CC on the editing of thunderhead.

[reissigree]

I know the composition wasn't great. I'm more interested in the pp I did. Here's the edited and the original. I adjusted the levels of the sky separately, then put a clipping mask on the sky and used multiply. I guess I should've made the new layer opacity lower.
Edited.

DSC_0018fulledited by reissigree, on Flickr
Original.

DSC_0018_01 by reissigree, on Flickr

 

[D-B-J]

A really quick HDR would have been better. Still, not too bad.

 

[reissigree]

I only have the single image. Could I adjust the exposure to make 3 pictures and do it that way?

 

[marmots]

I only have the single image. Could I adjust the exposure to make 3 pictures and do it that way?

no, it won't do anything
the point of an hdr is to include things that wouldn't even be visible in the original
you can get the look with one image if you just tone-map it

 

[reissigree]

Is there a decent free program to tone map? I have Photomatix, will that work?

 

[marmots]

absolutely
people use it all the time, but assuming you got the free version, it will be watermarked

 

[WesternGuy]

Neat clouds - they are one of my favourite things to photograph. If you have CS4 or CS5, I would be tempted to edit the power lines and the stop/street sign and the post using Content Aware Fill.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

 

[Holydeath]

Nice edit. But could have used polarizing filter for the original shot to remove the reflection on the stop sign and deepen the blue sky.

 

[reissigree]

absolutely
people use it all the time, but assuming you got the free version, it will be watermarked

I actually have the payed version!

 

[reissigree]

Neat clouds - they are one of my favourite things to photograph. If you have CS4 or CS5, I would be tempted to edit the power lines and the stop/street sign and the post using Content Aware Fill.

Cheers,

WesternGuy

I do have Cs4! What exactly is that?

 

[reissigree]

Nice edit. But could have used polarizing filter for the original shot to remove the reflection on the stop sign and deepen the blue sky.

That blur on the stop sign is actually a raindrop on my windshield lol.

 

[KmH]

Edited.

I think your edit is way to dark, and has a lot of distracting elements in the photo. I used the Spot healing brush in Content-Aware mode and the Clone tool. I added a light blue gradient to the sky in ACR, adjusted the mid-tone contrast globally, and did some dodge and burn. I cropped away the street:

 

[reissigree]

I like yours a lot Kmh!
What do you guys think of this tone map?

DSC_0018_02_tonemapped by reissigree, on Flickr