this was actually taken as color slide either Agfachrome or Ektachrome. It was scanned into the computer by our Nikon film scanner. this dates back to 2001. It was shot in canyonlands in one of the side canyons possibly Coyote Gulch. I’ve always liked the abstract nature of this image. As for scale, the original was about 1‘ x 2 1/2‘ and I shot between my legs to get the image.
Feedback Requests
anything that will help me as a photographer
Especially color slides. What is the best way to import them and process them
Pertinent Technical Details
well this was shot Nikon N 80 film camera and I don’t remember what lens I had but was probably wide-angle or normal
I love this, David! Great texture and color, and the composition works very well. You did a good job with the scan and processing. No nits.
Regarding importing and processing transparencies:
Importing:
Scan as a *.tif file and store it in a folder on your computer.
Open the file in your image processing software. (I use Photo Shop, so I just open the *.tif file. I then duplicate the tif file and save it as a *.psd file.) I would assume Light Room is similar.
I close the *.tif file.
Processing:
The first thing to check is the color balance. Depending upon the color accuracy of the scan, you may need to adjust it. In PS, create a Color Balance layer above the Background layer and tweak as necessary.
Next, look at Exposure/Gamma/Offset using an Exposure layer
Now you can globally adjust Curves or Levels using their respective layers for contrast adjustments. (Trick: set the Blending Mode to Luminosity so that color is not affected.)
After those adjustments are complete use other tools to fine tune the image.
Save early and often.
I have scanned a ton of transparencies, mostly MF and 4x5. This workflow has worked for me for a long time. If you have questions, shoot me a message.
-p
I really love this image. I don’t know anything about color slides but I really love the way it looks like a shoe print, the the different shades of red. It is just so eye catching and interesting.
David, the curling mud layer looks great. That area does look somewhat like a shoe, but your size specs make that impossible. It looks like rock underneath the curls. I see some small rodent tracks in the lower left corner
Nicely framed and very cool looking mud, David. The thin curls are astounding : I thought it was peeling bark at first. The deep red mud is very interesting.
such a wonderful image, David! I really like your composition, especially the upper right corner, very beautifully framed. Wonderful structures and colors. maybe one little thing I would darken down a little bit is at the Botton edge of the frame, there is a lighter patch which draws my attention a little bit away from the beautiful cracks. but its just an amazing image as it is!
I missed this before but glad I found it as it is simply beautiful! I thought at first it was peeling manzanita bark. Quite spectacular that it is dried mud! Beautifully framed! I wonder about a little lower saturation on the brighter red area at the top, but that’s a small nit for a fantastic find!
