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WPPC - November 23, 2014


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<p>As promised, here's another contribution to the weekly post-processing challenge. Getting a jump on it so I don't forget about it tomorrow, and I'm sure it's Sunday somewhere anyway. This shot was taken hand-held at as wide and angle as my lens would allow (I've since purchased one that will go wider). Day was gloomy and overcast, but you can get some sky definition in the raw edit. Not sure how the jpeg version will fare. But perhaps you won't want any anyway. Viewers choice! Have fun.</p><div>00cy96-552688184.jpg.254510dcfd6e014894e792f721b1e598.jpg</div>
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<p><strong>Bill</strong>, I wasn't expecting the challenge until tomorrow, but want to thank you for posting a bit early. Much appreciated. And, I love your photo of a speeding train. <br>

I took your image into LR and did my normal adjustments, i.e., shadows, highlights, whites, blacks, etc. Felt like the train needed some brightness so I increased the color saturation a bit. And, cropped the RR Crossing sign because it just wouldn't work with what I had planned. Then took the image to PSE12 and used the Out-Of-Bounds tool.</p><div>00cy9L-552688784.jpg.9235570cea6c65b202da11c2daa93201.jpg</div>

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<p>Bill, I too decided to crop out the partial railroad sign, since it created a distraction in my opinion. I also cropped a bit off the bottom to try to maintain the aspect ratio. Then, I adjusted the levels. All of this was done in PSE 11. I then went to the NIK bundle and, in Color EFEX Pro 4, I corrected the contrast using the Pro Contrast filter. Finally, I executed the conversion to B&W in Silver EFEX Pro 2, adjusting the structure levels, and finally burning the edges.</p><div>00cyA9-552689984.jpg.cc529af0480f29255d4b80c5a6da7a23.jpg</div>
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<p>Thanks Bill for this challenge. A difficult image to work on but what one notice immediately, I think, at least I do, are the green - orange/red colors of the containers, confronted to the iron structures of the bridge and the lonely, surviving, tree between the wagons. The difficulties are however that even the bridge structures are "moving" and the sign at the entrance is unreadable. <br /> Well, I would first of all cut the already half cut signs to the left ; cropping, strengthen the color span of the wagons (curves, and why not vibrance filter, with some fading) and sharpening (Edges and Unsharp mask). <br /> Hm ! This is the modest result.</p>

<p>For me the sky is not reinforcing the composition of this "abstract", and could even be black or white. </p><div>00cyDr-552701484.jpg.290564dec682a3f38f2758e346fe8dcb.jpg</div>

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<p>I desaturated quite a lot. Added a colored filter to tone. Removed the white railing. Added a girl from another photo (used Topaz Remask) and adjusted color and lighting to match the background. Added a flare to the left. Used Ps brushes to add texture.</p><div>00cyEC-552702084.jpg.3f630104f1106c8b2d536e9a8eaec680.jpg</div>
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<p>Well, to do something a bit different, how about contrasting the industrial look of the train and trestle (in B&W) with the more natural setting of the farm (in color) that the train rolls past? I divided into layers and contrasted the B&W and color layers as desired. I punched up the saturation a bit in the color layer. Then I masked the B&W top layer to show the color farm underneath. I had to do a bit of colorization to kill the red whoosh in the left-most part of the color image. </p><div>00cyIn-552713584.jpg.4c4353c23b7f0a1616c53ebbed5f1797.jpg</div>
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<p>Some varied and interesting edits as usual, thus far. Bill B., I didn't know such a tool existed. I like it!</p>

<p>I won't continue to solicit for challenge image volunteers, as the thread seems to have run its course (or maybe I just picked a bad image), but that shouldn't stop anyone from posting a challenge who would like to. Perhaps it can be called the 'Occasional Post-Processing Challenge.'</p>

<p>I have enjoyed the threads, and continue to learn from them. In particular, I've learned much more about layers and layer masks, and how helpful they are in post. I've also learned to embrace the idea of post-processing rather than being a 'post-processing snob.' The tools are there, so why not use them to make the shot look as pleasing to your eye as possible. The purists might not think so much of that, but given the goal for most of us is to have fun, if post-processing adds to it, then why not do it? The only thing I will say against it is that it can cause you to get a bit lazy with your initial exposure and composition because the idea that anything can be fixed in post can settle comfortably in the back of your mind, so I think one has to be careful there.</p>

<p>To all those who have participated in these threads, I'd like to say 'thanks.' I think it was a worthwhile endeavor even if it doesn't continue beyond this week, but if it does, I'll look forward to viewing the creative efforts and offering my own, and as always, learning a thing or two in the process.</p>

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<p>Michael,</p>

<p>After a private communication with another netter, I've decided to continue to post the weekly Wednesday solicitation for volunteers for the foreseeable future, and if no one wants to post the challenge beyond next week when Rick will be doing it, then I'll be happy to share the duties with you in alternating weeks until someone else jumps in. I have plenty of shots to select from, though I do enjoy trying to process those from others. I just didn't want to come across as desperately trying to hang onto an idea simply because I initiated it, but I'm encouraged the there is still enough interest to keep it afloat for some time yet. Perhaps I suffered from some 'premature exasperation' (well, I wasn't really exasperated, but I couldn't resist the turn of phrase).</p>

<p>For all those who enjoy this thread, whether participant or lurker, I encourage you to spread the word in other forums that you visit when you get the chance, as the digital darkroom forum may not be one many netters typically visit. I'm not suggesting a spam campaign, but only mentioning it when it's appropriate (as I just did in the Pentax forum).</p>

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<p>I'd love for Rick to post some fungi but will work with whatever he decides upon.<br>

From the outset I thought it was a bad idea to move this thread to DD, I hope it continues.<br>

<br />I worked up a version using the oil paint filter. Duplicated that layer and used the liquify filter. Blended those 2 layers with a brush and mask. Duplicated that layer several times and blended it back in using various opacity and blend modes.<br>

Added a curve layer, cropped, resized, sharpened and Bobs your uncle.</p><div>00cyeD-552786084.jpg.7aed965d6658b3424b2aa724026c1f90.jpg</div>

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<p>Happy Holidays to all. Here goes, my version: used CS6. Copied 5 layers,used transform warp on these 5 layers to align the signal structure. then on each used lighten and reduced opacity/fill in graduated percentage values to get motion blended with the original layer.</p><div>00cynR-552824284.jpg.8252e64caf52038cb6822a892c551872.jpg</div>
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<p>When I posted this shot, I was particularly curious about how participants would handle the already-half-cropped rrxing sign and also the farm picture-within-the-picture. As always, choices were varied and creative and all of them work. From a personal standpoint, I thought the farm image was one of the key elements of the shot, and both Sarah and Edwin seemed to agree. My own processing, which I'd already done prior to this thread, very much resembles Ken's, and is posted below. As with most shots, should I go back and process it again, I might make some different choices, especially after viewing those presented here. I chose to leave the rrxing sign in because I thought it added another element of interest, though I can see where others would find it a distraction.</p>

<p>If someone was dangling me over a bridge by my feet and threatening to let go unless I picked a favorite, I'd be hard-pressed to do so, but to save my life, I'd probably pick Bill B.'s because it's a technique I haven't seen before and think it's kind of cool. The wife preferred Sarah's edit (and I'm pretty sure it's not just because they are both girls).</p>

<p>Looking forward to next week's post from Rick.</p>

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