Try this image

[leeharper_admin]

Here's my version...

I've been playing with this image since it was posted, and was using the Image > Adjustments > Exposure: Gamma slider to brighten it up - until Greg's post suggesting Shadow/Highlight. I decided to apply Shadow/Highlight just once, but as Greg's screenshots show, just increasing the Amount value makes the stonework look lifeless - so I played with the other two settings to get some shape back into the stone.

I've been experimenting with single vs. multiple applications of Shadow/Highlight today; I think that one of the reasons that multiple applications of Shadow/Highlights works so well on this image is that with each application the color is receiving a saturation boost (from the Color Correction slider, when it is left at its default value). I decided to tackle saturation separately, so I didn't mind loosing out on this - but it does improve the image if left to do its own thing...

My version probably looks a little over-the-top (I've not left it 24-hours; though I did ask the wife ;)), but one thing that I'm increasingly watchful for is that I don't put too much contrast into cloudy skies. I feel that too much contrast (in skies) makes images look overtly 'manipulated'. Of course the rest of the image probably looks overtly manipulated too :)

This was a real challenge, thanks Chris - and thanks for the sage advice Greg :)

Cheers,
Lee.

[mikemeister_admin]

Well that is pretty impressive Lee.

To all you people about to take this excellent course I’d like to say that not only listen and learn the technical side from Greg, but also try and follow his mind-set.  I took this course nearly 3 years ago and Greg has managed to improve my photography no end. 

His first post on this topic is probably the important one – inspect & decide what you want to do.  Then take it in stages – colour & tone as separate steps before finally tarting it up.  Dan Margulis’s (new) PPW is basically just saying that this is the workflow to follow – but there is one important ingredient missing.  Greg said I could/should cheat.  Yes learn to curve, but also cheat as much as possible.

I’ve never played with this actual image before, so I thought I’d try something completely different and really cheat with it.

So my 3 steps were
a) Image>Adjustments>Auto Color – to remove the green cast
b) shadow/hilight ACTION (I’m still using PS7), which just prompted me to move the mid slider of the Level dialog twice + adjust saturation.  All automated and very quick.
c) Local Contrast ACTION – completely automated and an excellent tool to improve contrast.  I reduced the Opacity of this layer to 85%

And that I think gives a presentable picture for this image!  Total time under 2 mins!!

This ‘bad’ image is actually one from a set I took on holiday at Carcassonne, France when the light was getting difficult.  I took 10 sets of this subject, 3 exposures for each set (+/- 1EV + normal) to get this panorama image (some sets were rejected) by combining them all.  The image did not look interesting enough, so I added a bit of sunlight using dodge/burn.  As I do not have CS2+, I used other programs (CombineZ + AutoStitch) to align and correct the photos before playing – it made a great holiday snap.  Perhaps I should go back and do it properly now!

Zog

[ggroess]

Very Nice Chris!...

Thanks for the encouragements...

Now for my finish....

After the image has been "opened" up so we can see shadow details.  we now have to turn our attention to the color.  To make the color "pop" I decided to use the "Man From Mars" Technique taught by Dan Margulis.  Essentially you make some very wild adjustments to the LAB channels to force color into the image and then you reduce the opacity of the layer until the color looks more "real"

1) To do this you open the image in CM and switch to the LAB color space.  Select a point in the image that represents the predominant color that you want to keep "normal" and Ctrl-Click on it.  This will place a adjustment point on each channel in CM so you have what will become a pivot point.

Looking at the image I want to make the greens and yellows stronger.  Select the end point of the A and B channels and move them towards the center of the channel window until the channel colors really show up in the image. 

2) After the MFM move shown the greens look "odd" the hue clock shows them to be on the right side of the green marker but for grass and leaves we really want more yellow than green so the hue clock should be closer "in general" to the yellow marker but not past it.  To achieve this in 1 move I used a Curvemeister tool called the "Contrast Pin";  this will be taught in the class but adding this to the MFM technique might be new to most of the forum. 

To do this I hover the mouse over the grass in the image and note on the B curve where the grass color is found.  The color worm Allows me to set two control points by Ctrl-Clicking on the B Curve line.  When they are linked the red dashed lines show up as shown in the image.  I use the Contrast pin setting to "rotate" the curve and spread the two points apart on the curve line.  I can also move them around on the curve using the arrow keys.  I adjusted the color until I was satisfied with the hue clock for the grass and then I closed Curvemeister.

3) After the MFM adjustment the sky was way too blue.  I decided the best way to handle this was a mask.  I opened the background layer in CM and clicked on the mask Icon to see the mask pallet and choose a channel for the mask. 

NOTE  There is currently a bug in the masking that makes the K channel of CMYK not work for CM masking.  I choose the L channel in its place and I inverted it ansd adjusted it to make the sky black so that the MFM adjustment was blocked from the image as shown in Shot

More to come...
Greg

[ggroess]

Ok the rest of the story now...

1) Paste the mask into the Layer as shown in Shot and adjust the opacity of the layer until the colors look real.  the mask should hold the sky back.

Final Image posted.

Greg

[leeharper_admin]

Select a point in the image that represents the predominant color that you want to keep "normal"

Greg, that has got to be the best description of selecting the pivot point for the Man from Mars technique that I've ever heard. You've just made something that a lot of people find difficult incredibly simple - I tip my hat to you ;)

Lee.

[mikemeister_admin]

Well just as you thought you were knowing what you are doing, Dan has posted a new Man from Mars idea using the Equalize adjustment!

I actually prefer it as it does not require me to set lots of curve points and have been using it for the last 9 months or so.
Attached is the action -  try "=ise Man from Mars", which I adapted/enhanced.  You have to select the part of the image colours that interest you, when asked to do so and then continue/re-run the action.

The Color Theory Forum is worth joining http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/colortheory/
and he has written up this idea here http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/colortheory/files/Actions%20with%20Documentation/

Think you have to join before you can read it.

Enjoy
Zog

[mikemeister_admin]

I tried two layers of lightness adjustment but couldn't get effect I wanted ,then went with shadow/hilight,then CS4 hue /sat,then CM for a neutral.

[leeharper_admin]

On my monitor (not calibrated for a few weeks), everyone seems to be leaving the wooden areas at the top of the castle rather purple. ???
Are other people seeing this?

Lee.

[mikemeister_admin]

I added an image above with the magenta dailed back a bit.GregM
Zog,that second castle shot is neat.Disneyland-France?He really knew how to do castles.

[mikemeister_admin]

Nope Greg - it is for real, as is the whole town
Google "Carcassonne" and you will see
Chris