Before and after PP

[ggt1_02]

I wanted to try a few new things out in PS. The shot itself is not an award winner, I already know that. I choose this image for the different challenges it contained.

In raw I knocked the exposer down -.45, and left a other changes alone. Once converted I straightened and cropped the image. Then I adjusted the levels just enough to fill the unused space. Next I added a gradient fill to the center of the image where the snow was very bright. Finally I ran an RGB Edge Sharpening, and a USM.

If I missed anything please let me know. If it's rubbish let me know that to.

[LeuceDeuce]

Image B is an improvement from image A.

[LeuceDeuce]

I'm sorry I couldn't resist.

Original image with curves adjustments to correct colour (guessing that the cement block has a slight brownish colour). Contrast. More contrast in the water. GND filter on the sky. Slight warming filter in the foliage. Cloned out the road sign. Light USM.

[Bill Boehme]

Originally Posted by ggt1_02

I wanted to try a few new things out in PS ... In raw I knocked the exposer down -.45, and left a other changes alone. Once converted I straightened and cropped the image. Then I adjusted the levels just enough to fill the unused space. Next I added a gradient fill to the center of the image where the snow was very bright. Finally I ran an RGB Edge Sharpening, and a USM.

If I missed anything please let me know. If it's rubbish let me know ...

I presume that you are talking about the RAW converter (ACR?) where you knocked down the exposure by 0.45 EV and then did the remainder of the adjustments in Photoshop. If so, other than an exercise in futility, I don't understand why you did it. The image will suffer the least amount of degradation if you perform all of the adjustments relating to color balance, exposure, white point, black point, contrast, saturation, and tone curve adjustments in ACR before conversion. Once in Photoshop, image manipulation becomes much more destructive. Photoshop is more suited for fixing problem areas in an image or applying special effects rather than global things that are related to image capture.

[ggt1_02]

Thanks for the input guys. Back to the drawing board!!!

[kmorgan]

If I may contribute my PP...