Before & After #143

This game is to help those of us who are trying to learn new tricks when it comes to editing.

Here's the breakdown of the game. I will post a picture that I choose, resized to exactly 1024 pixels maximum on the long side. Outside of being resized it has to be unedited...meaning no adjustments to any levels, it has to look like it did as it came out of the camera.

The game will last 48hrs and whoever can produce the best edited image (as judged by me) will be picked and it'll be their turn to post their unedited picture for all of us to take a crack at.

The participants must have their "Image Editing OK" turned on and they must provide at least a simple breakdown of how they edited the image, some entrants are a little vague on this point, please give us all details so we can learn and share tips. For instance if you use the unsharp mask tool or Smart Sharpen, provide us with the adjustments you used so others can try them out.

You can post multiple images, but the first image you post will be the one that is judged - all other images will be considered for knowledge and tip use only.

Also, please keep all comments, be they positive or negative, to yourself until after the game has ended.

If you happen to be the winner of the game please start the next one with the title of the game and the following number. For example…the next game should read "Before & After #144".

This is all about having fun so have at it!!!
Any edit, over-the-top creative or subtle, is encouraged!

This game will end on Sunday, December 21st at 9:00pm EST .

Last Friday's moon rising over Carolina Beach

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Monty, this was such a beauty to begin with, that I didn't want to do anything to it. But, here's my attempt. ... It was actually much harder than I thought it would be.

1. Copied original image 4 times and distorted (stretched) varying amounts to the left & right.
2. Cut out different segments and stitched together into single pano image.
3. Layer mask to restore moon & reflection to original proportions.
4. Adjusted colors slightly.
5. Levels adjustment slightly.
6. USM @ 150,2,1 on water to boost contrast and enhance reflection.
7. USM @ 75,1,1 on stretched portions of image to match unstretched portions.
8. Noiseware @ 60%/70%/+2 sharpening.
9. Cropped.
10. Added quick border.

Here's mine. I tried to make it more of a night shot.

-Basic LR edits (WB, exposure, brightness, clarity, color hue/saturation)
-Sharpened in PS CS3 using high pass and smart sharpen (Luminosity BM)
-Curves (linear contrast)
-Selective color
-Increased size of moon, reflection on water
-Darkened house a little bit
-Done

All I see is a red X Henry ??

Huh, me too.

I'll fix it.

Done, I think. Does it work for you now, Monty?

Yep!! Thanks Henry!

Auto levels
Desaturated and duplicated layer
Layer 1: dodged and burnt with variety of wet brushes
Layer 2: Used the vertical grain filter @ 17 and 23
& erasor tool to allow an uneven grain
Added noise to the remaining parts
Opacity 35%
Cropped image and burnt a vignette
Blurred edges, added white border

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You all rock!! Nice edits everybody!

Justin if you ever figure out your CS4 problems I would love to see your edit!

I know I didn't give you all a very nice picture to mess with... I just thought the photo overall was flat and wish I could have made the clouds/sky separate more.. hard to do without blowing out the moon.

Silver -- Wow -- nice job on making this a pano! Other than the No Wake sign it's pretty much a perfect job!

Henry -- Very nice job - maybe this is the route I should have taken with the shot.

IlseAngelo -- Very nice -- I've tried this shortly after you posted and I can't touch it, you certainly have a feel for it that I can't duplicate!

It's a very hard decision as I like them all -- I'm really leaning toward the pano - So Silver you win!

My edit... and in the second shot (taken after the moon shot) you can see how the sky really looked...

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monty28428 wrote in post #6923320
Silver -- Wow -- nice job on making this a pano! Other than the No Wake sign it's pretty much a perfect job!

Henry -- Very nice job - maybe this is the route I should have taken with the shot.

IlseAngelo -- Very nice -- I've tried this shortly after you posted and I can't touch it, you certainly have a feel for it that I can't duplicate!

I guess everyone was too busy with their last-minute holiday events to play. ... It would have been nice to see more variations of such a wonderful picture.

I also noticed the No Wake sign after I stiched the images together, but I had already spent so much time on it I just quit.

Nice job to Henry & Ilseangelo as well. ... ( BTW - as monty has acknowledged, "Ilseangelo" is a fitting nickname. ... You did a nice job on that ceiling in Photoshop Tennis !!!)

OK, next one will be up as soon as I can find a decent picture to post.

monty28428 wrote in post #6923320
Justin if you ever figure out your CS4 problems I would love to see your edit!

It's making me angry! haha - I was working on your picture during my mental breakdown. I did end up stopping which is why I didn't post, but here is where I was before I realized the color issues and my brain imploded. Edit: For the edit I simply desaturated the entire image and layered on my own colors with various blendings.

Congrats Silver!

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Nicely done Silver
Thanks Monty, I know I'm not very good at explaining my steps.
Oh, I also think it's time I go paint a few more ceilings in PS tennis

Ilse you do a fine job... it's my execution that sucks.

Justin thanks for giving it a shot! I could tell how frustrated you were (probably still are) when reading your thread. I hope you get it sorted out soon!