Before and After - The Weekly Editing Challenge

RDWP wrote in post #19298198
Martin - Good question. Think you already answered it though. So doesn't seem to be a way to "un +" a sky except by moving from your custom sky folder.

https://community.skyl​um.com …nity_comment_36​0002877599

Page is for Mac but works for me on a PC (Note the page heading should have been "Delete custom skies" not "elete custom skies"!)

Thanks Rob.

IMHO it's another instance of software engineers not thinking logically and not thinking of the end-user. Putting a user's own files in a hidden folder (where no normal computer user would ever go) and no access via the app is crazy.

Stiga wrote in post #19298254
Thanks Rob.

IMHO it's another instance of software engineers not thinking logically and not thinking of the end-user. Putting a user's own files in a hidden folder (where no normal computer user would ever go) and no access via the app is crazy.

Agreed. A simple way to un+ would be good too.

For those thinking about Luminar NEO, I saw this today. Hope it lives up to the promise:

"Dust RemovalAI, a feature in Luminar Neo that automatically finds and removes spots in your photos caused by dust or debris on your lens or sensor. No need to clone and stamp for hours just to get rid of a few spots in your photo shoot. Leave the fuss to AI."

Any more "Night Challenge" edits to come? Or those birdies? Martin is gonna to walk away with it soon ...

RDWP wrote in post #19298856
Agreed. A simple way to un+ would be good too.

For those thinking about Luminar NEO, I saw this today. Hope it lives up to the promise:
...............

I now have a shortcut on my desktop so that I can quickly go to my custom skies and edit them.

RDWP wrote in post #19298859
Any more "Night Challenge" edits to come? Or those birdies? Martin is gonna to walk away with it soon ...

More time needed for me to be in the right frame of mind but here is one to be getting on with.

Stiga wrote in post #19298936
I now have a shortcut on my desktop so that I can quickly go to my custom skies and edit them.

Smart. Just did the same.

Here's my attempt with Night Harbour. I found this to be a tough one due to bright lights and flare. I also found the Luminar sky replacement with Luminar v difficult too asa Luminar kept altering the foreground brightness and temperature. I guess that Neo will be better if it keeps sky and foreground is separate layers.

Most of the hard tweaking was done in ACR - Dehaze and Clarity in particular. It took so long that I cannot give you detailed steps!

For something different: Used my bonus moons in Aurora, then to PaintShop Pro to resize, copy the moon and place in a dark blue sky background (Luminar Ai wouldn't recognize the moon's original black night sky as sky). Then to Luminar Ai and used Augmented Sky to add and place plane. Than added some Atmosphere (fog) to upper.

OK - time to put this challenge to bed. Sorry the image selection didn't generate more takers. Chose night prospects as a bit of a change-up. Winner announced in post below my attempts here.

A. This one was EV 0 image, through Aurora HDR 2 preset, then to Luminar Ai for sky replacement and crop, then Topaz for a sharpening. A fair job at sky replacement considering how dark the original was, and I like the complementary atmosphere it produced. Also llike the starbursts in this one.

B. Letting the AI do the work; EV 0, through Aurora, basic auto (Ai) treatment (no preset); Luminar Ai and just chose template Cold Currents; pass through Topaz sharpen Ai. Saved and resized for POTN. (Note to Martin: I tried the Edinburgh template and it added even more fog )

So to end the suspense: the night challenge competition winner is Stiga! Liked each of your treatments. And I think the sky in your tower shot looks just fine; did you do much sharpening? You can count every stone.

Congrats Martin, you're up.

Thank, Rob, pity you had no option; don't know why. Perhaps fold were overwhelmed!

New Challenge (29 Oct 2021)

Once again I have to fall back on the Signal royalty-free images. A combination of Covid (a new wave starting here) and old age means that I am virtually housebound and have no new RAWs to upload.

Click on the titles to download

Ruined tower

1/125 • f/2.8 • ISO 125

Tidal fishing

Canon EOS 5D Mark IV • Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM @23mm • 30s. • f/22 • ISO 100

Lighthouse

Canon EOS 1200D / EOS Rebel T5 / Kiss X70 • Canon EF 35-80mm f/4-5.6 @50mm • 15s. • f/2 • ISO 100

I have been trying out ON1 HDR 2022 and thos thread seems an appropriate place to post my first tril. My first reaction is that ON1 has based there interface on Aurora but have made it confusing. Many presets are OTT and produce halos/artifacts at the drop of the hat. I used "Dramatic 3" for this one. Suspect I'll ditch this trial v soon!

Not competing ... just loitering and prowling

My takes mostly with basic corrections, de-fringing purples and greens in the lighthouse image which also has a gradient overlay.