Which 3 to print?

[Ben Egbert]

Help me decide which of these images to print for a 3 image set featuring Blue Valley as the subject.

The center will be either 24x36 or 24x42. The outer images will be 16x24.

Please comment on processing and if any should be cropped. One of these does not work as a 16x24 so I have cropped it to 24x42. The rest are cropped to 24x36 but could be cropped to 24x42.

#1

190607-10458-5DS R A CROP

• Ben Egbert
• Dec 7, 2019
• 1

#2

190607-10447-5DS R12719

• Ben Egbert
• Dec 7, 2019

#3

190604-9959-5DS R 12719

• Ben Egbert
• Dec 7, 2019

#4

180511-6204-5DS R12719

• Ben Egbert
• Dec 7, 2019

#5

180511-6079-5DS R12719

• Ben Egbert
• Dec 7, 2019

#6

180511-6060-5DS R12719

• Ben Egbert
• Dec 7, 2019

 

[Jameel Hyder]

The first three. The warm tones all match and they show a broad view of the valley. The processing is fine.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Thanks Jameel

 

[AlanLichty]

Have to agree with Jameel here - the processing in the first three look like they go together.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Thanks Alan, if everyone votes for the first three, I won't get one that's best for the center. So maybe just put it in words. In this case, 1 does not work as a side print because of the wrong aspect ratio. I have a 16x24 version of it with too much empty sky.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

I think #2 would work best for center with #3 on the right. Perhaps extending the sky in #1 would fix the aspect ratio issue.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Thanks Jameel.

Here is a 24x36 version of 1.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

This looks a little less warm than your original. I took a stab at extending the sky from your posted image.

 

[Ben Egbert]

You are correct Jameel. I originally cropped in ACR and had to make the 24x36 from scratch and I can never process the same image twice the same way.

I prefer your version, is it a simple crop or did you stretch the sky?

 

[Jameel Hyder]

I stretched the sky. You don't need to reprocess the image.

 

[Ben Egbert]

I swear I have done this before, but if I select the sky with a crop and do free transform, it stretches in both horizontal and vertical. Not a bad result as it fills the sky with clouds, but I must be doing something wrong here.

 

[Ben Egbert]

Ok I got it, I had to turn off preserve aspect ratio. Here is the result.

 

[JimFox]

I think #2 would work best for center with #3 on the right. Perhaps extending the sky in #1 would fix the aspect ratio issue.

This is my exact thought Ben.

 

[Jameel Hyder]

Ok I got it, I had to turn off preserve aspect ratio. Here is the result.

View attachment 23501

Or just hold the shift key. PS changed the default - it used to be that you had to hold the shift key to preserve aspect ratio.

 

[Amy Nelson]

Wow, don't make it easy or anything. They all great, but the first three really grab you attention with their depth. As far as the processing, it's your style, so own that fact they are beautiful!

 

[Ben Egbert]

Thanks Amy, looks like the first three are it. Now that i see a good way to enlarge 1, it will probably be the center image because it's my personal favorite. But I need to start over. The stretch added some noise in the sky, so I will run some NR before stretching it. I did a test run and it looked good. Preparing for print is a bit more fussy that prepping for web.

 

[Jim Dockery]

I am with the gang here on the first three, beautiful images.