Before and After - The Weekly Editing Challenge

RDWP wrote in post #19428232
Thanks. That's what I figured!

We are keeping a close eye on the hurricane's eye, but the prediction tonight is that Fiona will make landfall to the west of us here (in St. John's), i.e., hitting Nova Scotia and the western part of the island of Newfoundland. But it is a big, bad one, so we will no doubt feel some wind and storm surge.

Batten down the hatches Rob, prayers up for you. Glad to see you back on the thread.

I discovered today that I could add the Neo HDR plug-in for free because I had already bought Aurora.

I like that I can use this one on my .cr3 raw files (had to convert them to .dng for Aurora) and being able to stay inside the one editor. It will also HDR a single file, as will Aurora. However, I much prefer the way Aurora shows how your own image will look in each of its preset "HDR Looks", and their very handy intensity sliders. No equivalent preview with the Neo presets and no sliders to control how much of the preset look you want to apply (not that I've discovered, anyway).

Examples below using the Amsterdam set, to add to Martin's comparisons. In both cases (Aurora and Neo HDR) I used the -2 EV shot as the reference image for ghost reduction because the name of the boat seemed sharpest on that one (= the rest of the boat should be sharpest, too).


1. HDR from the 3 images using Aurora - no adjustments/presets other than resizing.

rrblint wrote in post #19428241
Batten down the hatches Rob, prayers up for you. Glad to see you back on the thread.

Thanks!

RDWP wrote in post #19428295
I discovered today that I could add the Neo HDR plug-in for free because I had already bought Aurora.

I like that I can use this one on my .cr3 raw files (had to convert them to .dng for Aurora) and being able to stay inside the one editor. It will also HDR a single file, as will Aurora. However, I much prefer the way Aurora shows how your own image will look in each of its preset "HDR Looks", and their very handy intensity sliders. No equivalent preview with the Neo presets and no sliders to control how much of the preset look you want to apply (not that I've discovered, anyway).

Examples below using the Amsterdam set, to add to Martin's comparisons. In both cases (Aurora and Neo HDR) I used the -2 EV shot as the reference image for ghost reduction because the name of the boat seemed sharpest on that one (= the rest of the boat should be sharpest, too).


1. HDR from the 3 images using Aurora - no adjustments/presets other than resizing.

Hosted photo: posted by RDWP in
./showthread.php?p=194​28295&i=i21134558
forum: Competitions

2. HDR from the 3 images using Neo - no adjustments/presets other than resizing. "Off the rack", the detail in the wall of the brick building seems a bit better than in Aurora, but I'm sure it could be adjusted to match. Both equally good at un-ghosting the moving tour boat.

Hosted photo: posted by RDWP in
./showthread.php?p=194​28295&i=i82620171
forum: Competitions

An interesting comparison, Rob. I also think the Aurora rendering is the better of the two.

And, if software is free and rudimentary, I am happy to work without previews, but one should get previews when you pay $s

Wind-up time. This is the image that held my view longest

rrblint wrote in post #19424024
More.

Hosted photo: posted by rrblint in
./showthread.php?p=194​24024&i=i141297988
forum: Competitions

The contrast between pale cream builds and all the blues appealed to me.

Over to you, Mark

Thanks Martin. Here's the new challenge.

Before and After - The Weekly Editing Challenge
...now compiled into a single, easy to locate thread, that can be added to your subscribe/follow list!

Rules are simple:

• Download the image file from the current week
  
  
• Contestants will have 7 days to edit the image and post their edited version to the thread (as many entries as you like)
  
  
• The owner of the original image will choose a winner
  
  
• The winner will copy & paste this post and include a new downloadable image link
  
  
• The new image must be unedited / SOOC (straight our of camera), full-resolution, and in a RAW format, ie. CR2, DNG, TIF, etc
  
  
• (Dropbox works well for uploading and linking these large files)
  
  

Not competing, just practicing. Pretty standard glamour stuff: remove skin blemishes, clean up borders of messy lipstick, enhance eyelashes, brighten irises and enlarge pupils, add sheen to hair. And obviously replaced the background.

Playing with NEO and AI, portrait sliders mainly: face lighting, skin, lips, bokeh; also near /far lighting to make it all more "dramatic"; added a few sunrays, out of frame; wee crop off the top.

RDWP wrote in post #19432090
Playing with NEO and AI, portrait sliders mainly: face lighting, skin, lips, bokeh; also near /far lighting to make it all more "dramatic"; added a few sunrays, out of frame; wee crop off the top.

Hosted photo: posted by RDWP in
./showthread.php?p=194​32090&i=i227286259
forum: Competitions

I like what you'e done, Rob

Stiga wrote in post #19432139
I like what you'e done, Rob

Thank you Martin. Don't get many portraits I'm allowed to work on around here

PL5 > Aurota (no PP apart from resize)

PL5 > PS/ACR

#1

I prefer golden hair so I created an evening shot with PL6 and PS/ACR No sharpening, I think the soft glow suits this portrait

Stiga wrote in post #19433947
I prefer golden hair so I created an evening shot with PL6 and PS/ACR No sharpening, I think the soft glow suits this portrait

Very nice work Martin. See, you are good at portraits after all.