Posted by Kevin Trinkner on December 19, 2008 at 9:36 AM
This is an older shot from a trip I took to Montana. Was a really beautiful morning.
I've tried working on this image in the past, but my processing skills were extremely limited. I tried again last night, but I'm still basically a newb at photoshop, and I'm struggling.
Is it worth pursuing this image, maybe that middleground shadow is just too much?
I'm struggling with the color on this as well, can't seem to get it right.
Crown Graphic 4x5
Fuji Velvia 50 (scanned on my Epson 4990 flatbed with silverfast)
Cir. Polarizer
Posted by Kevin Trinkner on December 19, 2008 at 9:40 AM
cropped version...
Posted by John Mumaw on December 19, 2008 at 9:45 AM
Is it worth pursuing this image, maybe that middleground shadow is just too much?
I'm afraid that the large midground shadow does foil your intent here, IMO.
It may be worth saving by pursuing a vertical (or even square) format by cropping the left side of the image to a point between the lone tree on the left and the group of trees, then cropping the top down to your desired aspect ratio.
Posted by Cliff Young on December 19, 2008 at 10:17 AM
Kevin, I agree with the comments about the middground shadow. However have you tried adjusting the mid levels and saturation to bring out the greens? Cliff
Posted by Kevin Trinkner on December 19, 2008 at 10:29 AM
Thanks for the feedback guys. I don't think I can save it with that shadow.
Cliff, I was struggling with the greens a lot, probably because of the Velvia film. They were really overpowering initially, and I tried toning them down, but maybe I've gone too far.
Posted by Jeff Deaton on December 19, 2008 at 10:56 AM
Hi Kevin,
In looking at your image my eyes keep getting stuck at the shadow and the line of small trees in the foreground. There's nothing really that helps me to get from the foreground to the wonderful mountain range (which is spectacular I think). I like the clouds and I like the foreground, and I like those trees, and I like the grasses, and I like the mountains (a lot), but think in the 4x5 ratio shot it's just hard to get from the foreground to the mountains. I might think about cropping it down to 2x5 instead of at the 4x5 ratio - make it panoramic. I might aim for the top to be cropped at just above that big cloud above the right-most mountain peak, but just before the cloud mushrooms out a bit - just let the bottom fall where it may (somewhere just at the bottom edge of the shadow or a little below).
Color-wise I don't see anything terrible on my macbook. The foreground grasses look a little flat, but it is a very small jpeg, even your "larger" image. I think there's so much captured with LF that you really lose a lot with they get saved down smaller for the web. I can't tell from the smaller jpegs, but with 4x5 were you able to capture any detail in the foreground grasses?
I would say it depends on the original and how much detail you have in the shadows--since this is a scan, why not try some HDR blending with two scanned versions--one trying to preserve the shadow regions, the other the image you already have.
Velvia being what it is, you may already be too blocked to fix the problem. Or your scanner may simply lack the DMAX to pull it out (that's a common issue).
FWIW,
-D
Posted by Kevin Trinkner on December 19, 2008 at 11:09 AM
I didn't think of trying a blend with multiple scans, I will have to play around with that a bit and see if it helps bring out some details.
Thanks for all the tips.
Posted by Drew M Wright on December 19, 2008 at 1:13 PM
The primary focus of the image is that great light in the valley and the expansive mountain range - would have been incredible to see this in person!
Even if you are able to maintain detail in the foreground shadows, it still may take away from the overall primary focus of the composition. I agree with Jeff that a pano crop would work best here and I would even take it a step further by making the foreground completely black, bumping the saturation in the valley (green/yellow) and decreasing the saturation in the sky so your eye is immediately drawn to the valley, river and mountains and the foreground.
Seems like the sky and foreground should be less prominent so they become a compliment to the main or primary subjects. What about using selective sharpening; sharpen the mountains and valley but keep the sky and foreground a bit softer? Just some suggestions but ultimately up to you.
Hope this helps!
Posted by Bret Edge on December 19, 2008 at 6:05 PM
I'm afraid I feel the same about the mid-ground shadow. It's just too deep and too dominant. Otherwise, this is a gorgeous image, Kevin.
Posted by Rick Dunn on December 19, 2008 at 8:36 PM
Yep - the shadow is too much to overcome in this presentation. Hopefully the multiple scan/blend effort gives you some detail to work with - it's an epic view.
Discussion
10 repliesI've tried working on this image in the past, but my processing skills were extremely limited. I tried again last night, but I'm still basically a newb at photoshop, and I'm struggling.
Is it worth pursuing this image, maybe that middleground shadow is just too much?
I'm struggling with the color on this as well, can't seem to get it right.
Here is a link to a larger file:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3076/3119731749_eb4b262356_o.jpg
Suggestions/ideas are greatly appreciated.
Kevin
Crown Graphic 4x5
Fuji Velvia 50 (scanned on my Epson 4990 flatbed with silverfast)
Cir. Polarizer
I'm afraid that the large midground shadow does foil your intent here, IMO.
It may be worth saving by pursuing a vertical (or even square) format by cropping the left side of the image to a point between the lone tree on the left and the group of trees, then cropping the top down to your desired aspect ratio.
Cliff, I was struggling with the greens a lot, probably because of the Velvia film. They were really overpowering initially, and I tried toning them down, but maybe I've gone too far.
In looking at your image my eyes keep getting stuck at the shadow and the line of small trees in the foreground. There's nothing really that helps me to get from the foreground to the wonderful mountain range (which is spectacular I think). I like the clouds and I like the foreground, and I like those trees, and I like the grasses, and I like the mountains (a lot), but think in the 4x5 ratio shot it's just hard to get from the foreground to the mountains. I might think about cropping it down to 2x5 instead of at the 4x5 ratio - make it panoramic. I might aim for the top to be cropped at just above that big cloud above the right-most mountain peak, but just before the cloud mushrooms out a bit - just let the bottom fall where it may (somewhere just at the bottom edge of the shadow or a little below).
Color-wise I don't see anything terrible on my macbook. The foreground grasses look a little flat, but it is a very small jpeg, even your "larger" image. I think there's so much captured with LF that you really lose a lot with they get saved down smaller for the web. I can't tell from the smaller jpegs, but with 4x5 were you able to capture any detail in the foreground grasses?
Nice image!
Velvia being what it is, you may already be too blocked to fix the problem. Or your scanner may simply lack the DMAX to pull it out (that's a common issue).
FWIW,
-D
Thanks for all the tips.
Even if you are able to maintain detail in the foreground shadows, it still may take away from the overall primary focus of the composition. I agree with Jeff that a pano crop would work best here and I would even take it a step further by making the foreground completely black, bumping the saturation in the valley (green/yellow) and decreasing the saturation in the sky so your eye is immediately drawn to the valley, river and mountains and the foreground.
Seems like the sky and foreground should be less prominent so they become a compliment to the main or primary subjects. What about using selective sharpening; sharpen the mountains and valley but keep the sky and foreground a bit softer? Just some suggestions but ultimately up to you.
Hope this helps!