60 Hour Post Processing Challenge #610 - Closed - Winner Announced!

[betamax]

I had to go to the vault and pick this one up from 2 years ago as I haven't been shooting a lot recently. The sky was grey/orange due to bushfires to the north, which is why the photo has an odd cast to it.

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Challenge will close Friday 6am Sydney Time. Which is is Thursday 7pm GMT.

edit: oops! Helps if I provide the link to the jpeg and raws:

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Av3t3-eGT_5xmj42i28tDoMqqnp8?e=FNAIh6

60-Hour Post-Processing Challenge Rules

The Challenge Master provides an image or images to be "improved" upon by way of post-processing, as well as a closing date for entries.

1. Entrants are to post their entries, visible in this thread, at a resolution of 1000 to 1600 pixels in the longest dimension, prior to the closing date.
2. Each entrant is allowed two entries in the Challenge.
3. At the close of the Challenge, the Challenge Master will select a Winner and Runners-up.
4. The Winner of the challenge is honoured as the Master of the next Challenge

Notes:

• Images provided by Challenge Masters must be their own. They are posted solely for the purpose of this Challenge; not to invite critique or criticism nor for other uses. If Entrants post their entries at a photo sharing site, they should credit the owner of the original image.
• "Improve" is a subjective term, and may include many creative ideas, as well as traditional "fixing". The Challenge Master agrees that Entrants may make any changes they deem fit in their entries.
• Entrants are strongly encouraged to share the tools and techniques used for their entries, however this is not a requirement for entry.
• Compositing is allowed provided the use of the donor image does not violate any licensing or copyright restrictions.
• As we all know, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. The Challenge Master is encouraged (but not required) to state the criteria used to decide upon a Winner. While we may not all agree with the result, the Challenge Master's decision is final. Please refrain from posting adverse comment.
• If the Winner is unable to post a new Challenge within five days, the honour passes to the next Runner-up.

 

[rpatodia]

Tough one. Processed in DxO PL2 followed by cropping

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[RichardC]

Entry 1

Colour corrected/straightened in Lightroom. Contrast increased, Fuji LUT added, left hand corner filled in Photoshop. Back to Lightroom for vignette and dodge centre, then mat added in Photoshop. Smart sharpen, then export.

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[Robert Davidson]

#1.

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[relic]

Entry #1. Edited raw file using DxO PL2 (adjusted geometry partially, light levels, etc.), then tweaked in Elements,

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[relic]

Entry #2. Cropped entry #1, blurred background slightly,

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[BosseBe]

Entry #1:

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[BosseBe]

Slightly smaller crop for the B&W.
Entry #2:

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[say_doyster]

Here is my contribution - just trying to give it a little bit more life than maybe the conditions allowed naturally and a bit of perspective correction. Color first -

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[say_doyster]

And #2. B&W -

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[Zeus1]

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[Fred S]

Attempt No 1
mostly HSL and selective color

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[WhidbeyLVR]

Entry #1: Make it about the fountain

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Entry #2: Neptune and the Ibises

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[Paul C]

When anyone says "colour cast" my reflex is to switch to black and white - so here it is with perspective corrected in "DXO perspective" and then converted to black and white with a good slider of contrast and an S-curve and made to look like a 6x6 negative film photo.

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My idea is just to contrast the grid patterns behind with the more classical fountain and human statues as a way to deliver separation in the composition

My second default is to play up all that pattern contrast - and make a tone map from a single frame for a bit of an "HDR look"

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But what I really wanted was something different -- so now I want to see how the experts tackle altering those colours. There must surely be a good way to get separation , by changing the colour palette of the subject (the statues) from that of the busy background - but my guess is that means layers and all sorts of "darkroom work". Just help me out by telling how you did it so I can learn !!

Thanks for posting !

Best wishes to all - Paul C

 

[todd]

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[betamax]

Wow, you guys sure like to make it tough on the judges! Deservedly so this time as I got my closing time wrong... and not just by a little bit, but a whole lot. Please note, new closing times below (sigh!).

Challenge will close Friday 6PM Sydney Time. Which is is Friday 7am GMT.

Technically this is only 48 hours, but if anyone objects or if I get entries close to the new closing time, I'll let it run a little longer.

 

[rpatodia]

Wow, you guys sure like to make it tough on the judges! Deservedly so this time as I got my closing time wrong... and not just by a little bit, but a whole lot. Please note, new closing times below (sigh!).

Challenge will close Friday 6PM Sydney Time. Which is is Friday 7am GMT.

Technically this is only 48 hours, but if anyone objects or if I get entries close to the new closing time, I'll let it run a little longer.

48 hours is fine

 

[betamax]

Challenge is now closed! Will announce the winner shortly.

 

[betamax]

Thanks everyone for your entries. There was a bit of everything here. B/W, colour, sky replacements, bokeh, picture within the picture.

I think this had to be B/W as Paul C said, given the colour cast on the day. But kudos to those who did colour version. Though in saying that, I think Bo's colour version was pretty good, and so @BosseBe gets 3rd place. I wasn't sure which I preferred, the colour or the B/w version with the tight crop, but in the end I chose the version done in colour.

2nd place goes to @Paul C and his black and white version. Nice, contrasty, moody and vintage. I liked it!

And 1st place, goes to lucky last - @todd phillips This B/W was basic, crisp, very clean and contrasty. Nice. Over to you Todd!

 

[todd]

Cool thanks! Still finishing up the work week here but will report back with the start of the next round asap.