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Asleep for a Hundred Years
Asleep for a Hundred Years
DrAchoo


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Fairy Tales II (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Canon EOS-5D
Lens: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS
Location: Camas, WA
Date: Nov 26, 2007
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 1600
Shutter: 1/8
Galleries: Landscape, Digital Art
Date Uploaded: Nov 26, 2007

 I wanted to reshoot my picture "Forest Spirits" this weekend and was planning on doing it already when I see that the member challenge is "Fairy Tale". Wow! What luck! In fact I shot this early Monday after the challenge was announced. Entry #5.

I got up at 6:30 to hike into the Round Lake nature preserve in the dark and set up before it got too light. It's a little under a mile to this tree which is different from the one I used in "Forest Spirits". I had made the luminaries the night before and hung them from the tree with a stick. The glow at the base of the tree is a lantern. This is the last shot of the set and it was getting lighter. I wanted the glow from the gas lantern at the base of the tree to affect more of the shot.

Originally I wasn't in the picture, but I figured the shot needed something more. Thinking of Rip Van Winkle, an american short story, I thought about pretending to sleep under the influence of the spirits. Other than the fact that I'm wearing jeans, I think it works.

As you might expect, there is a ton of processing in this one. I used a total of 15 layers and 2 RAW conversions.

I converted from RAW twice: once warm and once cool. Using a mask, I made the luminaries warmer than the surrounding. Next I used a S/H layer at 0/10. Then I used two layers to produce an Orton Effect (google it for an explanation). Then a dodge/burn layer to burn the background and dodge around the tree to lend that otherworldy glow. I also did some minor cloning on this layer. Then some adjustment layers with Hue/Sat, Brightness/Contrast, and Selective Color. A wide radius USM increased contrast, then a regular 300/0.3/2 USM (this was all after resizing) actually oversharpened it by quite a bit. This was ok, because I knew I was going to give it a strong NI treatment on the next layer. This layer is masked slightly where I am sitting. Another small USM layer 100/0.3/2. Some mild contrast added.

I don't know how many times I worked the shot up. Originally I had used small gradients to mask off the candles and give them the yellow glow. I decided I risked a DQ for that because they added definite circles of voluminous light. This treatment, which paints the warm RAW conversion onto the tree itself only changes the hue of the branch and doesn't affect the "air" around the candles.

I love it. I have no idea how it will do though. It's a really strong PP treatment which personally I'm not afraid of, but not everybody likes. Screw it. I'm going for it anyway. This pic cost me another skin rash, although much milder than the last one. You'd think I'd learn.

Post: Here's a link to the original to show just how much is processing on this shot:

Statistics
Place: 9 out of 82
Avg (all users): 6.5561
Avg (commenters): 6.8667
Avg (participants): 6.6579
Avg (non-participants): 6.5316
Views since voting: 4000
Views during voting: 460
Votes: 196
Comments: 25
Favorites: 6 (view)

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AuthorThread
 12/11/2007 01:00:25 AM
Lovely and enchanting. Congrats on the top 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2007 08:54:06 AM
omg I gave a 7 to DrAchoo! the processing is brilliant.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2007 08:35:52 AM
Buy a box of paints. Cheaper than a camera!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2007 07:05:57 AM
Great work man. I like it. Gave ya an 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2007 02:19:53 AM
I knew this one was yours. I really like the image and thanks for showing us the original. Expert processing indeed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2007 12:56:43 AM
Gee this proves processing DOES make a huge differance.....
Awesome as usual.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2007 12:27:50 AM
Well done Jason
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/10/2007 12:27:40 AM
hmm interesting image! good use of the editing.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
12/09/2007 10:05:32 PM
Interesting and different. Love how the soft colors kind of blur together. Now the only thing the guy needs is a beard ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/09/2007 01:34:29 PM
Wow this is insane! How did you do this I would love to know the processing steps
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/07/2007 06:53:51 PM
this one's pretty neat.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/07/2007 03:41:22 PM
Very, very neat editing. I like the colors as well!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/07/2007 08:37:54 AM
I like the texture and effect of this photo. You did good with the surreal look. The things that are on the tree are a little distracting only because with the distance I can't tell what they are or how they play into the story.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/06/2007 10:24:46 PM
Very interesting shot. Curious about this tree and how this shot came to be.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/06/2007 10:58:18 AM
...there is simply too much going on here.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/06/2007 08:23:15 AM
Nice post processing on this.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/05/2007 11:26:39 PM
Very cool effect, I look forward to seeing how it was done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/04/2007 12:55:25 PM
this is awesome
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2007 06:29:02 PM
great find, right out of the imagination
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2007 01:30:17 PM
I'd love it if he had a beard. ;~D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2007 09:32:27 AM
I can't understand what it is, but I like it
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2007 08:42:55 AM
Great mystical feeling to this. You're a bit too clean shaven to pull off being asleep for 100 years though!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2007 07:40:34 AM
No vote - Wonderful job editing this. Has a great story book feel to it. Great colors, detail and softness.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2007 12:27:39 AM
wow, such great colors in this! i love the lights.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 12/03/2007 12:18:23 AM
Wonderful shot! I love this more than my own submission, nice job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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