Sunset hunting... Pithay and the Castle

[sam_cat]

Went down to one of my usual haunts near house last night as the sunset looked like it could be good.. Got the following picture which is not my usual shot I take down there... Thoughts on composition/processing etc?


Sunset Hunting - Pithay and Castle by Sam_catch, on Flickr


Then on the way home popped into the grounds of a local church and got this shot of the castle behind it:


Sunset Hunting - Thornbury Castle by Sam_catch, on Flickr

Any thoughts/constructive criticism is welcome, always learning and trying to improve!

Sam

 

[cliffpatte]

Hi Sam

do you have RAW files for those? If so, you might be able to rescue some of the shadow detail in both of those by processing the RAW file as is plus a second time at +EV1 and again at +EV2 and then merge the layers using whatever technique comes to mind (eg there is a pseudo HDR process in CS4/5) or you can stack the layers and selectively make the lighter layer on top slightly transparent - revealing whatever detail you want below. The problem I always have with sunsets is that the Sun is at +EV10 relative to everything else so you need some kind of high dynamic range recovery process in camera or on the desktop ... you can, of course, balance the light in the foreground with a reflector or even a flashgun

Cheers
Cliff

 

[cliffpatte]

by the way, this one of yours is already excellent


Pithay Sunset Portrait v2 by Sam_catch, on Flickr

 

[sam_cat]

The first was tripod shot at -2ev, 0 and +2, basic merging using photomatix.. The second is a single exposure that I did a touch of dodging and burning.. But again I have the other hdr exposures to go with it...

Will have a play with them when I get in tonight on the main computer (proper screen), see what I can do. The laptop screen really does lie, as they looked very different on it to on this screen at work.

by the way, this one of yours is already excellent
[snip]

Thank you very much, its one of my favourites


Sam

 

[sam_cat]

Right, bit more work on the processing, and now have an image I am much happier with..


Sunset Hunting - Pithay and Castle v2 by Sam_catch, on Flickr

 

[Jonathan Ribee]

Magical realism.

 

[cliffpatte]

nicely done Sam

 

[sam_cat]

Thanks.

I feel its a bit overdone in places, gonna give it another go over the weekend and try for somewhere in the middle between the two images.

Sam