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Posted on 11/07/11 12:23:09 PM |
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stewart Scott
* Posts: 29 Reply  |
Not sure about this...
I took this picture yesterday at Lacock Abbey with in intention of adding some sun rays shinning in through the ornate stone window frames. I attempted this last night and spent a few hours on it this morning, for some reason I cannot get it to look right. It does not have the beauty I had anticipated - maybe I am doing something wrong or the image simply doesn't need it. What do you think?  _________________ www.fablephotos.co.uk |
Posted on 11/07/11 3:14:50 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 4002 Reply  |
Re: Not sure about this...
Hi Stewart, Your shafts of light look ok but the problem lies with the rendition of the arches on the ground; they wouldn't look anywhere near as sharp as this in real life. Indeed you probably wouldn't be able to make them out as arches, more like very fuzzy pools of light rather similar to the lower image. Try creating a new layer of the floor and that 'step' then add a curves adjustment layer to brighten it up rather than add arches of light. Another alternative might be to add a lot of Gaussian Blur to the arches of light that you have created on the floor and then adjust the transparency if required. Then add a layer mask to create the fall-off of light with distance from the wall. Hope that makes sense. Gordon _________________ Only one shopping day left until tomorrow! |
Posted on 12/07/11 01:59:50 AM |
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joeysala
Perfect Palmist Posts: 604 Reply  |
Re: Not sure about this...
Hi Stewart - great image! I agree with Gordon - and I think the result of following his advice might be what is happening in the original photo - bottom right hand corner. ??? Joey |
Posted on 12/07/11 06:08:53 AM |
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Nick Curtain
Model Master Posts: 1768 Reply  |
Re: Not sure about this...
Agree with Gordon. The building is beautiful, so let's see more of it. Duplicated background with Shadows / highlight applied to bring out some detail. Merged layers and duplicate merged. Applied Gaussian blur and changed blend to soft light. Used 'blend if' to rescue some of the shadow detail. Duplicated that layer and in blending options changed blend to screen. Then dabbed some white paint around the windows and with a mask made some feint streaks with black paint. Then created a curves adjustment and increased red and yellow through the channels. Created another curves and increased exposure. Inverted the mask to 'hide all' and dabbed with white where the light falls on the floor. Very quick and dirty, but hope this helps. Nick  |
Posted on 12/07/11 07:47:05 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7025 Reply  |
Re: Not sure about this...
What Nick says is correct. However, there's a more fundamental issue with your image, Stewart, and that's that the light on the ground is in the shape of the stone part of the window frame, rather than the holes through which the light would actually shine. |
Posted on 12/07/11 09:55:25 AM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 4002 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
Well spotted Steve. I was wondering how long it would be before anyone noticed!!  _________________ Only one shopping day left until tomorrow! |
Posted on 12/07/11 1:26:38 PM |
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stewart Scott
* Posts: 29 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
Yes I realised that, somebody kindly pm me to let me know that I had made a school boy error! Note to self must recap on Steves article about window shadowing. I would like to thank you all for the advice I have been working on the image and here it is.  _________________ www.fablephotos.co.uk |
Posted on 12/07/11 3:47:36 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 4002 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
It's looking good. Just think that you need a little more Gaussian Blur on the light on the ground. _________________ Only one shopping day left until tomorrow! |
Posted on 12/07/11 4:27:47 PM |
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Nick Curtain
Model Master Posts: 1768 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
Much better and agree with Gordon re the extra blur. The rays of light (angle) should also match the length of their created image on the floor. Perhaps a solitary monk about 75% along the left hand side and casting a shadow would provide additional interest. Nick |
Posted on 12/07/11 8:04:34 PM |
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Deborah Morley
Makeover Magician Posts: 1319 Reply  |
Re: Not sure about this...
Hello Stewart, All you need to do now is darken the rest of the floor where the walls make a shadow. See attachment.  |
Posted on 12/07/11 8:27:49 PM |
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GKB
Magical Montagist Posts: 4002 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
Hi Stewart, The shadows of the arches should be as dark as the shadows on the floor. All you should see should be pools of light in a blurred version of the openings. The reason the shapes of the pools of light would be so indistinct is because light would be scattered as it came around the edges of the arch. _________________ My neighbour knocked on my door at 2:30am this morning, can you believe that 2:30am?! Luckily for him I was still up playing my Bagpipes. |
Posted on 13/07/11 2:57:50 PM |
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stewart Scott
* Posts: 29 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
I think I am there now, I have blurred the window frame shadows and darkened the area on the floor around the frames whilst still maintaining highlights in the eves of the corridor. Oh and just for Nick I stuck in a solitary monk - not sure if I shall include him in the finished edit but I had fun creating him. Thanks for all your help on this guys much appreciated!  _________________ Join me on twitter http://twitter.com/#!/Stewart_Scott |
Posted on 13/07/11 3:40:53 PM |
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Nick Curtain
Model Master Posts: 1768 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
Stewart It's so much better than the original image and I do think the figure adds to the interest. Just my personal view though. I think you've done a great job here. Nick |
Posted on 13/07/11 4:24:38 PM |
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stewart Scott
* Posts: 29 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
Thanks a lot Nick - I had fun creating it! _________________ Tutorials and inspiration www.fablephotos.co.uk/wordpress |
Posted on 14/07/11 07:25:44 AM |
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Steve Caplin
Administrator Posts: 7025 Reply |
Re: Not sure about this...
Much better! Good job! |