B&W Challenge No. 30 - Clouds

[hmca]

Jacki, you may want to check out this thread.    Did you process the sky differently than the water?  

[tonyw]

Jan 4, 2020 0:38:06 GMT hmca said:

Looking at the water and the clouds, I am thinking this was a long exposure image. It certainly has a very tranquil quality.

While I know the range mask was introduced awhile ago in LR, I didn't get the hang of it when I first viewed some tutorials and as a result never explored it further.
After reading how you used it in your first submission, I finally looked for some tutorials to see if I might get a better handle on their use in LR. I came across this video which was pretty straightforward.
Do you have a video that you would recommend?

It was actually a normal exposure but accidentally softened a bit - by mistake I worked on a downsized jpeg rather than the original raw but it looked OK so I stuck with it!

I was introduced to range masking by taking a Matt Kloskowski course.  He has several videos that use it but the best one to start with would be this one I think.  I found it an excellent introduction and you can tell he's very enthusiastic about this LR and ACR tool.

mattk.com/lightrooms-most-powerful-masking-tools/

Tony

[hmca]

Thanks, Tony. He does a good job explaining this feature, and how and why you may want to adjust the sliders, or use the dedicated brush to modify the selection.

[pontiac1940]

Thanks Tony. Will watch the vid tonight. 
Not a cloud in the sky here this morning. Howling wind...wind is what forms these lenticular clouds near the mountains. 
I think the contrast needs increasing here...will look at tonight..or not. 
 

[Peterj]

Another from my archives - from a trip to Utah - On1 used exclusively - added a copper toner to B&W filter

[jackscrap]

Jan 4, 2020 13:13:38 GMT hmca said:

Jacki, you may want to check out this thread.    Did you process the sky differently than the water?  

Thankyou Helen, yes more instructional videos are needed to be watched and learned from..... as for the sky, I don't know what happened there, it has a bluish tinge on my monitor for whatever reason, perhaps I was a bit too heavy on one of the sliders, who knows!

I will try again on another image if I can find one that has clouds in it. 

[pontiac1940]

Jan 4, 2020 17:44:45 GMT pontiac1940 said:

Not a cloud in the sky here this morning.

HA HA ! The wind was wicked all day, and then a storm blew north of town and it finally snowed for one hour at home. The clouds were interesting. 

January 4, 2020. 
Opened in ACR and fiddled with contrast and lights and darks and also used the clarity slider to make the clouds look angrier then they were. When in PSE I used new adj layer >> gradient map to complete the B&W. Something like that.  

[hmca]

You certainly have a plethora of cloud formations in your area, Clive. They are a wonderful addition to this thread.

[blackmutt]

Thanks for that link, Tony. It’s clear to me I have not even scratched the surface in Lightroom

[pontiac1940]

Jan 5, 2020 1:49:36 GMT hmca said:

You certainly have a plethora of cloud formations in your area, Clive. They are a wonderful addition to this thread.

Thanks Helen. I could go on for days!! 

We are on the east side of the Rockies...they are one hour away. Our weather comes across the ranges of BC, or cold fronts come from the far north and some of our worst winter storms blow up from Idaho and Montana supplied with Pacific moisture. We get a lot of sunshine here..only surpassed in NA by Arizona and other SW states. Anyway it all makes for interesting skies. Love it. 

I'll stop now. Was fun for me. 

[blackmutt]

Love the second one, Clive!

[pontiac1940]

Thanks Judy. Was last July in my way home from Edmonton .. Central Alberta.
July is T-storm season and the likelihood of hail ... and the occasional funnel cloud.  

[hmca]

Not only are they beautiful cloud formations, but skillfully composed to put emphasis on the sky.

Just want to mention that your cloudy images don't have to be of the caliber posted by Clive to find a place in this thread. Let's see if we can fill this thread with clouds
taken across our global community.

[pontiac1940]

Thanks Helen. I won't apologize for "swarming" the challenge ... but won't post more (yay) and as Helen said, would encourage others to post. Everyone sees clouds everyday. Just a couple of points:
 

• I live on the very edge of a small town on the plains where we can see a long ways off...can see your dog run away for three days
  
• There is little air pollution here and jet plane contrails not common 
• If there are neat clouds about, I can be out of town to a good viewing spot with no or few urban/industrial obstructions in minutes
  
• We spend 80 days a year at our summer place on the edge of the mountains (where they meet the plains) and have a 360° view from one point or other at the development.
  
• I've been taking atmospheric photos with a digital camera for 20 years and have a "few"
  
• Clouds are interesting and beautiful. 

Please don't have a "birds" B&W challenge or I'll get banned.

Thanks for the opportunity.

Clive

PS: Worth a few minutes ...

Judy Collins sings Joni Mitchell's   Both sides now

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down and still somehow

It's cloud's illusions I recall

I really don't know clouds at all

[Peterj]

Some fair weather clouds over the Santa Catalina Mountains in AZ ... On1 PR used exclusively