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Fix blotching in sunset image?


saustinp

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Hi all,

Newbie here. I'm working on editing this HDR image of a sunset and encountered a bit of an issue with the merged image. You can see that near the sun, the colors do not change gradually and the region around the sun is a single blotch of color. I'm not sure if there's a technical term for this, but I usually see it when images/monitors with low color resolution try to resolve a color gradient. I am editing in 32 bit RAW, ACR mode, and the HDR is comprised of three exposures with an EV of +/- 1. Any tips on this? I was thinking about using the blend tool to smooth the transition, but that would also mess up the cloud that's running horizontally above the sun. Thanks!

sunset2.png

sunset1.png
 
Your detail image shows that you've overdone "Saturation". The result is manly visible in the blue channel.
To demonstrate I post a "before version", and an "after version" of the blue channel that I I've done with curves and gaussian blur.
The after version shows how the original image could have possibly looked like just out of your camera .

sunset2 blue channel before.pngbefore


sunset2 blue channel after.png
after

sunset2 chrisdesign.png
This is the result after applying curves and gaussian blur.

I guess the best thing to do is to go back to your RAW image, and try again.
 
Excellent catch and insight by @chrisdesign. Recreated that myself to see what he was pointing to. Quite a revelation.
I played with this as well and decided to go another direction - using the lookup table adjustment, I added a late sunset filter. That added to the shot overall giving it a more dramatic look. Then using the cloning tool, did some additional blending around the sun. So, in effect, didn't rid the image of the blotchiness, just now hidden.
I realize the colors have shifted from your original shot - but it might be an alternative.
- Jeff
sunset2 edited.png
 

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