Is this an improvement? After posting this picture in the Photo Gallery section, I tried to do something with the sky using LR's Graduated Filter. Please take a look and let me know if...

Sally D

After posting this picture in the Photo Gallery section, I tried to do something with the sky using LR's Graduated Filter. Please take a look and let me know if you think this is an improvement. I am struggling with learning how to process. I've been combing the web looking for classes offered in LR in the Phoenix area but so far haven't found anything. I'm obviously not good at learning from the web where there's a wealth of information. Thanks for looking.

(Download)

TBerwick Loc: Houston, Texas

I prefer the first version. The sky coloration is a little uneven but you'll figure it out. YouTube is loaded with how-to videos.

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

First, I think you have captured a wonderful moment in time. If it were my picture, I would not darken the sky because it looks unnatural. I would concentrate more on the horses by cropping the top and bottom to focus more on them (probably slightly more on top). And, since there is no detail in the horses anyway, I would switch the picture to black and white and increase the brightness/contrast. Lastly, I would burn (darken) the bottom edges slightly to create more of a frame for the scene. This is just one person's opinion and I'm sure you will get many more from others here on UHH. If you would like to see pictures of the changes I proposed, let me know and I'll supply them.

Sally D

TBerwick wrote:

I prefer the first version. The sky coloration is a little uneven but you'll figure it out. YouTube is loaded with how-to videos.

Thanks, that’s what I wanted to know.

Sally D

SonyA580 wrote:

First, I think you have captured a wonderful momen... (show quote)

Yes, please go ahead. I actually just tried a crop at 1:3 rather than 1:2 that this one is. I’m not sold on the sky either. First I had the color all the way across but thought I liked this better. There actually is a bit of color in the horses’ manes and tails but I couldn’t figure out how to lighten just those parts so I left them along. Thanks for your time and interest.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Nice shot. Someone doesn't play well with others. : )

debbie wrazen Loc: Western New York

jerryc41 wrote:

Nice shot. Someone doesn't play well with others. : )

Ha, ha . Looks that way. Nice photo.
Phoenix is a big city . Does it have any colleges or Tech schools with photography classes? There might be students available to give you a private lesson in order to build your confidence , if that is what you are looking for. Just a suggestion.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

You have a fantastic starting point with great action!

I looked at your first posting (btw, I've been as far as the parking lot of that artwork you mentioned, no hill climbing for me

) and both that one and this seem to be kind of muddy colored and the overall brightness/contrast a bit flat. Since Sony is going the b&w route, I'll pm you a color idea.

Regarding selective edit to brighten the tail, you could research just that topic or post to pp forum with Lightroom in your title. PP Forum is this one: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-116-1.html (it's not the "Analysis" section) .....oh I see now that Cany already showed how to selective-edit the tail.

Re classes: I believe both AzPicLady and rmalarz live in the Phoenix area. Send them each a pm and see if they have some ideas.

artBob Loc: Near Chicago

Sally D wrote:

After posting this picture in the Photo Gallery section, I tried to do something with the sky using LR's Graduated Filter. Please take a look and let me know if you think this is an improvement. I am struggling with learning how to process. I've been combing the web looking for classes offered in LR in the Phoenix area but so far haven't found anything. I'm obviously not good at learning from the web where there's a wealth of information. Thanks for looking.

Excellent masking of difficult areas such as grasses and hair. Also, no obvious edges.

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

Sally D wrote:

Yes, please go ahead. I actually just tried a crop at 1:3 rather than 1:2 that this one is. Iâm not sold on the sky either. First I had the color all the way across but thought I liked this better. There actually is a bit of color in the horsesâ manes and tails but I couldnât figure out how to lighten just those parts so I left them along. Thanks for your time and interest.

OK, here is my black and white version. I used your original version so I didn't have to worry about modifications to the sky. I converted to B/W and increased contrast drastically to get rid of the noise in the sky. Instead of cropping, I stretched the picture at the top, bottom and right side. The area at the bottom was burned in slightly. Yes, I moved your signature back into the frame

Horses - Black and White
Horses - Black and White...

(Download)

Sally D

Linda From Maine wrote:

You have a fantastic starting point with great act... (show quote)

I should have read this before I read your PM. I agree about it looking a bit flat . . .that’s why I was trying to play around with the sky. Great idea about contacting the Phoenix area members. I just can’t believe our local community college or tech school doesn’t offer anything. Thanks again for your help.

Sally D

debbie wrazen wrote:

Ha, ha . Looks that way. Nice photo.
Phoenix is a big city . Does it have any colleges or Tech schools with photography classes? There might be students available to give you a private lesson in order to build your confidence , if that is what you are looking for. Just a suggestion.

I’ve been looking . . .thought I’d found something the other day but the computer had decided that I live in Illinois rather than AZ.

Sally D

SonyA580 wrote:

OK, here is my black and white version. I used your original version so I didn't have to worry about modifications to the sky. I converted to B/W and increased contrast drastically to get rid of the noise in the sky. Instead of cropping, I stretched the picture at the top, bottom and right side. The area at the bottom was burned in slightly. Yes, I moved your signature back into the frame

The black and white is dramatic; almost like it couldn’t possibly be a real photo. I like it a lot. Thanks!

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

SonyA580 wrote:

OK, here is my black and white version...

The distortion is super-cool!

pwrxprt Loc: Beaumont, California

Have you tried looking for classes at your local "City" college? I took two classes for Photoshop at a local college near where I live about 10 years ago that gave me the basics. LightRoom had just been introduced so we didn't get much instruction on the use of LR. I, like others have suggested, took that knowledge and continued seeking info from "YouTube". Once you have the basics, the videos on YouTube make much more sense. It is very odd to go back to college as an adult, especially when the instructor was younger than my kids. I took the courses for fun while most of the other students needed the class to graduate and continue to a university. When you don't care about the grade, it's a lot of fun....I wish they had advance courses as I would sign up in a heart beat. Good luck in your search.