Stream C&C

Gambler

Hey All,

Took this picture earlier today and looking for some comments on cropping\raw processing.

When I opened it up the black areas were all flashing because they were "too dark" but when I adjusted it to balance out the histogram it seemed to be too light for my taste. I prefer the Dark areas to be nice and Black but is that a "mistake"? Also should I crop any sections of the photo out?



Anyway, have at it!

5uspect

If you wish to overexpose/underexpose its ultimately up to you. Technically clipping is not perfect but this is not forensic photography. You can use a non-linear "curves" adjustment to modify the histogram so that dark regions, mid tones and highlights are all to your own liking. Since you shot RAW you have 12-14 bits of dynamic range to compress into an 8 bit jpeg. Often a strong contrast curve (s shaped) is used as it bunches the darks together (same for the lights) without too much loss of detail but with more a punchy result.

Nice shot too!

Gambler

Often a strong contrast curve (s shaped) is used as it bunches the darks together (same for the lights) without too much loss of detail but with more a punchy result.

Hehe still a newbie to the RAW side of things - What's "a strong contrast curve" when it's at home

Fajitas!

Well, I always like my blacks to be black... And whites to be white, to hell with the rules if it looks good

A strong contrast curve would be a curve the shape of an S - albeit a particularly strong one :P

What processings software are you using? Btw, nice shot!

Gambler

Hmm, I'm using CS3 for the raw. I'm still a bit confused by the curve thing, I tried using the curves adjustment layer but couldn't really get a very sharp S (and even then I amn't sure that's what you meant)

Here's what I got when I tried it out:

Fajitas!

Yep, that's it! Spot on!

Curve adj. layers are exactly what you're after - though the S shape isn't as harsh on one we'd find in text, just the curves follow a similar route

With the image above, I'd go back over the adjusment layer with a light, soft black brush, and get some detail back in the water in the bottom of the image, to give some more lead in texture, and leave the background as it is!

Gambler

Oh, what does the black brush do? And would you just go over the water or the rocks in the foreground too?

Fajitas!

It paints back the adjustment layer, like the eraser, but you can use the white brush to paint it back in!

I'd just go for the water for the time being!

Gambler

OK, Here's what I get with that (Thanks for all the help by the way!). They don't seem to be hugely different to me?

MREGAN

Are you using a filter for this effect?

Gambler

Not a filter as such (I don't think!)

I clicked on Layers -> New Adjustment layer -> Curves in Photoshop and set it like this:



Then I painted in the water with a black brush as Fajitas! suggested.

MREGAN

Not a filter as such (I don't think!)

Sorry I mean on the lens?

Gambler

Oh sorry! No I actually just used the Kit lens for this one.

I did use a long exposure though, here's the settings I used:

Aperture: f/36
Shutter Speed: 10 seconds
ISO: 100

smelltheglove

I do like the changes you've made and can notice the difference after using the black brush, it's not a huge difference but it is there!

Normally I wouldnt go so slow on shutter myself with water but as someone said above to hell with rules if it looks good. Crop wise I would loose some to the left, not all though as the leaves frame the picture nicely!

Gambler

Heh yeah, I actually took a couple of different shots with different shutter speeds, everything from .5 seconds to 20 seconds and this one seemed to have the nicest "glow\silkiness" from the water where it was splashing

Fajitas!

The change in the water in the front is a subtle one, but it works!

Balfey1972

works for sure . nice shot

TelePaul

Nice work, shooting moving water is something that never really gets old. Nice job.