How would you post process this raw image?

[milosh]

Hello everyone,

I would like to know how would some of you members who is good with PS and other image editing tools post-process this shot.
This is a night shot of a tree that is surrounded with many lights, and one of them is in the middle of the tree canopy. What attracted me to shoot this scene is the light that was surrounding the tree. I would say it was very diffused, warm and soft (probably because of the many light sources near the tree). It was shot with a D60 on a tripod and with the self timer shutter release. Anyway, I did pp it, partly in Lightroom and partly in PS, but I couldn't get that "magical" feeling which was present at the location. My pp skills are very limited so far. So, what do you think why I wasn't able to achieve that effect? Was it the pp, or not exposing the image right in the first place?

Here's the image converted to jpg. I know I got a nasty halo around the center light, but I don't mind that. If you click on the image, you can view it full resolution.



And here's the original raw file, if you wish to play with it:
RapidShare: DSC_0209.NEF


Thank you.

[harrypalmer044]

Hi there,
Not sure what it is your after in post editing but if this were mine (it looks like a nice place to visit) this is basically all that I would do to it. I have cropped it a little and removed some of the dead ground in the image and then warmed it up a little. I hope you like it
David.

[milosh]

Thanks David! I also tried to warm it up, but I didn't because it wasn't so warm in reality. I like your crop though. The thing that bothers me is that I am not able to "extract " all the subtle changes in light intensity and colour that my eye saw there. The light around the tree and on the ground was very subtle and colourful. It is hard to ask someone what they would have done, when I can't actually show you what my goal is. Maybe taking more shots and combining them in a not over-processed HDR would work better. I don't know.

[fletch]

Here is what I would do: (It really is a good shot)



What did I do? Using Lightroom and only lightroom (You could do the same in ACR)

-Left the WB "As Shot"
-Increased exposure, lots of fill light and a small increase in the blacks
-Increased contrast, clarity a lot and vibrance
-Sharpening up to 89

Then using the adjustment brush
-Made the tree more green
-On the floor used lots of clarity and contrast to bring out the patern

You can see all the lightroom settings on the exif on flickr.

If I were going to finish the photo off I would go into photoshop, clone out the cables and maybe apply some selective sharpening.

[milosh]

Fletch, now this looks more like it. I'm gonna take a better look at it once I get home, since now I'm viewing it on a crappy monitor at my work.

[raghunath]

Here is my attempt. It involves Photomatix (exposure Fusion) and Photoshop for curves (in LAB colour) and High Pass filter.

Will much appreciate your comments.

Regards,

Jayant Neogy

[milosh]

Thank you guys. Again, Fletch, your image is the closest to what I was looking for. I just tried to redo everything in LR like you said, and I did it! Before this, I never used adjustment brush, and that's what this image was missing. The clarity on the ground really separates it from the tree and gives the image a sense of depth. Thanks for teaching me this.

I'm gonna give this image a lot more work when I have time, also gonna remove the power lines.

Raghunath, your image is also good but a bit too saturated, as far as I remember the scene.
I have no idea about LAB colour and High Pass filer yet. Thanks!

Here's my version: