pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

This photo was taken a couple of weeks ago at one of the small tractor shows I go to most every year. It was taken with my new D7100 with the Nikon 18-140mm lens. I used the flash for filling in the shadows as it was a dull day. The original photo is shown and is straight out of the camera except to crop and resize to 8x10. The final variation is a horse of a different color with some extensive post-processing. I took the original into Photomatix and processed as a single image pseudo HDR. Used one of Stuart’s presets (free download), tweaked some, processed and and saved using the details enhancer mode as an 8 bit tif. Took the tif into Paintshop Pro X8 and proceeded to do my thing. Used one of my pre-made backgrounds for the base photo with two new rastor layers above it. I usually use two blank layers so that I always have one ready to slip something in between the background layer and the upper layer. Tone mapped the sky on the background a bit to bring out the clouds. Therefore, if you are a pixel peeper, you will find a very small halo at the top of the tree line. Raw cut the tractor out of the tif and put it on the top layer. Cut away and deleted all the horrible surroundings, matched the background grass for color and detail to the grass on the tif. Tweaked the contrast, brightness, saturation of the tractor slightly. Removed some spots and scratches. There is no painting (color touch up) on this photo. Cleaned the tires a little. Removed the plastic cup on the exhaust. Blended the layers to flatten using the normal blend mode and 100 percent opacity of the tractor layer. And, here is the resultant variant. I came very close to over cooking the tractor. But, that is the way I happen to like this particular photo. What’s your opinion? Have a GREAT DAY!

Original Photo

(Download)

Final Result

(Download)

jethro779 Loc: Tucson, AZ

Man does that bring back cornfield memories. We had a Super M TA when I was growing up that we used for everything. It sure didn't look that good though.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

I like what you've done. It's much better than the cluttered original. Good work.

Walt

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

A lot of farmers had the Super M for their main tractor. Not too many memories for me though. We had Minneapolis Molines. Thanks for commenting. This one had quite a bit of restoration done to it and it looked very good to start with. Will soon be back in Apache Junction for the winter. Have a GREAT DAY!

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

Thanks for your comment. It takes me a couple/three hours to do one like this. Have a GREAT DAY!

Brian45 Loc: Melbourne, Australia

Brilliant, love it.

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

Very nice job indeed. You attention to detail is evident in every aspect of the retouched photo.

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

Thanks for your comment. Glad you like it. Have a GREAT DAYY!

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

Thanks for your observation and comment. The detail is what takes so long. Have a GREAT DAYY!

rjaywallace Loc: Wisconsin

A most impressive, highly-professional result. Should be submitted to any number of magazines as well as to McCormick for advertising purposes. Hope you had a tall cold one when you finished.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Nice work. I learned to drive on one of those.

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

Thanks for your wonderful comments. In my own mind, of all of the tractor photos I have done like this, this one is the best one I have produced. Just my own opinion. Have a GREAT DAY!

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

Thanks AzPicLady for stopping by and your kind comment. Lots of farm kids, including myself, learned to drive on a tractor. Whether it was Farmall, John Deere, Allis Chalmers, Minneapolis Moline, Oliver, or the likes. Have a GREAT DAY!

dannac Loc: 60 miles SW of New Orleans

Nice job :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

pixbyjnjphotos Loc: Apache Junction,AZ

Thanks for looking and your kind comment. Have a GREAT DAY!