Darkroom Challenge Darkroom Derby Challenge #264 - Winner Announced

[Piano]

Start Date

Feb 3, 2025

End Date

Feb 6, 2025

This is Digital Darkroom Derby #264, a digital image editing/processing challenge.

These challenges are open to everyone. If you have any interest in practicing or improving your image editing and post-processing skills, please feel free to join in!

Please read the rules here. Short version: -> Host provides the challenge image and selects the winner, who then becomes the next host.

If you feel that you may be unable to provide an image for the next challenge, please submit your entry with the words "Not Competing" at the top.

I shot a sequence of bracketed exposures so you can edit as many as you like. You'll find them here.

Challenge Ends 6pm GMT on Thursday 6th February.

 

[griffljg]

Entry #1:

What a great example to use as an HDR challenge. Fortunately (for me at least), this is something that Capture One Pro does really well. I imported all five raw (RAF) files into Capture One Pro and performed an HDR Merge. Then fiddled around a bit with Brightness, some more Highlight and Shadow recovery, before adding in some Clarity. I noticed that the bushes towards the bottom left of the image appeared to be blowing around between the individual photos but, as they didn't really draw my eye to the movement, I decided to leave them there. I only noticed them while pixel peeping.

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[Zeus1]

Like Larry, I first tried an HDR (using Photomatix Pro). Afterwards I postprocessed only one image, _DSF7676.RAF, which turned out much better. There is sufficient dynamic range in this one image.

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[Sett]

Raw > Neo Merge > PS > Jpeg 4 variations of colorization
Nigel >>> Keen eye on keeping the horizon straight !!

#1

#2

#3

#4

 

[griffljg]

Entry #2:

I agree with Hendrik that image DSF7676 has enough dynamic range in it to render HDR merge unnecessary.

I reverted to my standard method of: RAF (raw) file -> DxO PureRAW 4 -> DNG file -> Capture One Pro -> JPEG file.

In Capture One, I maxed out both Highlight and Shadow recovery and then increased the Brightness a bit.

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[Rob R]

#1
I opened the 5 files in Lightroom Classic and merged into HDR, moved it to Photoshop and finished to what I thought looked good.

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[Rob R]

#2 I went back to the merged file and used NIK HDR Efex to see what it could do. There were many presets to choose from and I picked one and then further editing in Photoshop. I liked trying out some HDR editing as I haven't done too many myself.

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[Peano]

Not competing. I just used one exposure (7676) and aimed to make it look "the way it was." In reality? No. In my imagination -- mainly by selectively prettying up colors in the foreground.

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[RobD]

#1. ACR & PS

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[RobD]

#2. Aurora, ACR & PS

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[kae1]

Entry #1 Used one image through DXO PL8 then Elements and PhotoAI

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[kae1]

Entry #2

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[WhidbeyLVR]

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DxO PL7, Topaz Photo AI, Gimp. I used only the middle exposure. Exposure, contrast, color & crop in DxO and sharpening in Topaz. Scaling and nits in Gimp.

 

[griffljg]

Not an Entry:

Just playing around with ON1 Photo RAW 2025.

I found that HDR merging the images left a bit too much of a halo around the rocks and so decided to try my luck on the middle image. I used the Landscape Colour Profile and then wound back the contrast a bit.

At Rashid's (@gecko) suggestion, I tried to see if it made any difference in changing the sharpening on export.

The first image is with my usual export parameter of "Sharpen for Screen Low".

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​

The second image is for "Sharpen Screen High":

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[WhidbeyLVR]

entry 2, using image 7677, all done in DxO-PL7. Less lifting of the shadows, trying to hold onto that silhouette vibe.

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[Piano]

Sorry for the delay folks.
Some good takes on this series. It was around sunrise so still quite dark so I shot bracketed series of all the images I took that morning. However, like a number of you found, there is sufficient detail in one or two of the frames to be able to make an edit from one of them.
In Third place I chose Zeus1. I liked the overall balance of this edit Hendrik and there was sufficient light in the foreground to provide good viewing depth through the image.
In second place I went for griffljg's 1st edit but my winner this challenge is WhidbeyLVR's 1st edit. I liked the crop, tonal range in the sky and as with Hendrik's, the foreground was well balanced.
Thanks for all your edits and over to you Lyle.
Here's my edit:-

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[WhidbeyLVR]

Thank you for hosting the challenge, Nigel, and thanks for the nod!

The new challenge is up:

Darkroom Challenge Thread 'Digital Darkroom Derby #265'

Friday at 2:40 PM

This is Digital Darkroom Derby #265, a digital image editing/processing challenge.

These challenges are open to everyone. If you have any interest in practicing or improving your image editing and post-processing skills, please feel free to join in!

Please read the rules here. Short version: Host provides the challenge image and selects the winner, who then becomes the next host.

Join to see EXIF info for this image (if available)

The RAW and JPEG files are here.

The challenge will close at noon Pacific Standard Time on Tuesday, February 11, 2025. (I am busy Monday, so a day longer than usual.)

• WhidbeyLVR

•