Week four is here. I really appreciate all the comments and feedback from last week. I had fun with the artistic textures and I feel like I want to explore that realm of editing more. It is very satisfying for me.
Here are all the different versions of this month of editing including this week’s version and the original image.
Mackerricher State Park, Fort Bragg CA
This week I started playing with different color tones. For some reason this week, I was drawn to the cool tones. It made the image feel like a brisk morning, before the sun was close to rising. There was a mood of seeing the morning moon on the horizon and being the only one awake. I like how this version makes me want to stay quiet and gives me the sensation of being there, my breath cold and steaming and the beautiful morning stillness surrounding me.
Photo By: Carrie
Details:
- I started with the image from week 2 and added the cold tone preset from Lightroom
- I dropped the exposure a bit and played with the highlights, dropping those as well.
- Then I added a bit of blue and aqua saturation and hue, trying to bring out the brilliance of the sky and a subtle reflection on the water too
- I love playing with the clarity, for this image I dropped it significantly. I liked the effect on the clouds in particular and it gave the image a frosty air to it as well.
- Then I lifted some of the shadows and blacks and added a few ticks of highlights to lift the image, it was looking too dark
And, for the most part I felt satisfied with this result. The water may have a tad too much blue in it, but I am going with it.
I can’t believe how much I learned this month from feeling much more comfortable with radial filters to using ND filters too! I have had a lot of fun, I know I keep saying that…but it is really true.
If you would be so kind, please vote on your favorite image and any feedback on this image would be great too! Here are the versions from start to finish and the poll is below. The other favor I ask of you is to go to Robyn’s Captivate Me post for this week HERE and check out all the great work! You can look up all the participants in your tag search as well, look for “One Four Challenge”. Thanks so much.
The Shady Tree 
Hi Carrie, I like your week 2 best, it’s fine!
Thank you, Pike. Week 2 was a breakthrough week for me 🙂 I appreciate that.
Morning Carrie 😀
Once again, I like that you’ve been experimenting in a different direction and I do like those cooler tones, especially leaning towards the aqua tones.
Will come back and vote when Im not viewing on the iPad. Ive found it doesn’t read images well… I’ll be baaack 😃
This has been an awesome month for you!!!
Hi Robyn,
yes, experimenting with sliders and creeping further down the panel…into uncharted territory 🙂 I liked the feel of those aqua tones too, it changed the mood deeply. The down turn of clarity also added an element of moodiness that makes me smile 🙂
So nice that this makes you smile.
Makes me happy too. It does have a lovely mood 😃
Hey Carrie, I totally get the being out in a full moon and seeing the sky like that, its a beautiful image and lovely and soft and ethereal 🙂
Well, I really appreciate that Stacey. I have enjoyed working with this image over the past month, lots of growth! And I have always found the time of night/day which I am going for this week, the pre-dawn hour, to feel as this image portrays. Have a merry holiday season.
this week’s photo is stunning. I love it!!!
You are so kind, Marsha. Thank you. I must admit, I was a bit worried about this process. I liked it, but wasn’t sure how it would be received. I am happy it is well received! Enjoy your holidays over the next couple weeks.
They are all just beautiful!!! very difficult choice but I went with one!!
Oh thank you Cybele, that is so nice to hear. I really learned and grew a lot this month. It was FUN. Thank you for your vote 🙂
Hello Carrie – Really like this last edit, it is as if it is lit by the moon. Difficult choice between this one and Wk2, but I went for Wk2.
Well, glad I made you think 🙂 Week 2 was a true eye opening week for me. I learned so much that week! A moon-lit mood is where it was taking me too. Glad it comes across that way for this week. Looking forward to seeing your edit this week too, safe travels!
I was torn between W2 and W4 and voted for W4, but they’re both quite beautiful!
Oh thank you, I appreciate your enjoyment of those weeks. It was a beautiful morning and an interesting photograph to work on. I learned a lot!
All great images but week 4 is the stand out one for me. The cool blues, even the over blue in the water works but it is the minus clarity that I think gives those clouds the moodiness that makes the image. Great work and have a happy and safe festive season.
Thank you for the great feedback, I love how the minus clarity added a beautiful moodiness to the image. It is one of my favorite sliders at this point. And, thank you for the lovely holiday sentiments, I really appreciate it and wish the same for you!
I really like the cool tones in week four, my only advice would be to tone down the saturation in the pond as there is a hot spot which is quite distracting.
Yes, I agree Ben. I know just the place you are speaking of 🙂 Glad you found this weeks cool tones appealing. Have a very happy holidays!