I tried a HDR on this and it did not do so well. So this is a single exposure and the sunlight was on the right side of the photo and in the shade on the left side. So I brighten the left side to make the snow on the mountains the same. There is still low contrast in the darker trees on the left.
I was looking for some ideas next time I am on the site with this kind of lighting. Also would it be better from bring out more of the sunny side and shade to show the contrast of the lighting as it was. I can update this post with the original photo if that helps
Dean, I think this kind of mid-day light makes it really hard to come away with the kind of image you might be looking for. Sometimes a B&W conversion can make more of this type of light, but I am hard-pressed to come up with helpful suggestions for next time you have these conditions.
I agree with Harley, This mid day light makes it difficult to get a pleasing color image. Even in black and white it is a bit flat. I tried converting to black and white, darkening the sky, lightening the area in shadow, and increasing mid tone contrast.
Dean, Whether you are attempting to recreate what you actually saw, or an image that you think looks better than what you saw, the harsh light conditions probably prevent you from achieving either—at least I don’t have the expertise to do so. Looks like you are about as close as you can get. Even the b/w by Tony, IMO, lacks something.
Thanks guys, when driving on a highway and I see something, the mid day sun is not the best time. So I capture the photo and see what I can do. Thank you for the comments, they were really helpful.
I went back to the way the scenery appeared and took that as my approach on this one
