Is this too much processing?

[Heitz]

I posted a version of this picture before; please forgive the re-post if you've seen it. But here is some processing I've done. Too much?
I employed:
1) tons of clone stamp on bottom left,
2) curves adjustment,
3) sponge (saturation) on the red clouds in the background,
4) dodge on the parting clouds. I'm thinking I might have gone a bit heavy on the dodge. Opinions?
5) unsharp mask

PS, thanks to Rotanimod for the dodge suggestion.

Before:

After:

 

[MLeeK]

I'd say no! I think it's beautifully done!

 

[Trever1t]

no. it only has too much if it is obvious...which it isn't. Nice touch,

 

[Heitz]

Even the clone stamp? Its likely because I did the clone stamp, so I know where it is, but I keep seeing repeating patterns. I was as careful as I could be to re-seed the clone spot but still.

 

[Trever1t]

it's only obvious if you look for it

 

[Frequency]

Your landscapes are really beautiful, always

 

[KenC]

The processing is well done, and it's a spectacular scene, but there's still too much foreground, imo. You could crop the left and bottom, and a little on the right, enough to remove the stuff in the lower right corner (and maybe even that green/white building), which I don't think helps the image either. You want people to look at the clouds, mountains, lake and that castle (and some of the buildings that lead up to the lake) - anything else is a distraction.

 

[12sndsgood]

I think you did a pretty good clone job. if you sit there and stare at it it starts to look a little like theres a pattern, but i think its only more because i know its there and see the before and after pic, if you never would have shown the before and mentioned it. i dont think i would even be trying to find it.

 

[manaheim]

I wouldn't notice unless you told me or I was sitting here looking for it.

BTW, niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiice capture of a cloud part. Holy cow.

 

[Heitz]

I should post the SOOC RAW file. Looks nothing like this. Bland, no saturation, cloud parting barely visible. Just goes to show you that the sensor "sees" way more than you think. Takes some fiddling to get out the gold.

 

[ele89869]

I agree with the others, the repeated pattern is only obvious if you are looking for it.
Beautiful photo and landscape! :cheers:

 

[Derrel]

I'd say no! I think it's beautifully done!

Agreed! Looks great!

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

Heitz, VERY well done. This is a fantastic image. Thanks for the shout out on the Dodging suggestion! What I see you've done here with the technique is made a subtle path to direct the eye into the frame. My eye works it's way through the image in a nice path, starting with the rays of light.

I'm torn on the cloning job for 2 reasons: One, in the original image the foreground was a nice depth and distance cue; Two, you've lost some critical sharpness in the foreground. I absolutely understand why the choice was made to do some clone work because the foreground is messy.

My ideal method here would be a bit of a crop from the left and perhaps some content-aware scaling/filling.

Here's a fantastic webinar by Joe Brady that really goes in-depth into landscape editing where advanced techniques are used that you might find helpful. It's two hours +, so grab some popcorn.

Webinar: Powerful Landscape Photography Enhancements with Adobe® Photoshop® - YouTube

 

[Designer]

The phony trees don't look too phony, but that sunbeam sure does. In the original, the hole in the clouds would put a spot of sunlight on the other side of the hill, which is why you can't see it. Then, you "moved" the sunbeam to the front of the hill. By inventing where the sunbeam is, you forgot to make a spot of sunlight on the ground.

But other than that, it doesn't look too bad.

 

[Heitz]

The phony trees don't look too phony, but that sunbeam sure does. In the original, the hole in the clouds would put a spot of sunlight on the other side of the hill, which is why you can't see it. Then, you "moved" the sunbeam to the front of the hill. By inventing where the sunbeam is, you forgot to make a spot of sunlight on the ground.

But other than that, it doesn't look too bad.

Pshht. Haven't you ever heard of magic sun before?