Would like some opinion on this post processing

[Pixel Pusher]

Otispunkmeyer said:

It's too red. too strong.

The sky is another bone of contention. In RAW image its really pale thanks to the haze. Trying to get the blue back just makes it look wrong. I can't seem to get it to look realistic.

Wound back the saturation & dropped a sky in. Another point for debate, but with subject matter such as this, I'd avoid any sharpening at all. Plenty of texture in there and sharpening will just make it look gritty. IMO of course.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Pixel Pusher said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

It's too red. too strong.

The sky is another bone of contention. In RAW image its really pale thanks to the haze. Trying to get the blue back just makes it look wrong. I can't seem to get it to look realistic.

Wound back the saturation & dropped a sky in. Another point for debate, but with subject matter such as this, I'd avoid any sharpening at all. Plenty of texture in there and sharpening will just make it look gritty. IMO of course.

The sky is looking good there. May I ask from where you managed to drop the sky in from? And yeah, sharpening makes it look like its printed on sandpaper.

[Pixel Pusher]

That's from my sky library that is. Just used a small section that suited the perspective.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Well cheers Pixel Pusher, think you've pretty much got it nailed on. Perhaps the colours are still tad strong, I was playing with hue/saturation/contrast/brightness for the main rock section and I think now it looks better with the colours leaned out. The sky trick is a good one. I'm sure I'll be able to hunt down a sky from some other photos I have no problem.

I'll use your one as a target and then adjust from there.

[V8A*ndy]

Pixel Pusher said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

It's too red. too strong.

The sky is another bone of contention. In RAW image its really pale thanks to the haze. Trying to get the blue back just makes it look wrong. I can't seem to get it to look realistic.

Wound back the saturation & dropped a sky in. Another point for debate, but with subject matter such as this, I'd avoid any sharpening at all. Plenty of texture in there and sharpening will just make it look gritty. IMO of course.

I like this....

Good work.

[Pixel Pusher]

Otispunkmeyer said:

Well cheers Pixel Pusher, think you've pretty much got it nailed on. Perhaps the colours are still tad strong, I was playing with hue/saturation/contrast/brightness for the main rock section and I think now it looks better with the colours leaned out. The sky trick is a good one. I'm sure I'll be able to hunt down a sky from some other photos I have no problem.

I'll use your one as a target and then adjust from there.

More than happy to send you my layered file if it helps sir? You can lift the sky layer from that if you want?

PM me if you wish.

[Pixel Pusher]

V8A*ndy said:

I like this....

Good work.

[Otispunkmeyer]

Pixel Pusher said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

Well cheers Pixel Pusher, think you've pretty much got it nailed on. Perhaps the colours are still tad strong, I was playing with hue/saturation/contrast/brightness for the main rock section and I think now it looks better with the colours leaned out. The sky trick is a good one. I'm sure I'll be able to hunt down a sky from some other photos I have no problem.

I'll use your one as a target and then adjust from there.

More than happy to send you my layered file if it helps sir? You can lift the sky layer from that if you want?

PM me if you wish.

Very kind of you! PM sent!

[LastLight]

Pixel Pusher said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

It's too red. too strong.

The sky is another bone of contention. In RAW image its really pale thanks to the haze. Trying to get the blue back just makes it look wrong. I can't seem to get it to look realistic.

Wound back the saturation & dropped a sky in. Another point for debate, but with subject matter such as this, I'd avoid any sharpening at all. Plenty of texture in there and sharpening will just make it look gritty. IMO of course.

I'm guessing this isn't what you wanted or were thinking of, but what about a monochrome conversion?

Obviously, using a small pixel count screen grab of your picture here is way more limited than working on the original would be, but here's a couple of quick plays in Lightroom.


















EDITED to add - especially limited with Thumbsnap's butchery of the lightness, tones et cetera!

[Pixel Pusher]

LastLight said:

especially limited with Thumbsnap's butchery of the lightness, tones et cetera!

I noticed this as well with saturation.

[LastLight]

It's pretty poor rendition was getting clear, whatever I did, then pointed out to me by a couple of more knowledgeable chaps on here last week. It seems better once the link is clicked and then clicked again to get it to expand in Thumbsnap, but still not great.

[Otispunkmeyer]

LastLight said:

Pixel Pusher said:

Otispunkmeyer said:

It's too red. too strong.

The sky is another bone of contention. In RAW image its really pale thanks to the haze. Trying to get the blue back just makes it look wrong. I can't seem to get it to look realistic.

Wound back the saturation & dropped a sky in. Another point for debate, but with subject matter such as this, I'd avoid any sharpening at all. Plenty of texture in there and sharpening will just make it look gritty. IMO of course.

I'm guessing this isn't what you wanted or were thinking of, but what about a monochrome conversion?

Obviously, using a small pixel count screen grab of your picture here is way more limited than working on the original would be, but here's a couple of quick plays in Lightroom.


















EDITED to add - especially limited with Thumbsnap's butchery of the lightness, tones et cetera!

There is a link to the original in the OP somewhere if you want it. I will try monochrome once i have the colour one settled. I have to say, I have quite a few of these photos with nasty blue cast to them, but some of them have produced quite nice B&W images so its definitely an option!

[Pixel Pusher]

OP, did you get the download link I sent you?

Just checking in case it hit your spam folder.

Cheers.

[V8A*ndy]

Is it possible to get decent processing with out going the photoshop route?

I'm basically using the Canon free software and was thinking of adding lightroom, but I'd reckon it's still a bit limited.

[steves106]

Otispunkmeyer said:

I was at the Grand Canyon.. etc etc

This might be a bit basic but worth a watch as they're working on a similar photo to the one you're asking about..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifeWUJ8MgJY