Need help with this one...

[charales]

Hi,

I'm trying to get something nice out of this hot but this is as far as I get right now. Can you help me with opinions/suggestions on what to do or not to do?
I'm trying to bring some light to the building but don't know when it's too much/little anymore (spent too much time on the same image)

http://www.pbase.com/charales/image/79460362.jpg


Thanks in advance!!! :D

[Dimitri]

I`d say brighten the building slightly more to emphasise the architecture of it.

As for spending too much time on one image and getting confused,you are not the only one,it happens to all of us.
The best thing to do when you get to that stage is to quit,let it be on the screen and go make yourself a cup of something and do something else for awhile,when you get back to it you see it totally different,repeat if need.

[JCR]

I had a play for fun hope you don't mind.
Messed with a lot of dodge/burn a little tone mapping, some noise added, over sharpening and errr probably a couple things im forgetting, ah yea vignette and a no frills border.
Better? worse? no idea but I enjoyed playing with the image.
Compressing it to 97k made it a little uglier, but such is life.

[charales]

Thanks for the comments. I am trying to brighten up the building a bit but can't seem to be satisfies with any result. I'll leave it alone for a couple of days and see what happens.

Of course I don't mind you playing with it. I also came across similar results when I tryed similar methods, but there was always too much noise... try gain :D

[Biko]

Make a duplicate layer, bring up shadow/highlight and brigtness/contrast for building, add mask then use gradient tool to bring building layer back.

[cARTerART]

It is spectacular. I love it. Needs a bit of a nudge to bring out its best but well worth the work. I agree about the cup of tea theory - is easy to get blinded by own work and that is why we are here to get "fresh eyes" looking at what we do.

[Adam]

Make a duplicate layer, bring up shadow/highlight and brigtness/contrast for building, add mask then use gradient tool to bring building layer back.

Can you explain how this is done? I use the eraser, which is a pain in the a55.
Anything to get away from this would be a big bonus!

[Biko]

Can you explain how this is done? I use the eraser, which is a pain in the a55.
Anything to get away from this would be a big bonus!

Sure, I hope this helps:

Open up pic in photoshop, make duplicate layer…image duplicate. I have used curves to bring up detail in building.

http://www.btinternet.com/~i.c.palmer/layer1.jpg

Using Move tool drag first photo on to other while holding shift down which means it will place directly over image. Add Vector mask (arrowed in pic). Make sure the layer is selected (circled in pic)

http://www.btinternet.com/~i.c.palmer/layer2.jpg

Choose the Gradient tool (circled in pic), I have placed it from lower right and just into the sky.

http://www.btinternet.com/~i.c.palmer/layer3.jpg

Finally I would then use brush tool to bring things like the sky in window back, just need to change the layer (circled in pic).

http://www.btinternet.com/~i.c.palmer/layer4.jpg

[Adam]

Fantastic, thanks a lot.
I've bookmarked this page :)