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Processing Challenge: Nikon D800 file

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
Guy, Uwe and I were discussing a way to have some fun learning and sharing with the D800 and Uwe suggested something he used to do on his DOP site -- have a sort of contest where people can all work on the same raw file and share results, thus all learning about how to best process a new camera's images for themselves. So here we are!

The concept is simply to share how you work up a file from start to finish, and posting a final result along with some crops. Here is a raw NEF that Uwe has provided. Click on the link, then navigate to the second file titled, "1204D800_0479_RanchHouse_70_200mm_VRII.NEF.zip," click on it and it should download. (Depending on browser you may need to do a right-click and save-as): Index of /getdpi

Once you have the file, work it up however you like, just keep notes so you can share them with the group. I will be posting my results after a few days of results get posted, but my process will likely be converting the raw with C1 using standard tools as well as the advanced color editor, then outputting to CS5 for some localized editing, crops, web sizing and possibly additional output sharpening. Be sure to post crops of a detailed area for sharpness and/or color comparisons.

This is not a contest, but rather a shared learning experience, so nothing to win other than having some fun with your friends online!

Here is an "as shot" web version of the image you will be working on, nothing done to it other than a quick direct C1 web jpeg so you can see it here:



Let the games begin!
 

danielmoore

New member







Processed in C1, changing the gamma level to about -0.23, added a mild contrast curve. Ran CA analysis just in case. Rotated by eye. All else at defaults. Opened in PS. Copied bg layer, set it to overlay at 23%/stamped visible to top layer/added B&W adj. layer in Luminosity blend mode with the following values:
Red: -9
Yellow: 12
Green: 85
Cyan: 25
Blue: -74
Magenta: 28

Cloned out the wires and dish and a few bright random bits on and near the roof.
C1 applied default sharpening, I really like the look of it without any further sharpening at any point so I left it. All that detail doesn't leave me wanting.
 
Last edited:

Lars

Active member
Processing steps:
1. Used Nikon's NEF plugin for Windows to generate a 48-bit TIFF.
2. Wrote my own photo editing software.
3. Tweaked contrast and brightness.
4. Used polarizer filter to tweak sunlight, bring out flowers in foreground, and lichen on trees.
5. For some more texture in the foreground grass and flowers, added a masked layer with a slight contrast boost.
6. Sharpened at full resolution, radius 0.1 pixels at 300%. (This doesn't show in the final downscaled image.)
7. For the B/W version, added a B/W conversion filter with a dark red filter. Also increased overall contrast and pulled down shadows for deep density in tree bark.

(Still haven't figured out how to embed images rather than thumbnails, sorry about that.)
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Lars email me I will put in gallery guy at GetDPI.com. Same for anyone else if you can't figure that out make your post on what you have done than. E- mail me your image 1200 pixels wide I will put in gallery and add the BBC code in your post. I can edit anything as a admin
 

Jack

Sr. Administrator
Staff member
(Still haven't figured out how to embed images rather than thumbnails, sorry about that.)

Lars, your images look very good too, but it would be nice to see some crops --

Everybody has an automatic gallery here you can upload files to. Go to your gallery, simply hit the "upload" button, and follow the dialog. Once uploaded, click on the thumb, and you see a table with a link already for embedding into the thread. Here's a link to your gallery and you already have some images in it -- click on one and you will see the code links underneath: Regular Member Gallery - GetDPI Image Gallery

PS: How long did your processing step #2 take?

:ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
 

Lars

Active member
Lars, your images look very good too, but it would be nice to see some crops --

...

PS: How long did your processing step #2 take?

:ROTFL::ROTFL::ROTFL:
:talk028: (is that a bullying smilie?)

Umm... I stopped counting at 5,000 hours... currently at about 670,000 lines.
 

Mr.Gale

Member
Steps (all work in PS):
1.Straightened using ruler tool
2.Set white and black point in Levels layer
3.Made a Curves layer and changed blending mode to Multiply, set Opacity to 50%, then inverted image. Used the brush tool to burn in the grass below the house at 100%. Reduced the brush to 50% and burned in the top and sides.
4.Created a Selective Color layer and moved the black slider in Red to 100%
5.Sharpened using a Dan Margulis action

Mr.Gale



Crop at 100%


 

emr

Member
This will be an interesting thread to follow, to see what kind of PP people do. I won't be contributing due to the lack of skills and advance software, but just gave a try to see how well my Aperture handles the files. Boy, aren't they resource heavy! Opening that one single image and applying so PP made my 2011 MacBook Pro with 4 GB drop to its knees!
 

Stefan Steib

Active member
Hi Jack

regarding the fact that I am a bit biased with TS I did a somewhat different version.......:)

It´s first(!!!) processed with OnOne´s Focal Point 2 (opens the Nef instantly !) 2 focuspoints, a large one,see house, a small one see left edge tree. Settings were 11 blade aperture, widest feather (100 %) and some more.

Then saved as 16 bit tiff opened in Photoshop CS6 Beta, rotated, removed powerline and satelite dish, some manual burn on shadows, a bit + saturation on roof and blue fassade, unsharp mask on details. See full and crop here:






Have fun - this thread is a good idea - get creative folks !

Stefan
 
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Steen

Senior Subscriber Member

If I were to sell that house and this single picture was all I had, I would keep the pastel colors and the lack of contrast, add some vignetting and more or less leave it at that.

Plus of course straightened and also sharpened a bit.

My home is my castle, and a dream house needs a dreamy look, something like this :angel:



click for native size (15.7 Mb)


Lightroom 4




Here are the steps in Lightroom 4 (from bottom up).


 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member

I also gave it a try in Capture One 6.4

Here I also added some Levels adjustments which adds to the contrast but at the same time reveals with less mercy that the house could use a damp cloth ... :cool:

I'm not sure this version sells quite as well

click for native size (15.1 Mb)


Capture One 6.4
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
For me the first version is to bright. But as you said it may sell (more uplifting :).
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
And you even have a satellite dish :)

Yup, in Real Estate business we always leave all items untouched - if they add to the value.

And, as you probably know, in Real Estate business we never manipulate, only optimize :lecture:

Besides I cannot find those darn clone tools in my RAW converters ...
 

ustein

Contributing Editor
What you don't see is that we have also mouton view here :).

Actually this house is at one of the most beautiful roads we know (Hwy 25 with lovely oak hills).

Same property:



This is a shot 180 degrees back:



1 mile South:



Now for sure it sells.
 

docmoore

Subscriber and Workshop Member
Here is a short try with RPP -> LR4 as TIF -> PS for levels crop and sizing...







And a couple of crops


Top Left





Mid Bottom Right






Bob
 
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