another sunset

Blues fan

I took this photo while passing through Ventura CA on vacation and wanted to know some other opinions on this sunset. I am not sure which I like better. I like portions of both but not dead set on one or the other. It is the same picture just different levels of post work done on them.

1. Closest to the original shot.


2. with more post work



Any ideas on how to make the photo better. I can't reshoot it since I am in Kansas but for the next trip I take or next similar photo op I get I would like to take some better pics.

Thanks ahead of time.

thdizzy

Less post work...I live in Ventura County, know the spot, and the first capture was right on.

gubbs

I like elements of both too, the sky and sea from the 1st and the sand with a little more detail from the 2nd. You could blend the 2 together.

Dixie

I think that Gubbs means something similar to the example below.

Create an adjustment layer. In this case the bottom layer was lightened and then I selectively erased the top (darker) layer to allow the lighter beach and some of the water to show throught. Then merge the two layers into the finished photo. Much easier to do if you do the adjustments prior to adding the frame.

USAIR

Dixie wrote:

I think that Gubbs means something similar to the example below.

Create an adjustment layer. In this case the bottom layer was lightened and then I selectively erased the top (darker) layer to allow the lighter beach and some of the water to show throught. Then merge the two layers into the finished photo. Much easier to do if you do the adjustments prior to adding the frame.

Fred

Angelo

I prefer #1 as-is.

grimace

Great work Dixie!!
Unbelievable work Dixie. I think I need to spend an hour or two with you in front of the computer and steal some ideas/tricks!!

What software are you using to enhance your photos?

-Adam

www.adamstravelphotoghaphy.com

Blues fan

grimace wrote:

What software are you using to enhance your photos?

grimace, Is this for me or Dixie, I am assuming me, if so I am using photoshop CS

thdizzy

Blues fan wrote:

grimace, Is this for me or Dixie, I am assuming me, if so I am using photoshop CS

The question was for Dixie I believe.

Dixie

grimace wrote:

Unbelievable work Dixie. I think I need to spend an hour or two with you in front of the computer and steal some ideas/tricks!!

What software are you using to enhance your photos?

-Adam

www.adamstravelphotoghaphy.com

Adam, I use Adobe Photoshop CS2. I think it was PS v2 that I originally started with years ago. My trip took me through versions 3, 4, 5, 5.5, 7, CS and finally CS2. Don't remember why, but I never liked v6 so skipped it.

DRT-Maverick

Heya dixie, I like the conversion you did. Have you tried using the Highlights/Shadows tool? How does that work in comparison to what you've done?

Dixie

I use highlight/shadows, but prefer using curves and levels first. You have to watchout for haloing (lightening of an area immediately adjacent to where dark and light areas join) when using h/s if the differences are extreme. I know that there is probably an official name for what happens, but it eludes me at this hour. ...and of course, it depends upon the photo as well. Some are more suited for h/s and others for curves and levels. If a photo has highlights and shadows heavily mixed then I tend to use h/s. Of course, I do as much as I can during the initial import of the RAW file into PS working with exposure, shadows, brightness, contrast, etc. with the goal being to have to do as few adjustments as possible when the import is completed in PS.

In this particular case, I used levels and curves because the entire photo was dark. If I had been working with a RAW file I would have probably made two imports of the same file for the two layers adjusting the exposure for each with one for the areas I wanted to lighten and the other for the layer I wanted to keep dark.

One of the beauties (or disadvantages depending upon how you look at it) of PS is that there is usually more than one way to get the same results and sometimes more than two ways. Each person has to determine the workflow which works best for them. Again, there is no one correct way to achieve the end result you wish and in many cases there are several. A person just has to pick what works best for them.

DRT-Maverick

Well I actually need training in the area of Curves. Any chance you could help me out?

Dixie

Here are a few links which will get you started.

Curves for Contrast

Curves for Color Balance

Curves for Adjusting Exposure

There are other links on the pages which should help. Curves do so much that it is really hard to get into the nuances in a discussion forum, but if you have specific questions I (and I know others) will do what they can to try and help you find the answers.

Here is a general link to the PS Tutorial page on the web site.