I'm trying to improve this panorama I took a couple months ago for a large print to hang on my wall and would love to get any C&C. Unfortunately, I didn't get as much of the sky as I wanted so I couldn't manage a rule-of-thirds composition without cropping that produced a look that I wasn't happy with. I've done some post-processing to bring out some of the clouds and water (to bring it closer to what I remember experiencing).
I also tried a B&W conversion using luminosity layers (since the lighting isn't all that dramatic, I prefer the color version in its current form) and a tighter crop:
I would suggest cropping some off of both sides but mainly off the right side. The lighting is not really the best. This would have been a lot better taken closer to sunrise or sunset. Trying to convert to b&w really does not fix that issue in my opinion. I tried a little darkening but that also was of minimal value.
Thanks Jim! Originally, I thought having the grass/moss helped provide contrast to the rock columns, but now I think trimming it down is probably a good idea.
Thanks Auntipode! Although, I like how the contrast between the grass, rock, and water is much bolder as well as the exposure adjustment to the grass mask, I think I will try your settings with slightly less vibrance and see what it looks like.
I'm having trouble figuring out where to take the viewer ... foreground left, foreground right, middle rocks/shoreline, water left, sky bg. The clouds seem to be the most interesting tonal values to work with for me, atm, but still not feeling the other areas.
Any chance you can post up the original (i.e. unedited/sooc/raw/etc.) ... the middle area and some artifacts seem to be impeding things a bit too.
Never really felt like I got a handle on this one, but here's an iteration w/crop.
ccho wrote:
Thanks Bob, I don't object at all. It looks like -- in addition to cropping -- you also lightened it and maybe added some saturation and contrast?
Thanks,
Several false starts with Viveza, Color Efex Pro, & Silver Efex Pro, finally landed in ACR
for the processing (intentionally avoiding LR). Gradient for sky & foreground, some selective burning-in and clarity with adjustment brush, finally a smidgeon of vignette prior to crop.
The brilliance in the left-hand corner in the sky was problematic - never could quite get that fixed. Certainly those with greater color skills could.
Agree with Kent re specular highlights in rock (lava?) formations, Finally reduced clarity and de-sharpened very slightly.
Ain't that the truth ... I probably took close to eight or more runs at it, only to scrap and start over. Kind of a byproduct of lack of message/point/direction. That and not knowing what the middle (lava ?) is. "Misery loves company" ... good to know I wasn't alone.
Thanks everyone for your feedback and various attempts to process it. The location is Lóndrangar on the Snaefellsnes peninsula in Iceland.
I guess maybe this shot isn't incredibly outstanding in any way and might not draw eyes or start conversations hanging on the wall. What stood out most to me was the spiral-like ledge on the column of volcanic rock, almost resembling a spiral staircase on the outside of a tower. Since I was on a vacation, travelling with others to explore Iceland, scouting the perfect lighting or finding a way to get closer to capture the details I wanted wasn't an option -- perhaps my next trip out there...
I'll post a link to a larger version that's stitched from the TIFFs (Canon DPP processed, sooc) using hugin. The lighting in the water was just uneven from all the cloud cover, some of which was outside the frame.
