205. Steam

‘Prismatic Sunset’ - Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowtone National Park, Wyoming, USA
photo by Joaquin Baldwin
website - https://www.joaquinbaldwin.com/
original image - https://i.imgur.com/K68SA1z.jpg

Download Wallpaper

A really nice capture of the Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring. The iconic steam coming ouyt of it was missing (actually, I think it went to the left), so I added it in. This was much, mich harder to do than it seems, due to the reflection - I had to mask out all those meandering lines where the stone shelves jut out of the water, where the steam wouldn't be reflected.

As far as the color grade goes, this is the one photo where the original argubly looks better, or 'more designed.' But it's too unnatural for me - the sky is never really that shade of cyan-gray. So I let some color back in.

Before

After

203. Down We Go

‘Niagara Revealed’ - Horseshoe Falls, Niagara Falls, Canada-USA border
photo by Christoph Fischer
website - https://beautysurroundsyou.com/
original image - https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/50452656382_91b0634dc2_b.jpg

Download Wallpaper

Niagara Falls are grand just by themselves, but this moody lighting and great camera angle makes them spectacular.

I removed the sun from behind the mist, it was looking like white blotch.

Before

After

194. The Steps Up the Hill

National Park in Nan province, Thailand
photo by Pongpon Rinthaisong
website - https://www.instagram.com/spyarm/
original image - https://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photo-landscape-national-park-nan-thailand-province-image67643824#res29250703

Download Wallpaper

A nice clean composition. I made it even cleaner by removing the visitors.

There was also a terribad vignette in there, so I gently threw it out.

Before

After

193. It's Just Dozing Off

‘The Other Side’ - Mount Bromo, Tengger mountains, Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, East Java, Indonesia
photo by Iswanto Arif
website - https://www.instagram.com/iswanarif/
original image - https://unsplash.com/photos/PNAD9NjsYb4

Download Wallpaper

Really looks impresive from this high a viewpoint. It was probably taken from a chopper, so I thought, why not have one in the photo.

I also pushed the blacks.

Before

After

189. Grass

‘Firehole River Sunrise’ - Firehole River, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
photo by Rodney Lough Jr.
website - https://www.rodneyloughjr.com/
original image - https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/54fa3009e4b0152d9ffb33ee/1437238864170-MP8F4CHTAMAVKGQO6541/image-asset.jpeg

Download Wallpaper

An amazing photo. There is probably a reason this photographer has photos in the Smithsonian.

I just darkened the image a little as I usually do, so it looks better on the screen.

Before

After

187. Five O'Clock

Evergreen tea plantation, Munnar, Kerala, India
photo by Martin Morgenweck
website - https://www.martinmorgenweck.com/
original image - https://image.jimcdn.com/app/cms/image/transf/dimension=2048x2048:format=jpg/path/sc92fc401a009c816/image/i9ad8ee7f8db9ed33/version/1642341385/image.jpg

Download Wallpaper

Nice atmosphere and lighting.

I just darkened the sky a little.

Before

After

178. Hello, Darkness My Old Friend

‘Forgotten King’ from Onodrim collection - Laurel forest on Madeira island, Portugal
photo by Enrico Fossati
website - https://www.enricofossati.it/
original image - https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FFnHRe_XEAIq540?format=jpg&name=large

Download Wallpaper

Straight out of Lord of the Rings.

I think I have a problem - this photographer calls his processing 'Dark Processing,' and generally produces dark photos, but I still thought it could be darker. So darker it is. Help.

Before

After

173. Basking

Pine forest in sun rays, Da Lat, Lâm Đồng province, Vietnam
photo by Thang Tat Nguyen
website - https://www.flickr.com/photos/dalattraveler/
original image - https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/panorama-of-forest-in-sun-ray-royalty-free-image/629756774

Download Wallpaper

Really nice and atmospheric. Love the layered look.

I only darkened it a little.

Before

After