Dramatic sky shots – how are they achieved?

FlyTVR

FlyTVR

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Quite often see dramatic sky shots – dark blue threatening looks, but with the actual landscape looking natural.

How is this achieved? What sort of post process editing is done in PS?
 
First, find your sky.

You can then enhance it using a polariser, and/or a grad grey filter. A one stop will tend to give you a "natural-looking sky" - ie not overexposed. A 3 stop will tend to look overdone. But you need to experiment.

If that's not dramatic enough - you can begin post-processing. I'll leave that to others to explain.
 
Then there is HDR and exposure bracketing, not my taste but it can give very dramatic results if done with moderation other wise they tend to look like a cartoon!
 
I tend to use HDR to enhance skies. You need some drama there though first.
 
Or with something like Capture NX and a raw file you can selectively adjust the exposure on portions of the picture... its quick and its dirty :D
 
do you mean like this, because if you did then there has to be clouds present and good formation, then its a case of mulitply your layers (or i did) and erasing back the subject.

13-1.jpg
 
melevo said:
do you mean like this, because if you did then there has to be clouds present and good formation, then its a case of mulitply your layers (or i did) and erasing back the subject.

13-1.jpg
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Great shot - good example.

So, you take multiple shots different exposures? Then what?
Ta
 
grahamc said:
I think he meant multiple layers in PS ;)
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I'm missing something here - basically the bit that says - "then its a case of mulitply your layers (or i did) and erasing back the subject".

Can anyone please explain?
 
FlyTVR said:
I'm missing something here - basically the bit that says - "then its a case of mulitply your layers (or i did) and erasing back the subject".

Can anyone please explain?
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Create a duplicate layer in Photoshop.

Instead of "normal", change the layer type to "Multiply"

Erase (with you rubber) the land part of the multiply layer to reveal the land as is in the layer below.
 
richpips said:
Create a duplicate layer in Photoshop.

Instead of "normal", change the layer type to "Multiply"

Erase (with you rubber) the land part of the multiply layer to reveal the land as is in the layer below.
Click to expand...


thats a spot on reply !!!!!
 
I enhance skies in 2 ways. Either by using selective ajustments or using the dodge and burn tool.

To do selective ajustments you can use the lasso selection tool carefully leaving a rough small gap between the sky and the land then refine the edge by clicking the button in the top toolbar (usually 50px of feather works with everything else left on 0) and go into Image > Ajustments and use either curves, levels, hue/saturation or exposure.

To use the dodge or burn tool click and hold on the tool in the left hand toolbar and when the submenu appears make sure you select the burn tool. Set the exposure to about 4% and select either shadows, midtones or highlights. If you select the highlights then the whiter parts of the clouds will become more pronounced and same for the shadows when selecting shadows and so on.

Research selective ajustments and the burn tool. These are very handy skills :)
 
Or you could stop being so lazy and use ND Grads when you take the shot in the first place :lol:
 
This sky was a combo of 5 shots to create that dramatic look...

p9993419-4.jpg
 
Sorry Rich, I was in a rush as the phone went as I posted this and I totally forgot to come back to edit it and add that detail.

I took 5 shots, from -2 to +2 EV, handheld (see the movement at the edges) then used Photomatix to merge these shots into the one you see above. All with the Oly 7-14mm lens.

Oh how I wish I had taken my tripod with me though!
 
theMusicMan said:
Sorry Rich, I was in a rush as the phone went as I posted this and I totally forgot to come back to edit it and add that detail.

I took 5 shots, from -2 to +2 EV, handheld (see the movement at the edges) then used Photomatix to merge these shots into the one you see above. All with the Oly 7-14mm lens.

Oh how I wish I had taken my tripod with me though!
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That's OK. Thanks for the reply. HDR was what I was suspecting, though I thought I might have missed out on a new trick ;) Nice shot.
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
That to me is more a fake look than a dramatic look, but each to their own.
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WOW, how very complimentary Rick, thanks. And the value of your post is...?

voodoochild said:
I agree. Anyone can tone map with the HDR technique :D

Im not insulting your work because it is still rather impressive :)
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I guess it's also anyone who can use a camera, eh! but thanks for the veiled compliment.:D

richpips said:
That's OK. Thanks for the reply. HDR was what I was suspecting, though I thought I might have missed out on a new trick Nice shot.
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No, nothing new here Rich... :) well except it is not the free version of Photomatix... hehehe. :)
 
theMusicMan said:
WOW, how very complimentary Rick, thanks. And the value of your post is...?
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And this is a prime example of why people do not offer critism of posts.

All I said was I do not like it but others do yet you've taken offence.

Another person not to ever offer comments to in future
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
And this is a prime example of why people do not offer critism of posts.

All I said was I do not like it but others do yet you've taken offence.

Another person not to ever offer comments to in future
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Rick

Let me correct you. You didn't say you did not like it, you said it looked fake.

I am not 'offended' by your comments per sé Rick, there are far more important things to concern oneself with than comments such as these from yourself, but I simply fail to see what your objective was in offering the comments you did other than to try to insult. Within your post, you offered no constructive criticism at all, none... and there was absolutely no value in your post other than to offend... hence my asking what your point was.

Listen Rick, I have no issue with you not liking any images I post, each person is entitled to their own views, and each person likes what they like, that's fine and it's as simple as that. I am too long in the tooth to worry about things like this, but others... well maybe not. Honestly, I don't want to be the cause of you not posting comments on others images, but when you do just offer some constructive critique that's all, something the OP or image owner can extract value from and apply to their photography. Comments such as the one you posted offer no value at all.

Peace... :wave:
 
I've never got on with photomatrix although I know others have had successes. I always ended up with a, not fake as such, but kind of a games console graphics look, almost rendered image.

I have used the layers, multiply, erase technique before though and that works, as does the contrast masking technique (in the tutorials).
 
grahamc said:
Do you have one of the original images?
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Hi Graham - yes, I have the 5 original files. PM me if you want one.

Byker28i said:
I've never got on with photomatrix although I know others have had successes. I always ended up with a, not fake as such, but kind of a games console graphics look, almost rendered image.

I have used the layers, multiply, erase technique before though and that works, as does the contrast masking technique (in the tutorials).
Click to expand...
I intended a rather dramatic look to these images, but photomatix can be applied in a less gruesome manner to good effect too. I did one of the inside of Vienna cathedral which was a pano stitch of three images then used photomatix to bring out some additional detail.

p722990533-4.jpg
 
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