I’d like to ask a couple of questions, but first I need to say how I processed this. I’ve recently started using darktable and filmic RGB, and this was used here, with little else in dt. However I wanted a bit more contrast in the sky only, and the only way I know to do this is to go into Gimp and make the sky a second layer. So I exported a 32 bit tiff in linear rec2020, imported into Gimp keeping that profile, and selected the sky using the Free Select Tool, i.e. hand-drawn segments. Feathered, copied to new layer, hand-deleted as much non-sky as reasonably possible, then used Levels to adjust contrast. Found I couldn’t finally convert the profile to sRGB for export without first changing Precision to Perceptual gamma, so did that, converted, and hence a jpeg. I need to learn more tools and processes, and also want to follow the linear path, at least for the time being. So -
Question 1 - For an example like this, altering the sky, can I / should I do it all in dt, or is there merit in using Gimp also?
Question 2 - Whether Gimp is involved or not, which tools do you suggest I familliarise with for an example like this? (I’m aware there are masks but have never used them. I’ve got into the habit of putting feathered selections into new layers in Gimp)
Any other comments or suggestions welcome too.
Licensing - this photo is provided for users of the PIXLS.US platform to discuss, to download, to amend and to upload new versions to the PIXLS.US platform.
I kept the image relative dark to preserve the “end of day” feeling. The sky was changed a little by the tone eqalizer with subsequent use of an RGB tone curve to increase the contrast.
“@sls141 , you have a bit of a halo on the boundary”
@RawConvert Yeah. I know. I could have done a better job with my masking there. But, this is Playraw, not an effort to get it ready to send to the printer for wall-hanging purposes.
