Week 11 "March Sunset"

G'day
Welcome to Week 11
hasn't the year just flown almost the end of March already
this week I guess I wasnt feeling all that creative and as the week started drawing to a close I wasnt really all that keen on doing a submission but that soon evaporated when on Thursday night Mrs C rang me from Gym and asked to go get something for dinner up the street as I stepped out the front door I was struck by this amazing sunset I had tried to do a HDR of one before but failed miserably as I was just at the end of the sun setting that time.
I went back in grabbed my camera bag and tripod and went to get dinner {with a quick detour} to an agistment property around the corner where I had shot some of the horses previously
one thing that never ceases to amaze me is as soon as you set up to take an image someone will miraculously appear from nowhere and walk directly into your image these happened on two occasions and you should have heard what I was saying to myself they even said hello before strolling down the road.
luckily the sun cooperated with me at least







SETUP

knowing that there are these powerlines that run towards the sunset I set up to include them as well as the leading line of the rails that border the areas of the local council parks and vacant blocks in Endeavour Hills
I only captured 15 frames in total
to create 3 images with 5 exposures in each
-2, -1, 0, +1, +2. (.8s ,1.6s, 3.2s, 6.0s,13.0s - for the submitted image)
All shot @ F/22
ISO 100


PROCESSING
using Photomatix Pro I merged the images then tonemapped
set the increments back to default then {B}boosted or {R}reduced each of the toggles
starting with the amount of strength{R} then saturation{B}, luminosity{R} and microcontrast
{B}
I normally dont use the slide toggle for smoothing but check the box and then use the program settings this time I went with medium
then in the Tone Setting Section I reduced the white and increased the black and also just reduced the gamma a little
this gave the darker tones a bit more pleasing look
finally i increased the smoothing in both the highlights and shadows
then processed it and opened up CS4
in Photoshop I tweaked the noise and sharpness then saturated the reds blues and greens
and finally adjusted levels and curves


OUTTAKES
although these may look similiar in composition there is a slight difference in the road position









WEEK 11 SUBMISSION