Before and After - The Weekly Editing Challenge

[MMP]

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

Rules are simple:

1. Download the image file from the current week
2. Contestants will have 7 days to edit the image and post their edited version to the thread (1 entry per week)
3. The owner of the original image will choose a winner
4. The winner will copy & paste this post in the same thread, and include a link to a new downloadable RAW image
5. The new image must be unedited / SOOC (straight our of camera), full-resolution, and in a RAW format, ie. CR2, DNG, TIF, etc

The purpose of this game is to be creative and learn new editing techniques. You must give some insight into exactly how you went about editing the image. For example, increased shadows sliders, reduced highlights, local sharpening, white balance adjustment, specific filters used, tone curve adjustments, etc. Screenshots of sliders are also useful, although not required.

Comments and/or questions regarding the edits are encouraged.

 

[Stiga]

I'll start the thread with a sunset over the Inner Hebrides, NW Scotland. The shot is so old that most RAW processors such as DxO Photolab won't recognize the format. The download link is here.



As Focus on Photography has not yet reached critical mass, I'll let things for more than 1 week

 

[Inphoto]

Some minor edit in Faststone viewer. Redused the orange colour, raised the shadows and tried to reduce noise but that was difficult.

 

[Joeseph]

Probably not the look you were going for!



used Adobe DNG converter to get the file into something CS-3 would recognise (my Scottish ancestry prevents me from updating from CS-3 while it's still functional)
Wound the "fill light" slider up as far as I'd dare, & then played with Noise Ninja to get the noise down a bit & have undoubtedly overdone it.

 

[Stiga]

Probably not the look you were going for!

used Adobe DNG converter to get the file into something CS-3 would recognise (my Scottish ancestry prevents me from updating from CS-3 while it's still functional)
Wound the "fill light" slider up as far as I'd dare, & then played with Noise Ninja to get the noise down a bit & have undoubtedly overdone it.

It's the nearest to reality so far

 

[RDWP]

I'll start the thread with a sunset over the Inner Hebrides, NW Scotland. The shot is so old that most RAW processors such as DxO Photolab won't recognize the format. ...

That is a lovely shot just as it sits, Martin! Really don't think I can improve on your raw.

 

[RDWP]

Anyway, here's a go. This one through Aurora for some single-image HDR and a slight nudge to straighten; then to Topaz AI, mainly to remove some noise. That's all. Converted to jpg in Neo - no other adjustments there.

 

[RDWP]

For interest, while in Topaz AI, I ran this version through AI's new "Balancing Color" (Beta) option - turned the Temp way down bringing out some blues, and Opacity at about 70%; then a very slight enhancement in Neo.

 

[Stiga]

^^
Thanks ROB.

I hope there are more to come

 

[RDWP]

Martin - How did you post your original image here? It has the exif attached/embedded (viewed with ExifViewer in Firefox) - Joseph's re-post too. The only way I've been able to keep the exif intact in my posts has been to upload the photo to Gallery first - which usually keeps the exif - and then embed the Gallery link in the thread. Though some seem to be able to simply attach in a thread and keep the data.

 

[MMP]

Everything done from Lightroom...
Played with the white balance to accentuate the reds/oranges
Selectively corrected the exposure of the boat
Added a radial gradient with a red/orange white balance, reduced clarity, reduced contrast, and increased exposure to exaggerate the sunset
Applied NR
Then moved over to Photoshop and added some image to the right side

 

[Stiga]

Martin - How did you post your original image here? It has the exif attached/embedded (viewed with ExifViewer in Firefox) - Joseph's re-post too. The only way I've been able to keep the exif intact in my posts has been to upload the photo to Gallery first - which usually keeps the exif - and then embed the Gallery link in the thread. Though some seem to be able to simply attach in a thread and keep the data.

Just the usual way - drag and drop after clicking on the mountain icon

 

[Happygav]

Probably not the best edit but something a bit different.
Adjustments in Adobe Camera Raw to darken shadows and increase the saturation of the red & orange a little.
Used Topaz Denoise to reduce the noise.
Cropped in PS and removed a little of the floating stuff.

 

[RDWP]

Just the usual way - drag and drop after clicking on the mountain icon

Must be me (and several others here) - the Exif is stripped from our posts. Maybe its the camera - must try a different one, though as noted, they're not stripped in Gallery.

 

[Stiga]

Must be me (and several others here) - the Exif is stripped from our posts. Maybe its the camera - must try a different one, though as noted, they're not stripped in Gallery.

Levina tells me that they are working on a brief EXIF line below all posted images. Cameraderie has an EXIF line but it is their own (secret) code

 

[Inphoto]

I use an Exif viewer extension in Chrome, it works some times, but I must right click the image and a separate window pops up.

 

[Stiga]

Today is your last chance for posting. I'll wind things up over the weekend

 

[Stiga]

Sorry guys, I have suffered 6 days of internet oblivion - old ADSL cables here are made of sealing wax and string I'll get the results up asap

 

[Stiga]

IP - pretty close to the actual scene but the colours look a bit clogged


Joeseph - looks good to me, the blue cabin shows up nicely

RDWP #1 - Just as I remembered the scene but the blue cabin is a tad dark

RDWP #2 Needs different Topaz tweaks - pale sky and rocks to black for my liking

MMP - it looked more like this 10 minutes after I took my shot!

Happygav - too red and too contrast y for me

Results -

IP and Joeseph are are joint 1st place. I suggest that whoever can find a new image tales the torch and runs a new challenge

2nd place goes to RDWP (#1)

Here is my result. SNS-HDR > Topaz denoise > PS/ACR

 

[roseyposey]

IP - pretty close to the actual scene but the colours look a bit clogged


Joeseph - looks good to me, the blue cabin shows up nicely

RDWP #1 - Just as I remembered the scene but the blue cabin is a tad dark

RDWP #2 Needs different Topaz tweaks - pale sky and rocks to black for my liking

MMP - it looked more like this 10 minutes after I took my shot!

Happygav - too red and too contrast y for me

Results -

IP and Joeseph are are joint 1st place. I suggest that whoever can find a new image tales the torch and runs a new challenge

2nd place goes to RDWP (#1)

Here is my result. SNS-HDR > Topaz denoise > PS/ACR

View attachment 4168

Very noisy if I may say so.