There are no rules as to how you apply your post processing to this image; but, please let us know what you have done so we can all learn. If you would like to post a candidate image next week, please ensure it is of sufficiently high resolution for manipulation by the participants (3000px on the long side, 300dpi for example). The photo, taken from my kayak, is of the Idaho Fish and Game stocking sturgeon on the Snake River in Idaho Falls.
I really like this photo so I didn't mess around with it too much: - cropping, to bring the people (and fish) ''closer by removing the 'empty space' on the right (especially red car) - adding a bit more color to the brownish trees and to the quay - brightening up the people so that their faces are less deeply shadowed - adding a couple of swimming fully grown sturgeon as a 'welcoming party'
Thank you Glenn! Learning to swim using my dad's teaching technique. Just a bunch of cutting and pasting etc.
An attempt to create something impressionistic . . . So most of my time was using PSE2020's impressionist brush. As my mood required, I occasionally changed the width of the brush and the opacity. Last, in PSE202, I used the dodging tool for minor brightening in several spots.
Second . . . First came a crop from the right edge to the dog walker. (PSE2020), Then, conversion to b & w and slight tonal adjustments using Silver Efex.
Here's mine with Silver FX Pro. I've had this for years and have a few presets I made myself for B&W images, its a great piece of software. I think at some point google gave it away free just after I had paid for it but thats years ago now. It's really easy to do B&W conversions in lightroom too but I just like Silver FX pro.
Stuart, I too have used the NIK programs for quite a while. Some time ago, in case you don't know, Google gave up ownership of the bundle. Several years later, DxO bought it and provided one free update to users. Now updates are sold.
I still have the old versions that I've had for years. I didn't know about the free upgrade still it doesn't matter that much mine work just fine.
I use an iMac and recently had to update its OS to High Sierra. My suspicion is that it's imay not be altogether compatible with the NIK programs. Probably I'm going to bite the bullet and buy the updated bundle from DxO.