Digital Darkroom Process

I shot this image with 3  exposures (-2, 0 , +2) handheld because there was enough light to not require a tripod.  I processed the images in HDR Efex Pro and converted it to black and white in Silver Efex Pro.

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Original Photo - Canon 40D, 32mm (24-105mm f/4L), f/8, ISO 800

Background Photo - Canon 40D, 90mm (24-105mm f/4L), f/11, ISO 800

Topaz Remask Screenshot

  Procedure

1. Bring in both images as layers in Photoshop
2. Select the layer with the jet and mask out the area.  I used Topaz Remask 3 to do this quickly and accurately.  In the screenshot above, you can see that I outlined the area of interest (blue line) and then I use the paint bucket to specify what I want removed in red and the keepers are in green.  Some further refinement was done after the computing was done by the software.
3. Now we have just the plane with the background removed.  Make sure your background is behind the masked image and you have a pretty good image.
4. Now we need to match the plane to the environment by adding a dramatic orange tone to it.  I duplicated the plane layer, changed its color to a dramatic orange and then used the overlay layer setting and set the opacity until the image looked perfect.

Final Composite

If you ever take a visit to the Pima Air & Space Museum, be sure to check out the Boneyard.  This is a 1 hour tour of a parking lot of over 4000 planes parked out in the desert.  Check out the aerial images in Google Map to appreciate the numbers.

Original Photo - Canon 40D, 28mm (24-105mm f/4L), f/8, ISO 200

The original image was a little flat, the horizon was off and the clouds were over exposed.

Corrections in Lightroom

I made minor corrections to the photo in Lightroom 3:

1. aligned the horizon
2. used the fill light slider to bring out the details of the barn that are lost in the shadows
3. used the recovery slider to bring back some of the details lost in the clouds
4. added some vibrance to bring out the contrast and colors in the image

Tonal Contrast in Nik's Color Efex

Next I used Nik’s Color Efex and my favorite preset, Tonal Contrast to really give life to the image.
Settings:  Highlight Contrast = +40,  Midtone Contrast = +50, Shadow Contrast = +60, Saturation = 0

Converted to Black and White in Silver Efex

The image looked pretty good in color but I wanted to see just how it looked in black and white. I applied the High Structure preset in Nik’s Silver Efex and used some control points to darken the foreground and add structure to the barn.

You can save 15% when you order an Nik Software product by using this code: ScottProkop

Original Photo - Canon 40D, 32mm (24-105mm f/4L), f/11, ISO 200

Digital Darkroom Process:

I applied some simple lens corrections in Lightroom and most of the magic was done in onOne’s Perfect Photo Suite 6.  I used a filter called Kryptonite in Perfect Effects to give the image more contrast and a darker edge.

Where is this:

WonderWorks is located at 9067 International Drive in Orlando, Florida (map).

More Fun:

Here are some funny items you can buy inside the WonderWorks store.

I went into my archives to pull out this image that I shot in 2006 on my the first Canon Digital Rebel with the kit lens.  This image needed some life to portray the feeling that I had when I was there.

Original Photo - Canon Digital Rebel, 18mm, f/9, ISO 200

Digital Darkroom Process:

I applied some simple lens corrections in Lightroom and most of the magic was done in onOne’s Perfect Photo Suite 6.  I opened the image in the suite and used the Perfect Effect plugin to apply the filters.  First the image needed more sharpness so I applied the Detail-Texture Booster and then gave the photo more dramatic colors by using the Landscape-Magic Sunset filter.  Two simple filters that transformed the photo in just a couple of minutes.

Where is this:

The sunset was on Dawn Lake in Northern Saskatchewan, Canada.  You don’t have to drive to this lake to get this image because during winter, you can replicate this photo on any Canadian prairie lake.

Original Photo - Canon 40D, 24mm, f/11, ISO 200

Digital Darkroom Process:

I took the original image and applied some straightening based on the building’s roof and used the lens correction to take out the distortion in the building so that it would look square.  This was all done in Lightroom.  Next I opened the image in Nik’s Silver Efex and applied the classic monochrome look to give an old west feel to the image.

Directions:

• Coming from Phoenix/Mesa area
• Take the US 60 EAST (Superstition Freeway) , to APACHE JUNCTION
• Take the IDAHO exit and go NORTH to STATE ROUTE 88
• Take a RIGHT on SR 88 and travel 18 miles NORTH-EAST to TORTILLA FLAT
• TORTILLA FLAT is located 2 MILES past CANYON LAKE near MILE MARKER 213

More photos with this effect can be viewed in my online gallery:
http://gallery.scottprokop.com/Prints/Antique

Original Photo - Canon 40D, 86mm, 1/125 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200 (70-200mm Sigma Lens)

Digital Darkroom

I tried to fix this image in Lightroom without any luck so I decided to try it in black and white.  I imported the image into Nik’s Silver Efex Pro, started with the High Structure preset and then made local adjustments using various control points.  A green color filter in the software helped define the trees along the river much better.

Where is this?

Saskatoon is my home town located in the province of Saskatchewan on the Canadian prairies. [Google Maps]

Original Photo - Canon 40D, 24mm, 1/10 sec, f/11, ISO 200

Digital Darkroom Process

I applied extra clarity and vibrance in Lightroom then took the image into Nik’s Color Efex Pro and used the Tonal Contrast filter to give the image better definition in the textures of the trestle and vegetation.

Where is this?

The Old Railway Trestle Bridge is located between Yellow Creek and Meskanaw on highway 41 in Saskatchewan, Canada [Google Maps]

Original Photo - Canon 40D, 24mm, f/9.5, ISO 200

Digital Darkroom Process:

I took the original color image and imported into Nik’s Silver Efex Pro.  I started with the High Structure preset, pushed the structure to 100%, applied the red color filter and applied control points throughout the image to give depth and drama to the photo.

Directions:

The Heritage Farm and Village is one of Saskatchewan’s Western Development Museums which is located on highways 16 & 40 just East on North Battleford, Saskatchewan, Canada [Google Map].

The first step is to find a photo that depicts something special from the past like old buildings, classic cars or anything nostalgic.

Original Photo - Canon 40D, 24mm, f/11, ISO 200

I make minor color corrections in Lightroom and then open this image in Nik’s Silver Efex Pro.  Scroll through the presets on the left pane and select Antique Plate II.  This is a great starting point before we refine this effect to give a more dramatic look.

Under the Stylizing tab on the right, we want to modify the sliders and drop downs.

1. To give the image a better warmer tone to have more browns and yellows, I change the Toning Preset to 18.
2. Increase the strength from 60% to 80%
3. As for the rest of the sliders, make slight adjustments that do not exceed more than 10% in order to best reflect the best results for the image.

Final Touches

1. Use the Control Points with Nik’s U-Point technology to darken important areas near the edge of the photo where the vignette takes away the detail

Silver Efex Interface showing the before and after

More photos with this effect can be viewed in my online gallery:
http://gallery.scottprokop.com/Prints/Antique

You can save 15% when you order any Nik Software product by using this code: ScottProkop

I used the Nik Software Complete Collection which includes Dfine (noise reduction), Viveza (correct photos using U Point technology), HDR Efex Pro (create vivid HDR images), Color Efex Pro (many, many enhancement filters), Silver Efex Pro (create amazing black & white photos) and Sharpener Pro (sharpening solution).