[SWEngineer]

Welcome to PPC#6.

Thanks to Tim for setting up the generic MediaFire account. It worked great. (See PP Challenge #5.)

It turns out I found selecting an image for the challenge harder than the PP in my past entries. I hope you all find this one interesting and not too frustrating.
I plan to end the challenge on Tues Sept. 29th. But I will extend it until Oct. 5 if needed to get a reasonable number of entries.

Original DNG file (from PEF) (6.2 MB): IMGP9444.DNG

Full size JPEG (2.8 MB): IMGP9444.jpg

Thread sample with flat tone curve and exposure +1 in LR1.2 (same, limited processing as the full size JPEG):



The license will be (borrowing heavily from Mike)...

I retain full copyright on the original image and files. Members of Pentax Forum are granted full authorization to copy the linked files in order to alter or manipulate said image for the purpose of entering the Post Processing Challenge. They are also granted permission to use the resulting image for their own personal, non-commercial purposes. Original EXIF, including the original copyright, must be maintained in all files created for this competition and subsequent personal use as granted above.

[mithrandir]

This thread is listed under Mini-Challenges, but it should be under Mega-Challenges. This one had me re-imagining the entire image. Although the histogram says it was properly exposed (read that: within the box), our eyes say something different. I went searching for the soul of the shot.

Process:
1. In lightroom I first established the white and black points.
2. Next, I applied a linear curve.
3. I then created 5 tif files with ev equivalents of -2, -1, 0, +1, +2.
4. In Dynamic HDR I created an HDR file using the five TIFs.
5. I lowered saturation about 30%, lowered gamma to .67.
6. Finally, I applied a MANGA filter and upped the vibrant colors.
7. At this point, the picture spoke to me and I stopped.

[atupdate]

From the large JPG - processed with Paint Shop Pro X

1) Perspective Correction
2) Crop (8x10)
3) Clone - Clean up windows (if you know what I mean), fix feathers at the top of the body,
and removed a little of the end of the tail.
4) Clarify Adjustment (Strength 2) - Twice
5) Unsharp Mask (USM) @ radius: 50. strength: 15 and clipping: 3
6) Duplicate Layer and apply second USM treatment
@ radius: 0.30. strength: 300 and clipping: 3 - Soft Light Blend Mode
and 100% Opacity
7) Curve Adjustment Layer - big S-Curve to darken the bird and lighten the windows.
8) Merge all layers
9) Resize to 800 pixels on the long side
10) High Pass Sharpen @ Radius: 1, Strength: 72, and Overlay Blend Mode



Tim

[SWEngineer]

Welcome to PPC#6.
...
I plan to end the challenge on Tues Sept. 29th. But I will extend it until Oct. 5 if needed to get a reasonable number of entries.

Any interest in this game anymore?

[MRRiley]

I think it's worth keeping going Mark. I've been way too busy to put any worthwhile effort into it the last couple of weeks but will give it a go if you want to keep it going thru the 5th as you mentioned in the OP...

Mike

[Ash]

Didn't see this challenge until now - I've also been busy at work but will give it a go tonight if I can...

[SWEngineer]

I think it's worth keeping going Mark. I've been way too busy to put any worthwhile effort into it the last couple of weeks but will give it a go if you want to keep it going thru the 5th as you mentioned in the OP...

Mike

Consider the extension ON, Mike. I hope your schedule eases up some and allows you to play.

[ozlizard]

Sorry I am so late with this, like everyone else been busy! This was a difficult one for sure and I went a bit overboard on it. Too many steps to remember!

[CReid]

My old school B&W method

1) Desaturate image
2) Create duplicate layer using current image
3) Filter > Other > High pass - 10 pixels
4) Layer Style > Blending Options - General Blending = Hardlight 80% opacity
5) Curves tweak (Highlights and lowlights)
6) Flatten image

[and]

I think the contest is interesting but imho I dont agree with the image selection, its a shot I personally would have deleted instead of trying to spend a long time trying to fix it, its too out of focus and high iso and underexposed so there isnt a lot to reveal with some pp and it also has a ton of unwanted elements in the composition. Only thing I found myself left to do was to white out the problem areas and just silhouette the oof head. lightroom doesnt have any better way of dealing with this kind of shot without spending a whole weekend

[Ash]

A trial of colouring on this tough photo:

Basic steps: crop, dodge bird, burn background, selective colouring, create bird layer, replace colours on bird, flatten and save.



Cheers.

[ll_coffee_lP]

Agreed - no offence to the OP for this challenge, but the images that are being used in these challenges thus far are mostly uninspiring.

Post up some photos that beg to be interpreted in many ways and this challenge will take off.

Just my thoughts....

c[_]

[shooz]

Since the bird is pretty much a loss. I thought the rest of the pic had more detail.
Used LR to bring that out. Starting with a direct positive.

[MRRiley]

Agreed - no offence to the OP for this challenge, but the images that are being used in these challenges thus far are mostly uninspiring.

Post up some photos that beg to be interpreted in many ways and this challenge will take off.

Just my thoughts....

c[_]

So, win this one and post your own photo for us to process... Personally I think each challenge photo posted has offered unique possibilities and the PP interpretations have offered some very interesting interpretations.

Here is my submission... various levels and selective color adjustments (mostly to bring out detail in the head), then a crop then a plastic wrap filter (CS3)



Mike

[mithrandir]

Mike, have you done any Cathedral windows lately? LOL!