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Editing exercise, week ending Oct. 23 2016


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#1
Merco_61

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I had the wrong Dropbox link at first, now it points to the correct file. It is the PES_2016-10-15_10-47-21_35mm_ one that is correct.

 

First a message from this week's file submitter, Merco_61.

The subject for this week’s exercise is a memorial monument over Martin Luther King called Befrielsen or, in english, The Liberation. The monument is at Martin Luther King’s Square behind the university building here in Uppsala.

 

Dropbox file:

Dropbox - PES_2016-10-15_10-47-21_35mm_.NEF - Simplify your life

 

And then the rules:

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

The exercise officially runs until midnight between sunday and monday pst (UTC-8). Even after the official deadline, the exercise is still open for new interpretations.

This is a round-robin exercise, 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.

 

The exercise is open to all members, not only the file submitters.

 

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

 

It is allowed to make derivative interpretations on other participants’ work (a collaborative approach). If you base your take on someone else’s work, you must indicate what you started from.

 

The owner of the photo comments on the work done, highlighting what he liked best (both the interpretation itself and the technique used to get there) after the original week is over.

 

As this exercise 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 exercise.



#2
bani12

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Here is my take on this week's image. As always I have done everything in Lightroom.

 

ee_2016-10-23-0001.jpg

 

Apart from the crop I made, here are the settings I used:

ee_2016-10-23-0001_settings.jpg

 

Thank you, Peter, for this image!



#3
deano

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Here is my edit attempt for this week.  Excellent photo Peter  Dr King would have approved.  Also, such a peaceful setting.

 

I enhanced the colors, giving a nod to the fall colors. Then converted to b/w, which I really like.  Gave it some more contrast while maintaining detail in the fists.

Attached Thumbnails

  • oct 23 edit exercise.jpg
  • oct 23 edit exercise-bw.jpg


#4
Bart

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This is a great capture of a very appealing sculpture, Peter.

 

I agree about the peaceful background but the cars and signposts bothered me. So, I decided to apply a strong crop and arrive at a portrait orientation, keeping as much of the background as possible.

As usual, I did the basic work in DxO Optics:

 

p330072212-4.jpg

 

With this initial result:

 

p421375411-4.jpg

 

(I removed some signpost on the left in LR)

 

I wanted to end with a result that reflects the grim struggle needed to get to "The Liberation"

 

Took this into DxO Filmpack and, starting from the emulation of Kodak Ektachrome 100 VS, added some further adjustments.

 

p77840428-4.jpgp94877699-2.jpgp124313681-2.jpg

 

In a second pass, I tuned the intensity of the vignette a bit down - less dark.

This gave me this interpretation.

 

p312893799-6.jpg

 

Since this is about processing, a side note: all the tools of FilmPack are readily available in Optics as well but I prefer to use the LR/ PS plug-in.

I find it easier to work in.

 

For the - inevitable - b&w, I took the Optics result into Silver Efex.

 

p393522235-4.jpg

 

I find myself using the preset Full Spectrum Inverse more frequently lately. A quite neutral starting point.

For the selective adjustment, the control point was on the hand of the sculpture.

 

p20010732-6.jpg

 

 

Thank you, Peter for lending us your image to work on.

I hope I didn't deviate too far from the original.

 

 

 



#5
Jerry_

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After having seen the structure in the hands I thought I'll try to go a different way this time.

Therefore I started with an inversion of the colours before turning it black and white.
Next I gave it a slightly narrower cropping and removed the one car in the right hand background (did not work on the person or the lightpole).

All done on the iPad, using different apps (Pixelmator and PS Express).

This resulted in


91a96bd0769df3783d6f0d8afa8fa1c1.jpg

Thanks for sharing this capture with us Peter.



*** Addition on 25/10 ***

Using my software (Snapheal CK) on the Mac I did some post editing to remove the person and the lightpole, resulting in:

86ec698c5b5b5b0a45d4a918dd406c1e.jpg

#6
deano

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Interesting Jerry.  Quite a different view.



#7
Merco_61

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I have a cold, but I will post feedback and my take as soon as I feel a bit better.



#8
Malice

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I hope, you get better soon!

 

Accidentally, this gives me the chance to post my entry before the feedback round starts.

 

This exposure was a real challenge for me, as I didn't really know where I wanted to go with this and - on top of that - didn't really know how to get there. I was a bit torn between the ideas of either trying to get a lighter or warmer mood to move the theme about Martin Luther King into a more conciliatory (note: this is what I came up with looking at the dictionary. I hope this is the right expression in this context. I'm aiming for something like "at peace", "looking back fondly" or "remembering in a good way")  direction; meaning a positive way of looking at things. Or if I should rather tend to a darker more contrasty mood.

 

Since I wasn't really able to accomplish the lighter mood, I switched to the darker side of things (and it's easy to get there, if you think about what's going on in the world, but I digress).

 

My aims with processing were to focus on the sculpture itself and somewhat isolate it from the background and the surroundings.

 

So, this is the result:

 

gallery_13750_618_317095.jpg

 

 

Processing steps:

 

In Lightroom 4:

Exposure: -0.50

Contrast: +15

Highlights: -50

Whites: +12

Blacks: +26

 

Export as TIFF.

 

In Color Efex Pro 4 (Nik Collection):

Darken / Lighten Center Filter with:

- Shape 2

- Center Luminosity 50%

- Border Luminosity -100%

- Center size 34%

 

Vignette Blur:

- Shape 2

- Type 3

- Transition 80%

- Size 20%

- Opacity 75%

 

 

 

Finalize with noise reduction in Dfine 2 (Nik Collection) and turn into a JPG with Apple's "Preview".

 

 

Inspired by Jerry_'s artistic application of a painting simulation filter to my exposure in the Oct. 16 editing challenge, I thought, I might play around a little with the options in Photoshop (CS4).

 

So, I applied a pencil hatching filter and increased contrast (+50) and brightness (+30) to come up with this image:

 

gallery_13750_618_234629.jpg

 

It's not a 100% what I was aiming for, but it's still fun to try these things out.

 

So, thanks for reading and thanks to Merco_61 for this very interesting image!



#9
Merco_61

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OK, let’s start with some feedback...

 

Urban, your processing really focuses all attention on the monument. How did you come up with the balance in the mixers?

 

Dean, I like how you enhanced the colours. Would you mind sharing what technique you used? 

Your monochrome is very much a modern processing which I wouldn’t know how to replicate in the traditional darkroom. As such, it is thought-provoking as I am so used to seeing traditional prints and my own processing mimics what I am used to. Thank you.

 

Bart, your basic take is very tranquil, just as you were aiming for. Your choice of E100VS with added saturation is a bit much *for me*, even if I see the merits in the treatment.

Your monochrome is a good emulated rendering of a chromogenic black and white film, with that special feel and lots of detail they give.

 

Jerry, your ghost of a monument is interesting and definitely gains from the extra editing in your second version.

 

Malice, I like the tight crop and the tonality in your serious take and the lighthearted artistic play with filters is quite nice, even if it might be even better with some more playing around with the settings.

 

 

And then my own takes...

 

All basic edits done in Capture NX-D

Crop to 4:5.

ADL reduced to Low

Picture Control set to D2X Mode 1

Activated LoCA reduction and distortion control, even if the impact is slight.

 

Over to PS CC

Cloned out the bench corner.

gallery_1251_496_468445.jpg

 

CEP filters to this recipe.

gallery_1251_496_6608.png

 

gallery_1251_496_518367.jpg

 

The monochrome is made from the basic edit in SEP to this recipe.

gallery_1251_496_14400.png

 

gallery_1251_496_281729.jpg

 

 

Thank you all for participating. It is always good to get to see one's efforts interpreted by someone else.

 

 



#10
deano

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Peter,

 

As per your request, here is a screen shot of the LR adjustments I made in last weeks MLK statue.  I may have done more but this is what I remember

 

Attached Thumbnails

  • Screen Shot 2016-10-27 at 11.02.39 AM.png


#11
Malice

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Malice, I like the tight crop and the tonality in your serious take and the lighthearted artistic play with filters is quite nice, even if it might be even better with some more playing around with the settings.

 

Yeah, you're right. I should have put a little more effort into the pencil version.



#12
Merco_61

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Yeah, you're right. I should have put a little more effort into the pencil version.

The PS filters are powerful tools, but they aren't as easy to use as, for example, the Topaz filters.



#13
Malice

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Holey moley, those Topaz filters don't come cheap.

 

I agree, PS is one of those applications were you really need to know what you're doing. Just clicking a little here and there and playing around with some of the sliders, most of the time just won't do.