# How Would You Edit This Landscape Photo?



## bran8 (Mar 7, 2013)

This is a photo I took at Zabriskie Point in Death Valley right before sunrise this past November. The link below is to download the RAW file from my Dropbox account. It's not an amazing picture, but I am curious to see different landscape editing techniques applied to this photo. Feel free to download the file and edit the picture as you normally would. Also, it would be great if you could post what program(s) and techniques you use to achieve the final result. 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/b08zlbgbwfelyns/_MG_0452-1.cr2


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## agierke (Mar 7, 2013)

i'll take first crack at it....

ACR + Nik Color Efex


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## distant.star (Mar 7, 2013)

.
Very nice.

Looking forward to other interpretations!

Thanks.


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## buddha14 (Mar 7, 2013)

first time post after long time reading only. downloaded and adjusted a bit in PSE9 and CEP4 (detail extractor, dark contrast and sunlight)

enjoy
Steffen


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## Trovador (Mar 7, 2013)

I'll play...I gave it a panorama feel...


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## Harv (Mar 7, 2013)

I had nothing else more important to do, so why not? 

First I applied LAB mode sharpening (Google it) in PS CS4. I then adjusted the tonal contrasts using Nik plugin, followed by a boost in saturation. I also applied some graduated neutral density filtering, once again using Nik. I did all this after first resizing.


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## RileyJoseph (Mar 7, 2013)

I used Lightroom 4.3. I used a gradient mask for the sky and tweaked the tone curve for the rest by hand. I cropped the bottom off as I did not like it as a foreground.


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## Jac08 (Mar 7, 2013)

Another a first time poster! 
Just couldn't resist to do some quick editing in Lightroom.
:J


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## RLPhoto (Mar 7, 2013)

Since this isn't my image, I tried to push it to its limits. Its messy in places but eh, hope you like it.


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## picturesbyme (Mar 7, 2013)

.


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## Orangutan (Mar 7, 2013)

I was there a few years ago, DV is really an astonishing place. I'd say how you edit depends on the feeling you want to convey to the reader. DV is many things, depending on the light. It can appear stark or full of life and beauty; it can appear desolate or rich; it can appear dead or full of life. You need to decide which of these you want to convey to your viewer.

When I was there it was full sun, though not direct. There was plenty of contrast and sky color. What I remember of this spot (and some others in DV) is the layers of detail: the sweep of the immense views, then the nearer-structure of the badlands and nearby mountains, and finally the personal-level detail of plants, pebbles and sand. Each scope had its own palette and texture. I could spend weeks photographing there.

What do you want this photo to say?


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## stipotle (Mar 7, 2013)

This was fun - LR4:
Cropped and rotated about 1.5 degrees (wanted to make it 9:16, but thought that was cheating a bit)
-.45 Exp
+77 Contrast
-28 Highlights
+45 Shadows
-13 Blacks
+13 Clarity (plus added clarity and extras on the rocks with the local brush adjustments)
+15 Vibrance
+22 Saturation
A ton of color tone adjustments (mostly more red/orange I think)
+62 Sharpening
0 Noise reduction
Removed Lens distortion
Removed 1/3 of the vignetting
And actually applied a vert. distortion "correction" of -8 (no reason why, just liked it)

For the record, this is juiced way more than I would normally do, but it seemed it could take it.


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## moogul (Mar 7, 2013)

Used a 16x9 crop. Processed in LR 4.3 only.


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## Kernuak (Mar 7, 2013)

Lightroom 4.3, added a gradient to the sky, reduced the exposure by 0.75, added a medium contrast curve in LR and increased the highlight saturation +6, with +15 vibrance. Exported to CS4 added a medium contrast curve layer before reducing in size. The sky is still lacking though.


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## brianboru (Mar 7, 2013)

LR4 - HSL adjustment and then Gradient tool with exposure and saturation for the sky. And yes, it's a bit overbaked for drama.


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## K-amps (Mar 7, 2013)

Fun project.... am here at work and only have LR4 to play with... Don't remember all the settings ... but here is my rendition:

Cropped bottom, Gradient in the sky, color bal, vignette, and bunch of HSL adjustments etc etc


Can send you snag it of the LR settings if you like it.


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## Tov (Mar 7, 2013)

Aperture & PS & Guy


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## ixox (Mar 7, 2013)

Even I can do my first post here. This is my take. I used Camera Raw for basic conversion and then I used a lot of adjustment layers in Photoshop to convert it to b&w. I had to go back to CR sometimes to use the adjustment brush there. Hope you like it.


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## SpareImp (Mar 7, 2013)

I've tried as well. It was mostly an attempt to normalize it, and then overdoing it slightly. This is the way I would've done it.


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## Schultzie (Mar 7, 2013)

I did this at work with CS5. Added a graduated filter to darken the sky, added some vibrance, clarity, tweaked the tone curve, and added a vignette. Found a dust spot in the sky and cloned that out


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## chops411 (Mar 7, 2013)

Photoshop CS6 using YellowSky Action


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## drjlo (Mar 7, 2013)

Silver Effex pro after creating 3 files +/-2 EV apart.




_MG_0452BW by drjlo1, on Flickr


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## tonyz (Mar 7, 2013)

I couldn't resist either

All done with CS5

I also quite like the crop of the scene too?!


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## Eli (Mar 7, 2013)

Here's my take; tried to keep it as natural as possible with slight tint of my interpretation of sunrise colours and not an overdone sky, keeping the interest on the amazing rock formations.


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## peteroc (Mar 7, 2013)

Another black & white, but a bit more dramatic. Still, with details in all the black area.

Lightroom, 3 gradient filters, a few brush adjustments.
Since there is two major geological formations in the picture, the yellowish and the reddish with the strats, I think we need to emphasize that contrast.

And a color version, here, we need to feel the sun going up.

Doesn't seem as hot as it was last time I went there, but clearly this picture was not taken in summer.


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## b.janwattana (Mar 7, 2013)




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## Rowbear (Mar 7, 2013)

Interesting to see all the different versions. Thanks for the opertunity.

Here is my take, done in LR4.


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## Bruce Photography (Mar 7, 2013)

I used CS6, camera raw processing, little levels by color, little highlight curves.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 7, 2013)

I'd edit it to look like I remembered it. You are the only one who was there, and know what the colors and light was like, the rest of us just make something that we like, but it will likely be inaccurate.


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## shutterwideshut (Mar 8, 2013)

Here's my rendition using Lightroom 4.3 and Nik Color Efex Pro 4. I darkened the sky and burned a little the foreground. I added a little bit of contrast and as well as saturation in the sky.


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## bchernicoff (Mar 8, 2013)

Here's my take. There are some good renditions here and some frankly awful ones (even ones that didn't intend to be)


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## brattymesler (Mar 8, 2013)

This is a fun exercise! A Velvia 50'esque look via photoshop and DxO filmpack 3 (in that order).


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## Chuck Alaimo (Mar 8, 2013)

I'll take a stab at this too... here's my take...all in lightroom


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## shutterwideshut (Mar 8, 2013)

Here's another rendition of mine in B&W using Lightroom 4.3 and Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.


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## titokane (Mar 8, 2013)

Here's mine, just done in Adobe Camera Raw. Anybody wants the xmp sidecar file just let me know. Not even remotely realistic, but DAT COLOR SATURATION. AWW YISSSS.


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## distant.star (Mar 8, 2013)

.
I wasn't going to, but it kept calling -- so I did a purely interpretive rendition.


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## kennephoto (Mar 8, 2013)

Eli said:


> Here's my take; tried to keep it as natural as possible with slight tint of my interpretation of sunrise colours and not an overdone sky, keeping the interest on the amazing rock formations.



Haha! Love this one!!!!


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## helpful (Mar 8, 2013)

My favorites are:

peteroc 2nd color version
Rowbear
Chuck Alaimo
distant.star

This is an awesome thread and good photo material to work with.


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## Tioga Designs (Mar 8, 2013)

Lightroom and Topaz Detail


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## coltsfreak18 (Mar 8, 2013)

The most fascinating part about this image is its versatility. While there are clearly and deliberately baked images for dramatic effect or as a joke, there are numerous quality photos in this thread...and many are completely different. I know not when this was taken or what the location normally looks like, but I've seen accurate renditions of twilight, sunset, midday, and sunrise--this is the true art in this image. I've seen drab and deathly edits (in a positive way) that epitomize the dreariness and vast wasteland that some view death valley to be, but I've also seen detailed photos, full of contrast and life, that promotes optimism for the future. It can be what the artist makes it out to be, and that, in my opinion, is beautiful.


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## heron88 (Mar 8, 2013)




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## RGF (Mar 8, 2013)

A quick edit. Lots of refinements are possible.


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## OnceUponaHoneyB (Mar 8, 2013)

Here is my take, after a few minutes in Lightroom, hope you enjoy.


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## Dr.D (Mar 8, 2013)

Lots of interpretations... Here's mine.


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## Jesse (Mar 8, 2013)

CS6'd


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## calgaryphotos (Mar 8, 2013)

I agree with MT SPOKANE PHOTOGRAPHY - its far too easy to take this and let it get away from you when you don't have that frame of reference. With that being said I couldn't help but to give it a shot.


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## pdirestajr (Mar 8, 2013)

Because of the angle of the leading lines in the rocks from the right foreground to the left background, my eye/ mind keeps wanting to see what's to the left... Ahh, there we go, beautiful one point perspective 

Oh, and there looks like a wicked demon in the sky just begging to be brought out.


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## Jeff Donald (Mar 8, 2013)

Here are two versions both done in LR 4.4RC I think I like the pano better.


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## ecka (Mar 8, 2013)

LR4.3


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## Eli (Mar 8, 2013)

kennephoto said:


> Eli said:
> 
> 
> > Here's my take; tried to keep it as natural as possible with slight tint of my interpretation of sunrise colours and not an overdone sky, keeping the interest on the amazing rock formations.
> ...



Why thank you,


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## LewisShermer (Mar 8, 2013)

Death Vally, all looming, imposing and inhospitable...

good pic


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## FlorentC (Mar 8, 2013)

Here's my take


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## WightmanMedia (Mar 8, 2013)

My take.


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## distant.star (Mar 8, 2013)

.
Thanks, K. I saw the duck tucked away in one image. Missed the bikini mirage.

This whole thread seems to annoy some crabby old folks. Hard to understand -- I think this is great, and I'm thoroughly enjoying seeing how people approach this.

I was surprised at two things when I first saw the original file. First, it's so totally neutral. Second, when you look, there is amazing detail throughout. It really speaks well for the power of the 17-40 as a landscape lens. That's what motivated me to even try. There's lots of room for a wide range of interpretation.

For me, I always think there's room for a little humor. Sadly, not everyone agrees.





K-amps said:


> distant.star said:
> 
> 
> > picturesbyme said:
> ...


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## MaxPower (Mar 8, 2013)

2 minutes work in Apple Aperture 3


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## psblend (Mar 8, 2013)

Used Adobe Camera Raw and saved for web in CS6


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## stipotle (Mar 8, 2013)

Blackout said:


> Here's my take



Winner. 
Nicely done.


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## nick2341 (Mar 8, 2013)

And here's mine.


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## BobTheDude (Mar 8, 2013)

Here is my try. The changes which I made are: cropping, little decrease in brightness, slight increase in contrast and definition, big increase in saturation and vibrancy and I used the burn brush to give the sky a little bit more pop.
Oh, and I did it in Aperture 3.Something.


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## Burrster (Mar 8, 2013)

Hi Guys. I joined this forum just to have a go at editing this photo! Here's my initial take on what I would do.


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## jebrady03 (Mar 8, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I'd edit it to look like I remembered it.



Exactly. To me, photography is about capturing what I see - not what I can imagine. If I wanted to make something fake and use my imagination, I'd pick up a paint brush - not a camera.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Mar 8, 2013)

jebrady03 said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > I'd edit it to look like I remembered it.
> ...


I was not belittling any of the many serious posters or their creative vision of how they would edit it, just my own preference. I don't like to use the term fake, its just how they see it as looking best, and thats fine.

Keep the images coming, at least serious ones.


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## Burrster (Mar 8, 2013)

Sorry Guys I need one more go to get more detail in the sky, and warm it up a little, and tried a wider crop


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## Eli (Mar 8, 2013)

jebrady03 said:


> Mt Spokane Photography said:
> 
> 
> > I'd edit it to look like I remembered it.
> ...



You missed the point of the thread, OP did not say here's a photo, recreate what I saw, but instead here's a photo, show me different techniques of interpretation through post processing.
And imo photography isn't all about capturing what you see either, example, if you think about people who use speedlights doing portraits, the lighting is manipulated to create an effect they envision.
But that's what forums are for, different opinions,


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## fegari (Mar 8, 2013)

Cropped a lot, rotated a bit, a lot of tonal contrast, some color burn and warming to try and get some textures out. Initially tried tilt shift effect I did not like but I see now that forgot to fully erase part of that effect at the bottom. Should have desaturated probably a bit too!

90% done with Nik Color Efex.

I see now the flicker jpg compresion brings some nasty halos at the top egde of the mountain range 




untitled-1 par Fegarix, sur Flickr


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## inibudi (Mar 8, 2013)

Here's my take


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## helpful (Mar 8, 2013)

MaxPower said:


> 2 minutes work in Apple Aperture 3



Great result!


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## helpful (Mar 8, 2013)

Burrster said:


> Sorry Guys I need one more go to get more detail in the sky, and warm it up a little, and tried a wider crop



Your second result here is fabulous.


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## lundstrom.emil (Mar 8, 2013)

My contribute


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## mariusx1 (Mar 8, 2013)

Fun little 5 minute project (Lightroom 4). Thanks for posting this!


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## helpful (Mar 8, 2013)

These results are all wonderful. This is one of my favorite threads ever on CR.


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## tntwit (Mar 9, 2013)

LR3

Obviously this is all up to personal taste.

I really liked some of the very dramatic variants that seemed to mostly be done in LR4.

Is LR4 that much more powerful than LR3 or do I have a bunch more to learn? I don't believe I can pull off that much drama with LR3. 

Maybe time to upgrade.

As for the comments about not being there to replicate the moment, well, that comes back to personal preference. Photography is an art and art is open to personal interpretation. It does not have to be a replica of the original. If everyone did that, it would be boring. I enjoyed everyone's variations, but it was because of the variations that it was interesting.

I should also mention that the B&W was a great idea. It really played well into this type of photo.

As much as I get wrapped into the technical side of this site, I always enjoy the creative side. So much talent here and so much to learn from everyone.


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## Wild (Mar 9, 2013)

Here's my attempt 8)


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## distant.star (Mar 9, 2013)

.
You make a good case, Attila. This whole thread seems an exercise in creativity, and it's been perhaps the most entertaining thread I've seen here in a long, long time. Too bad it's been squeezed into one person's perception of what is right.

Personally, I've always subscribed to the Gary Winogrand, "I photograph to see what the world looks like in photographs" philosophy. I've never taken a picture that looked like what I saw, for a hundred reasons. Like Winogrand, the thrill for me is to see what the camera has seen -- and to wonder why it's different from what I saw and/or remembered and/or thought I saw.

Our attempts at manipulation of a scene may be to bring it in line with what we saw. Just as valid is to alter it to make it the way we wanted to see it.

We're talking about pictures here -- pictures, not reality.

No accounting for taste, as they say. I'm sure there are people who don't see a faint smile on "Mona Lisa," but rather a faint scowl.

As for all the renditions of the image in this thread I am surprised no one really broke out of the conventional (except for ducks and bathing beauties that we now know are not allowed). I mean really squirrel it up in some abstract way. If I had the process skills I would have done that as I see a beach and waves up front and a larger sea looming in the background.

No matter, it's all fun.


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## yogi (Mar 9, 2013)

Eli said:


> Here's my take; tried to keep it as natural as possible with slight tint of my interpretation of sunrise colours and not an overdone sky, keeping the interest on the amazing rock formations.





I didnt realize ducks could live in that part of the country. What species is it? The rubberitis duckyitis? It reminds me of an old b movie with overgrown creatures.


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## tntwit (Mar 9, 2013)

distant.star said:


> .As for all the renditions of the image in this thread I am surprised no one really broke out of the conventional (except for ducks and bathing beauties that we now know are not allowed). I mean really squirrel it up in some abstract way.



Maybe not that abstract, and probably not that talented, but here's something...


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## jebrady03 (Mar 9, 2013)

picturesbyme said:


> Looks like an old photographers vs. journalist(?) argument...



Perhaps that's a fair way to categorize my thoughts on photography - based more on journalism than creativity after the fact. To me, if I can't go and stand where you stood and see what you saw, it's not a photograph, it's something else. And there's nothing wrong with that - I'm not saying what people in this thread have is UGLY or undesirable, I'm just saying that they've crossed the line out of photography and into something else. Some rely so heavily on post processing to make something interesting that they should not call themselves photographers, but post processors. For me, photography is about capturing a moment. If you post process the bejeezus out of something, that moment is gone and something else has taken it's place. A fake moment, that never existed. And again, THAT'S OKAY - I'M NOT JUDGING THAT. I'm just saying that it's not really photography - it's a different form of art.


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## Eli (Mar 9, 2013)

yogi said:


> Eli said:
> 
> 
> > Here's my take; tried to keep it as natural as possible with slight tint of my interpretation of sunrise colours and not an overdone sky, keeping the interest on the amazing rock formations.
> ...



It's a rare species named Brobdingnagian Geolu Anatidae, super rare, sort've like the Loch Ness and Big Foot.


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## Niterider (Mar 9, 2013)

I'll give it a shot!


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## Eli (Mar 9, 2013)

Spent another 5 minutes to make another version, sunrise you say?


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## verysimplejason (Mar 9, 2013)

Just my interpretation. Disclaimer: I didn't take this picture. Processed with DPP's HDR tool. If I were to take this picture, I'd be bringing a GND and/or take bracketed pictures so I can be sure the highlights aren't overblown. I'm having a slow internet connection thus I lowered down the resolution.


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## christianronnel (Mar 9, 2013)

Processed in LR4. Played with tone curve to bring out the details. The scene seems not leveled to me so I distorted the image quite a bit.


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## yablonsky (Mar 9, 2013)

Processed in Camera Raw 7.4. Not too much color added though. Just some adjustments to get rid of the haze.


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## bycostello (Mar 9, 2013)

i wouldn't it is your photo and so your creativity and no one elses...


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## GaryJ (Mar 9, 2013)

Having started in the 70's,I can only thank goodness for the ability to change the 'reality' that we have caputured,So much time has been spent in darkrooms that need now not happen,photography for me has always been my artform,some of us are not gifted with the ability to pick up a brush or a lump of clay to create their art,photography is after all'painting with light',having veiwed recently the touring Cartier-Bresson exhibit ,I believe that style of reportage picture making as well as modern photojournalism to be the only remaining styles with the constraints as you see them,as we will never see what another saw,even if viewing a print,what can be called photography


jebrady03 said:


> picturesbyme said:
> 
> 
> > Looks like an old photographers vs. journalist(?) argument...
> ...


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## calgaryphotos (Mar 9, 2013)

a couple more for fun


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## csc (Mar 9, 2013)

Processed with Camera Raw 7.3. In addition to some basic adjustments (White balance, Contrast, etc.), some gradient filters were used.


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## Yehyaalhafidh (Mar 9, 2013)

Here's my version! Edited in LR4


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## Astral (Mar 9, 2013)

lightroom 3

cropped
wb 5000
ND filter on top adjusting exposure and contrast
exposure, contrast, tone curve adjustments
camera calibration portrait

forgot to remove dust spots :/

thanks for picture! editing was fun


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## serendipidy (Mar 9, 2013)

I'll give it a try....processed in DPP.


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## serendipidy (Mar 9, 2013)

Now for the "artistic" psychedelic interpretation


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## Trevor (Mar 9, 2013)

Something simple ...


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## Astral (Mar 9, 2013)

my second edit:
revised crop, revised exposure,second grad filter from the bottom,adjustments to clarity, dodging and burning and other brushwork. used photoshop to remove dustspots


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## nda (Mar 9, 2013)




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## distant.star (Mar 9, 2013)

calgaryphotos said:


> a couple more for fun



I like the B & W. It has a lot of power to bring out the starkness. And I especially like the bluish cast over it. That's something I would have done had I thought of it. Should be simple in SilverEfex Pro.


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## distant.star (Mar 9, 2013)

serendipidy said:


> Now for the "artistic" psychedelic interpretation



What I like here is that intensity of color seems to begin erasing the line between earth and sky. Not entirely, but it makes that demarcation less certain -- almost like a mind altering experience. Disclaimer: I know nothing about art and less about drugs!


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## Roger Jones (Mar 9, 2013)

Albumen Print


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## Bruce Photography (Mar 9, 2013)

Roger Jones said:


> Albumen Print



+1. I like very much. Could you discuss your technique for this style of print?


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## silvestography (Mar 9, 2013)

So I've never been one for the "vomit of colors everywhere" look, or the weird crops, but since this isn't my own image that I'm editing, I figured why not do something different? After messing around with the grad nd on the sky for a while, I just had to stick with the purple. Cheers.


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## lehre (Mar 9, 2013)

Hi guys! i'm New!  Awesome tread. Great image! love these kind of treads..  



here's my take. Ended up a bit red-ish. LR4 all the way. (if it was mine i might have swapped the sky in PS 


And a LR preset with all the settings-
https://www.dropbox.com/s/q3fsrccdbumljp1/CRlandscape.lrtemplate


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## Dylan777 (Mar 9, 2013)

Fun topic. Here is my ave joe's edit ;D

http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/aYUMbR0y/1/5978633


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## Vadim137 (Mar 10, 2013)

I had spend an hour editing on CS5 for fun. hope you like it.


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## bran8 (Mar 10, 2013)

There have been a lot of great edits of this photo. It's amazing to see different visions of what this photo can be and cool to receive input from people who I am sure are scattered across the globe. Thanks for the great response to this post!


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## serendipidy (Mar 10, 2013)

Dylan777 said:


> Fun topic. Here is my ave joe's edit ;D



Very nice interpretation. I really like the sky.


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## Sporgon (Mar 10, 2013)

Seeing as everyone else has had a go I thought I'd join in.

The rock formations and natural colours are amazing. Apologies if the scene is not really facing East or West.

I refrained form adding a g**l in a b****i 'cos my previous post regarding the matter got mysteriously deleted ;D


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## Dylan777 (Mar 10, 2013)

serendipidy said:


> Dylan777 said:
> 
> 
> > Fun topic. Here is my ave joe's edit ;D
> ...



Thanks serendipidy.


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## Canon6D (Mar 11, 2013)

Another version (DPP & Photoshop) ...


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## john27rg (Mar 11, 2013)

Fun!

Ok, I came in late, so to try something different I cropped to a square format. Why should landscapes be landscape?

Edited in LR4. Cropped to 'thirds on the key peak (left top). Adjusted overall exposure and contrast, used a grad filter to darken the sky and then added some saturation there, used clarity and temperature to make the background distant range 'pop' a little more, added vibrance and clarity but de-saturated the closer mountain range. 

Done quickly so some of the 'brushing' is a little rough (just like home - my wife doesn't let me apply the top coat...)

Great idea and responses everyone.

Cheers

John


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## distant.star (Mar 11, 2013)

.
I really like this crop. Seems like it's what been missing for me in all the ones I've seen. It fills the frame!!





john27rg said:


> Fun!
> 
> Ok, I came in late, so to try something different I cropped to a square format. Why should landscapes be landscape?
> 
> ...


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## LOALTD (Mar 11, 2013)

Here's my take (LR 4.0):


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## moviebuff25 (Apr 29, 2013)

CS6


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## Cookie28 (May 17, 2013)

maybe something like this


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## sevvo (May 19, 2013)

LR4 and Viveza 2...


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