Angry Sky - I need help with this one!!! Please!

[shutternut]

I feel like this photo has so much more potential..but it's not quite there. I need some help with this one. I don't know if I should go HDR (which I don't know how to do), lighten up the trees in the foreground or what...I really don't know. I think this photo has room for some more drama in it!

I already adjusted slightly the contrast and blue color channel because of an overall blue tint..but I am at a point where I don't know what to do next..and in some cases how to do what I want to do. Can you help me out with this one?? PLEASE! Any critiques, tips, suggestion, edits (for example only) welcome...please help me out with this one - I love this photo and want to make it as good as it can get!




Exposure: 0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 28 mm
ISO Speed: 200

[private]

As soon as I saw it, I wanted to do it...I played with the color chanel andthen adjusted the brightness and added a little contrast...

[private]

or do you want it brighter - what did you see when you took the picture?

[shutternut]

It's not so much that I want it brighter - maybe similar to what lputman did...
I don't want it to be unrealistic. I was trying to lighten the trees and water in front some to show more of the reflection, and add some contrast to the sky to up the drama. I'm trying to see what other options I have for it too....I feel like it's one of those photos you could toy with a lot.

[private]

did you get a PM from Lputman - people do confuse us...

You should put this photo in the WWYD games and challenges... What PP software do you use?

[shutternut]

ha ha I'm such a dunce! For whatever reason I thought she had posted the pic and you asked the question...my eyes must be crossing b/c I could have sworn that was the case. I meant that I like what you did - along those lines is what I'm looking to do...I use photoshop cs3 but I am still learning a lot..

[dpsteak]

Here is my take at it. I didn't do much because I loved how the sky is dark and grey, angry just like your title suggests. I did bring a bit of detail out in the foreground and added a touch of contrast to the sky. I'm sure there are a lot of neat things that can be done to this photo but I chose to do as little as possible because I liked the feel of the original.

[private]

Originally Posted by shutternut

ha ha I'm such a dunce! For whatever reason I thought she had posted the pic and you asked the question...my eyes must be crossing b/c I could have sworn that was the case. I meant that I like what you did - along those lines is what I'm looking to do...I use photoshop cs3 but I am still learning a lot..

No worries, you are not the first to say that

But when I was brightening up the clouds the middle started getting blow out (is that the right word?

[iNeegma]

[shutternut]

care to share how you did that iNeegma?....that's closer to what I'm trying to do. How did you go about lightening the trees etc up? I tried a few different methods (the picture I posted does not represent those efforts) but wasn't completely satisfied with my abilities.