SoHillGuy Loc: Washington

I followed a tutorial on the internet, it would be hard for me to relate how it is done.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

AzPicLady, from your comments regarding your feelings when you were at the scene, I tried to have the scene end up visualized the way you described it. Since you were unhurried, unworried and just following the path, I tried to bring brightness to the scene while still maintaining the "rainy" feeling. Thus, I went for a brighter approach. I lightened the bark of the trees, but still maintained the differences in tone due to the wetness. I brought out the bright aspect of those leaves that were brighter and that gave the scene a good range of contrast. Then, I brightened the path and added to that a bit of dodging along the lighter colored part of the path. My only criticism would be adding a bit too much warmth to the appearance of the path. Finally, I vignetted the overall image, but instead of just leaving the center of the vignette, in this case the visual end of the path, I brightened the center ever so slightly to add an subtle brightness to it. I chose to leave the bits of the sky there, as that would account for the source of the overall "wet" appearance of the scene. I did slightly darken the visible parts of the sky, but only very slightly as I wanted rain clouds to be there. That I felt was an important aspect of the scene.

I hope this helps, as I tried to keep it from getting very technical.
--Bob

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Thanks, Bob. I'm trying to recreate at least part of what you did.

LastMango

I think the path is the only interesting element in the frame. Why crop it out?

Heather Iles Loc: UK, Somerset

Perhaps you will provide the link for the tutorial or tell us where you found it and what it was called.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Here's my take. I like 'portrait' landscapes and wanted to retain that as much as possible. So I took a little off the right and some of the path at the bottom. Then I reduced the brightness and the contrast, sharpened a little and added to the shadow. I hope I've retained the rainy element, even if you can't see it.

re. focus issues; Have you tried back button focus? Or single point focus and then recompose your image.

(Download)

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I guess it is perhaps the most important. Not sure I'd go so far as to call it the ONLY thing. Thanks for your opinion.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I think you've done well to retain the rainy look. Thanks so much for posting it. And for doing it! I did try BBF. Hated it. Kept sticking my thumb in my eye! Too many buttons.

SoHillGuy Loc: Washington

***
https://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-effects/rain/

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Complicated, but excellent instructions. Thanks for posting this.

Heather Iles Loc: UK, Somerset

Thanks for posting the link and I look forward to looking at it.

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Well, this is where I'm at for the time being, at least. I opted for the more "sunshine-after-the-rain" look, but made the sky a bit darker and more threatening to promise more rain. I did crop it to a 4x5 proportions. It's not getting rid of the path that changed it. It's simply the different proportions that seemed to work better. I've spent more time on this one image than I did on all the rest of them in this group! Hope this doesn't become habit forming. I've learned some stuff. That's a good thing.

Thank you, everyone, for your input and suggestions. I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into it!

(Download)

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Really nice, Kathy!

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

Thanks, Linda!

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

It just looks a little too green to me, but I think you've done well to capture that just as the sun comes out look. But that's very much my personal view.
A judge once said to me "If you like it that's all that really matters". So, if you like it - that's all that really matters.