This is my second time participating in Stacy Fisher’s After Before Friday challenge. This week, we were all given the same photo to process. Here’s the original:
First, I used PhotoShops’s RAW converter to make the following adjustments:
Here is the photo after opening it from the converter:
Next, I changed the photo to black and white. Then I heightened the sharpness to give it a slightly gritty, urban feel.
And finally, I added more fog using a gradient layer.
For more from this challenge, visit After Before Friday One Photo Focus Week 35.
Click the image above for rules on joining the fun!
nancy merrill photography 
That last gradient layer adds an interesting final touch.
Thanks! I was very happy with how it turned out.
Ireally like the black and white edit after camera raw, not really a fan of the gradient but this is down to personal taste in the end. Really good work on this image.
Thanks, Ben. What I liked about the gradient was that it brought the focus more to the street level of the image.
You are right that the gradient has brought more focus to street. This is just a style that I am not a fan of, yet I appreciate others are.
Such basic, simple steps, Nancy, that results in a wonderful take on Manal’s image. Unlike Ben, I do like the gradient 🙂 As he says, it’s all a matter of personal taste! Thanks so much for participating again. It’s great to have you!
Thanks Stacy! It’s such a fun challenge. I’m looking forward to more. 🙂
Nice black and white Nancy. I like the final gradient layer, it focuses the eye more into the street.
That’s what I was hoping would happen. Thanks!
I love how you have processed it. That final image is great.
Thanks!
Hey Nancy another different variation, I like the fog concept but would have preferred it a bit lighter and more misty I guess. Nice BW treatment, works well with the fog too 🙂
Thanks. It’s always fun to experiment. I’m hoping to have more time to try a lot of different treatments with future challenges. 🙂
The gradient layer blends so well. I’ll have to try that with some of my photos to add more of a haze instead of trying to cut through it. It looks so real!
I’m not sure I like the gradient layer either, but it did a wonderful job of covering up how dull the sky was. I’ll have to remember that for next time.
Nancy
Nice edit Nancy. I tried black and white but didn’t like it but you have done it so well, it looks great 🙂
Thanks! I’ve found the secret to changing a digital photo from color to black & white is enhancing saturation and contrast, so that you have more texture in the image than you need in color. 🙂 Good luck!
I like the gradient you’ve added here, it adds a more mysterious feel to the image and makes me think of an American scene rather than London 🙂
Thanks, Manal! Thanks for a fun image to play with. 🙂
I love it, especially how sharp and smooth it feels. Great work.