Steve Sun Moon Lake

[sjordan93436]

Is it best a topic per photo?

I used LAB and thresholds.  the image-  too much "a",  I pinned a sky pin.  The water and sky seems okay, but the hills seem blue.  If I fix the hills... 

Anyway I increased contrast in the mountains. 

[ggroess]

Steve,
A single image per post is perfect...It keeps the discussion on target.

Regarding you image.  Try setting a neutral in the middle back on the water and see if you like the feel of the image better.  There is a ton of variation that is possible so it is hard to judge your interpretation of the image over mine...That being said I would try to bring the cloud details back into the image in the back left.  There is a full sky there...Also look at the shadows...
By the way if you get this right the fisherman's net is Red.
Greg

[sjordan93436]

I started again.  I gave more detail to clouds.  (I did another LAB luminosity move after the screen shot).

I moved the a and b curves "by eye".  The problem is that if I reduced the blue I got strange yellow banding.

Red net?? 

[ggroess]

Steve,
If you are game... I'm going to only post the red net and the neutral.  I don't want to give this one away because your interpretation is as important as mine...
If you want the ACV file I'll post it later for you.

Greg

[sjordan93436]

ok,

[mikemeister_admin]

Getting close Steve.There are buildings on the hilltop below the pagoda.GregM

[ggroess]

I think you have done I really nice job overall.  As you have experienced with this image sometimes the mood is more important. 

Greg M is correct in that there are buildings up near the tower...If you want to go after them it is a good learning; but you probably will not get there from the image as posted.  You would have to start over and work for the extreme ends of the image first.  Saving the Shadows and the highlights can be done but not from you image without major change...

Greg

[sjordan93436]

I started from scratch.  (more work,  but more learning.)


I am not sure if this is much of an improvement.

[ggroess]

This time the trouble lies in the L channel...

The Red curve line is telling you you have a problem...Nice of it to do that  ::)...you have created an impossible tonal range and CM is telling you that.  Re-work the L channel slowly and see if you can recover the image...the color channels look ok so far..

Greg

[sjordan93436]

Yep, I got lost in the L channel.  This should be better.