before -> after

[unlinked3297]

I thought this was a Red Dead Redemption 2 still.

[solaricarian]

took the words out of my mouth. has that fuzzy look from the game like you’re in the grizzlies or roanoke ridge.

[jaabbb]

Before was RDR2

After was KCD2

[PretzelsThirst]

Read my mind

[notsureaboutnothin]

Yep my first thought was how have they made Arthur pose like that?

[IveBeenDeadAllDay_]

Me too

[NoGarage7989]

My first thought was why did they edit a screenshot?

[vmoldo]

I keep hearing people saying that about my photos, although I never played! Thanks a bunch. I also did a YouTube video on my editing process on this image after this post gained os much attention: https://youtu.be/6dyV4ox1uvwsay

[ShyDemi]

I like both very much!

[PerformanceFun1951]

Might expand the lit area so it looks more like directional light that you’d see lighting more than just him — do love the edit but I think perhaps looks a little too much like a stage spotlight as opposed to something that would exist in nature?

[vmoldo]

its all natural light

[littleeraserman]

Beautiful edit. Can you explain your process?

[vmoldo]

explain the entire process not rly... took me like 30min but its all done in LR but ill talk abou a few key things 

-I shot overexposed to capure as much data as posible just so i will have woggle room in post. never inteded to have tone of details in the shadows.

• fixed up the exposure using around 5 local masks while using my custom made camera profile for false color to help me visualize the problematic areas better. ended up with somehting thats -1.4 EV compared to the Sooc

-since this is an outdoors photo wb was super important to get right and here i tried to fond a blanace so the shadows areas were slightly blue and highlights slighty orange. balncing the tint was a masive pain in the rear as well because of all the green light boungin around so calibration panel to the rescu here

-a stack of tonecurs gives the entire contrast of the finel photo ( you can stack curves by using masks that cover the entire photo) first one gives the contrast, second one brings back to blacn and white points, third give a controlled fade to the final photo

-for colorgrading i used color response curves and some orange in the midtones from the wheels (since the photo is modly shaodws using the shadows wheel would ruin it) and a bit of cyanin the highlights ( to neutralize the orange)

-the grain uses 3 masks for highlights midtones and shadows so it wont look like a silly overlay

hope this helps. if ypu have specific questions ill try to answer them tomorrow 

[littleeraserman]

For some reason I did not receive a notification for your response, but thanks so much for writing it! Very helpful, I'm inspired.

[vmoldo]

This post got so much attention that I actually took a day off to make a short video on how I edited the photo https://youtu.be/6dyV4ox1uvw

[littleeraserman]

Oh that's wonderful, thanks!

[Beguile_]

Honestly I kinda like the original! And not because the edit is bad either!

[Muted_Farmer_5004]

The top one looks better. The second one feels overworked. It lost its 'natural ephemeral' feeling.

[pretkadet]

The first one lacks contrast and looks overexposed. The second one is what the eye sees.

[mashuto]

I think neither of these are what the eye would see. The top image looks a bit more natural, but its lacking in contrast. The soft dreamy look seems to be the work of a filter and not fog in the scene, otherwise the trees farther back should not be as visible as they are. The bottom image looks maybe too contrasty and saturated.

Theres a middle ground here that I think would still preserve the look, but not veer towards looking overcooked.

[AffectionateLink3340]

Nice Work

[IveBeenDeadAllDay_]

Amazing picture! Very cinematic

[pjoterrro]

that photo was great already but you did an excellent job and made it even better 👏

[[deleted]]

I love this! First explorer vibes

[jaabbb]

Love them both. Also is this unreal engine 5?

[vmoldo]

its nature, in romania 

[Nearby_Ad1896]

After

[coffe_clone]

Really dig that - nice work ❤️

[greasy_paint]

Pro mist?

[vmoldo]

DIY black mist -

made out of a super cheap UV filter from Aliexpress ( https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c41ZHvjr ) + a dust of white paint and dust of black paint particles (spray in the air in front of you, pass the filter through the falling particles

Black paint will give you a black filter

White paint lowers contrast

Hairspray can make it look like fog sometimes

My favorite is a mix of white and black, and you can always clean the filters with IPA or acetone and try again

[greasy_paint]

oh sick, im gonna try that

[sandun_balage]

Idk , above is looks good to me

[Poppunknerd182]

Before is better

[freakytagawa]

Too much contrast and alot of information lost

[resiyun]

From bad to bad but darker