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Archive 2012 · Clouds: Critique Please

  
 
pliukait
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Clouds: Critique Please


Can I get some judgement on how I did with my PhotoShop'ping?
I just shot this within the hour.

Here is a link to the RAW file: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/90191525/2012-08-27_1DS34360_EOS-1Ds%20Mark%20III_200_24_16_320.psd

If you can make it better, please let me know what you did.

Thanks and regards......Pete







Aug 27, 2012 at 06:25 PM
ben egbert
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Clouds: Critique Please


This is a PSD not a raw. I did open it in photoshop and it is full size so I was able to see stuff not so visible at web size.

Lots of dust spots, noise in the sky and dark areas, and vignetting upper right corner. (visble here as well). There is also some banding going on.

I also have a 1DS-mk3 and when I shoot 24, I seldom go over f8. I would have done this at f8, ISO100 and had all the dof I required and less noise and fewer dust spots.

At web size, it looks fine overall. I do think I would crop the bottom shadow and the top to eliminate the vignette. The clouds look nice, I don't see any blown areas.



Aug 27, 2012 at 07:18 PM
pliukait
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Clouds: Critique Please


Thanks Ben for your comments. I'll do as you suggest, and I noticed that there is a lot of dust spots. I'll have to get that cleaned.

As for the raw file, I did originally upload the .cr2 file, then I noticed the dust spots, I tried to eliminate some of the worst ones.

Thanks again for your comments.....Pete



Aug 27, 2012 at 07:35 PM
sbeme
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Clouds: Critique Please


Ben pointed out the vignette and dust spots, so you are on it!
I think you did a great job preserving the whites in the clouds and a natural look to the sky with accurate blues. Not sure, but I think the field and trees could use a bit of sharpening.
Nice comp. A tranquil scene realistically rendered.
Scott



Aug 27, 2012 at 08:09 PM
pliukait
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Clouds: Critique Please


Thanks for your comments, Scott.

But with what you said about the trees and field, which I agree with you by the way, I had the aperture set to F16, so according the the Depth of Field calculator, everything from 4ft to infinity should have been in focus.

No way those trees are closer than 4ft So I am confused.










Aug 28, 2012 at 08:35 AM
sbeme
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Clouds: Critique Please


Does the full size PSD look sharp?
Did you add any sharpening to your processing?



Aug 28, 2012 at 09:23 AM
ben egbert
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Clouds: Critique Please


Where did you focus? According to the calculator, 4 feet ought to have been your focus point. But when I use this calculator, I set CoC at .015 which would get you a bit further out. No matter, as you said there was nothing that close which is why I said use f8.

But yesterday I did one where nothing was sharp at f8 on a 17TSE, one of the sharpest lenses Canon makes. I was just testing a polarizer and allowed focus confirm to work on a distant tree. I know what happened, the focus was past infinity.

You can't trust focus confirm on an UWA when the target is so far away, not enough detail.

For this shot I would have used live view and found something nearby that was contrasty enough to focus. Anything past 8 feet would have worked.




Aug 28, 2012 at 10:00 AM
pliukait
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Clouds: Critique Please


Here is the original .cr2 file, dust bunnies and all: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/90191525/2012-08-27_1DS34360_EOS-1Ds%20Mark%20III_200_24_16_320.cr2

I guess I need to work on my technique and understanding on what the DOFMaster tells me.

The focus point was pretty much dead centre of the picture.








Aug 28, 2012 at 10:11 AM
ben egbert
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Clouds: Critique Please


And it was using a featureless cloud to focus on. Good luck with that. I am pretty sure now that the AF sent your lens past infinity. This makes everything look ok, but not critically sharp on my lenses.

By the way, this is far from hyperfocal. If you want to use the DOF master to find DOF here, change the focus value to 10000 feet or so. That's as good as infinity. Your cloud was probably at least a mile, so you could use that value.

But in truth, your AF probably failed here because it had no contrast to work with.

Edit.

I took your CR2 and worked with it. Thats a lot of noise for an iso200 shot. I did some Topaz NR and when I finished ran a Topaz Pop action. This action brings out the noise at 100% so I probably needed to take a different approach.

I cleaned up some of the dust, time to send it in. Never try a wet clean on this camera. I did when I fist got it and Canon charged my insurance $2300 for a new sensor when I broke the top sensor filter.







Aug 28, 2012 at 10:51 AM
pliukait
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Clouds: Critique Please


Ben, I liked what you did with the shot, it stands out better.

I probably should put the focus on the tree line and shot it that way.

Do you have a guess as to why there was so much noise at ISO 200?

You are right, I need to send it in for cleaning, even after blowing it out with a Giotto Rocket Blower, there are still lots of dust spots.

A big thank-you to you and Scott for your advice.




Aug 28, 2012 at 03:17 PM
ben egbert
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Clouds: Critique Please


No idea on the noise, I usually don't need NR at ISO200 with my 1DS-mk3.

By the way, the link shows my workflow. I used the camera profile for my 1ds-mk3 and added some light NR from Topaz which is not in that workflow. I also used some Shadow highlight and Topaz Photo pop with is described there.

If you don't have Topaz, the result would be a bit flatter.

http://ben-egbert-photo.com/?page_id=113



Aug 28, 2012 at 04:59 PM
oldrattler
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Clouds: Critique Please


I actually over-did-it-a-bit to show you how playing with the clouds can totally change your image... I opened in LR4; Custom WB off clouds; Opened in Nik Color Efex Pro and did a tonal contrast on sky; Opened CS5 and did a shadow / highlight adjustment; Ran through Topaz Simplify / oil paint; Blended image into original @ 15%... I absolutely love Topaz & Nik...






Edited on Aug 30, 2012 at 12:35 PM · View previous versions



Aug 28, 2012 at 05:47 PM
pliukait
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Clouds: Critique Please


Now that is something different! Isn't software amazing!

Is Topaz a Lightroom add-on or can it be added to CS5? Or is it a separate product?



Aug 29, 2012 at 09:21 AM
oldrattler
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Clouds: Critique Please


pliukait wrote:
Now that is something different! Isn't software amazing!

Is Topaz a Lightroom add-on or can it be added to CS5? Or is it a separate product?


I do not know about LR4... I have it on CS5 as an add on program... They are not expensive... Check them out... Jim



Aug 29, 2012 at 12:34 PM
Travis Rhoads
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Clouds: Critique Please


how did you get your focus points to show up on the image on your screen...just curious, I would love to be able to see that on screen when I shoot multiple frames to stack for focusing.


Aug 30, 2012 at 12:23 PM
pliukait
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Clouds: Critique Please


Travis, this is a feature of Canon's DPP, Digital Photo Professional; open a photo and click Alt-L, that brings up the focus points.




Aug 30, 2012 at 12:47 PM
Travis Rhoads
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Clouds: Critique Please


Awesome, Thanks, I will keep that in mind. I don't use DPP much, but have it installed. I will use that when stacking next time...still getting into that kind of thing.


Aug 30, 2012 at 12:57 PM





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