10 replies to this topic

[Merco_61]

First a message from this week's file submitter, deano:

Welcome to this weeks editing challenge!

This week's photo is titled "Bowl of butterflies", taken two weeks ago at the Butterfly Pavilion in Scottsdale, AZ. The natural lighting came through skylights which I am sure they need to make the butterflies feel at home.

This image was captured with a 18-55 kit lens mounted to a D90.

EXIF for original:
Camera NIKON CORPORATION NIKON D90 ISO 200 Focal Length 55 mm (82.5mm in 35mm) Aperture f/13 Exposure Time 1/30 s
 
Good luck and happy processing!


Dropbox file:

Dropbox - bowl of butterflies.nef - Simplify your life

   
And then the rules:

The challenge is weekly, a new thread with a new raw (preferably) or jpg fine file for each week.

Cutoff time for submissions is midnight between sunday and monday pst (UTC-8).

This is a round-robin challenge, the order of submitting the week’s raw file is based on an alphabetical list of applicants’ user names. If the next submitter on the list is unable to post at his/her turn he/she may ask the thread master to be moved down the list no later than friday morning. Late applications will be added at the bottom of the list.
We will revise this when every applicant has had a go, and perhaps change this model.

The submitter for the week must make the file along with any specific text for the post available to the thread master during the weekend preceding the challenge week. The thread master will then copy the file to a Dropbox location for the challenge and make the starting post for the week.

Images provided, as well as the images resulting from the challenge remain the sole property of the photographer who took them. Those participating in the editing challenge may not use or display the photo outside the challenge thread.

The owner of the photo declares a winner after the challenge is over.

As this challenge is a tool for learning and inspiration, multiple entries are not only ok, but encouraged if a participant gets a new idea for how to present or interpret the photo, including artistic interpretations.

Participants must share how they have achieved their take on the photo.

Participants are explicitly not limited as to what software is used for the challenge.
 

[Merco_61]

Here is my take on deano's Bowl of Butterflies.

 

 

I processed this in PS CS6 and ColorEfex Pro.

Here is the recipe:

HDR toning
CEP Brilliance/warmth decrease brilliance, increase warmth  Apply to background only
CEP Film effect Provia 100F Opacity 60%
CEP Glamour glow Opacity 40%
CEP Foliage applied selectively to some leaves in the lower left quadrant
CEP Skylight strength=22%
Crop to 5:4 to decenter the bowl and eliminate distracting flowers camera right

[Eagles1181]

Here is my first take.  

 

Cropped it a bit.  

Bumped the exposure up almost a full stop.  

Tweaked the white and black settings a bit.

 

Chewing on a few other ideas, but at least wanted to get something posted.

 

Eagle

 

[morticiaskeeper]

My first play



Photogenie for iPad

Clarity 28.93
Exposure 0.07
Contrast. 0.06
Lighten Shadow 0.20
Darken Highlight. 0.17
Vibrance 0.26
Centre focus
Vignette 40.80
Dark sky gradient.

[Afterimage]

Decided I wanted to really draw attention to the bowl by manipulating the colors, saturation and lighting of the entire frame. Punched up the bowl and subdued the background with a combination of several layers with a touch of dodge/burn and cloning here and there:

 

 

 

Adjustment sliders in CS6

 

Corrected perspective a little 

 

Multiple layers with masking

[Mr_Leeman]

I really wanted to get the patterns clear so added some extreme contrast, cropped to draw attention. Played around with the tones to make more earthy.

Attached Thumbnails

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[TBonz]

I did this on Sunday, but had not had the chance to upload it...

 

I cropped as well for the bowl...after crop it looked a bit angled so I leveled it just a touch...

 

Bumped exposure, contrast, vibrance, clarity and saturation

 

Then put a darker vignette around the edge.  Lastly used the brush for some additional darkening or lightening in a few areas...

 

 

[Jerry_]

Here is my proposal (processing and intermediate step hereafter)




+++++++++++

Processing done:

Aperture (iMac)
Minor tweaking a bit on the contrast and colour
Cropping to have mainly the bowl

Intensify Pro (iMac)
Applying a circular shadow around - and to some extend into - the bowl, to get the focus on the butterflies

Intermediate result:





Final touch with the Sin City filter from PhotoForge2 (iPad), about 60%

[nbanjogal]

Whoosh--in under the deadline. 

 

So here's a clean edit:

 

 

Cropped to get rid of some busyness, and then in Lightroom did my basic bumps in clarity, contrast, vibrance, and sharpness. (Yes, the same every time…I know, yawn.) I did change the white balance ever so slightly--brought down the yellow and increased the green just the tiniest bit. Then in Photoshop just did some painted on pop and clarity. Added a rich, deep matte, which I masked off over the butterflies to retain their brightness and sharpness. Also added an earth-toned vignette.

 

 

And just for fun, here's the same edit with the oil paint filter in Photoshop applied (inspired a bit by greenwing's watercolor edit last week, I freely admit).

 

 

Thanks, deano! Fun file to work on. Might have to get down there and visit the butterfly pavilion in person. 

[Merco_61]

This week's challenge will be officially over in 2 hours. I will be away from my computer then, so congratulations to all who took part this week. A big thank you to deano for supplying this challenging file.

 

[deano]

Wow!  I'm impressed

So much talent on this forum.

I love each persons individuality in interpreting my photo of Bowl of Butterflies.

Merco, your magical, you can make a silk purse out of a sows ear.

Afterimage, is close to reality

Eagle1181 is bright and lively

The winner, Nbanjogal #1 came closest to what I envisioned.

Thank you everyone for your hard work.  I am looking forward to future challenges to see what awesomeness you come up with.

 

I humbly submit my interpretation of Bowl of Butterflies

 

Attached Thumbnails

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