Post Processing Challenge # 502 winner announced

[rpatodia]

Pic taken during Rupin Pass trek. I found lots of possibilities during processing of this pic. I hope you guys enjoy.

72-Hour Post-Processing Challenge Rules:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Each entrant is allowed two entries in the Challenge.
4. At the close of the Challenge, the Challenge Master will select a Winner and Runners-up.
5. The Winner of the Challenge is honored as the Master of the next Challenge.

Notes:

• Any/all source images used for the challenge must be the Challenge Master's own images. 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.
• 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 honor passes to the next Runner-up.

The Challenge will close sometime on Saturday, October 19 24.00 IST, GMT +5.5 (or there about).

Raw file - https://www.dropbox.com/s/7ltvyx2m8dke0sm/RP622593.ORF?dl=0
JPEG file - https://www.dropbox.com/s/3l831nchs4f4ytk/RP622593.JPG?dl=0

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[Robert Davidson]

Hi Ramesh, Tried to download the raw file and only get a very small 8k .dop file?

 

[rpatodia]

Hi Ramesh, Tried to download the raw file and only get a very small 8k .dop file?

Ok will correct it in some time

 

[rpatodia]

Hi Ramesh, Tried to download the raw file and only get a very small 8k .dop file?

Corrected. Thanks. Sorry for the error

 

[relic]

Corrected. Thanks. Sorry for the error

The (corrected) raw image is a different photo, though.

 

[Robert Davidson]

Corrected. Thanks. Sorry for the error

As Relic just mentioned the corrected image is different - the file number ends in 594 not 593!

 

[relic]

Beautiful scene and an excellent, sharp photo. I used the jpeg file, and did some very minor editing in Elements (mostly basic light levels, contrast, reduced the red level slightly, and cropped a bit). Also removed the partial sheep on the right using content-aware fill. FInally used Nik Color Efex/Foliage to enhance greens.

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[rpatodia]

The (corrected) raw image is a different photo, though.

Had uploaded the file on move. Corrected. Apologies for all the error

 

[rpatodia]

As Relic just mentioned the corrected image is different - the file number ends in 594 not 593!

corrected. apologies for the error

 

[relic]

Entry #2: Used the raw file this time. Edited in DXO then Elements. Followed a similar path as in entry #1 but did not crop and did not use Nik Color Efex but used haze reduction on the foreground.

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[Jay_M]

Super cool area. Played with with raw in Luminar 3, shifted the colors to try for a more "moody" look.

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[demiro]

I got a bit silly I think, but I wanted to bring out the Shepherd. Not sure it worked. ?

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[Robert Davidson]

My first entry - Used ACR and photoshop with tweaks in Nik

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[gwydionjhr]

My first entry - Used ACR and photoshop with tweaks in Nik

First version that I even realized the shepherd was there!

 

[GregRed]

I almost always reach for Luminar first when I edit a RAW file. This time I started in Topaz Studio 2, which I need to learn better. To the basic colour adjustments, I added one of the heavily stylized "painting" filters, but with only a little opacity, and set to "colour" blend mode... this gives a slightly hand-tinted look. Then played around with the tilt/shift filter (instead of cropping), and added a vignette, set to "luminance" blend mode, which seems to have exaggerated the saturation around the outer edges.

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[Zeus1]

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​

Minor work in ACR (like cropping, slight augmented exposure of dog and man). BW rendition in Silver Efex Pro, using a green filter and selenium toning.

 

[Dinobe]

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[Hendrik]

This is a great scene. Not only do the goats present a chaotic group but there are no eyes. But the shepherd (it took me a while to see him) and his helper are both looking toward the camera. So...

Exposure tweaks in Adobe Camera Raw, some brushwork to persuade the shepherd (and dog, only less so) to pop from the background. Crop places dog at center and shepherd at a third. The path coming in from the lower right corner leads to them. The goats are treated as interesting but incidental.
Detail (which is very good in the original) tightened up with Topaz Sharpen AI.

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[demiro]

@Hendrik Thank you. Your edit is what I was going for!

 

[GregRed]

#2

A more conventional rendering. Starting with Luminar and a 3rd party Kodachrome LUT, and then a bit of dodging to separate the shepherd and his coat from the background, followed by HSL, Split Toning, Colour Contrast, Orton (luminosity blend), and Vignette adjustments. Sharpened just a little with Topaz Sharpen AI.

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