Darkroom Challenge Digital Darkroom Derby #227 : Results posted

[Irene McC]

Start Date

Sep 13, 2024

End Date

Sep 20, 2024

This is Digital Darkroom Derby #226, 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.

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This is an image I took in 2017 outside the Union Buildings in Pretoria with a huge Nelson Mandela statue.
It is besieged by tourists taking selfies and self appointed photographers taking pictures with instant printers.

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The jpg and RAF files are available for download from WeTransfer here: https://we.tl/t-mxhq0wriGF

 

[RobD]

#1. ACR & PS

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[griffljg]

I can't remember when I was last in Pretoria, but it would have been in about 1992. My mother told me that my Australian grandmother worked in the Union Buildings before she was married. That would probably have been during the WWI years of 1914-1918. One of Sir Herbert Baker's many great designs.

I approached this with my usual workflow:

Raw file -> DxO PureRAW 4 (Mainly for lens correction purposes) -> DNG file -> Capture One Pro (Perspective correction, Exposure level and HDR modifications, Clarity, Cropping to 16:9) -> JPEG file.

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[Peano]

Not competing, just a general cleanup in ACR/PS.

• recovered sky
• corrected keystone distortion
• removed people (except the foreground girl for scale)
• opened shadow details
• removed white streaks on the statue
• toned down the foreground brick terrace

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[Irene McC]

My mother told me that my Australian grandmother worked in the Union Buildings before she was married. That would probably have been during the WWI years of 1914-1918. One of Sir Herbert Baker's many great designs.

Oh wow, that is interesting - I've never been inside. Yes, it's a very imposing design architecturally.

 

[Zeus1]

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[gecko]

I would like this to be a non-entry. with my apologies. I have not been taking Challenge-worthy photos for quite a few years, and would like to avoid the chance of having to host. However this might serve to bump the thread. Ken convinced me to change my mind, so this is my 1st entry (but I fervently hope that it is as bad as I think it is and that I don't win )

Edited raw file in DxO PL7 then tweaked in Elements (with ON1 Effects and Topaz Photo AI as plug-ins). Main edits were to increase shadow detail in the statue, and to warm up the light somewhat.

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[kae1]

I have not been taking Challenge-worthy photos for quite a few years, and would like to avoid the chance of having to host.

Rashid, you make a good point.
I don't regard the majority of my photos as "challenge-worthy" as 95% of what I currently take is related to motorsports and I have to search round for any others which I've taken over the years (especially as I've only started using RAW in the last couple of years ). I've thought several times of not entering for exactly that reason, but I would hate to see the Challenges die as I've personally learnt so much because of them. If there's a small uptake then it is enough for me to stick in an entry to make up the numbers.
However, I see the purpose of the challenge as getting other people to put a different perspective to the original photo and not a critique of that photo. The challenges only work if we get new "to us" photos to play with, no matter how poor or brilliant that photo was. If you honestly feel that you have nothing, then of course that's your prerogative, but IMO any photo is "challenge-worthy".

 

[gecko]

Rashid, you make a good point.
I don't regard the majority of my photos as "challenge-worthy" as 95% of what I currently take is related to motorsports and I have to search round for any others which I've taken over the years (especially as I've only started using RAW in the last couple of years ). I've thought several times of not entering for exactly that reason, but I would hate to see the Challenges die as I've personally learnt so much because of them. If there's a small uptake then it is enough for me to stick in an entry to make up the numbers.
However, I see the purpose of the challenge as getting other people to put a different perspective to the original photo and not a critique of that photo. The challenges only work if we get new "to us" photos to play with, no matter how poor or brilliant that photo was. If you honestly feel that you have nothing, then of course that's your prerogative, but IMO any photo is "challenge-worthy".

Thank you, Ken. I have thought a lot about this. I realize the risk. At the same time, I also know that my vision is extremely bad and that in judging I find it nearly impossible to see subtle differences. I worry that by not providing worthy Challenge photos, and by my very poor judging I would lower the standard of the Challenge. Also, recently there have been a few new contributors. But I will consider changing my mind on a case by case basis before the Challenge closes depending on the number of submissions at that time. I am open to ideas on how to cope with the problem.

 

[kae1]

I am open to ideas on how to cope with the problem.

Rashid, from my perspective I wouldn't know from your submissions that you struggle with your vision or your judging. No one is going to judge your judging and the only important thing is your opinions about the edits of your photo. If the challenges had "standards" then there would be one less contribution as I wouldn't be able to partake! All I can say is if you enjoy doing the challenges - then do it.

 

[gecko]

Rashid, from my perspective I wouldn't know from your submissions that you struggle with your vision or your judging. No one is going to judge your judging and the only important thing is your opinions about the edits of your photo. If the challenges had "standards" then there would be one less contribution as I wouldn't be able to partake! All I can say is if you enjoy doing the challenges - then do it.

OK, Ken: you win

 

[kae1]

Entry #1 DXO PL7 then Elements

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[kae1]

Entry #2

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[gecko]

Entry #2: As in entry #1, but the statue is a little darker, and applied Nik Color Efex "Tonal contrast" then reduced saturation a bit. Edit: removed person in white shirt (I first tried "remove" in Photo AI but that didn't work well, so I used "content aware fill" in Elements which did a pretty good job, I think).

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[Irene McC]

Some great entries here already!
The previous link expired and I re-upped the files to here https://we.tl/t-mxhq0wriGF

Please participate - two days to go

 

[Irene McC]

Oh heck! so many great edits, let me take some time to decide, meanwhile this DDD is closed.

 

[Irene McC]

Thank you all for entering and giving this a go! What I was looking for was keystone correction, colour and contrast and the removal of some people

@RobD - nice crop and good colours. I would have preferred some people removed
@griffljg - Good crop and colours - also 'over populated' but I like the look of this
@Peano - excellent (why don't you participate though?)
@Zeus1 - Good effect to use the background blur the way you did. People GONE!
@gecko - #1 and #2 - Having been there, I know how it looks and the warmed up colours are not 'right'. Nice removal of unwanted people in 2nd entry
@kae1 - colour entry - This is closest to the way I edited my image and I like what you've done.

WINNER @kae1 - well done and over to you for the next challenge!
2nd place - @Zeus1
3rd place - @griffljg

 

[kae1]

WINNER @kae1 - well done and over to you for the next challenge!

Thanks for the win, Irene

Next challenge is here.