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Gateway to the West
1st PlaceGateway to the West
Dennisheckman


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Clouds II (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Leica M240
Lens: Leica 21mm f/1.4 Summilux-M
Location: Along side McCaslin Rd south of Louisville CO
Date: Mar 19, 2014
Aperture: f/13
ISO: 200
Date Uploaded: Mar 20, 2014

 I have been spending a pretty good amount of time learning how to manual blend multiple exposures for an extended dynamic range which is larger than what the camera can take in a single exposure. I am using Channel masks to achieve this result. I have learned the use of this technique from Sean Bagshaw who is a highly skilled landscape photographer and artist.

With this entry, I have hand blended parts of 2 separate images. Each exposed with the intent to use each part in the image correctly. This is an HDR technique, I'm just doing it without the aid of any HDR software. This technique creates a vastly more real looking image. I did a small amount of color correction and contrast adjustments in CEP4 as well. Using these blending techniques, I was able to overcome some very difficult areas in the image such as keeping the foreground exposed correctly and the very bright clouds. Any image with the sun behind clouds is impossible to expose correctly in one or even two or three exposures. HDR software would have created halos and color shifts due to the high dynamic range of the area's.


Wow! Can't believe this won with so many great entries! Thanks for the votes and comments. It's humbling to be part of such a great community.

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 93
Avg (all users): 7.2020
Avg (commenters): 8.5000
Avg (participants): 7.0256
Avg (non-participants): 7.3167
Views since voting: 2225
Views during voting: 251
Votes: 99
Comments: 25
Favorites: 3 (view)

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AuthorThread
 04/03/2014 03:09:19 PM
Fantastic sky, great colours. Good to see you on the front page again Dennis. Congrats on the Blue!

Message edited by author 2014-04-04 08:34:46.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/02/2014 11:57:27 PM
nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/02/2014 12:45:09 PM
Yay! I'm so happy to see a ribbon by this image! :D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/02/2014 02:31:50 AM
So glad to see you win my friend! Great shot :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/02/2014 12:42:22 AM
Fantastic shot! Congratulations
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2014 11:57:47 PM
Congrats on the blue!! I've started playing with manual blending as well, since the HDR software seems to run into limitations on truly contrasty scenes. Thanks for posting it in the notes.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2014 09:36:12 PM
Congrats on the Blue. Thanks for the details about creating this image. Awesome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2014 09:06:13 PM
Congratulations! Beautiful work!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2014 08:24:37 PM
Wonderful work! Congratulations on the Blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2014 08:21:23 PM
And deservedly the blue. Magnificent work. Congratulations
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2014 08:03:50 PM
Congratulations on the well deserved blue, Dennis. Very nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
04/01/2014 06:52:37 PM
i really like this composition and the colors work well for me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 04/01/2014 04:55:53 AM
This is soo pretty! This would have done well for the fence contest too! LOL

Nice job
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/31/2014 12:41:40 PM
The fence in the foreground adds a nice touch to landscape. The clouds are dramatic. Great photo.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/31/2014 12:03:11 PM
great colors!
it is in my top 5!!
9!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/31/2014 11:48:13 AM
Beautifully colored, dramatic and spread over the full extent of the sky, the clouds alone are exemplary. Add them to a wonderful landscape and the visual lead-in of the downed fence -- this would also astound in the fences challenge -- and you have a glorious image. The foreground is intimate, the rest of the landscape is breathtaking in scope and the clouds are majestic. Right into my favorites.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/31/2014 01:19:37 AM
Under the blood-red sky... Nice. I like the blue cast on the far mountains.
I would have been nice entry for the Fences challenge, as well.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/30/2014 04:06:38 PM
That fence makes the photo to me.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/29/2014 09:43:15 AM
9 from me. lovely colors... that fence... lovely
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/28/2014 10:48:35 PM
Top pick. Nicely composed, brilliant colors of the sky and clouds. Like the fence in the foreground which adds interest to the scene.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/26/2014 04:23:43 PM
GREAT COLOUR WOULD HAVE SUITED THE FENCES CHALLENGE
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/26/2014 07:37:31 AM
Breathtaking
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/25/2014 11:14:08 PM
Now you will have to go back here, and photograph that fence.

Top ten.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/25/2014 08:33:14 PM
10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/25/2014 08:28:43 PM
Stunning!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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