[Play Raw] Luminosity masks

Here is my first attempt, using a combination of PhotoFlow, align_image_stack and enfuse.

The final result is here:

The processing is a bit over-done on purpose, to show what can be achieved.

My processing steps can be outlined like this:

  • I prepared a scene-referred starting point by merging the RAW files with HDRMerge and saving a neutral processing in linear Rec.2020

  • from the scene-referred version I saved 5 images at different exposure values (from -1EV to +3V with respect to CRW_3012.DNG), which were then processed with enfuse. The enfuse output looks flat, but provides a compressed dynamic range with limited suppression of the local contrast:

  • next, I applied an S-shaped curve to re-introduce some global contrast:

  • at this point I started to separately target the left, right and central portions of the image with opacity masks, adjusting the contrast in each part using RGB curves:

  • finally, I applied some RL-deconvolution sharpening

I think that, speaking the OCIO language, the enfuse step can be seen as a particular “view” transform that compresses the global dynamic range while preserving the local contrast. All what follows the enfuse output should be considered as display-referred processing, I guess.

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