A huge storm was brewing up north toward the Canadian border. The clouds danced in grand circles but fortunately, it all moved northward and I enjoyed a beautiful summer day in the park.
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D500, 24-120 @24mm, f/11, 1/400, ISO 320
As are a few others on here, I am trying to properly use the TK8 masking techniques. It’s not so much the learning curve is steep, it’s learning to use the combinations correctly…step by step is the only way I know how. In this image, I started in ACR with a some minor calibration tweaking after my basic tonal controls. I generally try not to do too much and while at first I was quite enthralled with the new masking techniques ACR offered, not so much now that I can accomplish so much more with the TK8 panels.
In the PS portion, I used both a tonal map and color map, then color mapping though mostly on the mid-tones. I did go back into the clouds more than once and using the selections options, isolated the sky, water and mountains (and shadows) for further refinement both with the TK8 choices and once again taking it back into ACR for more color calibration, mostly in the greens.
With so many options, I wonder if I am overdoing or under-utilizing the luminosity masks.
I hear you on the panels, Chris, but I’m not sure you can overuse or underuse such a tool in the sense that it harms your photo or your process. For me it is more a matter of learning how to do what I think the picture needs - like for example in a recent photo I thought needed a little more sparkle and definition in a certain area, but I wasn’t sure how to get it. Then I remembered what an edge mask does and wham - that was the finishing touch. I am thinking about adding another tutorial about it - no Orton effect though, just an edge mask.
Since I’ve begun using the plug in, I’ve mostly concentrated on straightforward adjustments and masks in pretty simple ways. As I make my way through Sean Bagshaw’s Luminosity Masking Masterclass, I’m starting to realize more things that can be done with greater sophistication and creativity. I can only imagine how it will affect my work in the coming year and how comfortable I will be with the tools a year from now or even just a few months.
So…your photo. Sorry, yeah this was about your picture, right? LOL. I like it - the layers and shapes are well organized and framed and the clouds are an exciting element. They feel overdone to me though and detract from the landscape too much. Looks like there’s some noise that came up as a result of your adjustment, too. Looks like the hillside needs that ‘sparkle and definition’ I mentioned above. Not on all parts of the hill, but I think on the right could be a target. Telling the story of the light and not the clouds might be a way to approach this. You could consider cropping away most of the right side after the nearest hillside reaches the water. There’s nothing over there that’s really doing anything for the story IMO.
Oddly enough I did very little to the clouds and more to the hillsides as I felt they were underwhelming…I will look into edge masks and see if I can ease into a bit mores parkle.
