Link For Images: (I was only able to upload one raw image so I had to make a Google Drive folder)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RxxLtiGFSx8gJ7YzmWqU1tfnMvzGLSyK?usp=sharing
Hello! I am submitting for the possibility of being in the Nick Page webinar!
About the image:
What an incredible morning! Capturing a 360-degree burn in a location like this is a photographer’s dream, but the processing part with extreme colors can be a bit tricky.
Here are some challenges I’m dealing with:
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How can I make a picture with such bold colors look realistic? Even the raw looks fake.
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Dealing with the intense red reflections from the sky is tough (The red rocks don’t make it easier.) Should I go with the natural red color cast and embrace it or should I try to tone it down?
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In naturally dark images like this with extreme dynamic range, how do I manage shadows to keep them ‘dark’ but still visible #TheClassicNickPageShadows 
Thank you!
-Trevor Vellinga
Raw File
_DSC7319.ARW (81.9 MB)
You may only download this file to demonstrate how you would process the image. The file is Copyright of the photographer, and you must delete the raw file when you are done. Please post a jpg of what you created, explain what you did, and why you did it.
My Edit
1 Like
Not sure what you’re complaining about; this looks quite good to me as is. The brights are controlled and the darks too. I might raise the deepest darks a bit.
Thank you @Ronald_Murphy. As I mentioned, I’m struggling with the red color cast and unsure which direction to take with it.
Thanks for your reply
Hello Trevor - I was there with you that morning and enjoyed visiting with you after this sunset so I can vouch for the realism! It was an amazing morning.
I really like your edit. You did a nice job capturing the dynamic range and brilliant color of that sunrise. I agree there is a lot of red, but that is what we had to work with that day.
Print it large and put it on a wall so that you can better enjoy the memories.
1 Like
I’m addicted to this type of photo of a grand scene with glorious color. What an amazing moment you captured in that image.
I couldn’t access your folder, but I did play with your uploaded raw file to see what I would come up with if I made a run at this. With that said, that raw file looks really good.
If the image is quite colorful to begin with, I just run with the color. However, I find my eye is much more sensitive to saturation of some colors and tones. I think this is what you too are alluding to in you first two points; when the sky reds look good to my eye, I find the blues and shadows seem oversaturated. Because of that I typically specifically knock back the color in those areas.
Managing the deep shadows is tricky, and I think monitor calibration and viewing environment are huge. Some photographers really like deep shadows to help the brighter areas pop, and I think your edit looks great in that spirit of things. However in this image, for me there is just too much good stuff lurking in the shadows and I found I preferred them opened up a bit more.
As always, YMMV. Regardless, this is a spectacular image and fun to play with. Thanks for posting!
