High Contrast

This is my first attempt at really playing with a bunch-o-settings for a high contrast look. The contrast, saturation, clarity and vibrance were all tweaked to give it a surreal, over the top kind of edge. Shot on a cloudy/overcast day as well.

Is this on the right track? Comment welcome!



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That's kind of the effect you get with HDR software. Have you downloaded a copy of Photomatix? They have a light and pro version. Free to use, but the free version puts watermarks in random spots in the output file. It does let you see how it works though.

This picture does pop out at you though, which is what I think you were after, right?

Scott-I get what you were trying to do. My only comment is that it appears the crome lost its identity. The rearview mirror seems to have been absorbed by the glass in the bus door. Those type of shots/manipulations I like looking at and seeing how far they can be taken.

Great job!

WoodButcher said:

That's kind of the effect you get with HDR software.

This picture does pop out at you though, which is what I think you were after, right?

Click to expand...

Yes, I have Photomatix but haven't tried anything with it on the HDR front. This is all via LR and 'playing'. I didn't have any target in mind other than high contrast, but it does sort of have that HDR feel to it. Tad bit overcooked on the yellows in my opinion now that I keep looking at it.

drfood said:

Scott-I get what you were trying to do. My only comment is that it appears the crome lost its identity. The rearview mirror seems to have been absorbed by the glass in the bus door. Those type of shots/manipulations I like looking at and seeing how far they can be taken.

Great job!

Click to expand...

You got me wondering if the mirror was chrome or not so I went back and looked. It was white in the original, but the front bumper did lose some 'luster' I guess. The yellows and browns (rust) really came out in the PP.

Thanks!

I like the effect.
With RAW, you can go 47 different ways with PP. That might be a fun project some time--take a good RAW image and see how many "good" variations on PP you could generate from it. I think your bus image would be a good candidate with the colors and textures.