How to post-process this?

Is there a relatively simple way to post process the image below in Lightroom (preferably) or Photoshop? I've spent a few hours trying, but the result hasn't been very good. The raw file is here:

https://www.lj3.com/mi​sc/sample_jim_r6.zip

I had the camera set to record both raw and jpg. This is the out-of-the-camera jpg. The people in the middle are me, my wife, and two of our grandkids.

The link did not work for me, I got a 404 Error message, so I copied and pasted the screen image into PS and this is what I managed to achieve using Nik and Topaz Plug Ins.

Awesome location and spaceflight stuff.

Cheers

Dennis

Thanks! Your result is very good. Not sure about learning Nik and Topaz, but I do have friends who use them and like them. Maybe I should give them a try.

I fixed the link; I had typed .cr3 instead of .zip for the extension. It is a cr3 inside the zip.

Just looking at it you should be able to get a good looking image from that using Lightroom. I can't right now but I'll see if I can take a shot at it tomorrow.

LJ3Jim wrote in post #19236539
Thanks! Your result is very good. Not sure about learning Nik and Topaz, but I do have friends who use them and like them. Maybe I should give them a try.

I fixed the link; I had typed .cr3 instead of .zip for the extension. It is a cr3 inside the zip.

Okay, wow, what a difference RAW data makes!

Here is a reprocess but down sampled to 1600 pixels wide.

Cheers

Dennis

Thanks, Dennis and John! I was able to duplicate John's using the sliders in Lightroom. I like Dennis's better, though, because it retains more contrast in the shuttle and removes the sepia overtone of the original image. I'm going to use the information I learned from both of you to try some additional things with LR and PS.

Thank you both for your contributions!

I don't use Lightroom or Photoshop. This was done in DXO Photolab 4. I liked the shadows in the surroundings so locally lifted the shadows on you and your family. I also corrected the perspective of the building.

Thanks, everyone, for your tips and inspiration. I did my basic adjustments in LR, went to PS, selected the shuttle with the quick selection tool (then significant edge refining), processed the shuttle primarily for brightness, contrast, and color. Then I inverted the selection, increased the exposure of the non-shuttle area, then went back to LR and used a brush to slightly lighten the people. It's the most significant processing I've done for a photo. I might still do a little more tweaking, but I couldn't have gotten to this point without seeing the results you folks were able to generate. Thanks again!

FYI, the Endeavour is at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. The room you see here is temporary. They are breaking ground on a new building that will house the shuttle in a vertical orientation. The orange liquid rocket and the two solid fuel rocket boosters will be attached just as they would be for takeoff. They will have various balconies all the way to the top that should provide incredible views and photo ops. It will probably be a couple more years before that's completed.

My attempt using DPP and a few filters in Photoshop CS5... tried to keep detail on Endeavor the best I could.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #19236979
My attempt using DPP and a few filters in Photoshop CS5... tried to keep detail on Endeavor the best I could.

Hosted photo: posted by TeamSpeed in
./showthread.php?p=192​36979&i=i225499255
forum: RAW, Post Processing & Printing

I like this one very much!

LJ3Jim wrote in post #19236785
Thanks, everyone, for your tips and inspiration. I did my basic adjustments in LR, went to PS, selected the shuttle with the quick selection tool (then significant edge refining), processed the shuttle primarily for brightness, contrast, and color. Then I inverted the selection, increased the exposure of the non-shuttle area, then went back to LR and used a brush to slightly lighten the people. It's the most significant processing I've done for a photo. I might still do a little more tweaking, but I couldn't have gotten to this point without seeing the results you folks were able to generate. Thanks again!

FYI, the Endeavour is at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. The room you see here is temporary. They are breaking ground on a new building that will house the shuttle in a vertical orientation. The orange liquid rocket and the two solid fuel rocket boosters will be attached just as they would be for takeoff. They will have various balconies all the way to the top that should provide incredible views and photo ops. It will probably be a couple more years before that's completed.

I think you did a great job.

I can't compete with the other excellent edits but here is my go anyway.

Camera RAW edit
Topaz Denoise AI
Topaz Adjust Classic

LJ3Jim wrote in post #19236478
Is there a relatively simple way to post process the image below in Lightroom (preferably) or Photoshop?

Not relatively simple. In Photoshop, I used masks to isolate the spacecraft and your family, then toned down or removed distractions in the surroundings.

This has been a truly educational thread for me. There are so many *good* ways to look at an image. I need to expand my vision when processing my work!

Regards, Jim

This is the one my wife liked the best: