Ok, this is just one of those images that didn't come out the way it really looked.. so I took it into the hands of photoshop to try and correct it.

Below are before/after results.

I started with fixing the contrast and color in the rock, correcting the mid tones, etc. Then I moved to the water to do the same, and sharpened the overall image.

Then I attacked the blown out sky, enriching the colors and then applying the same effect to the water to make it match and 'pop' more.

It was done with a combination of Lightroom and CS3. Lightroom for balancing the image to begin with, and cs3 for all the fancy stuff like applying individual color curves adjustments to bring out more color contrast, overall curves adjustments, shadow adjustments, sharpening, masking, etc. etc.

I'd love to hear your comments, or any improvements you think could be made. I primarily deal with people, not landscape, and I'd love to learn more.

Before - http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w90/k2kyo/PS%20Work/ItalianCoast.jpg

After - http://i174.photobucket.com/albums/w90/k2kyo/PS%20Work/ItalianCoast-2.jpg

Thanks,
Kyle

Hi Kyle,

U made a prety good picture and the changes what U did, are up to the picture, so good work, I work with quite a lot landscapes and natural photos I suggest U keep the sea a bit lighter in the front to increase the contrast between the rock and the water.

Yea it does look nice with a bit lighter water.. I was trying to match the brightness of the sky but I think I over did it a bit, thanks.

Kyle

the sky is OK in Ur version IMHO

I was trying to match the brightness of the sky but I think I over did it a bit, thanks.
Kyle

If your bright sky is over done.. then I am way OFF!
(but it could be toned down a bit)

a HDR then tonemapped

sorry, I meant that on my first attempt, I tried to match the water with the sky, but I went too dark in the water.. going along with the original comment from saby :)

I'll go back and lighten up the water a bit and I think it will be a better overall look.

Thanks for the comments, please post any others you may have as well :)

Kyle

a HDR then tonemapped

How can you HDR a photo that was only taken at one exposure? Sure you can fake an exposure a bit, but wouldn't you end up basically back where you started?

It was my understanding that to have an HDR image, you had to either have a camera that could automatically capture it that way, or take the exact same image at various exposure levels over a given range, then composite them. Is there something I'm missing?

Kyle

With the newer version of Photomatix (http://www.hdrsoft.com/)(V2.5+, That I am sure of) you need at least two exposures or more..

I get three exposures by using one ore more screen layers of the original to get a lighter exposure(to open the shadows) and then Multiply for a darker version (to get detail in the highlights + a little) then load the ones I want Plus the Original into Photomatix (http://www.hdrsoft.com/) and use them for a HDR..

Sometimes I can get the same procedure to work using CS2 HDR but am still experimenting there so it is hit and miss.. Photomatix (http://www.hdrsoft.com/) works consistently... not as good as three or more actual exposures but still effective as per the photo above..

I have tried the Shadow/Highlight and the HDR settings in CS2 but the HDR from Photomatix seems to be more consistent and better for me (much more control in the tonemap process, under the HDR tab)

On older versions of Photomatix (V2.2.2 that I am sure of) you can get a HDR then tonemap with one exposure using the "Batch Processing" tab

This is the way I cheat at it anyway..

Had a go at this one. Blue on blue is tough, so changed the sky to a sunset shading to give contrast to the water. Then tried to give some depth to the rock cliff and went for a natural water color.