I recently down loaded the beta version of Lightroom 3. Very cool program and one I will update when it comes out. I took one of the shots I recently PP'ed in Photoshop Elements 6 and tried it out on the new Lightroom 3, then completed in Elements. [levels control is better in Elements IMO] Here is the results. The first one is the one done in the new Lightroom 3. JIM

[Barnster]

The colours in the first one came out brillant up against the grey cloudy sky.Good job!

[sureshgvv]

Excellent Jim!!!

[pcarfan]

WOW! a brilliant image, I LOVE it...

I would probably crop some of the lower parts of the image, as it looked better while scrolling down on my screen..........The top 2/3rd is breathtaking...

[Ash]

Another stellar capture from you Jim.
This one has such variety of colour, all complementing themselves so well.
#1 is more brilliant, but I prefer the silky smooth water in #2.

[Jimbo]

Here is a bit of a balance between the two.

[Jimbo]

The colours in the first one came out brillant up against the grey cloudy sky.Good job!

Appreciate your kind words. JIM

WOW! a brilliant image, I LOVE it...

I would probably crop some of the lower parts of the image, as it looked better while scrolling down on my screen..........The top 2/3rd is breathtaking...

I had one more that I just posted that might fit better to what you questioned in the first one. I agree with you its about finding balance. I probably play with a image I will print for hours. Maybe too much at times. Cheers JIM

Another stellar capture from you Jim.
This one has such variety of colour, all complementing themselves so well.
#1 is more brilliant, but I prefer the silky smooth water in #2.

Thanks Ash. so did my daughter though when she seen the last one I did she now likes the last one! JIM

[pcarfan]

I prefer the second version, but others may disagree,,,but, one thing is for sure, both are brilliant. Is this taken with your 12-24?

[Jimbo]

I prefer the second version, but others may disagree,,,but, one thing is for sure, both are brilliant. Is this taken with your 12-24?
__________________

Thanks bud and yes my trusting Pentax 12-24. I am starting to better understand widw angle shooting. Don't get me wrong, I know I have a long ways to go but this could be by far my most versatile lens I own. I do prefer the second version too. We will see how the cote goes on PPG. Cheers JIM

[cindyfans]

good job !!!

[cupic]

love the first one Jimbo the second has the dream effect to it.IMHO LR3 is just getting better and better TFS

cheers

[Jimbo]

good job !!!

Thank you for commenting, JIM

love the first one Jimbo the second has the dream effect to it.IMHO LR3 is just getting better and better TFS

cheers

'
I agree Cupic. Appreciate you looking in. JIM

[flippedgazelle]

That crop sure looks rich and brilliant to me!

Maybe a little NR in the water?

[Jimbo]

That crop sure looks rich and brilliant to me!

Maybe a little NR in the water?

Would agree with you on that. JIM

[heliphoto]

Nice capture Jim! I love reflection shots like this...

My order of preference of the three shots you posted is 3 -> 1 -> 2. #3 just seems the most natural on my screen, though there seems to be a bit too much luminance to the light greens/yellows bordering the water - their glow seems unnatural on my monitor (uncalibrated, so this could all be wrong). The aggressive tone adjustment in #1 has brought pattern noise out of hiding in the water at the bottom of the frame, so as flippedgazelle says, you need some NR there, but I think that that will introduce it's own problems (re. not matching look of the rest of the shot). I think the only way to get the exposure to look like #1 without artifacts would be to do a real HDR version (I immediatly though the shot was HDR when I opened the link) with two or three exposures bracketed and combined (check out LR / Enfuse to do exposure blending right from lightroom.

I think the way I would treat this photo would be to start from about where you were in #2 and use Lr's graduated filter tool to apply a clarity overlay (and maybe boost the contrast too) to the upper portion in order to get a more contrasty look to the trees - the other two look like the blacks were clipped a bit too much for my taste.

Wow - that's a lot of nonsense I just wrote . Just go shoot it again, bracketing three frames +/- 0.7ev (or 1ev - try both) and blend it with enfuse the resulting TIFF will let you make a shot like #1 without the noise and a bit more subtlety in the tones (if you so desire)... I'll shut up now ...