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I recently went through some slides and sent some off to have them scanned and made into digital images. The results were so-so. I’m including the original unedited scan as well as the results of my editing in Lightroom for this nighttime photo of the US Marine Memorial. What are your thoughts or suggestions as to what you would have done in editing this?
- This topic was modified 54 years, 9 months ago by .
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Wow, that’s a really tough one! There is absolutely no dynamic range whatsoever! That leaves very little leeway for post-processing. (Of course you just posted a compressed jpg version, the original scan could be a bit better.)
It looks to me like the sharpening needs some “Masking”. The noise is really hard to deal with too. I think maybe it should be something like this…
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I don’t know, there’s not much really you can do with this image. I would suggest a B&W rendition to move the attention away from realism to more of an artistic focus of shape and contrast.
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Hey, thanks for the input! The issue of sharpening and noise reduction was the main focus of my editing in this image. I am trying to better understand the capabilities of Lightroom to address these issues and reduce as much noise as possible while still keeping the image sharp. I think you may be right, James, concerning the artistic advantage of B&W. From that standpoint, perhaps this “uncluttered” version works even better, but again the issue of all the noise in the sky is the big problem. This was mainly an experiment to see what kind of digital quality I could get from some of my old slides. I guess for this particular image, the only real solution would be another trip to D.C. with more modern equipment! These were taken when I was in high school on my senior class trip, so they’re at least 5 or 6 years old 🙂 Anyhow, it was before the days of megapixels and post processing!
- This reply was modified 54 years, 9 months ago by .
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How do you like this edit? I darkened it a tad to help with the over-exposure, and cropped it so the empty black nothing isn’t at the bottom anymore.
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Yes, I have a lot yet to learn about what is best for reducing noise in Lightroom. This 2-part article explaining exactly what each setting is supposed to do might be helpful: http://shutterstoppers.com/lightroom-4-noise-reduction-part-1/
Thanks for the link. I’ll check that out! @HeldInHisArms, thanks for the input. I can see some advantages to darkening the image a little. If for no other reason, it helps to reduce the noise in the darker sections.
That’s a pretty good shot for not having the right equipment at the time! You didn’t just capture one monument, which is pretty amazing! I am looking forward to heading to D.C. here in a couple of months myself and will be sure to put this monument on the must see list!
Hey @Dan-Cope, would you happen to have a list of places that you would recommend as being especially photogenic from your travels through DC?
@Sarah.Brown, from my trip in September, I was surprised at how some places were less photogenic than others. Here’s a list of places I did like, some of which are pictured in this album: https://picasaweb.google.com/108744937430305813948/ASmallCollectionOfShotsFromADayTripToWashingtonDCInSeptember> Arlington Cemetary
> US Capitol (from the southwest, personally)
> Supreme Court
> Washington Monument
> Lincoln MemorialOf course there were a million and one places I didn’t visit, but those were my favorite of the places we did visit that were most enjoyable to photograph.
- This reply was modified 54 years, 9 months ago by .
Thanks! My equipment at the time was a Nikon N2000 35mm camera with a 50mm lens and a borrowed tripod! I didn’t know a whole lot about photography, but enough to set the camera to aperture priority and let it automatically set the shutter speed to expose for nighttime photos. Then I had to wait until the film was developed to see how it turned out, and of course, by then it was too late to go back and try anything different! But as I said that was “at least 5 or 6 years” ago (haha! it was actually 25) and times have changed! Hope you enjoy your trip and get some great photos! Spring is a good time to visit D.C.
Well, like you, James, there are a lot of places I HAVEN’T been, and I have never gone to D.C. “as a photographer”. I’m usually just trying to get some shots “on the go” as a tourist! If you can time a trip when the cherry blossoms are in bloom, that would be a great advantage. I think I would spend a lot of time on the Mall between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument. The tree lined walkways and ponds in that area give added opportunities and the possibility for some unique photos with the Washington Monument in the distance. I also like the WWII memorial. Aside from the iconic monuments and buildings that you have listed, I would suggest a trip to Mt. Vernon.
- This reply was modified 54 years, 9 months ago by .
I might add that it is very difficult to plan a trip to coincide with peak cherry blossoms. The peak is “normally” around the last week of March or the first week of April, although it varies quite a bit depending on weather conditions through the winter and early spring. The full bloom period only lasts for a few days.
Hey, thanks, @Dan Cope and @James Staddon for all the helpful input and opinions on the places to go in D.C.!
Yes! Thank you @Dan-Cope. I may revisit this topic and ask more specific questions next time I plan a trip to DC. 🙂
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