Cactus against the sun

In order to keep improving my processing skills, I’m finally getting in touch with filmic and tone equalizer modules in darktable, which are not in my usual and more consolidated flow. Actually, I tend to cook my pictures quite simply, most of the times.
I chose this picture here from Joshua Tree National Park to exercise with a different processing flow, and I admit I’m already quite happy with the result. I think start to understand these modules, since they give me quite some satisfaction.


USA_West_0583.CR2 (24.5 MB) USA_West_0583.CR2.xmp (19.6 KB)
Licensed under a Creative Commons License.

OK then, after the preamble about my reasons for editing this and how, I’m really curious to see what other “photo cookers” could make of it with all their most variegated tools of choice.

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USA_West_0583.CR2.pp3 (13.5 KB)

Simple edit with brightness/contrast sliders .

RGB curves and HSV equalizer for colors.

Capture sharpening with one iteration and microcontrast for the details.

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USA_West_0583.CR2.xmp (7.2 KB) USA_West_0583_01.CR2.xmp (7.7 KB)

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Thanks for this photo!


USA_West_0583_RT.jpg.out.pp3 (12.9 KB)

My try.


USA_West_0583.CR2.xmp (28.7 KB)

@age I usually find your processing have very pleasing tone and color. Could you please give some pointers on how to learn to do that? Thank you.

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USA_West_0583.CR2.xmp (9.6 KB)

Shame about the banding but otherwise quite a nice picture

USA_West_0583.jpg.out.pp3 (12.9 KB)

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Thank you for your kind words :slightly_smiling_face:

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Wow, tough shot. I gave up halfway through, really wasn’t responding well to my “usual” workflow, but I came back and saw how well others managed the foreground and decided I had to have another go. Glad I did! Learnt something new, edited in darktable.

(this is why I like Play Raws, because I was never there I can add whatever colours I like :wink: )

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