There are so many different ways DT lets you approach adjustments like this. You way is a good approach. Sometimes I use the color zones module to brighten or modify saturation based on color.
I’ve seen Boris use paths to define masks. Where there’s such a large blend / gradient there’s no need to be all that super-accurate with matching the mask to the image. So I just pretend I’m Boris… albeit on a slower computer, with much less skill. 
I’ve not played with color zones, since it’s display related and officially not recommended. I’m trying to stick to the scene referred linear modules as much as possible. I wonder if the Four Ways tab of the color balance rgb module couldn’t be used in a similar manner.
I have listened to AP’s videos. One comment that stood out that he said is that photography is about look. I have taken my own interpretation on this and feel if it looks good then I am happy with it regardless of if it is a linear module or not. For instance, shadow and highlights works differently to tone equalizer. AP seems to really dislike the Shadow highlights, but there are times, many times, that I really love the way it lifts the shadows and adds color. Sometimes I would use both tone equalizer and shadow highlights to work an image. Color zones is a great module to work the colors of a landscape. You can enhance the greens and tweak the blue of the sky to suit the look. It has never created artefacts in my hands and I just love the module for the right purpose. But the real power of DT is the options that we have control of choosing. More than one way skin a cat with DT.
Absolutely. The Lab color curves / equalizers in RawTherapee are similar in capability and I found them very handy. At any rate, in the end result it’s hard to argue with success, so if it works, it’s good!
Two quick comments…
A) I try to remember that some blue is okay in a cloudy sky, because it’s in the distance and perceived as normal.
B) If I’m not sure about color accuracy, I sometimes look at a nearby object on my screen that is pure white or gray and use that for a visual color “ruler.”
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Hi Terry,
You don’t post an xmp, and I have never found your jpgs to contain one. You often list your steps in developing a shot, but I would be interested in also seeing your xmps.
This goes the other way to some above by lightening the mid ground. I think it works and isn’t too distracting because it’s a fairly uniform brown colour and texture
This is useful. Thanks. Bit of a tangent, but I posted my original version on social media and some friends liked it because it “looks like a painting.” But I think there can be a trade off in which we compress excessive contrast, and then lose some sense of realism. That seems to be because of our subconscious expectations of what is real by repeated viewings of digital images. Like grain connoted realism with film because of its use in photojournalism of the day, harsh or even broken digital images have come to connote a sense of documentary realism that we lose by making photos too much like paintings. Anyway…
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Interesting! What did you do to get that effect?
Eek. Thanks
Haha Is that focus peaking from your camera?
A friendly reminder that this forum focuses on Free and Open Source software, specifically the Play Raw section. Play Raw is about sharing and learning from others. Without Foss, that learning is restricted and does not benifit the community. There isn’t even a side car file nor instruction or text about what you even did, so it isn’t really in keeping with the spirit of things.
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I will try and add the xmp when back home. I don’t feel mine is an exceptional edit as I struggled to understand what the scene looked like tothe photographer. I like the edit where the person lifted the greens
I was thinking in more general terms. You often give pretty detailed descriptions of your editing process, but don’t include the xmp. I follow your instructions as closely as possible to recreate your edit, but I usually wish I had your xmp. Perhaps its better for me to have to work to recreate it. Anyway, it’s your call about including the xmp.
Thanks Bill. I will start including the xmp file in future. I plan to revisit this image of the Isle of Harris and have a fresh go at it after seeing other edits. When I do that I will post the xmp file.
Hi Bill,
I added the xmp file for my first edit. I intend to have another go editing this image and will include the xmp file. Cheers.
P1082742.RW2.xmp (7.9 KB)
This is a more brighter and colourful interpretation of the scene than my previous edit. I used cloudy WB setting to add warmth. I brightened the exposure. I used both tone equalizer and the color balance rgb modules to adjust the shadows. I played with settings in the color balance module to add more colour to image compared to my previous edit.
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