sharp there.. # 6 could stand on its own too, it is nice for a tight crop option..

I wish #4 had the look of #1.. I like #4 how the sea looks and adds to the composition and character... for some reason when I look at these I think of family.. perhaps go with a name like "the gathering" or something like that anyways, it would of course imply "many" for the theme..

I like them and cannot wait to see your final product.. this is cool... and somehow you gave these rocks a human type appeal..

Nice Work..

Kat

pyroPrints.com

#s 4 & 5, and possibly 1 if you increase contrast

richtersl

I know this isn't going to help, but I really like #6. You've got the potential in that shot to make that lighting look really nice. I would play around with Curves and then try slightly dodging the areas of the rocks where the sun is hitting them.

#1 is compositionally really good, but it needs some work with Curves, Levels, something -- to make it look a bit brighter.

CWSkopec

Thanks for the comments, Kat, Pyro & Linda!

There really is some good light on these shots in the RAW images, I'm not 100% sure why the conversions came out so flat and muddy. I do however blame it on them being "quick conversions!"

Sounds like everyone is digging #1 (with a better conversion, of course) so I'll try to get that one processed soon and post it (done right this time) for further review!

Hopefully that won't halt other opinions, keep 'em coming!

richtersl

Can you run Photoshop actions in Lightroom?

CWSkopec

richtersl wrote:

Can you run Photoshop actions in Lightroom?

Honestly, I'm not sure... my computer is on the downward swing of it's life and anything beyond using quick presets for developing a photo seems to crash Lightroom so I do all my serious editting in Photoshop.

richtersl

OK. So you DO have Photoshop! Check out some of these actions for B&W conversion. My favorite is the Gorman one. They may help maximize the lighting you have in your shots.

http://www.atncentral.com/bw_conv.htm

Katmitchell

Yep.. looking at it again with rested eyes and I still like #1, especially if you can give us clarity and contrast..

and as far as your computer goes.. after the contest.. go and download CCCleaner... I use it everyday to keep my computer running clean....
it is free and it works!! be sure to make use of the registry cleaner on it too. I notice that photoshop tends to leave behind danglers after processing.. It also
has a tool to remove programs you don't use anymore too..

I am not sure if your running Vista or XP, but Vista is a Gestapo program and back's up everything.... 3 times over, and even when you empty your recycle bin, it actually saves everything that was in there... bogs the system down.. I am running a four quad souped up machine and Vista has such a big butt that it drinks memory with a straw... so you have to keep it clean... and CCcleaner helps.

Kat

CWSkopec

richtersl wrote:

OK. So you DO have Photoshop! Check out some of these actions for B&W conversion. My favorite is the Gorman one. They may help maximize the lighting you have in your shots.

http://www.atncentral.com/bw_conv.htm

Thanks for the link, Linda!

I'll give that action a shot once I properly process the RAW. I also downloaded the trial version of NIK Silver Effects. I've seen some great work with that plug-in and even though I can't afford to purchase it at the moment, what better time to try it out then when there's a B&W only challenge?!

CWSkopec

Katmitchell wrote:

Yep.. looking at it again with rested eyes and I still like #1, especially if you can give us clarity and contrast..

and as far as your computer goes.. after the contest.. go and download CCCleaner... I use it everyday to keep my computer running clean....
it is free and it works!! be sure to make use of the registry cleaner on it too. I notice that photoshop tends to leave behind danglers after processing.. It also
has a tool to remove programs you don't use anymore too..

I am not sure if your running Vista or XP, but Vista is a Gestapo program and back's up everything.... 3 times over, and even when you empty your recycle bin, it actually saves everything that was in there... bogs the system down.. I am running a four quad souped up machine and Vista has such a big butt that it drinks memory with a straw... so you have to keep it clean... and CCcleaner helps.

Kat

Thanks for the heads up, Kat!

I'll run the clean up once I'll download that tonight and rum soon as I can. I knew Vista liked to hog the memory, I just didn't realize how selfish it was!

DsrtVW

I do not know if you have time for a reshoot, but if you were to wet the stones it would really give contrast against the back ground. I say this because I was knocking around the same idea, there is a place on the American River where people do a lot of rock stacking. They are dull when dry but have great color when wet.
5 and 2 are my favs

Kinkajou

I'm also all for #2. i like the perspective of all the different towers, and I like the stones against the bright background. I wonder whether you might be able to do the conversion using the channel mixer so that you can get the blue sky to lighten up quite a bit and get the warm tones of the stones a little darker.

#5 is also very nice.

i don't know if you can get back there, but maybe if you can get down even lower so that the background of each tower is all sky, as opposed to some being sand and some sky.

great idea!

CWSkopec

DsrtVW wrote:

I do not know if you have time for a reshoot, but if you were to wet the stones it would really give contrast against the back ground. I say this because I was knocking around the same idea, there is a place on the American River where people do a lot of rock stacking. They are dull when dry but have great color when wet.
5 and 2 are my favs

Thanks for the idea, Chris!

Unfortunately, I probably don't have a chance to get back there for this challenge, but it's only about 20 minutes from home, so I'll be back again at some point... I'll just have to remember to bring a water bottle with me!

CWSkopec

Kinkajou wrote:

I'm also all for #2. i like the perspective of all the different towers, and I like the stones against the bright background. I wonder whether you might be able to do the conversion using the channel mixer so that you can get the blue sky to lighten up quite a bit and get the warm tones of the stones a little darker.

#5 is also very nice.

i don't know if you can get back there, but maybe if you can get down even lower so that the background of each tower is all sky, as opposed to some being sand and some sky.

great idea!

Thanks Kinkajou!

I'll have to look through the catalog when I get home... hopefully I've got some from a lower perspective... and maybe with a little more depth of field so that back tower isn't quite so blurred...

CWSkopec

#1 processed
I used the Gorman action that Linda recomended and then tweaked a little after, how's this strike you folks?



Thanks for looking!

richtersl

Much better! The bottom foreground is a little dark, though. You'll need to tweak the either the Curves or Levels layer to bring that out a little more. The light on the main cairn looks great!

When I run the action, I have it stop at one of the Levels settings so that I can make a adjustment while the action is running. When I get home I'll let you know which one it is.

You can also play with the Opacity settings for the Hi pass layer to see what effect that has on your photo.

CWSkopec

richtersl wrote:

Much better! The bottom foreground is a little dark, though. You'll need to tweak the either the Curves or Levels layer to bring that out a little more. The light on the main cairn looks great!

When I run the action, I have it stop at one of the Levels settings so that I can make a adjustment while the action is running. When I get home I'll let you know which one it is.

You can also play with the Opacity settings for the Hi pass layer to see what effect that has on your photo.

Thanks, Linda!

In my editting after the action ran, I set up a couple lighter layers and masked in some highlights (mostly on the main cairn) so it'll be pretty easy to go in and lighten up the foreground a bit. And in looking at it now, I think I might lighten up the other cairns (just a touch) while I'm in there!

Thanks for your help!

Katmitchell

I agree with Linda... and I am liking it.. I really like the way the rocks sit right up there in the viewer's face..

Your getting some blowout on the 3rd rock Chris and it looks like unnatural lighting in a natural setting..I would mildly and softly burn it in a little... but very carefully, don't make it too dark, ya need the light falling right there, just need to make it look more natural.


Looking Really Good....thumb


One tiny request.. can we see this process Linda shared on #4 too..
pretty please... ........I am curious.. I really liked that one too...:D

Kat

richtersl

It's a PS action, Kat. Go here:

http://www.atncentral.com/bw_conv.htm

and scroll down to Gorman B & W Action.

richtersl

CWSkopec wrote:

Thanks, Linda!

In my editting after the action ran, I set up a couple lighter layers and masked in some highlights (mostly on the main cairn) so it'll be pretty easy to go in and lighten up the foreground a bit. And in looking at it now, I think I might lighten up the other cairns (just a touch) while I'm in there!

Thanks for your help!

Sounds like you've already figured out a way to control how the action works.

Katmitchell

richtersl wrote:

It's a PS action, Kat. Go here:

http://www.atncentral.com/bw_conv.htm

and scroll down to Gorman B & W Action.

Thanks for the link Miss Linda..Cool...

CWSkopec

Katmitchell wrote:

I agree with Linda... and I am liking it.. I really like the way the rocks sit right up there in the viewer's face..

Your getting some blowout on the 3rd rock Chris and it looks like unnatural lighting in a natural setting..I would mildly and softly burn it in a little... but very carefully, don't make it too dark, ya need the light falling right there, just need to make it look more natural.


Looking Really Good....thumb


One tiny request.. can we see this process Linda shared on #4 too..
pretty please... ........I am curious.. I really liked that one too...:D

Kat

Thanks for your enthusiasm, Kat!

I'll dodge that rock a bit tomorrow and get some more detail in there, I know it's there, I just didn't pay attention to it! So I'll get it when I lighten up that foreground a bit...

I may not get a chance to process #4 before the challenge period is up... Tomorrow night I need to get a bunch of things done before I got out of town Friday morning for the weekend, so #1 with some adjustments will probably have to be my entry, but if I don't get to it in time for the challenge, I promise to do it next week and we can do some post-challenge "should haves"

bf2015

richtersl wrote:

It's a PS action, Kat. Go here:

http://www.atncentral.com/bw_conv.htm

and scroll down to Gorman B & W Action.

Ohhh...I like that action. Very nice!

CWSkopec

OK, here's the one I'm about to submit... Thanks all for the comments and help! I may have some time over the weekend to play around a little bit more, but I want to get this one in just in case I run out of time when I get back to town!

Katmitchell

Hey Chris..

The should haves sound fun. I Look forward to them and your entry looks nice!!!

Kat

whiterice

At first, #2 was my favorite. Then #1 started growing on me, especially after your revision. Beautiful entry!