mborn Loc: Massachusetts

I would lighting the cloud just a little and darken the sun ray just a little and leave the blown out area alone since it is the sun

CSand Loc: Fayetteville, Georgia

Morning Cajon Photog, I like this shot. Prefer the version that F stop 12 submitted but would like to add that in rolling your shot up on my screen I noticed that cropping out that light and busy section on the bottom and leaving the dark tree line made my eye just zoom into the clouds. Maybe try this bottom crop. Sandy

flyguy Loc: Las Cruces, New Mexico

Really like what you did with this rendition. Well done, in my opinion.

roadking11 Loc: New Martinsville, WV

Thank you Flyguy, Topaz restyle gives you thousands of option, makes it hard to find one that fits your mood.

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

I'm using Photoshop CS6. I always start with what I think will be the easiest/quickest solution. There are a gazillon different ways to do something in PS all arriving at the same outcome.

On this image the first thing was try a luminosity mask selection from the BLUE Channel and then using that to put a curves adjustment layer in the layer's pallet. I tried adjusting the curve to see if I could tone down the highlights. This didn't work.NOTE: hard to adjust pixels that just aren't there.

Plan B: made a selection around the blown out area and tried Content Aware Fill. I didn't like this.

Plan C: I tried the Color Clone technique: 1. I create a new transparent layer above the background layer and up on the tool bar I change the mode to " Color". Next, I get my dropper tool and click on the color of the sky I want to use to paint in the blown highlights. Make sure that the color you choose is showing in the "Foreground" box on your tool pallet. Now I Choose the "Brush" tool, Using a Very SOFT brush I lower the opacity to around 15-20% and start painting in over the highlights. Each pass of your brush lays down more paint. You can adjust the Opacity on the layer to taste.

Plan D: I make selections around parts of the image, in this case the areas of the clouds I like. Once the marching ants are showing the selections I right click and choose the "Feather" option and give it a 2 pixel feather. Now CTRL-J to put it up on it's own layer. Next get your move tool and lay this over the blown highlights. It most likely will be too strong so back off on the opactiy. Use the Eraser tool with a very soft brush and low opacity to erase/blend in the area.
It's a work in progress. Hope I haven't babbled on too long.

dave sproul Loc: Tucson AZ

Nice. But, what did you do to get this result ??

Opps -- Missed the above response. Thank you .

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Mostly I went with Plan D.

Shakey Loc: Traveling again to Norway and other places.

Thank you for the tutorial, Fstop12. I use GIMP but the instructions are easily transferred. Thank you for your patience.

Fstop12 Loc: Kentucky

Your welcome. That's what I like about this forum board. Sharing tips/ideas etc.

dave sproul Loc: Tucson AZ

.wrong reference

dave sproul Loc: Tucson AZ

Thank you for the information. It gave me something to try.

CajonPhotog Loc: Shreveport, LA

Nice job Shakey. Yeah, the blue is pretty much on the fakey side, perhaps if you had used a large feather and brought the saturation down, ......hmmmm More tinkering to be tried.