Reattack the Post-Processing

I don’t know about you, but I find it revealing to come back to an image I have previously post-processed to see if it can be improved. It usually can. Sometimes, I even wonder, “What was I thinking!”, when I look back at these photographs. Other times, the changes required to improve it might be more subtle.

Here, for example, is a picture as I originally post-processed it. My own eye, supported by feedback from others, said the fore to mid-ground lacked depth and interest–half of the image was too flat despite the obvious interest in the upper part of the photo.

Fall Sunset, Chicago Basin, #1. Needle Mountains, Colorado, 2014 (First post-processing attempt.)

Now, compare the above image with the one below. Can you see the difference? In this version, I tried to bring out more depth by improving the color in the mid-ground bushes, selectively brightening up the foreground, and working with selective clarity/detail in the trees.

I will surely continue to revisit the image in the future as my post-processing skills evolve. I would guess that we all have a huge library of old images that could be reworked to a much higher standard–perhaps a good activity for a cold, rainy or snowy winter day.

Fall Sunset, Chicago Basin, #1. Needle Mountains, Colorado, 2014 (Third post-processing attempt.)