Mountain Scenes - Experimental Post Processing

[Brownbear]

Hi Mike,

Thank you for sharing, for your counsel and for advising in more detail on the potential of hazy images. I was of the mind that I would give it one last try.

True... I can't seem to capture an image of this type of scenery that I love. Maybe I just love mountain scenery, but not my images of them unless they are covered in mist or clouds. I will follow your advice and the only mountain that I post again will be one that I quite like. I wish I could say love but for now it will just have to be quite like - once I figure out what that is.

In my opinion, you're making the task of experimentally fine-tuning everything in these images far too hard on yourself by starting with an image that has so much haze.

Dispel the notion that simply setting the black and white points "properly" also ensures that an image won't be flat. The mid-tone contrast also has to be evident and may require considerable adjustment. Moreover, when working with an image that has haze, it may not be possible to achieve an image that displays the pop that so many people hope to see.

Your biggest issue that I detect has far less to do with your use of software and far more to do with a lack of confidence about what you want to see. As an example, you often post images to determine if others like this or that adjustment. I believe it will be more productive for you to make note of the characteristics of photos that you admire and to then figure out how to make your own photos so they have similar characteristics. More often than not when making landscapes, your first choice will be to delete photos such as these that include significant haze.

[Brownbear]

Hi John,

Thank you.

As always I appreciate your taking the time to demonstrate an edit, and advice on post processing. I've certainly learned a lot about the use of the levels tool from this thread. Thank you also for the link to the video on levels which I will view.

Your edit certainly brought out the green in the image. I tried a similar edit but I'm not crazy about the green tones. And when I lighten the shadows on the trees the scene looks unnatural (doesn't match the mountains) The challenge that I am having is figuring out post process such a scene to create an image that I actually like. (soft colours, beautiful scenery) Indeed it seems impossible to do with hazy mountain images of this type.

Thank you as always...

Keep it up Christina - I recently noticed that threads can be rated. Yours are often very interesting ................

One thing I will say is that I suspect you made an excellent choice of focal length for the shot I played with.

On this one the trees are showing an definite cast that may or may not be present in the entire image. I'd guess looking at the rgb histograms that the blue channel is out of sink but have no idea how that would be shifted with the software you use. It might be that it's an aRGB colour that doesn't come out right on sRGB. Anyway I played with the mid point and highlight end of levels blue channel and this is what happened



Still not right but notice that a lot of the image has popped some what. I suspect what you need to do is to use levels and get the gamma, black and white points right initially before doing anything else. Then the selective work where needed

I'd guess that Adobe auto levels may well do the same thing as GIMPS does - alter setting in all channels. Try it and see what it does and get a feel for using them to even out the colour balance. This might help - he talks a lot but gets it across.

RAW --> CROP --> LEVELS ---------->

Whoops a link might help
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTIBx_JZ3po

The GIMP but levels are pretty much levels. I'd be cautious about using up all of the output space as that leaves a problem if you want to do more to highlights and lowlights Like most things shots vary but this isn't a bad place to start. Something to look at before anything else.

John
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[Stagecoach]

Hi Christina,

The edits an improvement from the 'blue' mountains but I have the feeling all you can really do with this image is to practice PP methods, but whatever you do is unlikely to make it a wow image.

Whilst you have the problem of haze there I also wonder what detrimental affect the direction of light has also given you?

John mentions 'Auto' levels which is something I regularly try just to give an idea and whilst at times works well it always does this by clipping the extremes unfortunately for me.

Grahame

[Brownbear]

Hi Grahame,

Thank you for sharing. Agreed, wow mountains are a challenge to photograph.

Yes, the lighting was a challenge. Mid day but also positioning myself to try and avoid a completely front lit scene.

I've tried auto levels a few times but I'm never fond of the result, but at least I know that for sure.

Hi Christina,

The edits an improvement from the 'blue' mountains but I have the feeling all you can really do with this image is to practice PP methods, but whatever you do is unlikely to make it a wow image.

Whilst you have the problem of haze there I also wonder what detrimental affect the direction of light has also given you?

John mentions 'Auto' levels which is something I regularly try just to give an idea and whilst at times works well it always does this by clipping the extremes unfortunately for me.

Grahame

[nimitzbenedicto]

Keep it up Christina - I recently noticed that threads can be rated. Yours are often very interesting ................
John
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Exactly. I always clik on her threads/posts. Get to learn a lot from everybody.

[ajohnw]

All auto levels usually does is give some one an idea where things need changing but do look at what it does to the colour channels. It's a pity that the Adobe one puts the pointers at each end of the channel histograms and the luminance one as well but they can always be moved as can the gamma pointers in the middle, usually the luminance one last. The hard part is judging the pointer movements. There is a need to get a feel for that area by trying and seeing what happens.

Where I strongly suspect Christina is going wrong is trying to achieve a look before she has a decent image with a reasonable amount of pop for want of a better word. The same thing happened with high key despite pointing at a tutorial that basically said the same thing get it right 1st then go for high key - can't get enough high key then the shot isn't suitable for it before it was even taken.

Next step after levels in this one is probably curves to get the tone levels as wanted - whole image again really. If too much work is done sectionally problems can crop up with all sorts of things. Sharpening doesn't shift colours. Some steps do, some don't.

Once something is near right there is more scope for further minor changes using sections/masks etc.

John
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