Challenge! Digital Darkroom Derby #105 - Closed - Winner Announced

[kae1]

Start Date

Mar 13, 2023

End Date

Mar 16, 2023

This is Digital Darkroom Derby #105, a digital image editing/processing challenge.
Please read the rules here. Short version: Host provides the challenge image and selects the winner, who then becomes the next host.

Still "trying" out various cameras which I can use with a single hand. Whilst I love most things about the Panasonic FZ330 I just need to convince myself of the IQ of this well designed small sensor camera. So this time a contre-jour shot from the top of Pendle Hill in Lancashire.

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RAW and JPEG files are here DDD 105

Competition closes at 18:00 UTC on Thursday 16th March 2023.

 

[griffljg]

Entry #1:

Tried to import the raw file into Capture One Pro 23, but that didn't work. Tried to run it through DxO PureRAW 2. That did work! Tried to import the resulting DNG file into Capture One. That also worked! Straightened the image. Then.......

Concentrated on the middle ground, pushed up the Contrast, wound back the Brightness, maximum Highlight recovery, some shadow recovery. Then fiddled around a bit with Clarity using the "Punch" method and a bit of Dehazeing. Smart-masked out the foreground and did a bit of additional Shadow recovery on it.

Finally, cropped the image to the 16:9 aspect ratio.

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[griffljg]

Entry #2:

As for Entry #1, but cropped the image to the 65:24 / XPAN aspect ratio. Included the foreground, as I didn't want to lose that path on the bottom left.

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[WhidbeyLVR]

Entry 1

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Kept the big sky, but tried to mitigate the blown highlights. Raw through DxO PL6, with cloud mods in Gimp/G'mic/Nik.

 

[RobD]

#1. ACR & PS

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[RobD]

#2. Topaz Photo AI, ACR & PS

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[Zeus1]

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[Peano]

#2. Topaz Photo AI, ACR & PS

Nice work on the noise reduction! Was that done by Topaz AI? I couldn't get nearly as good a result with my ancient version of Photoshop (CS6), nor with Imagenomic Noiseware.

 

[betamax]

LR then into Topaz Denoise

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[RobD]

Nice work on the noise reduction! Was that done by Topaz AI? I couldn't get nearly as good a result with my ancient version of Photoshop (CS6), nor with Imagenomic Noiseware.

Yes noise reduction and sharpening done with Topaz Photo AI. Cheers, Rob

 

[BosseBe]

First a B&W.
Entry #1:

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[BosseBe]

Then the color one it was made from.
Entry #2:

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[Peano]

Not competing, just experimenting. I don't have the latest AI software that does such a good job on noise.

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[kae1]

Still got plenty of time to have a go!

 

[WhidbeyLVR]

Entry 2, B&W

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[Stiga]

#1 Aurora > PS

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[Piano]

ACR adjustments, Topaz Denoise, selective masking and dodging and burning. Crop and sharpen

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[kae1]

Perhaps there is, but I’m struggling to imagine, a more “testing” image than this for any camera - even a 46mp FF whizz-bang never mind a 12mp 1/2.3” sensor. There are blown highlights, dark shadows, sun rays, haze, miniscule detail and it is only lacking a “kitchen sink”! What you have all proven to me is that today’s processing tools and your skills can work wonders.

I suppose I was primarily looking to see what improvements could be made to equipment “shortfalls” and then secondly to see if my “test” image could be made a bit more interesting bearing in mind an expansive sky, and lots going on!. As usual you’ve all managed to achieve this – so congratulations to you all.

My top three choices were ever so close, but I have chosen:-

Winner – @Piano – I love the realistic looking image with the removal of the foreground to create three “zones”, the nice balance you’ve created with natural looking colours and sky
First runner up – @WhidbeyLVR #2 – I love B&W and I thought a crop was needed, but you’ve shown it isn’t. I love the detail and control of blown highlights in the sky
Second runner up – @RobD #2 – I like the crop, the rays of sun, the detail and the clarity

Congratulations Nigel and over to you for the next challenge

Whilst I’m not ready to ditch my m4/3 equipment I am pleasantly surprised at what this camera and post processing is able to produce even though I struggled to get an acceptable image.

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[Piano]

Thanks Ken, I’ll get another one up in the morning.

 

[Piano]

Digital Darkroom Derby #106 is up and running :-

Challenge! - Digital Derby #106

Start Date Mar 17, 2023 End Date Mar 20, 2023...

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