Storm clouds

[ribkaje]

Took this yesterday, just before it started raining like mad. Don't hold back!

[jiminyClickit]

ribkaje,

Just on the edge of too dark. If you could keep the sky, and lighten foreground buildings to give a hint of their shape, it'd be more interesting. Angle and framing are already good, just dark.

[ribkaje]

Thanks jiminy! Will try to fix it up...

[underexposed]

I like this shot, the way it goes "into" the picture. (DOF?)

[ELAY]

I agree with Jiminy.

There is lots of detail in the buildings. What you might try doing is creating a duplicate layer of your photo, and doing separate curves adjustments for the buildings and clouds (if you do the curves globally, when you brighten the buildings you will take the contrast out of the sky).

That way you can lighten the buildings up on one layer, and, if you like increase the contrast on the sky on the other layer. Then you use a layer a mask to combine them (ie. if your buildings layer is the bottom layer, then on your top layer, using selection on your layer mask, make the sky show through and the buildings go transparent).

EL

[ribkaje]

Originally Posted by underexposed

I like this shot, the way it goes "into" the picture. (DOF?)

Thanks for the kind words mate! I was thinking the exact same thing while taking that picture.

Originally Posted by ELAY

I agree with Jiminy.

There is lots of detail in the buildings. What you might try doing is creating a duplicate layer of your photo, and doing separate curves adjustments for the buildings and clouds (if you do the curves globally, when you brighten the buildings you will take the contrast out of the sky).

That way you can lighten the buildings up on one layer, and, if you like increase the contrast on the sky on the other layer. Then you use a layer a mask to combine them (ie. if your buildings layer is the bottom layer, then on your top layer, using selection on your layer mask, make the sky show through and the buildings go transparent).

EL

I was actually wondering how I was going to keep the sky and yet somehow brighten the building. Thanks for the tip ELAY. Will try it out and post the results here ASAP.

[ribkaje]

Ok guys, I followed the steps ELAY suggested and this is what I came up with. Managed to keep the sky pretty much the same with the buildings a little brighter and more detailed. Couldn't do much about the wall on the left though. It turns up solid black as soon as I grayscale the picture. What do you think? Better?

[jiminyClickit]

ribkaje,

It looks more complete now, giving a better vision of what you saw there. Good work

[ribkaje]

Thanks for all the advice Jim!

[oriolhdz]

Hey ribkaje, nice shot! As you said, following the advices from Elay helped to improve that particular shoot. I liked more the second one too. Thanks for sharing it. Also I would like to see if you want, the original photo in color. Sometimes you get really nice blues with clouds like that.
Keep up the good work!