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Archive 2018 · C&C | Yosemite

  
 
SeanHew
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · C&C | Yosemite


Hi Everyone,

I took a short trip last weekend to Yosemite. I would really appreciate critiques on my post-processing and crop. I've been focusing on getting better at light room and post-processing in general. I'll post originals (RAW SOOC).

Please let me know what you think! Thanks!






Tunnel View | Edited






Tunnel View | RAW SOOC






Half Dome | Edited






Half Dome | RAW SOOC






Vernal Falls | Edited






Vernal Falls | RAW SOOC






Three Brothers | Edited






Three Brothers | RAW SOOC




Jan 17, 2018 at 04:36 AM
keepclicking
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · C&C | Yosemite


I like the way you processed the last image. You were able to bring some nice details and colors. What time of the day did you shoot these?


Jan 17, 2018 at 09:26 AM
JLRII
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · C&C | Yosemite


I agree with keepclicking, the last edited image is nicely done and that scene has the most interesting light and clouds/sky. The compositions and crops for in all four scenes are reasonable decent, and the added warmth in the edits is mostly pleasing (the Vernal Falls image is perhaps a bit warm for my tastes - but that is personal opinion). I would suggest giving bracketing a try the next time around or shifting your histograms in favor of retaining more detail in the highlights - the nearly blown out skies in the second and third images do not do much for me (and a small section of the sky in the fourth image cuts it pretty close as well - I usually try to have a bit more leeway in my skies), and the A7RIII's 100 ISO raws are quite flexible in terms of pulling up shadows with minimal noise penalty. I think the third image at the falls would have benefited most from bracketing/exposure blending, which would allow for the recovery of highlights in the sky and on the dome. It's also worth mentioning that the light itself is rather flat (and, in my opinion, uninteresting) in the first and second scenes, I may have tried a higher contrast black and white conversion on either, but given the lack of interesting clouds in the skies, I most likely would have left those two images on the editing room floor.


Jan 17, 2018 at 11:48 AM
SeanHew
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · C&C | Yosemite


keepclicking wrote:
I like the way you processed the last image. You were able to bring some nice details and colors. What time of the day did you shoot these?


---------------------------------------------

Thanks! The first two were shot at blue hour, just after sunset. Didn't have any interesting clouds or much light at sunset. The third one was shot mid morning, so the light was a little harsh but most of the scene was in the shade (as it takes time for the sun to get over the valley walls). The last photo was shot at sunrise.



JLRII wrote:
I agree with keepclicking, the last edited image is nicely done and that scene has the most interesting light and clouds/sky. The compositions and crops for in all four scenes are reasonable decent, and the added warmth in the edits is mostly pleasing (the Vernal Falls image is perhaps a bit warm for my tastes - but that is personal opinion). I would suggest giving bracketing a try the next time around or shifting your histograms in favor of retaining more detail in the highlights - the nearly blown out skies in the second and third images do not do
...Show more


Unfortunately, the skies did not cooperate with me on this trip. There were no clouds at sunset or sunrise (they all came out at night though, really limiting my astro opportunities). I need to pay attention to my metering mode a bit more as I noticed once I got back that a lot of my highlights were a bit too close to being blown out for my liking. I'm thinking of investing in some grad ND filters (I have a 6 stop and 10 stop ND) or just shoot at lower exposure compensations (1 to 2 stops) since the A7RIII has good dynamic range and is able to pull back shadows well.

Thanks for the critiques! I'm planning on trying to go back in late Feb. Hopefully I'll get better conditions then!




Jan 17, 2018 at 01:39 PM
JLRII
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · C&C | Yosemite


SeanHew wrote:
Unfortunately, the skies did not cooperate with me on this trip. There were no clouds at sunset or sunrise (they all came out at night though, really limiting my astro opportunities). I need to pay attention to my metering mode a bit more as I noticed once I got back that a lot of my highlights were a bit too close to being blown out for my liking. I'm thinking of investing in some grad ND filters (I have a 6 stop and 10 stop ND) or just shoot at lower exposure compensations (1 to 2 stops) since the A7RIII
...Show more

Sounds like you are on the right track, best of luck on your next visit!

The skies not cooperating is a problem I run into consistently as well; I think we all struggle to make the best of the conditions we are given. It just is what it is. All we can really do to combat that is increase our sample size, keep getting out and keep shooting, which helps in more ways than one - we'll eventually find the light and conditions we are seeking, but more importantly, having further honed our technique through experience and experimentation, we'll be better prepared to shoot it.



Jan 17, 2018 at 02:14 PM
tntcorp
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · C&C | Yosemite


wow.. difficult conditions to work with.

you can always expose for a composite shots in such conditions next time. one exposure for the sky and a 2nd for the fg. then merge the two images for a final properly exposed sky and fg,



Jan 17, 2018 at 04:15 PM
Fred Miranda
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · C&C | Yosemite


Nice to see both versions Sean. Thanks for posting. The last one is my favorite of the set.


Jan 17, 2018 at 04:47 PM
JohnC88
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · C&C | Yosemite


The dynamic range in Yosemite Valley can be very difficult to work with. When I'm faced with a bland or boring sky, I try to look for more intimate scenes to shoot. It's such a wonderful place, you can always find something beautiful to shoot.

I've learned a lot on when to be where in Yosemite from Michael Frye's app. As much as I know my way around, I still use that app every time I go. I strongly recommend it if you don't already have it. I've got a weeks camping scheduled for May in the valley and I can't wait to get there again.



Jan 17, 2018 at 08:40 PM
SeanHew
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · C&C | Yosemite


tntcorp wrote:
wow.. difficult conditions to work with.

you can always expose for a composite shots in such conditions next time. one exposure for the sky and a 2nd for the fg. then merge the two images for a final properly exposed sky and fg,


---------------------------------------------

I should have done that. I don't know why but I didn't even think of bracketing or blending exposures this whole trip. I guess I have gotten a bit lazy now that I am shooting with much better dynamic range on the A7RIII (I was using a GH5 before)

Fred Miranda wrote:
Nice to see both versions Sean. Thanks for posting. The last one is my favorite of the set.


---------------------------------------------

Thanks!

JohnC88 wrote:
The dynamic range in Yosemite Valley can be very difficult to work with. When I'm faced with a bland or boring sky, I try to look for more intimate scenes to shoot. It's such a wonderful place, you can always find something beautiful to shoot.

I've learned a lot on when to be where in Yosemite from Michael Frye's app. As much as I know my way around, I still use that app every time I go. I strongly recommend it if you don't already have it. I've got a weeks camping scheduled for May in the valley and I can't
...Show more

I haven't heard of Frye's app. I look into it, thanks! I'm planning on heading back in late Feb.




Jan 18, 2018 at 12:36 AM
SeanHew
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · C&C | Yosemite


This was the only astro shot that I was able to take (due to clouds). But I couldn't get a good foreground as cars headlights were messing with my shot. So I ended up blending it with a shot that I took from blue hour a few hours before. Do you think it looks fake? I'm not great a photoshop. I've also included the original files below.









Sky | RAW / SOOC






Foreground | RAW / SOOC




Jan 18, 2018 at 12:40 AM
JohnC88
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · C&C | Yosemite


SeanHew wrote:
I haven't heard of Frye's app. I look into it, thanks! I'm planning on heading back in late Feb.



https://www.michaelfrye.com/bookstore/yosemite-app/




Jan 18, 2018 at 01:11 AM
tntcorp
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · C&C | Yosemite


astro blending shot is nice.

clouds in starscapes are added bonus. don't stop shooting when the sky is partial cloudy. :-)



Jan 18, 2018 at 10:37 AM





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