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Category: Friendly Praise Archive

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Laguna sunset revisited

Laguna sunset revisited
Applied gradient map technique to sunset image.

Shutter speed: 1/400.00 F-stop: 16.0
ISO speed: 400

Dale Hardin

Jeana Clark

This is beautiful Dale!! The colors are gorgeous!!! Fantastic comp!!!!

~J~

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June 08, 2010

Dale Hardin

thank you Jeana. This the result of a new technique I was trying out. Still haven't got it right but will continue to work on it.

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June 08, 2010

Rod Partington

Wow! Vivid colors Dale!
Beautiful image here. Well done!

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June 08, 2010

Dale Hardin

Thanks a lot Rod.

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June 08, 2010

Dale Hardin

for the Phellos club, this is a redo of a previously posted image. I tried a new technique involving the gradient map.

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June 11, 2010

Jeff E Jensen

So, you said that you haven't perfected it yet. This looks pretty good, what are you still working on?

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June 11, 2010

Anthony L. Mancuso

I'm wondering that myself Dale, and would like to see a side by side comparison of the changes if you would be so kind...

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June 11, 2010

Dale Hardin

Thanks for the interest Jeff and Tony. I knew that with gradient maps if you select different colors on your basic swatches you can create a duo tone effect quite easily.

But I decided to instead use the gradient map and make my own colored gradient and balance them as it suited me. Since this is basically a silhouette, I selected the black areas with a soft edge and then applied my gradient map to the image.

This of course, added some unwanted color to the black areas but since I'd selected them on another layer I just placed them back on top. The problem I'm having is getting the proper balance of colors and being able to place them where I wish and to have varied opacities. Lots of layers would do it I suppose, but haven't gone there yet.

But with simple images like this, it worked out fairly well. Will keep at it.

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June 11, 2010

Anthony L. Mancuso

Wow! What a difference the edits made...I am totally lost when it comes to gradient maps though, so I wouldn't be able to pull something like this off..

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June 11, 2010

Teresa H. Hunt

Dale this is stunning! I love the colors in the water!

I'm figuring out graidents a little bit. I can use them to create a B&W, and on a mask when I want something to change gradually. But I would never know how to do something like this!!

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June 11, 2010

simplydivinephotography.com - Susan M. Reynolds

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Absolutely stunning Dale. I'm clueless when it comes to gradients and just about everything else. I can't believe how much I forgot about what I used to know both regarding my camera and Photoshop after all the dang classes I paid for. It seems harder to re-learn it and retain it than it was to learn it the first time around, but looking at how beautiful this edit came out makes me want to keep trying. Lovely (as usual!!!)

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June 11, 2010

- Michael Kelly

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A great edit on an already fine shot. Really pulls in the sunset feel with those reds. I think your posted version looks good Dale. I am not sure I would mess with it much more though I constantly go back to mine and try new things I am a poor one to say leave it as is.

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June 11, 2010

- Rita K. Connell

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what a stunning picture Dale I love this process. I really like what it did to the tones on this. I really like it I have no suggestion I like the way it is. nice job

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June 11, 2010

- Rita K. Connell

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maybe you can give us a tutorial on this new process.hint...hint!!!

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June 11, 2010

Dale Hardin

You guys are all so supportive. Love you all. thanks so much.

And Rita, no need to hint, I'll see if I can duplicate what I did. I've sent a few tutorials but wish there were some way to post for everyone without having to send individual emails. Any ideas? I tried a free web site once but it didn't work out.

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June 11, 2010

Aimee C. Eisaman

What no birds flying off into the distance??? LOL Thanks so much for showing the comparison. I think the work you did on it is definitely an improvement. I like how romantic it made it. I could even see a couple in silhouette walking down by the surf hand in hand. Don't get me wrong it is lovely as is...I just could see so many possibilites with this one. :~)

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June 12, 2010

Debbie E. Payne

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it, Dale! Just gorgeous. Yes, we'd love to learn your technique. Maybe it could be done by making a group email address with all of our emails in it and just sent it out once to the group as an attachment. That would be awesome. Is it time to do our emails over again. I had them all once upon a time.

This image is so striking - it looks like the kind of color that you would see in an active volcano.

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June 12, 2010

Aimee C. Eisaman

Had no doubt we'd see this one in the EP thread Dale! Way to go! :~)

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June 15, 2010

Jeff E Jensen

Congratulations on the well-deserved finalist my friend!