Unusually happy with this picture, C&C

weags77 · Jan 20, 2013

Hi all. I took this photo atop a rather nondescript quarry in Agawam, MA that is often used for ATV and mountain biking. I took this view on a friends suggestion, as in he liked the view from that particular spot.

I guess what I'm asking is if HE should be the one with the camera haha or if I did this one justice... Thanks for looking.

SCraig · Jan 20, 2013

It's a nice shot of an interesting place, but personally I'd prefer it without all of the post-processing. I don't care for the tone-mapping or the vignette, and feel it would look better as a natural photograph.

weags77 · Jan 20, 2013

SCraig said:
It's a nice shot of an interesting place, but personally I'd prefer it without all of the post-processing. I don't care for the tone-mapping or the vignette, and feel it would look better as a natural photograph.

Ok I still have the original raw files. Ill try to look at them later and post it to see which I like. I kind of tool the shot with HDR in mind so I never really worked with the single exposure. Thanks

SCraig · Jan 20, 2013

weags77 said:
Ok I still have the original raw files. Ill try to look at them later and post it to see which I like. I kind of tool the shot with HDR in mind so I never really worked with the single exposure. Thanks

HDR (or "Tone Mapping" if it's a single image) can very easily and very quickly be overdone. Don't lose sight of the fact that the intent of HDR is to improve the dynamic range of a photograph and not to turn it into a blob of over-saturated color. Some people like that overcooked look and some don't. It's your photograph so feel free to choose how it appears, however in my opinion that appears to be a beautiful area and doesn't need a lot of trickery to make it look good.

TordFuglstad · Jan 20, 2013

I do like that kind of processing on that image actually. I think it would be better if you took the vibrance and clarity slider down a little bit, and toned down the shadows just a little tad.
But awesome composition and location!

weags77 · Jan 20, 2013

SCraig said:
HDR (or "Tone Mapping" if it's a single image) can very easily and very quickly be overdone. Don't lose sight of the fact that the intent of HDR is to improve the dynamic range of a photograph and not to turn it into a blob of over-saturated color. Some people like that overcooked look and some don't. It's your photograph so feel free to choose how it appears, however in my opinion that appears to be a beautiful area and doesn't need a lot of trickery to make it look good.

Yeah this is actually 3 or 5 different exposures. Taken with the sole purpose of combining them to improve the dynamic range of the photograph. I usually use this method as I am rarely able to capture a scene like this as I see it through one exposure. Or without a special filter. I don't know if its just lack of experience or what. I will post the original files and maybe you can help me out with what I could improve on in that regard.

weags77 · Jan 20, 2013

TordFuglstad said:
I do like that kind of processing on that image actually. I think it would be better if you took the vibrance and clarity slider down a little bit, and toned down the shadows just a little tad.
But awesome composition and location!

Thank you. I really appreciate all your comments and when I sit down to process some new images ill be taking later today ill try out the different suggestions. It's the best way for me to learn as I like to keep an open mind at this early stage of my photography so no suggestion goes unappreciated. I've already learned so much just from reading these forums and seeing other great photos here. Thanks again.

ceeboy14 · Jan 20, 2013

It's a great scene with a really-really bright, big, did I say bright, sun. It doesn't need it to capture the grandeur of that scene. I have only liked a few HDR tone-mapped shots and those are always the ones where it's hard to tell they've been PP affected.

weags77 · Jan 25, 2013

Well I gotta be honest, I tried a few different thing in PP with the original files and unfortunately I wasn't very happy with any of them. I just made basic adjustments in Lightroom. Here are the originals. Maybe someone could take a stab at it. Thanks

ceejtank · Jan 25, 2013

GO BROWNIES!

weags77 · Jan 25, 2013

Here was one that I got very similar with just the one exposure. No tone mapping just some adjustments in Lightroom. Still doesn't pop as much as the other and the rock on the right stays too dark.

hippiebrian · Jan 25, 2013

I'm a noob, so take this with a grain I suppose, but can you get back there when the sun is behind you? I like the composition and think it'd be a better natural shot with the sun at your back or over the shoulder. Just my 2 cents.

jake337 · Jan 25, 2013

I like the original best and the very last second. You could tone down the clarity a bit but...

What I do like is I don't see any halos at all!

I would like to see it printed big!!!