Help With Sky

Rod Boughton

Rod Boughton

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Rod
Edit My Images
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This is a photo i took some time ago and came across the other day, and i thought i would ask for some help with the sky. I want to make the sky look more dramatic, there are a lot of clouds there and i wondered if there is an easy way to create more definition and more of a mood. I don't have much experience with post processing so i would appreciate an easy way if there is one.

http://
 
Adjusting the levels would greatly improve the photo.
 
Can you adjust the levels just for the sky area?
 
Hi Rod

I did a quick edit, using a curves layer

6769978743_e7b29cb66c_b.jpg
 
What software do you have?
 
That looks better thanks Dave.

I have CaptureNX2, Lightroom 3 and Elements.
 
Scene.jpg
[/IMG]

With Capture NX2 move the centre levels slider to the right slightly.
Then add some Colour Control Points in the blue bits of the sky and increase Saturation, decrease Brightness.
Add another in the white cloud on the RH and increase both Brightness and Warmth.
Add another in the dark cloud and decrease Brightness.

Or ignore what I have done and adjust to get what effect you are after, small adjustments are all that is normally needed.

Sceneedits.jpg
[/IMG]
 
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Thanks Kev,

I didnt fully understand what you were saying but adding the screenshot has really helped, thanks a lot.
 
In Lightroom 3, use an Adjustment Brush with the Clarity set to 100%. Make it fairly wide with and brush all over the sky. If that's not dramatic enough, click New and brush over it again. This method will probably require you to use noise reduction afterwards but is the fastest way I know to get this kind of mood.
 
Rod Boughton said:
Thanks Kev,

I didnt fully understand what you were saying but adding the screenshot has really helped, thanks a lot.
Click to expand...

Control Points really make CNX2 easy to use and give good results, I use CNX2 for nearly all of my editing and just go to Elements 9 when I need a better healing brush, want to clone or need layers to combine images.

Have a look here for a basic intro to Colour Control Points http://www.capturenx.com/en/lessons/color/index.html it even uses the sky as an example :)
Another example which explains how to use multiple Colour Control Points to protect detail where the initial Colour Control Point adjustment is not required http://www.capturenx.com/en/support/ccp/index.html
 
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