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Guarding the Pass
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Guarding the Pass

by Preston Birdwell

Gallery: Man & NaturePosted April 16, 2016194 views3 comments
I found the RAW image from early 2015 lurking in my archive. Since I am experimenting with the Nik Collection, I worked this one up using the Nik filters and TK's Burn/Dodge and Web Sharpening actions in CS6.

Here's a list of the NIK filters I used:
Define 2
Sharpener Pro--RAW Pre-Sharpen
Viveza 2
Color Efex Pro 4.

It has been fun experimenting with the plugins, and I am still working to figure them out. angel

I have always loved the gentle hillsides and wonderful oaks in the Sierra Foothills. It was a foggy morning when I started toward this spot, but by the time I got there the fog was lifting leaving a nice sky and soft light.

Nikon D-7100
Nikkor 16-85mm @ 38mm

Please see the large version. Thanks!

Your thoughts are always appreciated. cool

--P

Comments

3 comments
Comment posted by Basil Greber on April 16, 2016 at 2:39 PM
That's a good one, Preston, I like it. Nice how the curved horizon divides the image into two harmonic parts whose colors also nicely work together. It's good to have some structures in the clouds, though I think it would work also with a bit less contrast/clarity (which is not to mean that the posted version doesn't work - as I said, I like it! ;) ).
 
Registered on November 8, 2005, 219 Posts, 1340 Comments
Comment posted by Roel Wijtmans on April 17, 2016 at 1:09 PM
I remember your other photos that you posted from this spot, and this one is very nice too. I like the two lurking trees behind the hill. Processing looks great, can't think of an improvement.
Registered on September 30, 2012, 116 Posts, 2257 Comments
Comment posted by Sairam Sundaresan on April 22, 2016 at 8:27 AM
I really like the curved horizon as Basil says and to me the simplicity of this image is what makes it sing. If you're up to it, I'd be tempted to clone the trees in the background and also perhaps the fence just to highlight the central tree better. Lovely work, Preston and might I say, Nik filters help you save a lot of time :)
Registered on March 14, 2013, 100 Posts, 643 Comments