A couple of weeks ago, I took a workshop with Hazel Meredith in northeastern Tennessee, which presented me with a large number of photo opportunities including many that were great for HDR imaging. Early in the morning of the second day of the workshop, this abandoned farmhouse presented itself and allowed me to shoot through the windows towards the opposite side. I shot the usual 2-stop brackets, which I tone mapped in Aurora HDR 2019 using the "vivid" preset, which brought out the colors of the sky and other details. I then processed the image in Photoshop where I straightened it slightly and did a bit of content aware fill on the edges. I also reduced the color saturation of the foreground grass slightly (I felt the vivid treatment became a bit overdone there). Enjoy!
8 comments posted
Jane Ballard
Very "haunting" image! I like the soft, foggy color in contrast with the bolder color in the upper sky showing the promise of clearing weather. Might make a good black and white image, too! Posted: 05/10/2023 17:13:37
Bill Buchanan
Well done composition. I believe the HDR process may not be suitable for this kind of image and conditions. However, you were able to capture a smooth blend. The unique cloud formation definitely adds to the charm and impact. I would be tempted to push the color in the cloud formation for added artistic effect. I recently took one of Hazels on line workshops and am considering signing up for her three day on site class. Posted: 05/10/2023 19:12:13
Don Poulton
Thanks Jane and Bill. I must think later about converting this image to B&W -- perhaps also pump up the contrast in the clouds a bit.
Posted: 05/11/2023 16:52:48
Max Burke
Don, The fog reduces the opportunity to create more contrast. However, it makes the picture more natural and the details in the main subject's building and tree work well. As said, you do have a wonderful sky here and to punch it up some would be good, but I think to do this would require a mask with about 140 fx so it wouldn't show any lines, and part of the sky would blend in with the fog. However, you would need to take the mask lines out of the top and sides of the picture so that part would have the contrast you need. This blend might work. Posted: 05/17/2023 17:12:10
Don Poulton
Hi Max, this sounds interesting but I don't fully comprehend what you're suggesting. Would it be possible for you to post a rendering of what you're envisaging for this image? Posted: 05/22/2023 11:19:04
Brad Ashbrook
Interesting image, which is a good thing. A lot going on; looking through the building and effects of the fog. You probably did a smart thing toning down the green, looks good as is. Max might be referring to a luminosity mask to bring out the blue sky a little more. Posted: 05/22/2023 21:06:36
I feel you captured the feel of the scene well. It may not have some of the contrast that we have come to associate with blends, but in reality, unless we are using one of r stronger presets, we are generally enhancing the contrast that exists after the basic blend. The blend is clean. Given the fog, I'm not sure I would try to enhance the sky if only because of the difficulty in trying to decide where the height of the fog layer overlaps into the sky and so introduces some level of diffusion. Posted: 05/23/2023 18:26:32
