Place your mouse over the image to compare with the original image. MM's HSL Color Curves Applied . . .   . . .a MM image...used with permission. . .
". . .It was made from the roof of the Galleries Lafayette in Paris looking at the rear facade of the Opera. . ."
MM's down-sized original image, IMG_0025, is a 799x1200 pixel, 416 KB image file derived from a Canon Rebel XT [EOS-350D] CR2 [RAW] file converted to a tiff working file using PWP4x converter features.   The converted working file was re-sized using the default bi-cubic method settings and then saved as a *.jpg file at 100% quality.   Specific PWP4x conversion settings:

• Camera make and model: Default;
• Gamma: 2,2;
• Contrast: No expansion;
• Color profile: Canon Digital Rebel XT;
• White point: Camera WP;
• Color space: sRGB; and
• Preferred interpolation: AHD

Additional discussion regarding this image and the HSL curves may be found here on the DL-C message board.

MM's applied Color Curves transform HSL curves:

Link: MM's HSL, L curve _PWP3.1h Link: MM's HSL,L curve_PWP3.5/4x

Link: MM's HSL, S curve _PWP3.1h Link: MM's HSL,S curve_PWP3.5/4x

Place your mouse over the image to compare with the original image. 'den's' Version2 . . .   . . .a MM image...used with permission. . .
Place your mouse over the image to compare with MM's HSL Curves image. 'den's' Version2 . . .   . . .a MM image...used with permission. . .

Initial Comments:

The workflow for this image version2 consisted of: (1) determining a transition tone range between the sky/clouds and the buildings image areas and creating a blending transition mask; (2) taking the original image and enhancing specifically for a sky/cloud preferences image version; (3) taking the the original image and enhancing specifically for a buildings preferences image version; (4) composite-blending the two preferences image versions; and (5) fine tuning the sky/cloud transition above the building skyline.

The suggested transform settings are specific to a down sized original image.   The full sized version may require slightly different transform settings to achieve preferences.

The ScreenViews and transform instructions are specific to PWP3.1.h but should not differ significantly for PWP3.5x/4.x.

The suggested transform settings will generally reflect my personal preferences for contrasty and saturated images.   Be sure to reconcile any of the transform settings to your own preferences and imaging enhancement style.
. . .'den'. . .

Step1:   Create a transition zone blending mask between the sky/clouds and buildings image areas.

Examining the original image's histogram, the 60% tone is a median tone value separating the sky/clouds and buildings as evidenced by the histogram dip.   Click on the original image and open the Mask Tool - Brightness Curve and form a curve = [0,0,], [55,0], [65,100], [100,100] - Add - Apply; then Blur = 100 - Apply; and click OK creating the transition blending mask.

. . .Screen View 1. . .

Step2:   Create an image version specific to sky/clouds image area preferences.

Examining the original image's historgram, 100% tone expansion is not needed.   In fact there is a slight amount of 100% tone clipping which may be the result of down-sizing the full-sized original image.   As the median transition is a 60% tone, the 60->100% tone range is of specific interest for changes to brightness, contrast, and saturation.   Click on the original image and open the Color Curves transform and in the HSL color space: form an HSL,L curve = [0,0], [50,35], [100,100]; form an HSL,S = [0,0], [20,10], [80,30], [100,50]; and click OK creating the sky/cloud preference image version.   For the 60->100% tone range, the brightness and saturation were reduced de-emphazing the clipped highlights and reducing the 'blue' color cast.   Contrast was increased to bring out cloud detail.   The sky/clouds may seem overly dark but when blended with the buildings preference image version in Step4, they will lighten somewhat due to the tranistion blending mask's gradient.

. . .Screen View 2. . .

Step3:   Create an image version specific to the buildings image area preferences.

Examining the original image's histogram, the 0% tone [black point] needs to be expanded, i.e., moved from [0,0] to [15,0].   As the tone range of interest is 0->60%, move the 100% tone [white point] from [100,100] to [75,100].   The original 0->60% tone range now has been effectively expanded to 0-90% resulting in added brightness and contrast.   A slight contrast S-curve is added to increase image area detail.

Click on the original image version and open the Color Curves transform and in the HSV color space: form an HSV,V curve = [0,0], [15,0], [30,20], [60,90], [75,100], [100,100]; and click OK creating the buildings preference image version.   Prefering the saturation 'as is', no changes were made to the saturation levels.

. . .Screen View 3. . .

Step4:   Composite - Blend the two preference image versions.

Click on the sky/clouds preference image version and open the Composit - Blend transform where Input = sky/clouds image, Mask = blending transition mask, white = 0, black = 100, Overlay = buildings image; and click OK, creating a blended sky/clouds and buildings image version.

. . .Screen View 4. . .

Step5: De-emphasize slight aura/halo and 'blue' color cast resulting from the transition mask's gradient along the building skyline.

Click on the blended sky/clouds and buildings image version and open the Mask Tool - Paint brush and paint/Blur=50 a mask along the skyline leaving the mask active on the blended image version.

. . .Screen View 5a. . .
Click on the blended image version and open the Color Correct transform, selecting with the Probe a blue cast area above the roofline.   Move the control point arrow to white and set brightness = -20%, and then adjust amount to preference [white = 38, black = 0]; click OK, creating a corrected blended image version.

. . .Screen View 5b. . .

The corrected blended image version is ready for 'fine touchup' details.   Further slight preferential changes to brightness, contrast and saturation might be considered.   Building roof architecture [dome and statues] and the Mozart banner might be further detailed with specific image area masks.   After the 'fine touchup' changes, proceed with preferential sharpening.

Before/After Comparisons [repeated]:

Place your mouse over the image to compare with the original image. 'den's' Version2 . . .   . . .a MM image...used with permission. . .
Before/After histograms:



Here is a Version3 that incorporates some of the suggested 'fine touchup' suggestions above.   This version represents a final personal preference version for MM's image.

Place your mouse over the image to compare with Version2. 'den's' Version3 . . .   . . .a MM image...used with permission. . .

You are welcome to see other IMAGEs by DEN.