This week’s photo duel at ImprovePhotography.com is Landscape. Which landscape can be a lot of fun – but it takes a certain amount of creativity in between Winter and Spring. I have never heard anyone say how much they love this time of year… but here are some before/after shots that I took for this week.
They required a lot of Photoshop because I didn’t want to cop out do a black/white photo. As you look at these photos – It is my hope that you can come to appreciate not only the photographic talent but the artistic side of taking a photo like this and turning it into something completely different – kind of like a painter would sitting down at the same scene.
Before
After
Before
After
I would love to what you think about this – leave me a comment, please!
Wow! Definitely glad I voted for yours. Post processing really transformed this picture!
Thanks, Kimberly! The post processing part was really the funniest part of the whole thing because I had complete control over how the photo turned out. Thanks for your comment! 🙂
Hey Dustin! The before and After’s are great! It’s amazing what you can do to a photo to turn it into something so pretty. The warm golden tones in the top one give a rich feeling of a new day. Of course the sun flare of the bottom one makes me smile! Love those sun flares. The bottom picture draws me into the picture wanting to look for more. Great job on both!
Thanks, Rebecca! The subject matter might not be the greatest thing around – but the editing really turned out great! The photo is good – but I feel that it’s missing a duck! Needs a little extra or something in there…
Hey Dustin! These are amazing and I love what you, as the digital artist, has done to create the imagery in the “after” images. Your sense of color and saturation is right on target for my taste. I want to see art. Not only do I love that you recreated more of the rich colors in the scene, you have enhanced, but adding your own interpretation. That is art, or photoart, or photodesign, or just downright talented! Your skills are amazing. The sky on the first one just knocks my socks off! The second one is also great, but it is too small to really compare to the first one. Most of us don’t take time to click on it, so if you will place it in the post at the same size proportions at the landscape image, then it might have a change to compare. Haha… just had to pull on your chain a little there 😉
Haha! Thanks for pulling my chain there, Caryn! And thanks so much for you comment – I liked the part about how it being more of a Photoart/Photodesign. I think it’s a forgotten segment of the industry when you think about photography – but I love it! But while you’re pullin’ my chain, I’ll look for the socks I knocked off. Haha! 🙂
The golden hues make a drab “between seasons” photo into a beautiful piece of artwork. You did a great job! How do I get to the images that you and Jim posted so I can vote? BTW who won last week’s duel?
Yeah – I really like how it turned out compared to where it started. I almost considered it a throw-away shot. Here is a link to the photo duel on the Improve Photography website: http://improvephotography.com/8626/landscape-photography-duel/
Should be able to vote there just fine like last week. Speaking of last week – I was the one who won the contest. This week is certainly a tight race!
Dustin, I’ve been following Improve Photography for the last several months and have enjoyed the articles and podcasts. Finally, I came to your site by way of the last photo duel. These before and after pictures are amazing. Do you have any details on the process you went through to produce the final image? I had a similar problem with many of the photos taken this time of year and am always looking for tips in PS and LR to get a usable final shot.
Mike – I’m glad to hear that you like what you see. 🙂 Jim and I will be posting a series of videos eventually of how we do what we do. I do try to describe however some my processes without being overwhelming and technical for those who aren’t interested or don’t know enough. But the biggest thing about producing a usable shot from what I’ve had to work with is the temperature sliders and exposure on my adjustment brushes and increasing the saturation in some areas. It can be a process, but worth it. Thanks again, Mike.