Japanese countryside

[leixialong]

Hello guys.

I would like for you guys to tell me your thoughts on these three photos I recently took while on a short break from my life in Tokyo when I took a trip out to Shiga-Ken (Its the countryside). I took a few photos and wanted to achieve a moody washed out kinda feel to the whole set. Some of these photos turned out some didnt. I used Photomatix and photoshop to achieve a faux HDR image on these photos as I dont have a ND filter its the only way as far as I know to get a well balanced exposure in these conditions you will see. In photomatix I turned the images to B&W then re introduced colour to my taste and played with black/white points and other sliders till I found what worked for me.

I shot with a Canon 400D and the Kit 18-55mm on a tripod.

Thankyou guys I look forward with an equal amount of joy and fear to your feedback.

 

[clanthar]

Love the second photo. Can't say I'm positive about the halos from your attempts to darken the sky. It is possible to do that in Photoshop without leaving a trace. You're ready to learn some masking techniques.

Did you shoot the originals RAW or camera JPEGS?

Joe

 

[leixialong]

Love the second photo.

Thanks man.

Can't say I'm positive about the halos from your attempts to darken the sky. It is possible to do that in Photoshop without leaving a trace.

I am all self taught and learning every chance I get. I am sure there is a way I just dont know it :-(

You're ready to learn some masking techniques.

Oooooh sounds cool, care to explain to me what that is? Want to get my learn on. I will of course get my youtube an internet hat on aswell.

Did you shoot the originals RAW or camera JPEGS?

RAW.

Cheers.

 

[clanthar]

And the more I look at the first photo the more I like it -- very nice shot.

If you're capturing RAW files you've got the data you need to get the tone response balanced out. It does take PP skill and you can certainly learn them.

You start with your RAW file in ACR. You make sure the output is set to 16 bit TIFF. Use the Recovery and Fill sliders to make sure the highlight detail is not clipped and reasonable shadow detail is showing. Then on to Photoshop where you'll need to raise the contrast, darken the sky and hold on to those shadows. Blending modes between duplicate layers with layer masks is the key and learning to create and edit the masks so they don't show. Good luck.

Joe

 

[leixialong]

Youch, whats ACR? The rest I can dissect. Cheers for the pointer in the right direction.

 

[clanthar]

Adobe Camera Raw -- you mentioned Photoshop at first. So I'm assuming you start by taking the RAW file into Photoshop. Photoshop opens RAW files directly in ACR and then moves them to Photoshop proper as it converts them to RGB images. ACR can convert your RAW files to either a 16 or 8 bit RGB files. The key to doing what you want successfully is that 16 bit RGB file which then can't be a JPEG.

Joe

 

[clanthar]

Here's a screen shot of ACR -- Joe

 

[leixialong]

Got it, thanks I wasn't au fait with that acronym haha.

I will give it a buzz sometime at editing that pic again thankyou. I will let you know how I got on!! Thanks again.