[shotokan101]

I pass this building every day on the way to work and it just gets more and more negelected - which is a pity as it's a nice building IMO.

Thought it might look good in mono.

Jim

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by shotokan101

Thought it might look good in mono.

It DOES look good in mono. How does it look in colour?.

Shame about the neglect. Too many nice houses like this nowadays!

Paul.

[shotokan101]

Thanks Paul - BTW "that's my question"

Will upload the original tonight - don't have access at the moment.

Jim

[johnaalex]

Hey it might be derelict to you, but to me and my 25 mates it is what we call home!

I think it is a nice shot and agree the mono conversion works well to add a more sombre tone. Nice work.

[Porky4]

Originally Posted by shotokan101

BTW "that's my question"

I know! x 2 Still interested in seeing it though.

[tonkie]

£300k worth here

[shotokan101]

Originally Posted by Porky4

I know! x 2 Still interested in seeing it though.

Well here you go - some basic tweaking but nothing too obvious (I Hope)

Still pretty "bleak" but I think the mono conversion enhances it.....

@John - Thanks - much appreciated

Jim

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by shotokan101

Still pretty "bleak" but I think the mono conversion enhances it.....

Sorry, asked to see the colour version and then forgot to comment. Basically I agree with you, but got to thinking that if there had been something other than the wash-out sky (a dark and moody one preferably) in the colour version, it would possibly be better than the mono version. It should be (relatively) easy to replace the sky and it set me to thinking that maybe you should offer out a challenge - "Make me a better sky" to see what people come up with. You would have to make a higher-res version of the image available (preferably RAW) for people to play with.

Are you interested? Is anyone else?

Paul.

[shotokan101]

Hi Paul,

I agree entirely about the Sky - it's well overcooked and I couldn't recover it very much. Shot in Jpeg unfortunately as it was using my P&S Olympus - which no doubt contributed to the sky exposure issue.

No problem either making a full size (12Mpix) JPEG of the original available if anyone is interested in the "Re-Skying" challenge - or if anyone is really interested I could reshoot with my Bridge Camera in RAW. (and "deliberately" burn out the Sky )

I must admit I do also like the grim look of the colour version as well.

JIm

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by shotokan101

... making a full size (12Mpix) JPEG of the original available if anyone is interested ...

Well, I for one would like to have a go. Point me in the right direction for the jpeg and we'll see how it goes. Depending on when you can make the image available, it may be a couple of days before I can come up with something, or admit a very embarrassing defeat. No think positive! I will do it!

Paul.

[shotokan101]

Originally Posted by Porky4

Hi Jim,

Well, I for one would like to have a go. Point me in the right direction for the jpeg and we'll see how it goes. Depending on when you can make the image available, it may be a couple of days before I can come up with something, or admit a very embarrassing defeat. No think positive! I will do it!

Paul.

Hi Paul - good for you - go for it

Derelict_House.jpg - download now for free. File sharing. Software file sharing. Free file hosting. File upload. FileFactory.com

JIm

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by shotokan101

Hi Paul - good for you - go for it :thumbsup

Sorry, only just noticed you had posted this. For some reason I didn't get an email from the forum.

Should be able to start having a look at it on Wednesday.

Paul.

[shotokan101]

Originally Posted by Porky4

Hi Jim,


Sorry, only just noticed you had posted this. For some reason I didn't get an email from the forum.

Should be able to start having a look at it on Wednesday.

Paul.

I'm quite looking forward to seeing how you handle this

Jim

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by shotokan101

I'm quite looking forward to seeing how you handle this

And me!

I've had an initial go, which I've abandoned. As I was clearing up the highlights left in the trees, unfortunately, I made unexpected changes to the house roofline. In getting that back, I lost some of the detail and as I'd got rid of the history of changes, thought it best to start again.

I'll post what I did here though for you to see. The strange colour to the sky is deliberate and is only being used to ensure I mask the correct things. When I've sorted the mask out properly, we can replace it with anything you like. If you find a sky you like, I can use that.

Original image (Resized):

Abandoned Attempt (Resized):

Paul.

[shotokan101]

Ah Yes - I hadn't considered the "impact" of the trees - still just what I like "a man on a mission"

Jim

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

I think I'm done (in) for the day. There are a couple of tweeks that I need to do (still a bit of a highlight on the roofline) and maybe replace the false sky with a real stormy one. I'm about at my limit of knowledge of PS with this (just a beginner at the moment).

Here you are:

The bill's in the post!

Paul.

[shotokan101]

Looking good so far paul

I see what you mean about the roof edges - looks like some feathering (I think that's the term?) is needed when you flatten the layers (tries to sound as if he knows what he's talking about )

I think "stormy" would be good

"The Cheque's in the Post too....."

JIm

[shotokan101]

PAul - as you've got your mask setup now it probably doesn't matter but I was thinking that as there's not "really" that much sky in the picture as it stands it might have been better/easier to have masked out the "skyline visible" trees and increased the sky area.

Still as they say "Hindsight is 100% Accurate"

Jim

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by shotokan101

... it might have been better/easier to have masked out the "skyline visible" trees and increased the sky area.

Not really sure what you mean Jim. Are you suggesting removing the trees? If so, then your a dead man after all of the effort I put into masking them!

I think that removing the trees just moves the problem elsewhere as there's the railing on the left and bushes on the right.

Or did you mean something else?

Paul.

Now, where is that hit man's telephone number?

[shotokan101]

Originally Posted by Porky4

Hi Jim,


Not really sure what you mean Jim. Are you suggesting removing the trees? If so, then your a dead man after all of the effort I put into masking them!

I think that removing the trees just moves the problem elsewhere as there's the railing on the left and bushes on the right.

Or did you mean something else?

Paul.

Now, where is that hit man's telephone number?

Of course that's what I meant Paul - and "what railings" ?

...and to be fair I was just musing as I knew it wasn't really a problem any more for you as you'de already soldiered on and created your detailed mask.

Regarding Hit Man - don't worry you can ask him later - but make it quick.....

JIm

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

I've added a (really) stormy sky and done some work to the roofline and darkened the whole image a tad. What do you think?

I think I'm done with this now. If you want, I can let you have the full res. version of the jpeg and (if it is of any interest) a version with the sky as a separate layer. If you want a version with the layers, what format do you want it in?

I won't be in the least offended if you don't want a copy of the finished article. It was an interesting exercise for me and I've added to my knowledge of Photoshop (which is quite limited at the moment).

Paul.

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

I just had to have a little more of a play. I rotated the sky 180 degrees and think I prefer this one:

Paul.

[shotokan101]

HI Paul - sorry for the delay - been out to ytraining tonight and then Pub afterwards

Both new versions look really good and i agrre that the second sky version just pips the other one - nice work

I'd love a copy of anything you've got - especially the mask - may be some time before I'm proficient enough to do anything with it though
You were certainly right about the possibilities of the colour version - I think your last effort looks very "Bleak house" or even a haunted house look to it.

JIm

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by shotokan101

I'd love a copy of anything you've got - especially the mask

Let's give this a try!

Download version with completed sky from here.

Download version with uniformly (strangely) coloured sky from here.

The server isn't too fast, so be gentle!

What image manipulation software do you use that can take an image with layers? I can provide the image in .psd (Photoshop) and .tif formats. These are both very large. Or I can give you each layer in a separate image - one for the house and trees only and the other for the sky. Favourite for me is two separate images, the sky being transparent in the house and trees one.

Over to you.

Paul.

PS. I may have a play with alternative skies later today.

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

How's about this one, then? I've added one of my sunrise skies taken last week.

That's my lot for this, I think!

Paul.

Even though I say it myself. I quite like this!

[shotokan101]

HI Paul - nice job again - must admit this one isn't my favourite - I think the whole pic now just seems a bit too dark.

I really must try this you know now that I've downloaded the masks etc....

Jim

[Porky4]

Hi Jim,

Originally Posted by shotokan101

... I think the while pic now just seems a bit too dark ...

Haunted houses always are!

The beauty of using PS Adjustment Layers is that the other layers are unchanged. Just change the Exposure Adjustment Layer, or delete it et viola!

I really must try this you know now that I've downloaded the masks etc....

Yes you must.

Anyway I think that the sky on this is mega-stupendous. It's got nothing to do with it being from one of my shots of a Staffordshire sunrise. Honestly!.

Paul

[shotokan101]

Ah ! - Parental Love

I will "produce" some "Sky Progeny" when I've got my head around Layers etc. - might give it a go when I collect my copy of Corel Photo X2.

JIm