How do you edit fog photos?
- Thread starter hark
- Start date
VERY nice on your edit!
And thanks for the info on using Curves. I definitely want (and need) to learn more about the basics of photo editing. I very much appreciate this, Marcel. 
BackdoorArts
Senior Member
Coming into this really late, but up front let me clarify something - yes, you want to make sure you maximize the color space by setting your black and white limits, but 1) this needs to be appropriate to your image (it's a guideline, not a commandment) and 2) I do it using a Levels adjustment in Photoshop and not usually in ACR. This is to maximize the dynamic range of the photograph. But fog shots are the antithesis of dynamic range and are almost exclusively a squashed subset, so you've effectively undone the subtleties.
Rule #1 is serve the photograph.
Rule #1 is serve the photograph.
Thanks kindly for your explanation, Jake. It makes sense, and I understand. Guess I need to check out how to do a Levels adjustment in Photoshop. So with low contrast scenes, the adjustment is different than a normal image that has much more contrast. I get it.
Thanks again! @hark
Here is what I did to your image:
Downloaded into PS CC 2015, automagically opened in ACR.
Here are my ACR 9.3 settings:
temp - 6200
tint - +2
Exposure - +0.45
Contrast - +39
Highlights - -29
Shadows - -55
Whites - -14
Blacks - -24
Clarity - +48
Vibrance - +27
Saturation - +33
Used Lens Profile Corrections
De-Haze - -5
Default Camera Calibration
Used Spot Healing Brush Tool to remove Power Lines, bird feeder, ducks, and white spots in water.
Used Lasso tool with majorly jagged edges to select tree foliage in center of image, and increased saturation in this area very slightly, so you could not see the transition.
Used Lasso tool with reflection of same, using same method.
Reduced image size to 1200 width, and then used unsharp mask just a little.
I paid no atttention to histogram.
I did pay attention to Binky, my cat, as he navigated the keyboard as I worked. Hairs between the keys could have changed the values of PP somewhat.
Here is what I did to your image:
Downloaded into PS CC 2015, automagically opened in ACR.
Here are my ACR 9.3 settings:
temp - 6200
tint - +2
Exposure - +0.45
Contrast - +39
Highlights - -29
Shadows - -55
Whites - -14
Blacks - -24
Clarity - +48
Vibrance - +27
Saturation - +33
Used Lens Profile Corrections
De-Haze - -5
Default Camera Calibration
Used Spot Healing Brush Tool to remove Power Lines, bird feeder, ducks, and white spots in water.
Used Lasso tool with majorly jagged edges to select tree foliage in center of image, and increased saturation in this area very slightly, so you could not see the transition.
Used Lasso tool with reflection of same, using same method.
Reduced image size to 1200 width, and then used unsharp mask just a little.
I paid no atttention to histogram.
I did pay attention to Binky, my cat, as he navigated the keyboard as I worked. Hairs between the keys could have changed the values of PP somewhat.
Thank you for the detailed explanation, Carroll. I will try to replicate your settings so I can physically see how each one affects the image. It will definitely help me learn. Thanks again!
Nice touch, Rick. Thanks!
You mentioned it was a tough challenge. Do you take many fog photos yourself?In general, how many people here consider fog photos to be difficult? I never attempted it previously so never gave it a thought.
So were you thinking it was going to be about how to edit a frog and turn it into a prince? Lol!
I took several shots that day, but there isn't one that I particularly like. There is just too much haze present making it difficult to separate the haze from the fog. And since the sky was a ghastly light grey, none of them is worth the time trying to fix. Note to self...no more fog photos when SO MUCH haze is present.
Thanks for all the help and information. It's been a valuable learning experience!
Thanks for all the help and information. It's been a valuable learning experience!
Yes, I realized that the hard way. :hurt: Although I know the adage when it's bright, go brighter, and when it's dark, go darker, but it's been so long since I've over exposed that I completely forgot. I underexposed simply because it's what I tend to do for landscapes and never gave it a thought.
Despite this time being a bust, I'm looking forward to capturing future fog shots! Lesson learned!