RustyBug Offline Upload & Sell: On
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+1 @ fog = soft / diffuse lighting = incongruous contrast if uber-sharpened.
OTOH, ... if ... we had evidence of some strong, direct, specular sunlight rays lighting up the foreground (or other) areas, then the sharper (i.e. more contrast) setting matches the more specular lighting.
The relationship between our diffuse / specular lighting and our contrast / sharpening is one area that can be a tell on our processing if we make the mismatch too much. Most folks won't notice some mismatch, but there comes a point when the eye (variable @ individual observer) starts to detect something amiss ... and thus, the ensuing tell.
Too sharp, too soft, too much contrast, not enough contrast ... vs. needs more, needs less, etc. ... all part of the puzzle pieces at how much is enough vs. too much. I recall years ago hearing folks talk about "reading your light", and I was clueless to what they meant by that. Many times, my color assessments are predicated upon first reading the light (to understand its inherent hue). The same can apply to our contrast & sharpening decisions, as well.
That's not to say we have to adhere to the congruity ... particularly where artistic license / liberty / rendering are obvious. But, when we are aspiring to present a "natural" vibe, keeping the tells below the radar are an ongoing concern while we strive to enhance / convey our message well. The most obvious one is probably halo generation, but even the crunchies, etc. can be a different form of a tell.
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