Processing the Canyon

As Aiki has suggested here to present some pics side by side with the "originals"* I had a look on my Photobucket account as I knew I have some pairs there. Here's one from Waimea Canyon.
Original:
[IMG]http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t5/Prieni/_RDP2816aswas.jpg[/IMG]

Post processed version:
[IMG]http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t5/Prieni/_RDP2816.jpg[/IMG]

This is not even heavy post processing, a bit of gamma/contrast/contrast centre and curves in SilkyPix. A bit of unsharp mask. I think that was about it. Makes a huge difference, though.

*)Strictly speaking there is no "original" with digital photos as the image always has undergone some processing, be it in camera or in computer. But I think we all know how to understand the term "original" (albeit that we all understand it slightly different).

Prieni

nice pic prieni

Thanks Martin,

I do like it as well. This might be the signature shot from Kaua'i that ends up on the wall. Trouble is, there are so many competing for that spot...

Prieni

Stunnin' landscape!

The so-called original looks like it was overexposed.

That Canyon certainly is stunning!

What leads you to believe that? For me the histogram of that pic in Photoshop looks pretty good...
[IMG]http://i156.photobucket.com/albums/t5/Prieni/screenshot.jpg[/IMG]

Prieni

What stunning scenery. Super pic.

Looks like a bit of haze to me, in the good old days we would combat this with a UV filter.

Not quite Tracey, it just lacks something to give it scale, it only gets a 99% score from me

Tremendous shot Ralf

How far away were you, is it a telephoto shot?

Trully stunning, the red of the rocks goes well with the green, it makes it interesting.

I only have the strange feeling that I've seen it already but I can't lay my fingers on it when and where.
It was on this forum I believe, there was also one with a chopper/plane in it... I might be mistaken though

Stefan, that's right. I just have put it again to show the difference between the original and pp'ed version as Aiki suggested.

Prieni

Ok
original = the file that you have got in your camera

Thanks, Prieni for giving a start.

RR has shown some example of sharpening as well.... I was looking 10x
After that I cant take anything as a pure gold any more
(it doesnt matter, did I like it or not)

Also some bird/plane photos have been..

A lovely shot and a great example of what a little bit of pp can do.

Ah okay, that explains it. Now you saw what kind of impression it make if I can still remeber it

The thing is that the camera measures 17% grey value as neutarel so it tries to set to image exposure to that value, it doesn't need to be what you saw. The original photo is a great example it's lovely grey
(i hope it's all correct i'm saying here :wink

I hope it was the right kind of impression.

So far it's right. What I saw certainly looked more like the pp'ed version. It seems that our brains do a pretty good job of 'auto contrast'.

The colour has not much to do with exposure. That's the domain of white balance. The auto exposure of the camera would assume a 17% grey also when pointed at a red wall. And that wouldn't come out grey.
I have a sneaking suspicion, though, that this is not news to you.

(BTW: In this case exposure correction was set to +1 EV.)

Prieni