# sunset post-processing



## arioch82 (Jul 10, 2014)

Hi guys,

I was wondering if you had any generic tips / techniques that you always use and look for when post processing sunsets.

I am only a photo enthusiast (I have never sold my pictures), I don't like the extreme HDR look too much, i try to play as little as i can with levels trying to keep a "realistic" image but i feel like i am missing something when editing photos that can push it "to the next level" and i am not sure of what it is...

for instance, what would you do with this picture?







I shot it at the grand canyon a couple of weeks ago (i think using the samyang 14mm, this is a smaller 1000x1000 preview)

I personally feel that the shooting angle is not one of the best, having the bright sun in the middle of the picture your eyes are automatically drawn to it when you first see it, if i could shoot it again i would probably rotate the camera to the right to remove those trees on the left and get more of the canyon.

but since this is what i have... how would you edit it?

Thank you!


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## dpclicks (Jul 10, 2014)

I am not at all PRO and expert in post processing, but all I can say is it is bit over exposed and you are loosing lot of details. I doubt you can bring out much details canyons because of over exposed sun.

PRO photogs can give us more input and I think we both can learn something new here.

Thanks
Darshan


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## privatebydesign (Jul 10, 2014)

This is always 100% subjective, but working with what you have I did this. I rotated you a little did a grad on the sky with exposure and temp, did a brush on the sun for exposure and temp, did another brush on the valleys for contrast and clarity, did a final brush on the foreground for clarity.


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## mr_hyde (Jul 10, 2014)

I am also just a hobby photographer, but I was at a similar position a couple of weeks ago and "placed" the sun a little more to the left to get more of the canyon into the frame. I also took 5 shots with 1 ev steps as the canyon was already comparable dark while the sun was still bright. This might have helped in your case with the extremely bright sun. 


I used Photoshop to merge the layers manually with luminance masks. Afterwards I used NIK color efex: 
1. pro contrast filter to increase some local contrast
2. detail enhancer filter to get more details to the front
3. warmth filter
4. lighten/darken center filter with the center slightly on the left of the frame to get some sort of vignetting and bring the attention to the left of the tree in the front.

Finally I also tested to crop a little bit from the clouds to "maintain" the rule of thirds but I think it looks better with the horizon in the center as the very dark clouds on top add some depth to the picture.

I am confident there is plenty of room for improvement, but I am still learning


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## KeithBreazeal (Jul 10, 2014)

5D Mark III HDR in camera processed. Tweaked in Lightroom by brushing contrast in the sky. Shot in a thunderstorm. The rough pavement is actually rain splatter.




Three Mustang Sunset Reno 2013 4310 © Keith Breazeal by Keith Breazeal Photography, on Flickr


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## KeithBreazeal (Jul 10, 2014)

HDR with considerable contrast and brightness adjustments using lightroom.



F-86 Hell-Er Bust X Sunset CCA 2013 Sat 1331 © Keith Breazeal-2 by Keith Breazeal Photography, on Flickr


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## mr_hyde (Jul 10, 2014)

KeithBreazeal said:


> 5D Mark III HDR in camera processed. Tweaked in Lightroom by brushing contrast in the sky. Shot in a thunderstorm. The rough pavement is actually rain splatter.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Nice.

Did you take the shoot with a tripod or w/o. With in camera HDR (w/o tripod) I have the problem that the camera does not really align the images nor does reduces ghosts. That's the reason why I do either HDR or DRI in post.


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## KeithBreazeal (Jul 10, 2014)

mr_hyde said:


> KeithBreazeal said:
> 
> 
> > 5D Mark III HDR in camera processed. Tweaked in Lightroom by brushing contrast in the sky. Shot in a thunderstorm. The rough pavement is actually rain splatter.
> ...



Thank you  This is handheld. I have had great success with the 24-105L but 14mm kills me. There wasn't time for tripods on this shoot. 20 of us were out on the ramp during the thunderstorm- shoot like crazy, then run. Here is a shot a few minutes later...



Lightning strike Clay Lacy P-51 Reno 2013 Sati 4321 © Keith Breazeal by Keith Breazeal Photography, on Flickr


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## arioch82 (Jul 10, 2014)

thanks all for the tips, what about something like this? too dark/contrasty?






dpclicks what do you mean when you say that i am losing details?

full resolution here: https://plus.google.com/photos/115832807677561577126/albums/5913610834887083745/6034332125531793682?pid=6034332125531793682&oid=115832807677561577126


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## Marsu42 (Jul 10, 2014)

arioch82 said:


> thanks all for the tips, what about something like this?



Whatever the cropping or tone curve is: my issue with this otherwise nice shot is that a lot of space around the sun is blown which makes the nice sun rays fall short of what they could look like. Looks more like a nuclear bomb explosion right now 

Next time probably try to do more brackets or more ev spacing? This has nothing todo with the legacy "hdr look of horror" but simply preventing clipping.


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