Dramatic Landscape

Im looking for a way to process this photo and give it a dramatic effect, but not something over the top. I want it to tell a story, about a broken shore that has been battered and beaten, but is still resilient and not out of the game just yet. This is the iconic roller coaster that has been in the ocean ever since Hurricane Sandy hit the Jersey Shore. I know this photo has been shot by many people, i'd just like mine to stand out from the crowd.

http://i50.tinypic.com​/s0va12.jpg

This is the right out of the camera, no adjustments, except for a quick resize.

Did you shoot in Raw or jpeg?

And, what processing software do you have and what experience have you had with processing outdoor shots with "iffy" conditions?

Well, for starters the photo is overexposed and the highlights (breaking waves) are clipped. The global tone can be brought down but the clipping can be repaired only if it was shot in Raw. Colors are blah and need saturation, likewise more contrast will add some impact.

The composition is the worst aspect of the photo; horizon and center of interest are dead center - the most boring composition there is. And the horizon is tilted.

Also, it lacks an embedded sRGB space profile.

Before you do any "dramatic" PP, straighten the horizon and crop down a little to make the coaster a more prominent subject. Seems a little soft to me, but that could be the resize.

Eh, it's not an especially dramatic photo to begin with, maybe the subject isn't all that interesting... But here's my take on it in color:

https://dl.dropbox.com​/u/41183616/s0va12%20c​opy.jpg

Or BnW:

https://dl.dropbox.com​/u/41183616/s0va12%20b​w.jpg

I did shoot raw, and I usually correct the horizon, but like I said, this is straight out of the camera.

Here's my take. You might think a bit about composition.

Shawn_BS wrote in post #15499295
Im looking for a way to process this photo and give it a dramatic effect, but not something over the top. I want it to tell a story, about a broken shore that has been battered and beaten, but is still resilient and not out of the game just yet. This is the iconic roller coaster that has been in the ocean ever since Hurricane Sandy hit the Jersey Shore. I know this photo has been shot by many people, i'd just like mine to stand out from the crowd.

It's hard to tell a story after the fact - that's what you should have had in mind while taking the shot.

I see too much sand that is brighter than the rest of the image and doesn't lead my eye to any particular spot in the picture. Although out of your control at the time of shooting, the sky is plain and boring. These are the two areas where I would focus my post processing.

1> Replace the sky with something more interesting
2> Levels boost to the coaster and water where you want the viewer's attention
3> Crop & blur the sand so that it is no longer the prominent element of the image

Shawn_BS wrote in post #15500408
I did shoot raw, and I usually correct the horizon, but like I said, this is straight out of the camera.

Then I'd advise you to upload the Raw file to a "friendly" (free no-hassle) host such as YouSendIt.com. You enter your email address as the "Recipient" then do the upload. They email you a notice with the link to download. Post that link here and some folks will download it and go to work.

The sky would be a big concern -- is there any detail recoverable? Raw processing can be great for that if the detail is in there. And then, suggestions others are giving, of course the horizon rotation, and also the suggestion of a "creative crop" that would really get attention on the subject matter.

I understand what you were after here, it's just a matter of getting it to "work"!

Sorry, but in the "Share" areas IMAGE POSTING RULES only allow 2 attachments by the OP per thread, OR 8 embedded (linked) images, OR a combination of both totaling 8 per thread. (Maximum 1024 pixels on any side.) You can always just post a link to more, though, or better yet, post a link to a gallery so we don't have to click on each image link.
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And you didn't say what you're using for processing, but this might give you some ideas: Hougaard Malan Tutorials « Advanced masking

Here's my take and i dont think there is a right or wrong answer and also that it depends on the eye of the beholder. =)

• First I apply some basics i would do to almost all my images: Straighten horizon, sharpen, and add a curve adjustment to tweak the contrast. If I had the raw, maybe the sky could have more detail, but i don't think it is a big deal whether or not i can see clouds (if they are even there) and that it doesnt affect the composition.
  
• Then I think about the feeling that you described. You want bleak, desolate, and hopeless. Color can convey emotion. In this case, I choose gray/dull white semi monochrome look for a sense of bleakness and despair. I also choose to make the blacks gritty looking.
  
• I then darken the sky with a gradient and did some cropping but I kept the flag at the center. I choose to make it the centerpiece.
  

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This is an interesting project and the suggestions made so far have been inspiring (for me, anyway). Here's a version that I spent a little time on this morning. I thought the tire tracks on the beach were distracting and there is too much beach anyway. The horizon is too high and the sky is boring. So, I cropped the image, replaced the sky with one that I happened to have in my Lightroom catalog, and then adjusted the foreground tone to match the light from the sunset. It still needs some work, but might be a worthwhile suggestion for you, anyway.

Gave it a go.

kirk

PhotosGuy wrote in post #15503090
this might give you some ideas: Hougaard Malan Tutorials « Advanced masking

Thank you for this. Awesome tutorials!

At the time, Seaside had a curfew in effect and that was the only day/time I was able to go get some shots while I was home from school on break. These are some great suggestions!

Here is a link for the RAW file: https://www.yousendit.​com …ad/UW15WmdrMVhw​TVdybHNUQw
*Link is only good until 1/28*

Also a quick side note, a guy was arrested last week for putting the flag on the coaster. He was trying to raise awareness about the aid still needed from FEMA, and I thought it was an interesting touch.