Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Thank you and your welcome, but your suppose to tell what you like and don't like and why. :mrgreen:

smcaleer Loc: Dearborn Heights, Michigan

I was really looking close because I just couldn't see anything I didn't like. I do agree that the mountain looks just a little too washed out. But that didn't bother me as much as the kink in the rainbow just right of center. Do you think that is a stitching hiccup? Other than that, I just love this.

Gauss Loc: Earth

Hi CM,

I think depth is an important part of this photo, so it was good that you included the foreground trees and road. It makes this good photo even better. There's a lot of nice textures and subtle colors on the mountain.

I noticed two spots on the rainbow that look like seam lines (I'm guessing 5 or 6 images in this pano?) From the center/top go left to about 11 o'clock and to the right to about 2 o'clock to see them. You could probably do a little cloning or something to smooth that out, if it bothers you. Or maybe try restitching with different settings or software. If you shoot RAW and didn't use any lens distortion correction, you could apply that and restitch. Of course, the rainbow could have moved while making the pano making it a bit harder to get a clean seam.

On the left edge by the cars, there appears to be a sliver of a third car; you might want to crop a few pixels off that side to eliminate that. You could also crop enough off the right side to make the bottom points of the rainbow symmetric. It's already fairly symmetric top-to-bottom, with about the same amount of sky above the rainbow as foreground trees on the bottom.

I disagree that the mountaintop is too light/bright. Depthwise, the sun is shining down in the middle and illuminating the rain and mist which fades the colors. I made a mask covering the subject mountain and foreground slopes not much lower than the bottom of the rainbow - except a little lower on the center right and lower right. I applied a slight s-curve on V and a little bump on S in the HSV color space to bring out a little more of the colors and textures on the mountain slopes. I also took the opposite approach of slightly darkening the foreground trees and road. Maybe adds to the feeling of depth going from the dark to the light. And finally, I applied a small amount of sharpening along the bottom 15-20% of the image; the image is naturally soft as depth increases, and I thought this further adds to the depth.

Or, I'm out in left field. :-o

My example adjustments

Shakey Loc: Traveling again to Norway and other places.

Beautiful photo! Here's my attempt to improve the mountain.

GIMP; Create a selection with the scissors tool under the lower rainbow and include the low ridge on the right but exclude the cars and the banks they are on.

Select the Levels tool and move the center slider to 60. This will darken the entire selection. Aim to have the color of the sky under the rainbow to match the color of the sky above it. This will, hopefully, make the rainbow pop a little more. Plus the mountain will be a little darker and the lower foreground darker still to improve the illusion of distance.

Click Download to see the full effect.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Great tutorial!

Shakey Loc: Traveling again to Norway and other places.

Thanks, St3v3M. I appreciate you kind comment.

Jim Peters Loc: Pittsburgh

It Doesn't Get Any Better Than This!

ignats

Breathtaking image! My only wish is that you caught all of the second rainbow. And I think the vehicles are perfect where they are. Makes it real. Also, maybe consider printing on canvas. Thanks for sharing.

Nightski

Judy, I have reserved comment, because of what you said about the cars. In my humble opinion, they have to go. For me, they ruin the image.

It is so amazing that you caught that sun on the mountain right in the center of the rainbow. I would want to tone down the highlights and whites a bit to make it more subtle. I've never pp'd an image like this, so I can't give much advice. I am just sharing how I see it.

It is a wonderful once in a lifetime capture. It's well worth any work you need to put into it.

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Thank you for saying what I did not!

Elliern Loc: Myrtle Beach, SC

I think the photo is beautiful just as it is. But I also like Gauss' tendition.

At first look, I would have preferred the cars not be there. But as I have looked at this photo over and over many times as others have made some changes, I have decided I actually like the cars being there, but for a very different reason. I can imagine someone sitting there looking out over the valley and seeing that breathtaking scene. I feel like I am sitting there right next to them and sharing their wonder. Perhaps if I were to frame a large print and hang on a wall, I might feel differently. But for now, I like the cars.

Old Salt Loc: relocated to Pennsylvania from Maine

Guess you all would feel much different if it was a human standing there instead of the cars huh ! Wouldn't that of been something !!

Jim Peters Loc: Pittsburgh

The Cars Tell The Story,This Is A look Out Point.And Because Of The Cars,I Want to go There. It Makes It Accessible To The Viewer.And Balances Things Well! Hey It Could Even used As A Car Add."Pot Of Gold At The End Of The Rainbow!"

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Thank you all for working on this. I am away from home for the weekend and will take a look at all you have posted on a bigger screen when I get home.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

LOL I sent this to the manufacturer in case they were interested. They said nice photo, but don't need it. :shock: