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Thread: Manoa Valley - Nik Processing Test

  1. #1

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    Manoa Valley - Nik Processing Test

    A view into the lush Manoa Valley that I processed with the trial version of Color Efex Pro. This shot was taken from the parking lot of the Lyon Arboretum on a day when the the bugs and humidity got the better of me and sent me packing for home sooner than planned. As I was loading my gear into the car I turned around and this was the view:

    Manoa Valley - Nik Processing Test

    Feel free to comment on all aspects of the image. Prior to importing into Color Efex I added a bit of LCE - all other tonal adjustments were made within that program apart from output sharpening.

    For reference here is the image as processed from the raw file in ACR.

    Manoa Valley - Nik Processing Test

  2. #2
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
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    Re: Manoa Valley - Nik Processing Test

    My first reaction was that the success of this image is much to do with the fact that you didn't overdo it. It would have been very easy (and I think we've all done it) to have over-applied LCE and the tools on Color Efex Pro and end up with an over-saturated, over-sharpened, crunchy image. You haven't. Instead you have, I think, brought out the detail beautifully. And that's about knowing how to use the tools well.

    I also think it's a very good composition. Including the flowers just at the bottom both lifts the image and ensures that we have a a spread of tones (without those flowers it would have been too much of the same sort of tones).

  3. #3

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    Re: Manoa Valley - Nik Processing Test

    I agree with all of Donald's comments. It would be worthwhile returning to the same scene in different light and perhaps including more of the flowers in the composition.

  4. #4

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    Re: Manoa Valley - Nik Processing Test

    Thank you Donald & Mike. I am getting better at seeing the composition in my mind before I release the shutter so your kind confirmation that I am doing something right in that regard really means a lot (the crop on this was minimal). It was a bit of a challenge as there was a fence and wires around the parking lot that kept creeping into my viewfinder!

    As far as the flowers in the foreground are concerned I included them intentionally for the reasons you indicated. I do have more of them at the bottom of the image but I felt they were a bit soft so opted to use them as a framing element. It is becoming apparent to me that I need to go read about hyperfocal distance again but my eyes glazed over and my head almost exploded the first time I read it and it will take some determination to do it again

    Mike, it will be easy to shoot this location in different light. It is essentially a rain forest in the city and is often shrouded in mist which I have yet to capture well.

    It has been fun to play with the Nik suite and I have another week to do so before I make the decision to purchase or not. It is a very powerful tool and it took me a while of playing with the various controls (and watching a few videos) to settle on this version so thank you for confirming that processing was effective and not over done.

  5. #5
    Moderator Donald's Avatar
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    Re: Manoa Valley - Nik Processing Test

    Quote Originally Posted by ShaneS View Post
    It has been fun to play with the Nik suite and I have another week to do so before I make the decision to purchase or not.
    Let us know what you decide.

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