Sunset in the Dolomites (color grading challenge)

MarcoNex · March 9, 2021, 4:34pm

DSC07706_08.ARW.xmp (22.9 KB)
DSC07706.ARW (23.8 MB)

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A picture from before the pandemic…
The scene as I remember it was very clean, warm and colorful.
So the challenge is to color grade it with the tool you like to enhance color and clarity, preserving the sunset atmosphere, while fixing issues like blue-looking snow in the shade, etc.
Enjoy.

agriggio · March 9, 2021, 4:50pm

Very nice! Here’s my attempt:

Jean-Marc_Digne · March 9, 2021, 5:07pm

Thanks for posting, interesting challenge
dt 3.4.1

DSC07706_02.ARW.xmp (17.1 KB)

Suki2019 · March 9, 2021, 5:24pm

mountains and snow…what could be more beautiful?

try on laptop…

Sunset in the Dolomites (color grading challenge)_DSC07706.ARW.xmp (13.6 KB)

…and crop

Sunset in the Dolomites (color grading challenge)_DSC07706_01.ARW.xmp (14.1 KB)

snow in the shade under a blue sky is always blue in my experience… but it’s artistic freedom

ggbutcher · March 9, 2021, 5:24pm

So, I spent some time messing with various tone curve strategies, particularly wanted to avoid crushing the almost-black slope on the right, finally settled on @McCap’s doublelogistic curve which provided the necessary lift and the best toe, without messing up the sky color (too much, anyway…) . The white balance from the camera was too cool, and I found my gray-world auto took care of it. In consideration of your description of the warmth and colorfulness of the scene, I added some color saturation that particularly warmed the sunlit mountain face. In rawproc:

Edit, didn’t look right when I uploaded it, so I darkened the tone curve and re-posted…

Jade_NL · March 9, 2021, 6:01pm

dolomites.pp3 (24.0 KB) RawTherapee 5.8 (Development)

Timur · March 9, 2021, 6:25pm

Pushed too much, forgot to check gamut. Still a wonderful shot!

s7habo · March 9, 2021, 6:32pm

Nice one!

I would say this photo needs rather darkening. When everything is well lit, the majestic mountain loses its three-dimensionality. And I can’t imagine that the snow in the shadows under this blue sky didn’t become bluish.

DSC07706_01.ARW.xmp (12,4 KB)

age · March 9, 2021, 6:59pm

DSC07706.ARW.xmp (13.2 KB)

brabbel · March 9, 2021, 9:14pm

Great picture! I have played with colorcalibration and tried to get the right atmosphere into the result! Thanks for sharing!

Tim · March 9, 2021, 10:00pm

Beautiful photo. I also went with the idea of maximizing the main subject and allowing the foreground to be more in the shadows. I am puzzled though; what are the splotchy areas at the base of the trees, just to the left of center?

dt 3.4.1