Post-Processing Challenge #528 - Winner announced.

BosseBe

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Here is a picture taken in the middle of the night from August last year. I think I have shown this scene before it is taken from my balcony.
P1030836.JPG
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Raw and JPG can be found here: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ypg9vdqo99o95cj/AABF5Fj_kUBold6_ura86fcNa?dl=0

This challenge will close at 18:00 CET on Wednesday evening 26 February. Hopefully I can get the judging done on Wednesday night.

72-Hour Post-Processing Challenge Rules

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

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.

Each entrant is allowed two entries in the Challenge. Please mark entries clearly by number.

At the close of the Challenge, the Challenge Master will select a Winner and Runners-up.

The Winner of the challenge is honoured as the Master of the next Challenge.

Please Note: Entrants are encouraged to enter their best efforts even if this means replacing versions. Please do this by exchanging your latest effort with the image you wish to remove. You may note the replacement in a comment in the edited posting.

Notes:
The image used for the challenge must be the Challenge Master's own image. The image is posted solely for the purpose of this Challenge; it is not posted 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.
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.
 

RichardC

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My first attempt:

P1030836.jpg
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relic

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Thank you for the excellent challenge: this is the first time I try to work on a night shot. I used the raw file, and as usual, edited it first in DxO PL2: tried to adjust white balance and light levels, added a little Clearview, a little fine contrast, PRIME noise reduction, and tried to correct geometry a bit with DxO Viewpoint 3. In Elements, used Noiseware plug-in to reduce noise further, especially in the sky area, and used ON1 Effects plug-in to add a very slight amount of Dynamic Contrast and vignette. Finally removed the distracting red object (crane?) between the trees using content aware fill. Originally the image I posted looked too green to my eyes, so I edited it by warming it a tad using Nik Color Efex. After seeing @RichardC's @roelwillems's entries, I realized how extremely low-contrast my original entry was. So I edited it by increasing the contrast, and I owe the improvement to them: Thank you Richard and Roel!

P1030836_DxOdcLL5.jpg
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roelwillems

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The photo has something mistic and film-like to it, so I did try to give it a more cinematic feel with a 16x9 crop, stong contrast(curve) and a moody gold split tone.

P1030836-4.jpg
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GregRed

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#1

Topaz Denoise AI > Luminar 4 (a LOT of adjustments in Luminar 4):

P1030836 copy.jpeg
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rpatodia

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P1030836_DxO_edited.jpg
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rpatodia

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P1030836_DxO-1_edited.jpg
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Dinobe

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Difficult image, tried to get of the yellow/orange/brown cast
P1030836.jpg
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Zeus1

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Preliminary work in DXO, especially adjusting geometry and Prime Noise reduction. Selectively lightening the trees. Next, over to Photoshop: changing white balance, another dose of noise reduction (Imagenomics Noiseware), 9/16 cropping and nik>Color Efex>ProContrast.

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Rob Rider

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Opened in camera raw used tungsten for the lighting then just adjusted visually. I used Topaz denoise AI and smart sharpen in photoshop. You must get a lot of good views from there.
P1030836.jpg
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Rob Rider

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#2
A B+W version.
P1030836BW.jpg
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Crazy150

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Another tough, noisy image. Not really my forte so I tend to just lean into the grain more when I have to deal with it. You guys seem to do a decent job with denoise using Topaz. Haven't tried it yet. Here's my attempt. Swapped the sky for something more dramatic, played around with the color palette and added a few stars on the lamps.

editchalenge528.jpg
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Mooglover

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P1030836_01.jpg
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Mooglover

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P1030836_02.jpg
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BosseBe

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Not as many contestants this time, which has done my work easier.
Great job everyone!

Some fantastic work with raising shadows from some. Now I like the shadows as they give contrast and it was dark when the picture was taken.

Nice to have 2 B&W entries, I glad more people see that B&W is an option.

My work went fairly quick after I had looked through the pictures and decided on some criteria.

2nd runner up: @Rob Rider #2 B&W.
1st runner up: @GregRed.

Winner: @Rob Rider #1. Good colours and sharpness without graininess! Weel done!

Thank you all for participating!
Over to you Rob.
 

Rob Rider

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Wow thanks Bosse Be,
I will get something up shortly. I will have to do my judging Friday night as a trip is planned for Saturday. :thumbsup:
Rob
 

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