Hate my processing - Love the Photo..

[Braineack]

@Braineack Thank you for the inputs and taking the time out to process the image. Looking at your version, I knew that is exactly what I was aiming for. I think this was a byproduct of me learning multiple new techniques in photoshop, as you said I was processing for the sake of processing - trying to implement everything I know. I have reworked on my image, and am now happy with the result. Thank you!

No problem, just trying to keep you out of the HDR hole.

fwiw, I edited yours in LR only. It was actually a bit tricky and I spent maybe 15min on it.

 

[SquarePeg]

I like your final version. Here's my own take on it. Had to use your final as I couldn't get the RAW to upload to PSE11. I did a very messy clone to expand the bottom as I thought the girls were a bit too far out of the middle of the frame. I also cropped out some of the clouds as they were so bright and were pulling the eye up. Didn't touch the color at all but I did lower the highlights on the lake a bit and added a slight vignette (just because I'm obsessed with vignetting these days). Not sure I necessarily like this better than yours but I thought I'd share it anyway.

 

[gregtallica]

Been ages since I've been on the forum, came back to lurk, saw this and wanted to take a stab. That, and I don't have any new photos to edit after my 50mm broke so it's been a second.

I liked the photo because I felt like it was something I'd see in a NatGeo, and I have the same problem - happy with my photos, hate my edits. I think my reasoning is because I spend too much time on them.

Not for everyone, but here's my 5 minute attempt to keep me from doing the actual work I have sitting in front of me, lol.

I liked where the exposure is at on the image, even though the clouds are a tad blown out, but we can't all be perfect.

I messed with the HSL a bit just real quick to make it fit a bit closer to how I wanted, then added some split toning highlights are Hue: 188, Saturation: 26; shadows are hue: 33, Saturation 23.


After exporting the colors look a bit weird, but oh well. Felt like a fun little challenge and it's always fun to see your photo edited in different ways. Thanks for the editing practice, obviously I need it lolol