Tagaytay Sunset

[daxdigital]

Technical info:

Kit: Nikon D80 w/ 18-55mm kit lens
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter: 1/400
WB: Auto

Post:

Photoshop CS3 > Auto contrast > Unsharp Mask > Resize for Web (JPEG Quality @ 8, Optimized)

My questions:

1. Is it OK to violate the Rule of Thirds? (Sun is middle of lower thirds)
2. Should've gone wider or closer?
3. Suggestions to make this image better

Any response would be highly appreciated.

[hammiepie]

didnt see anything

[zcf]

nice colourful sunset, picasa don't seem to allow hotlink to other website, may be can try upload to clubsnap or photobucket flickr website etc.

[daxdigital]

Now using flickr, please take a look at it again.

[calebk]

Lovely, but the blue is a little fake. Was processed right?

[daxdigital]

I know it looked fake, but it's only Auto Contrast via Photoshop CS3. No photo other extensive processes involved. A bit of unsharp mask filter to pop-out the details on the image. I have the Kodak plugins (GEM, ROC and SHO), tried using them it but the results are worse (like a bad print job, midtones looked like crap) so I decided that the simpler tweaks were better than using the plugins.

[sprintist]

keep it this way, just that the clouds got some tinge of yellowish cast in it which looks fake. the composition and exposure is great!~ i can say its a good shot, keep it up

[sprintist]

btw, learn to customise your own processing rather than auto contrast, the shorter way may not be the best way. heehee

try playing with levels, curves, multiply/softlight blending. since the shooting basics are there, time to practice photoshop skills heh

[Parka]

First impression is that the photo is a bit too sharp.

The colours are also slightly on the saturated side.

[lkkang]

why you use F5.6 aperture setting for landscapes ? should go for F11 or F16 instead.

[daxdigital]

I do play with Photoshop settings all the time (Photoshop user since 1997). I had the option of tweaking "to the max" for this image but decided against it because the image started to look like it was traversing the realm of fantasy and reality.

As for the yellow tinge on the clouds, I inspected the images and it appears it's sunlight reflecting on the clouds (or pollutants). Close-up of detail below (close ups at 100% on the PSD file):



This one it went through Kodak GEM + SHO processing:



See how unrealistic the image has become. Loss in detail, not to mention the blues have gone crazy.

I keep these plugins on hand since some of my clients sometimes require "touch ups" of their images.

[daxdigital]

Originally Posted by lkkang why you use F5.6 aperture setting for landscapes ? should go for F11 or F16 instead.

At the time the image was taken, the sun was dropping fast and I wasn't noticing the settings on the camera.

[daxdigital]

Originally Posted by Parka First impression is that the photo is a bit too sharp. The colours are also slightly on the saturated side.

True. I'm not a big fan for over saturated images, but I sometime make exceptions.

[daxdigital]

Originally Posted by sprintist keep it this way, just that the clouds got some tinge of yellowish cast in it which looks fake. the composition and exposure is great!~ i can say its a good shot, keep it up

Thanks!

[daxdigital]

Originally Posted by kodakero Nice shot !

Thanks!

[gigahz]

colors are good and ok to me mate.. ilike the yellow and blue combination it brings the warmth..

I Miss tagaytay..

[calebk]

Originally Posted by daxdigital I know it looked fake, but it's only Auto Contrast via Photoshop CS3. No photo other extensive processes involved. A bit of unsharp mask filter to pop-out the details on the image. I have the Kodak plugins (GEM, ROC and SHO), tried using them it but the results are worse (like a bad print job, midtones looked like crap) so I decided that the simpler tweaks were better than using the plugins.

Since you've been a long time photoshop user, I don't understand why you would leave your tweaking to auto contrast.

I feel if you want slight, simple tweaks, you should control it. Knowing it looks fake and not doing much about it is really no use is it?

[daxdigital]

I would like to preserve what's important as much as possible without introducing too many changes to an image. I wouldn't like it if it's deviating too far from what was intended.

Here's the thing: I only do "alternate realities" when I do ads (billboards, posters, etc.) but when it comes to my images, not much tweaking to do, unless it's underexposed.

In this case, exposure was good but the contrast looked crap,and I let Photoshop decide what's the good compromise.

[night86mare]

Originally Posted by daxdigital 1. Is it OK to violate the Rule of Thirds? (Sun is middle of lower thirds) 2. Should've gone wider or closer? 3. Suggestions to make this image better Any response would be highly appreciated.

good shot, and personally i felt the processing here was alright, very classic sunset colors, a tad vibrant but you were blessed with a good sky. the later version posted is really too much though.

anyways, personally, i would crop it tighter. tightness seems to work better for me here - something like a 16:9 semipano crop starting just where the sun does make the photograph more pleasing to me.

[cthep2]

Very nice shot
Yeah, I miss tagaytay too, will make sure I go there this coming june