High Five

[HiImTom]

I went back the following morning to check on my friend, just to make sure she made her way. Just as the sun was coming up over the horizon I grabbed this one. I metered off of the highlights as to not loose any data (from what I read). As a result the photo is overexposed, that part I can handle. The sun flares are giving me hard time. I would like to use them and enhance the ray effect. Any suggestions on how to go about this? I have given it several cracks, but not very pleased with the outcome versus what I am visioning.

[Geoff F]

I will have a go at it later, Tom, but I suspect it will require some selective adjustment with masks to do anything else with it.

But a slight crop from the top and left side would help to concentrate on the 'action'.

[Geoff F]

This quick edit slightly increases the contrast and keeps the red flare while slightly increasing a few darker shadow areas.

Once again, just a little bit of selective Curves adjustment. Adjustment Brushes should help to produce something similar if you don't have the ability to work with masks.

Not sure if this is the sort of effect you were after.

[Dave Humphries]

I would like to use them and enhance the ray effect. Any suggestions on how to go about this? I have given it several cracks, but not very pleased with the outcome versus what I am visioning.

Hi Tom,

At time of capture, I would try (as far as I could with such a camera) to get images at different apertures, since that has a marked effect upon how the flares/rays will come out.

In PP, all I can suggest is some careful cloning to narrow each ray's width significantly, it would be a fair bit of work and still may not be good enough, or what you were after.

HTH,

[HiImTom]

Thank you everyone for your help.

I think at this point I am realizing to see what I see in the final outcome, photoshop is a must in my bag of tools. I feel this will become a creation of what I saw and see as opposed to a photograph that it is.