LPS #2 Clouds

Bendr

Hi Folks, So far, this is what I've come up with...

What do you guys think? Thanks!

Swartzy

A big sky
works very well as majestic/stately providing you give the viewer some perspective to the size and magnitude. Some foreground with a lone tree for instance with gigantic cloud activity may work. This in it's present form looks like a shot up at the sky....beautiful clouds but not there yet.

Bendr

Swartzy wrote:

works very well as majestic/stately providing you give the viewer some perspective to the size and magnitude. Some foreground with a lone tree for instance with gigantic cloud activity may work. This in it's present form looks like a shot up at the sky....beautiful clouds but not there yet.

Good point, I should have realized that sooner, but I guess now i'll just have to hope I get some similar clouds in the next few days for a reshoot... or I suppose I could try and merge two pics... Thanks, Ben

photogmomma

Swartzy wrote:

works very well as majestic/stately providing you give the viewer some perspective to the size and magnitude. Some foreground with a lone tree for instance with gigantic cloud activity may work. This in it's present form looks like a shot up at the sky....beautiful clouds but not there yet.

I agree... Gorgeous shot, though! I love clouds!

Bendr

photogmomma wrote:

I agree... Gorgeous shot, though! I love clouds!

Thanks!

I've got a few more good clouds, but having stuff in the forground prevented me from being able to apply much of a curve...


After trying to increase the contrast in the clouds...



As you can see... it throws off the foreground...

Any thoughts?

salazar

To paraphrase and plagiarise from one of Andy's tutorials:

"* first, a curves adjustment. layer>new adj layer>curves

* working in adjustment layers. i can't emphasize enough how important this is. the main benefit is that you can apply a layer mask, and easily undo the effect of the layer on just parts of the image."

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2063

Then use the layermask to mask the area you don't want affected by the curves adjustment you've made to the clouds and sky. For an explanation of and help with layer masks see the tutorial (again by Andy) below:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2044

Hope this makes sense to you.

Bendr

salazar wrote:

To paraphrase and plagiarise from one of Andy's tutorials:

"* first, a curves adjustment. layer>new adj layer>curves

* working in adjustment layers. i can't emphasize enough how important this is. the main benefit is that you can apply a layer mask, and easily undo the effect of the layer on just parts of the image."

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2063

Then use the layermask to mask the area you don't want affected by the curves adjustment you've made to the clouds and sky. For an explanation of and help with layer masks see the tutorial (again by Andy) below:

http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=2044

Hope this makes sense to you.

Thank you for the advice, I will have to give it a shot...

Bendr

Doh... I thought the contest closed at midnight PST...

Oh well, your advice helped alot salazar,

Here's what I was able to come up with...




C&C welcome

Thanks!

Flyinggina

Very nice work. It would qualify for the new challenge as picturesque!! Or even as irregular with the one orange tree!

pyroPrints.com

I love the orange tree =c) Looks good, the only thing that throws me off is the closest cloud. The dark part is a little too dark for my taste.

Bendr

Flyinggina wrote:

Very nice work. It would qualify for the new challenge as picturesque!! Or even as irregular with the one orange tree!

Thanks!
And, that's exactly what I was thinking, only problem is it was shot during the previous challenge period...

though, for the new challenge I have a few ideas to try, and if none of them work out, maybe I'll try for a reshoot of this...

Bendr

pyroPrints.com wrote:

I love the orange tree =c) Looks good, the only thing that throws me off is the closest cloud. The dark part is a little too dark for my taste.

Thanks!

when you say closest cloud you mean the one with the big spot right? about mid-way on the right side?

Thanks again!

pyroPrints.com

All the way to the right