Darkroom Challenge Digital Darkroom Derby #144 - CLOSED + results

Stiga

Stiga

Veteran
Location
Near Perthg, Scotland
Start Date
Aug 23, 2023

End Date
Aug 26, 2023

This is Digital Darkroom Derby #144, a digital image editing/processing challenge.

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

All3.jpg
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


A local winter landscape I rejected because the distant hills are not quite in focus - so I hope you can all show me how to improve things a bit.

The RAW files are here

The JPEGs are here

The Challenge finished at around 13:00h BST on Tuesday 26th August.
 
Last edited:
Entry #1:

Nice shot! That's a reminder to me to use HDR on landscape shots with lots of dynamic range.

First passed the three CR2 files through DxO PureRAW 3 for lens correction and sharpening purposes, before importing the three resulting DNG files into Capture One Pro 23 for further processing. This had the effect of sharpening up the definition of the distant hills.

In Capture One, performed a Merge to HDR on the three files, before cropping to 16:9 aspect ratio and applying lots of Highlight recovery and Shadow recovery. Increased the Contrast too.

IMG_2882-CR2_HDR.jpg
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Last edited:
I agree with the others. Nice image! I didn't feel the need to do much. I only used the medium (first) raw exposure, as it seemed nearly perfect and contained all the dynamic range needed. I twiddled a few knobs in DxO PL6 and added a graduated filter effect. Cropped to 5:4 aspect ratio for the 20" x 16" canvas prints I'm selling on etsy, and called it a day. :laugh1::laugh1::laugh1:

IMG_2880-web.jpg
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Not competing ... just played around with the mid-exposed raw file in ACR > Photoshop. Selective use of Topaz Clarity and Topaz Detail. The leaning trees on the right bothered me a little, so I straightened those up. I love the cloud formations! They're like a separate mountain range.

snowfield-1600.jpg
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Last edited:
Thanks to all who posted something

The acid test for this image is whether the dark woodlands in the middle distance have discernable trees and some colour. Peano, griffljg (#1), griffljg (#2) achieved this. WhidbeyLVR almost made it but the dark green conifers look black.

So, as Peano has ruled himself out, it's over to you Larry. If you can't find an image, please hand the torch to WhidbeyLVR

Martin

P.S. kae1, I love your rendering of the clouds
 
Last edited:
griffljg said:
Thank you Martin (@Stiga ) for the win.

As I suspect you realised, I am having difficulty finding something that is worthy of a challenge. ;) I would therefore like to ask Lyle (@WhidbeyLVR) to take over the torch.

Over to you Lyle.
Click to expand...
NOTE TO MODERATOR: If this is an absolute NO-NO, please delete the post but not ban me!

That's very sad, Larry. Others have also dropped out of this thread for the same reason. I have a solution but I think it probably contravenes posting rules. There are a handful of websites with royalty-free RAW files which are free-to-use for non-commercial purposes. The Signature site is the best know and this is their philosophy:
Signature copy.jpg
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


It is a solution I have used on another forum with some success. Sadly, that whole forum is now in steep decline

Here is an example

Original
small.jpg
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)


My interpretation
Final.jpg
Subscribe to see EXIF info for this image (if available)
 
Martin,

I get the feeling that I may well be part of the problem in that I usually mark up people whose entries are closest to how I remember the scene in real life. Maybe we should start marking up people who are more "creative". - This might encourage entries from people who are prepared to experiment a bit. I'll take a look in among the archives for a raw file which might encourage a bit more creativity in case I am lucky enough to win again.

Cheers

Larry
 
RobD said:
As a winner or host I think part of the fun was to see how others worked on and interpreted our image. Although I agree lately there has been less participants and winners are running out of material to use.
Click to expand...

griffljg said:
Martin,

I get the feeling that I may well be part of the problem in that I usually mark up people whose entries are closest to how I remember the scene in real life. Maybe we should start marking up people who are more "creative". - This might encourage entries from people who are prepared to experiment a bit. I'll take a look in among the archives for a raw file which might encourage a bit more creativity in case I am lucky enough to win again.

Cheers

Larry
Click to expand...
Thank you, Larry.

I think both approaches are valid in this thread, it all depends on what kind of image one is presented with. My approach with your images ist to make it look natural - but improvement by sky replacement is always an option fort me if the original sky is drab.

Martin
 
MoonMind said:
The proposal was definitely the wrong subforum (moved).

The only objections I could muster would be legal ones, and since the RAW files are royalty-free, I don't see a problem. But I may be naive as to what might be an issue - so I'd like others to chime in.

M.
Click to expand...
Thanks Leicanan.

If my idea is adopted would it need a rule change?

Martin

P.S. Do you know Kuno Schebdat, Wil, St. Gallen (Another LeicaMan) +Nikon? We were close internet friends at one time and he has visited me here in Scotland.
 
Last edited:
RobD said:
As a winner or host I think part of the fun was to see how others worked on and interpreted our image. Although I agree lately there has been less participants and winners are running out of material to use.
Click to expand...
Rob, perhaps that is because we are a dyin breed! . Thanks for your support.

Martin
 
Last edited:
griffljg said:
Thank you Martin (@Stiga ) for the win.

As I suspect you realised, I am having difficulty finding something that is worthy of a challenge. ;) I would therefore like to ask Lyle (@WhidbeyLVR) to take over the torch.

Over to you Lyle.
Click to expand...
Wow! This thread went pretty far sideways since I last checked in.

Larry, I will post a new challenge later today.


Stiga said:
NOTE TO MODERATOR: If this is an absolute NO-NO, please delete the post but not ban me!

That's very sad, Larry. Others have also dropped out of this thread for the same reason. I have a solution but I think it probably contravenes posting rules. There are a handful of websites with royalty-free RAW files which are free-to-use for non-commercial purposes. The Signature site is the best know and this is their philosophy:
View attachment 408122

It is a solution I have used on another forum with some success. Sadly, that whole forum is now in steep decline

Here is an example

Original
View attachment 408123

My interpretation
View attachment 408124
Click to expand...

MoonMind said:
The proposal was definitely the wrong subforum (moved).

The only objections I could muster would be legal ones, and since the RAW files are royalty-free, I don't see a problem. But I may be naive as to what might be an issue - so I'd like others to chime in.

M.
Click to expand...

RobD said:
As a winner or host I think part of the fun was to see how others worked on and interpreted our image. Although I agree lately there has been less participants and winners are running out of material to use.
Click to expand...

As to the rest, I understand the difficulty of trying to maintain this challenge series with too few participants. I feel that these challenges are harder to find since getting punted from the “Active Challenges” section on the front page after the forum reshuffle, but I don’t know how significant that is.

I know that since my life has resumed some kind of normalcy, post-pandemic, I have much less free time to spend on the forums, and I can’t even seem to keep up with the popular threads anymore. I skip pages at a time these days. And I have been absent here in the challenges, as well, while I am busy with travel or other interests.

I wrote the original rules page here, and I am fine with whatever changes participants agree on, as long as they pass muster with the admin and mod folks.
 
WhidbeyLVR said:
Wow! This thread went pretty far sideways since I last checked in.

Larry, I will post a new challenge later today.








As to the rest, I understand the difficulty of trying to maintain this challenge series with too few participants. I feel that these challenges are harder to find since getting punted from the “Active Challenges” section on the front page after the forum reshuffle, but I don’t know how significant that is.

I know that since my life has resumed some kind of normalcy, post-pandemic, I have much less free time to spend on the forums, and I can’t even seem to keep up with the popular threads anymore. I skip pages at a time these days. And I have been absent here in the challenges, as well, while I am busy with travel or other interests.

I wrote the original rules page here, and I am fine with whatever changes participants agree on, as long as they pass muster with the admin and mod folks.
Click to expand...
As long as they're marked as challenges, they really should be visible on the front page - their no longer appearing surely wasn't intended!

@Kevin I think you might want to look into this: If challenges run from one of the new subforums no longer make the front page, this'd impact "Single in" challenges as well ... I'd be glad if all kinds of open challenges still appeared there!

@WhidbeyLVR Lyle, I think I'll leave to you and the regulars to sort out the procedural details - but don't hesitate to contact me if it comes to site related stuff.

However, if it comes to technical stuff, only Kevin can set up and change things on that level.

M.
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

WhidbeyLVR
    • Like
    • Appreciate
Darkroom Challenge Digital Darkroom Derby #145 (closed, results posted)
2
Replies
20
Views
632
RichardC
RichardC
WhidbeyLVR
    • Like
    • Love
Darkroom Challenge Digital Darkroom Derby #147 (closed, results posted)
Replies
16
Views
523
BosseBe
BosseBe
G
    • Like
Darkroom Challenge Digital Darkroom Derby #141 -- CLOSED, results announced
Replies
10
Views
495
griffljg
griffljg
Back
Top