How to improve this?

[Northern Tony]

Hi,

I am a beginner trying to use Photoshop CS3 to improve my shots and wondered if you could offer some advice and some examples on how I may be able to improve on this shot.

I kind of like this particular shot of Ashness Bridge in the Lake Distict and apart from slightly increasing the saturation, shadows and highlights, brightness and some USM, it is basically straight out of the camera. Also, it was shot in RAW.

For your information, it appears a little dark due to the fact it was lightly raining at the time of shooting.

Thanks

[bwolford]

Define improve. What don't you like about it? Just the slight under exposure? I screwed up the sky, but other than that I just did some levels and curves work...

[eddarr]

Agreed. I would only do a very few things. Crop a little off of the top and left. That will help to get rid of the blown out sky. Then bump the exposure and maybe the contrast or saturation just a little.

[EOS MAN1]

If you can post a link to the raw file, I can do amazing things with it. It is an awesome picture and has TONS of potential.

[Northern Tony]

Define improve. What don't you like about it? Just the slight under exposure?

Hi bwolford,

Thanks for your reply.

Well, not sure how you feel about the overall shot but as I said I kind of like it.

Now not sure how I would improve it, hence the question. One area I would like to improve is the sky to the left of the shot as I feel that the sky blew out a little. I was not able to use my 0.6 soft ND grad filter as it was raining so that is the reason for the blown out sky.

I have tried to make it more defined using the magic wand, but I had trouble where half the trees then came out darker! So you can guess I am still a novice!

Thanks

[Northern Tony]

Agreed. I would only do a very few things. Crop a little off of the top and left. That will help to get rid of the blown out sky. Then bump the exposure and maybe the contrast or saturation just a little.

Hi Eric,

Thanks for your post. As mentioned previously, I have increased the saturation but maybe not enough. Agree I could increase the exposure, but was concerned that it may make the sky blown out even more.

If you can post a link to the raw file, I can do amazing things with it. It is an awesome picture and has TONS of potential.

Hi EOS MAN1,

I may not be able to post a link to the file. Could you advise how to do this? Or alternatively, pm with suggestions on how I could get the original RAW file to you.

Thanks

[FlyingPhotog]

One thing I notice is that with the exception of the sky (very bright) and the area immediately under the bridge (deep shadow) your overall luminance level is very similar.

The colors can be deceiving... Convert this to a B&W and I think you'll see it tends to come out as a lot of the same tone of gray.

This is where the quality of light really makes a difference. Shooting this very early in the morning or just before sunset in the evening would give you better light with more definition of surfaces and textures.

Looks like a marvelous location that deserves to be photographed but it would benefit from lighting that is less flat.

[rw2]

I used 2 duplicate layers. Adjust the middle layer for the sky. Adjust the top layer for everything else. On the top layer mask out the blown out sky to reveal the darker sky of the middle layer.

[LeuceDeuce]

1. Lower exposure, mask sky.
2. LAB color seperation curves.
3. Red channel luminosity blend (40%).
4. hiraloam USM for contrast (A:20%, R:50.0, T:0).
5. Small amount of conventional USM to bring back a little sharpness (A:60%, R:0.3, T:0).

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