Stairway to Heaven

[readingr]

Taken yesterday morning
EXIF 1/60, F3.5, 72mm, iso 50

[payn817]

The blown out part at the top distract from the pleasing warm tones a bit. Just my 2 cents... Otherwise it seems good, maybe some more light in the bottom area, did you try bringing up the light in that area during processing?

[readingr]

Thanks

No this is just as it came out of the camera. Will try some post processing see if the blown out sky can be tamed a bit.

Roger

[Yoyo Szeto]

Hi Roger,
I like the title very much. It has both the intrinsic and the compositonal meanings. Just wonderful!
yoyo

[readingr]

Yoyo,

Glad you liked it, Not sure if the mushrooms are poisonous or not.

Payn,

Is this any better or have I over done the darkening?

Roger

[payn817]

Roger,

I am not sure really, without the bit of sky, the vision (or title) wouldn't work. I like the warm tones, and "stairs" the sky just isn't for me personally. It is just my opinion though, someone else may like the original as it is. It is a nice shot though!

[srobb]

Not sure what you did on the processing, but I would suggest doing a contrast mask on it. That always seems to help some of mine when I have a dark shadow area, or blown out highlights. Really nice image, though.

[readingr]

Srobb, how do you do a contrast mask?

Roger

[CB Photo]

It is a unique shot, at first the photograph gives a warm feeling, then after a brief study you see ithas frost on it and then you feel cold...just my thoughts.

[srobb]

Srobb, how do you do a contrast mask?

Roger

Roger, not sure what software you have so I can only tell you how I do it in mine. Luckily it is quite similar to Photoshop. With the image in the view window, I right click on the background icon then click on duplicate image in the pop up window. This should put another icon in the tray called background copy. Double click on that and change the name to Contrast Mask.

Next go to the image itself and right click. Go to Images> images> colors> desaturate. This will convert the color image into a b&w image. Then go Images>images>colors>invert. The image will now look like a b&w negative. Go back to your icons. There should be a button that says normal. You want to click on there then go to overlay in the drop down and click on it. This will then overlay the mask onto your image.

Hope this will work for you. I know it has helped me a lot on some of mine.

[readingr]

Rob,

Thanks, since I use PSE and PSP had to work out a different way of doing it, but I get the concept and it improves some photos and not others. Will keep playing with this.

Roger