[NFS]

I took this photo earlier in the week:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...73&postcount=2

I was messing around with the ISO types and so ended up with a slightly overexposed image, which I was quite pleased with.

I want to make it more 'moody' by altering the colour of the hedgerow and darkening down the sky.

I tried photoshopping it, but to be honest I haven't got a clue where to start.

All I can do so far is use the red-eye tool and crop.

Your advice would be appreciated!

[M3-FAST]

Originally Posted by needforspeed

I took this photo earlier in the week:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showpo...73&postcount=2

I was messing around with the ISO types and so ended up with a slightly overexposed image, which I was quite pleased with.

I want to make it more 'moody' by altering the colour of the hedgerow and darkening down the sky.

I tried photoshopping it, but to be honest I haven't got a clue where to start.

All I can do so far is use the red-eye tool and crop.

Your advice would be appreciated!

........so you can have the best photo and win

[Dave_3]

It looks like your sky is burned out a bit too much - I suspect you will have to replace that - any adjustments will just adjust the white (to grey etc.) as there is no other info left to adjust

You can use the Dodge and Burn tools to adjust areas using a brush, and you can adjust the curves and Levels, Exposure, Gamma, Saturation on selected areas or the whole photo. Best way is just to have a go - look under the Images > Adjustments menu.

If you want to play with the photo, it is best to originally save it as a RAW format (12-14 bit) on your camera where possible .. which has a greater dynamic range, and hence scope to adjust your exposure to view (saved) details - using Photoshop or a supplied RAW editor. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raw_image_format)

I play around a lot with HDRI (32 bit) for CGI. And you can build those up in Photoshop by taking many identical photos but with varying exposures - look and see if your camera has a bracketing function (Although for bests results you need more than 3 differing exposures).

D.

[E92Fan]

I just spent a couple of minutes playing around in Photoshop. Masked off your car first, then did an inverse selection and adjusted the levels, to bring back the detail in the sky. I was quite aggressive with the adjustments so that the differences are hugely visible. Then I reselected the car itself, and adjusted the exposure and gamma settings, reduced the contrast slightly and upped the brightness. Moved the sky down, then cropped the image again.

Literally, four minutes work. And I'm no photoshop expert so the pros amongst the forum will be able to make it a million times better !!



Your original



Altered version

[mds82]

if you took the image in a RAW format you would ahve more options, but you can try a software called Photomatix, they have some awesome plugins for CS2

[Dave_3]

Think you would be best to replace that sky. There isn't enough info, or dynamic range there. Just bin it and replace with a sky of your choice (excuse the roughshod masking).. add a bit of vignetting ...

D.

[E92Fan]

Now how the hell did you do that Dave?! Which bit do you mask, and how do you get the sky to go behind the hedgerow even inbetween the branches?!

[Hotcoupe]

Dave_3 Think you would be best to replace that sky. There isn't enough info, or dynamic range there. Just bin it and replace with a sky of your choice (excuse the roughshod masking).. add a bit of vignetting ...
D.

What a difference!
Nice job Dave,it's a cracking picture and a worthy contender for Pic of the month.

No disrespect to NFS mind.

P.S. Dave, if I send you a facial pic,could you make me look MORE like Brad Pitt

[mjh93sa]

Nice work Dave!

As noted there really isn't any detail in the sky, either because it's too overexposed, or there just wasn't anything happening up there. About all you can do in such a case is apply a gradient to darken up the upper part of the pic, or to 'shop in something interesting.

[CrimsonRedE93]

So so tempting to add some extra's to the pic after reading that american thread

Nice pic though

[Hotcoupe]

CrimsonRedE93 So so tempting to add some extra's to the pic after reading that american thread

Go on,I dare you!

[DaveC]

Hmmm, ok thats impressive but now make the reflection of the sky in the bonnet match!

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Dave_3

Think you would be best to replace that sky. There isn't enough info, or dynamic range there. Just bin it and replace with a sky of your choice (excuse the roughshod masking).. add a bit of vignetting ...

D.

Dave ... you are the man.

That was the picture I wanted to take, but the clouds were not behaving at the time.



e92 fan ... impressed with your efforts also

Now ... can anyone offer me some advice as to how to get started on the road to achieveing something like this for myself?

[NathanJT]

NFS,

I'd recommend that next time you're trying a shot like this you just add an ND Grad filter to the camera (much easier).

Oh and as has already been said, shoot in RAW and you'll have MUCH more control over the dynamic range in the shot.

This might help with the understanding: http://www.bryanhansel.com/articles/ndgrad.htm

[NFS]

Originally Posted by NathanJT

NFS,

I'd recommend that next time you're trying a shot like this you just add an ND Grad filter to the camera (much easier).

Oh and as has already been said, shoot in RAW and you'll have MUCH more control over the dynamic range in the shot.

This might help with the understanding: http://www.bryanhansel.com/articles/ndgrad.htm

Just read the article which was interesting.

Unfortunately I don't have an SLR camera (well not a digital one anyway).

We just have a Casio Exilim z750:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/casioz750/

It doesn't support RAW either.

Having said that, we've been able to produce some really nice images with it (works well when the light is good). I just want to try to do a little more to finesse them using photoshop.

From memory I think that there are some built in tutorials. I'll have another look at those.

[Dave_3]

Originally Posted by DaveC

Hmmm, ok thats impressive but now make the reflection of the sky in the bonnet match!

I didn't really want to touch the car too much, as it seems NFS has re-sized the image and it has caused some untidy anti-aliasing - which is very clear on the front grill, or any ther high contrast regular edge. So, best to work on the original image to start with.

But anyway ... here you go. Clouds added to bonnet - rush job.

If anybody is interested in how I did all of this I could put something together ?

NFS: If you PM me, I'll send you this photoshop file. I also have a little Casio for quick jobs, too. Apparently your model has a "pseudo-raw" function ? (http://www.kenrockwell.com/casio/exz...s.htm#metering)

D.

[NathanJT]

Originally Posted by needforspeed

Just read the article which was interesting.

Unfortunately I don't have an SLR camera (well not a digital one anyway).

I think it's Cokin that do a filter kit for P&S cameras. It basically screws to the base of the camera via the tripod mount, you then slot in the filters as you would on an SLR (and being Cokin, it won't be at all expensive).

[NFS]

Originally Posted by Dave_3

I didn't really want to touch the car too much, as it seems NFS has re-sized the image and it has caused some untidy anti-aliasing - which is very clear on the front grill, or any ther high contrast regular edge. So, best to work on the original image to start with.

But anyway ... here you go. Clouds added to bonnet - rush job.

If anybody is interested in how I did all of this I could put something together ?

NFS: If you PM me, I'll send you this photoshop file. I also have a little Casio for quick jobs, too. Apparently your model has a "pseudo-raw" function ? (http://www.kenrockwell.com/casio/exz...s.htm#metering)

D.

Dave, you are right .. the original image is A3 size and around 5MB, so to large to upload to the forum. I resized it and dropped the image quaility using photoshop, before I uploaded.

I'd be really interested in a 'simple' explanation of how you achieved this. I think the results are amazing and you obviously have a real eye for this.

I checked out the camera review link which was interesting. Most reviewers were really positive about the Z750 and this ones no different. I'd forgotten about the pseudo RAW editing options in playback mode and I think I'll have a mess about with them and see what can be done.

When I took the shot I was trying a bit of 'bracketing', messing about with ISO settings etc. Whilst this shot was overexposed in terms of the sky, I liked the cold winter feeling that achieved and thought the exposure was better in terms of the car than on the other shots I took.

If I understand correctly - would I be better of taking a single image and doing the bracketing within the cameras pseudo RAW edit mode?

Originally Posted by NathanJT

I think it's Cokin that do a filter kit for P&S cameras. It basically screws to the base of the camera via the tripod mount, you then slot in the filters as you would on an SLR (and being Cokin, it won't be at all expensive).

Interesting - I'll have a look.

[scotw]

I'd also be interested in some tips and details of how you did this, its amazing what people can achieve and I'm impressed with the quality of what you can achieve so quickly

[Hotcoupe]

scotw I'd also be interested in some tips and details of how you did this, its amazing what people can achieve and I'm impressed with the quality of what you can achieve so quickly

+1 to that Scot,however I don't have the patience to get into that sort of stuff,thankfully not everyone is as lazy as me, or we would not get to see all the amazing stuff peeps can do with pics.

[E92Fan]

+2 Dave I'd be grateful if you could put something detailed together, so I can start developing my photoshop skills. I can do the basics no problem, but making things look natural is harder.