Storm on the Painted Plains

I've been going back through some old files for a variety of reasons lately. Mostly because I'm building a new website and I want the images to look their best. I reprocessed this one for a client this morning and I just had to laugh at the pathetic extent of my processing skills back November of 05', when I first made this image. Today I used pieces of 3 images from the same RAW file to deliver excellent color rendition, contrasts and exposure throughout the image, and it took under ten minutes for the whole thing.

Sweet shot - I'd like to see the orignal attempt

Two thoughts is that 1) the very bottom isn't doing a lot to enhance the shot, while cropping up so that the grass runs as a solid texture to ground the shot works better for me. 2) The clouds seem too red to me.... just a few thoughts on an otherwise sweet shot.

John, the original is on my portfolio link below. The cloud color looks pretty good to me except maybe just a tad warm in the greys at right, but it was sunset. I struggle with the grasses in the foreground because I hate cropping the bottom of the big clump at right that anchors that side really well, in an image that is otherwise quite left-weighted due to the hills.

interesting that the color in the shot on your website has no indication of the sunset colors, i'm inclined to believe the first version

Michael, you can believe whatever you want, but the evidence of sunset colors in the first version is obvious on my well calibrated monitor. The oranges are very clearly visible but poorly processed, because of the relatively bright exposure I had to make from a single file. I didn't add any more saturation to the second, I just brought up the color temp and brought down the exposure. The second is more realistic to what I saw. The blues are totally overcooked in the first version and greens appear where there were none. I'm not sure what you're looking at. It's not possible to turn a single daytime image into a sunset image no matter what you do.

I agree with Marc regarding not cropping out the R-hand clump of grass - IMO it would crowd that side of the shot. I suppose I'm partial to these grassland foregrounds anyway, but I think they are difficult to get right and to render interesting. To me this one holds my interest nicely as is and I wouldn't change a thing. The warm color adds a moody feel and it's plausible enough.

i'm looking at your photos marc

Well, if you're not seeing the oranges in the clouds in the first version, I suggest looking into monitor calibration. Otherwise it's not fair to your critique of my images.

i have 2 calibrated monitors, as you said above i can believe what i like. the photo is obviously taken late in the day so the yellow and magenta cast in the first is what i would expect. no issues with what you want to do to your images, they are yours after all.

My first reaction is....I am FLOORED by this shot...VERY cool.

Then I get this little ping bothering me about how darned busy every thing is.....it just...dosnt have an ebb and flow that is needed to ground the shot.....its like everything competes evenly for the viewers attention....from the wonderful grass foreground....to the rain on the left....to the brewing sky on the right...and those amazing painted hills....any of which could warrent their own isolation in the shot. Then....after all that analyzing.....I just go back to being floored...lol.

I want to pick it apart...but the moment you captured is too darned awesome to warrant such an action...

So....in the end....I absolutly love this shot (dispite it's rubbing of my OCD for order in the frame)....

Roman

Marc, I couldn't possibly care any less if the colors are real. The image you produced using your photographic skill and knowledge of modern processing technology, is nothing short of magnificent. I like it!

I like both versions but actually prefer the color temp and exposure of the first one. In the end, however, it doesn't really matter what anyone else likes or dislikes....as long as you and your (hopefully) paying client prefer the warmer and darker tones in this one, that's what counts. Nice stuff.

My main issue with the 2005 original image was the sky and the contrast in the hills. In the first image the hills looked a bit flat and the oranges in the sky appeared some sort of light peach color I didn't think worked well, in addition to being slightly overexposed, and the blues were saturated to the point of looking unnatural given the time of day. When I reworked it today I found the foreground areas may have come out a bit too warm. I might prefer them a little cooler, with more background blues, so I thought I'd throw this one out there too.

Marc, I found the 2005 version on your link and think this is absolutely an improvement. Of the 2008 versions I'll put in a strong preference for the cooler (2nd attempt). Certainly curious how you made such an improvement to the contrast in the hills in such a subtle way (don't feel obligated to give free advice). I can't wait to see what it will look like in 2011.

I loved it then, and I love it now. The tones in this version are more to my liking though, this has a wonderful rich almost creamy tonality. The clouds in the BG really put this one over the top, they add to the surreal nature of this image. Beautiful work, and wonderful processing.

David, thanks. I used a much higher level of 'clarity' in CS3's converter for the blend I did in that area. I also found the lighting was slightly better in this frame, taken just a few seconds later than the initial one I processed in 05', although it's very minor. I recall I did just a hint of highlight dodging also.

Your first post looks much better than the one on your site. I agree, it was poor processing on that one. This one is really nice...but the crop bugs me some. That cut off/tight crop'd tree on the left wont let me go...moreso than the grasses. Still...that's being picky.

Very minor, but the new version is missing the far Left edge of the tree - that might only be from the way you made the border, but thought I'd mention that. I like seeing all of the tree.

Perhaps my new favorite from the painted hills. The tree with its grown out leaves adds a lot.

Well, for me it's definitley this one over the 05 version. The colors and tones add a lot more mood and drama to this image. I see the minor nits folks are talking about for the FG grasses and tree but they are so minor and to me the image still is great and should be part of your website collection of fine work. Makes me want to be back down there now!

Beautiful job on the re-work - one of my favorites of yours..

I like it, Marc, but it's not killing me, the right side doesn't feel right somehow.

yep, pretty cool shot.....

Interesting discussion above. I enjoy the art of photography as much or more than the documentary aspect, so I greatly prefer the above to the original with the exception of the crop as noted. Of the two versions here, I like the second for the reasons you noted. I think my favorite part of the photo, to quoted Zack, is the creamy tonality that isn't present in your original version.