Back lighting and blending

Back lighting and blending · 09:50 AM

This was an exercise in sunrises. I needed to do a lot of blending on these. Which one do you like the best and how could they be improved.

Thanks,

GLThorne · 02-06-2007, 10:03 AM

Ken - I like the second one. Seems more "un-altered" if you will.

The first one, the sun and clearly defined line between it and the sky seems to harsh. The sun and sky in the second meld together very well.

Might try the burn/dodge tools on the sun slightly to lessen the "over-exposure" look of it. Playing with the contrast settings, advanced mode, might also bring out some of the detail that seems to be fading towards the sun area.

I do like the second one!!! Both are fine pics!

regken · 02-06-2007, 10:48 AM

Well I really messed that one up. I redid the first one but when I reposted the order of the two got switched. The first one you liked and I left it alone. The second one I tried to lighten the harshness of the sun and bring more detail out.

Thanks for the idea you were absolutely correct.

GLThorne · 02-06-2007, 11:21 AM

Kooooool!

Take care Bud!

Nixarma · 02-06-2007, 11:28 AM

Hi Ken,

I like #2. There's a simple yet effective congruence in terms of both placement and formation of the subjects. The colours in sky and water are both very nicely rendered. I also like how the tops of the trees are catching the light.

I'm not exactly sure how much you've processed the area around the sun. The light is nicely controlled but a certain degree of (semi-circular) "banding" of light is visible around it - a yellowish orb bordered by a greenish-blue halo. I wonder if you would be able to blur the gradation somewhat.

#1 is a bit heavy on the right but not a weak picture. The flare is killing detail in the bottom-left part of the photograph.

Nikhil

regken · 02-06-2007, 11:55 AM

Nikhil,
The greenish blue is coming from blending 2 layers and I don't know how to get rid of it. need to work on that.
When you say the flare are you talking about the flare from the sun?
Thanks,

Nixarma · 02-06-2007, 12:05 PM

I wonder if you could apply a mask such that you're working only on the sky, then select the narrow range of blue-green in the pic using the sliders in the Hue-Saturation dialog box and play around with the hue and the saturation.

Another approach might be to use the same mask as above > switch to LAB color mode > go to channels > select channel "a" and blur slightly > repeat for channel b.

I don't have photoshop on my work computer so I can't try these before I shoot my mouth off but I'll try and do something this evening. Could you post a link to the original of #2?

Regarding #1: There's a bit of flare from the sun in the bottom-left part and it's obscuring the boat and some details in the house. It's not too severe but the presence of the sun draws my frame to the left-side of the pic and then the flare at the bottom distracts a bit.

BTW: What blend modes did you use?

Last edited by Nixarma; 02-06-2007 at 12:12 PM.

regken · 02-06-2007, 12:46 PM

Nikhil,
I put a very large file at 2823lt.jpg photo - Ken Regier photos at pbase.com
The blending method used is the one Luminous landscape has as a tutorial. One dark image, a second light image layered then a gaussian blur filter. The sharpening was done using Ben's method.

Hope you can do something with it.

Thanks,

regken
	View full profile
	Contact via private message
	Find other posts by regken
	Find threads started by regken
	Find threads in which regken has posted

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Blending bracketed photos not using HDR Software	stl09	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	6	08-07-2011 01:13 AM
Architecture My first attempt at blending	P12	Post Your Photos!	2	04-12-2011 03:18 AM
Nature Blending	Rense	Post Your Photos!	10	07-28-2010 11:31 AM
K-7 can do handheld HDR/exposure blending.	pcarfan	Pentax DSLR Discussion	6	07-19-2010 08:48 AM
back lighting a green screen	Riktar	Photographic Technique	4	03-12-2009 10:38 AM

02-06-2007, 10:03 AM	#2
GLThorne Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA - South Carolina Photos: Gallery Posts: 373	Ken - I like the second one. Seems more "un-altered" if you will. The first one, the sun and clearly defined line between it and the sky seems to harsh. The sun and sky in the second meld together very well. Might try the burn/dodge tools on the sun slightly to lessen the "over-exposure" look of it. Playing with the contrast settings, advanced mode, might also bring out some of the detail that seems to be fading towards the sun area. I do like the second one!!! Both are fine pics!

02-06-2007, 10:48 AM	#3
regken Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangor, Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,381 Original Poster	Well I really messed that one up. I redid the first one but when I reposted the order of the two got switched. The first one you liked and I left it alone. The second one I tried to lighten the harshness of the sun and bring more detail out. Thanks for the idea you were absolutely correct.

02-06-2007, 11:21 AM	#4
GLThorne Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: USA - South Carolina Photos: Gallery Posts: 373	Kooooool! Take care Bud!

02-06-2007, 11:28 AM	#5
Nixarma Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 288	Hi Ken, I like #2. There's a simple yet effective congruence in terms of both placement and formation of the subjects. The colours in sky and water are both very nicely rendered. I also like how the tops of the trees are catching the light. I'm not exactly sure how much you've processed the area around the sun. The light is nicely controlled but a certain degree of (semi-circular) "banding" of light is visible around it - a yellowish orb bordered by a greenish-blue halo. I wonder if you would be able to blur the gradation somewhat. #1 is a bit heavy on the right but not a weak picture. The flare is killing detail in the bottom-left part of the photograph. Nikhil

02-06-2007, 11:55 AM	#6
regken Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangor, Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,381 Original Poster	Nikhil, The greenish blue is coming from blending 2 layers and I don't know how to get rid of it. need to work on that. When you say the flare are you talking about the flare from the sun? Thanks,

02-06-2007, 12:05 PM	#7
Nixarma Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: San Francisco Posts: 288	I wonder if you could apply a mask such that you're working only on the sky, then select the narrow range of blue-green in the pic using the sliders in the Hue-Saturation dialog box and play around with the hue and the saturation. Another approach might be to use the same mask as above > switch to LAB color mode > go to channels > select channel "a" and blur slightly > repeat for channel b. I don't have photoshop on my work computer so I can't try these before I shoot my mouth off but I'll try and do something this evening. Could you post a link to the original of #2? Regarding #1: There's a bit of flare from the sun in the bottom-left part and it's obscuring the boat and some details in the house. It's not too severe but the presence of the sun draws my frame to the left-side of the pic and then the flare at the bottom distracts a bit. BTW: What blend modes did you use? Last edited by Nixarma; 02-06-2007 at 12:12 PM.

02-06-2007, 12:46 PM	#8
regken Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangor, Maine Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,381 Original Poster	Nikhil, I put a very large file at 2823lt.jpg photo - Ken Regier photos at pbase.com The blending method used is the one Luminous landscape has as a tutorial. One dark image, a second light image layered then a gaussian blur filter. The sharpening was done using Ben's method. Hope you can do something with it. Thanks,

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
	Search this Thread: Advanced Search