Animas Forks (with repost)

I am an amateur photographer from Amarillo, TX. In my day job I work as an accountant at a local accounting firm. I have posted a couple of images on ESS and the Fauna gallery; but I am still relatively new.

During the summer, I traveled to the San Juans. I took this image near Animas Forks. I believe the background peak to be either Niagara Peak or Crown Mountain based on the topo map.

I would appreciate any feedback that you have. I am of particular interest to comments that you might have about the processing. I processed it a little dark in order to bring out the details in the clouds. This might be a good candidate for dual processing of the image; but that is beyond my current photoshop skills.

Also, I am not sure about the composition. I was drawn to the log as a foreground element because of the shape and the texture. In hindsight, I think that I should have moved a little closer to the log since the immediate foreground grasses do not seem to hold much interest. I am also not sure how I feel about the downhill perspective.

Although this trip was not intended to be a photography trip, I am pleased to get a handful of images that I really like.

Specs:

Canon 20D
17-40L @17mm
ISO: 100
f18
1/25 sec.

This is quite underexposed. Which image editor are you using, and which steps are you taking to process the image? Are you familiar with using your in-camera histogram to gain correctly exposed images?
Any chance you can post the unedited version?

The dynamic range is limited enough here so that you don't need 'dual processing' at all.
I worked on this in PS using Levels adjustments on the sky and then the foreground, along with a Vibrance boost.
It looked great afterwards. This image has a lot of potential with the right editing!

I'm with John on this. You could brighten the whole thing up considerably, then do a selective color adjustment layer and add black to the whites (and then erase the part of the layer that affects the snow on the peaks). After all, what good is a properly exposed sky when the meat of the image is unacceptably dark?

Thanks for the comments. I have posted a reworked version based on the original exposure (as captured in camera); I used selective coloring and added some black to the whites.

I originally adjusted the exposure on the first image I posted in an attempt to bring out detail in the sky. I do not have a calibrated monitor so maybe that is why it did not look too dark on my screen.

I appreciate your input.

That's better, although the histogram still indicates slight underexposure.
Getting your monitor calibrated is imperative to producing high quality images. I would get that done ASAP if I were you.

Have you considered creating a b&w version? This is a pretty good candidate, and a thoughtful conversion (e.g. not just a simple desaturation) looks terrific!

Thanks for the comments!! I am using Adobe Bridge and Photoshop CS3 for post-processing. I increased the contrast and added some increased clarity, vibrance and saturation in Bridge during RAW processing. In photoshop, I added sharpening. In my original post, I decreased the exposure to add detail in the clouds; but because my monitor is not calibrated it might have not looked as dark (although admittedly, I knew that I was processing it darker).

I also use Marc Adamus' technique for web processing.

On the repost, I used the original version (based on the in-camera exposure) and used selective color adjustments to add black to the white (per Todd's suggestion). I also added some saturation. I need to read up on using levels and layers. I haven't really used those applications yet.

I do use the histogram at the time of capture to check exposure.

Once again thank you for your comments. I enjoy seeing all of your incredible work on this website.

The third version looks good. Nice comp, and a little less sky might work even better for your interesting foreground.

Thanks for the great feedback!! Here is my attempt at a b&w conversion. I used the b&w conversion feature under image adjustments in CS3 and adjusted some of the color filters. I also added a little extra contrast.

It's nice to watch how much better this gets as you edit further

Thanks, John!! I appreciate your input. I can really see a difference.

Brian.. I really like the third version. You really have opened up the shadows and added contrast. I even liked the first because you do have a great composition there. Great place and great eye to catch this... regards, Rajeev.

Watching the progression of this image is pretty cool! The 3rd one is looking really nice. Maybe just a bit more saturation and I think pulling a little more drama out of the sky and your there!

Great job on the revision. You learn fast.

Interesting coming in late on this one, and seeing the progression of the image editing!. The first one was most certainly lacking in PP, but the 3rd one I think you have it pretty close!. I'm with Morris too with perhaps cropping some from the sky, the fg is really nice and cutting out some sky may emphasize it even more!.

Im liking the progression also ...number 3 is really looking good. Im not crazy about the B&W version.

Jack

I need to read up on using levels and layers. I haven't really used those applications yet.

In that case, I would stop everything you're doing to your images and, at the very least, read up on using adjustment layers. VERY important! That way, when you make an adjustment, you're doing it on a non-destructive adjustment layer, and not to the actual pixels of the original. I would get it close to where you want it in Bridge/ACR, then in CS3 use adjustment layers for any further tweaks. One of the many beauties of layers is that you can return to the image later, once your PS skills have grown, and adjust further on your image. I can't even tell you how many images I've gone back to once I learned something new in PS, and wound up with a much better photograph.

Levels and/or curves is/are about the most important things to know how to use, too. It's sort of like the difference between shooting with your camera on full automatic program mode and manual. With the former, you'll get some nice results but lack any knowledge of how and why it looks good. With manual, you choose the settings you want based on how you want your end result to look, which requires a basic knowledge of what those settings do. Similarly, knowing how levels and curves affect your image is one of the earliest rungs of the PS ladder.

I like the repost image. Nice comp as well.