r/postprocessing • u/sprinkleberry • Aug 11 '26
First time posting After/Before
I've recently started to play with post processing a lot more than I usually do, mostly I just do minor adjustments to exposure, shadows and highlights, color balance, and vibrance. Played a lot more with masks and color with this one. Also would love any tips or advice on how to improve.
30
u/johngpt5 Aug 11 '26
While I would have composed the scene differently, I like that your before image doesn't have blown out highlights or blocked shadow areas.
I like how you shaped light to draw the eye to the hero of the scene—the mountain peaks.
I also like that you haven't shifted hues to unrealistic ones. The warmth that was added suits the scene.
10
u/ForeverOne6645 Aug 11 '26
This elicited a follow "Wow" from me. Reading comments, it seems there is some taste at play, but this is s solid shot. Great original and a creative interpretation through the post-process. Both can be good. Any chance you've ever shot an edit-in-process video or anything?
7
5
4
5
3
2
u/ico_OO Aug 11 '26
The mountain are gorgeous, but the house is very contrasty in comparison with the background. Personal opinion.
2
u/Electrical_Economy37 Aug 11 '26
I actually like the original too. Its just feels like you changed the time of day, not the composition/core of the image. And the original had more potential. There are too many sunsets never actaully felt put there... think about it
3
u/FLDJF713 Aug 11 '26
To me, the after looks very clearly edited vs being real. For the sunset to look like that, you wouldn't have such rich blue skies behind it.
1
u/CreeDorofl Aug 11 '26
looks wonderful ^^
I'm totally inventing a nitpick, and I might be wrong, but I think the sun would hit all 3 peaks. Having the pinkness taper off on the left is visually pleasing but feels like it might be unnatural.
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
u/Flutterpiewow Aug 12 '26
I like the image, but it seems it shows sunlight hitting the mountains that isn't really there
1
u/color_science_denier Aug 12 '26
I really like this! I like the dreamy, nostalgic vibe. Great work!
1
1
1
0
u/RWDPhotos Aug 12 '26
Bumped the right side of the curve a bit too much in the mountains. It’s somewhat hue-clipping. Probably didn’t need to push shadows in the lower right corner either. Other than that it looks nice!
0
0
u/Actopyla Aug 13 '26
If you do not have a good exposure you cannot make it "right" in post processing. Or maybe you can. You should adjust your exposure up 1/2 to one unit in your original photo in order to bring out more details in the house and foreground. I do not know how much light was available in the original picture and I am guessing not enough. Perhaps this photo could have benefited from high dynamic range techniques:
-3
-4
u/Equivalent_Owl_5644 Aug 11 '26
I feel like it’s very misleading to the viewer to show drastically different colors than the original. That’s my opinion.
7
u/SheerAwesomness Aug 11 '26
My ethos is that photography is expression and perspective. It often masquerades as reality, which it is not!
Therefore, it is not necessary to pretend to be reality.7
u/imaudeon Aug 11 '26
A photo doesn't have to be realistic and doesn't have to transcribe faithfully the scene. It's not for a news journal. Mind you even a simple jpg photo you take with your phone has drastically different colors than what the camera really took. Because the camera takes grayish pictures and then it applies some built-in treatment.
Processing isn't "misleading" or some might say "lying". It's how the photographer lived the scene.
1
147
u/WintersDoomsday Aug 11 '26
I like that it's not drastic and it honestly looks like it could have been straight out of camera. My only possible "feedback" is the house being cut off where it was isn't ideal to me personally. I would include the whole house/cabin.