One of the coolest thing about digital photography is the way that software allows you to change the look and feel of an image. This evening I played around with some different presets in Luminar 3 and got a look to one of my recent umbrella shots that I really like—almost like an antique photograph.
I tend to be somewhat of a minimalist when processing my wildlife photographs. I shoot in RAW, so I normally will tweak things like contrast, exposure, clarity, highlights and shadows, but except for cropping that is pretty much it. Shortly before leaving for this trip I downloaded Luminar 3 as part of a special deal in a pre-sale of Luminar 4.
I haven’t really used it much, but I decided to experiment with it during this trip. I tried some different looks with a recent photo that I really like. There are dozens and dozens of presets and all are adjustable, but none of the color ones satisfied me with the images.
I really like black and white and there are a whole range of options in the Tonality group of presets, including one that covers Toning. I liked the Sepia preset a lot, but settled on one called Gold and Selenium. After I made a few adjustments I got this look.
What do you think? Do you miss the bright colors of the umbrellas and the foliage in the altered version? Although I published the original shot recently, I decided to reprise it here for ease of comparison.
I like both versions a lot, though I must admit that the “feel” and “vibe” of the separate images are quite different.
© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
Much more of a timeless feeling in monochrome. Also. enjoying your series from France very much. Best, Babsje
Thanks for your comment. I too have that same sense with the monochromatic image. I am glad that you are enjoying my shots from Paris. I sent out a warning to folks as I was getting ready to leave that my postings would be different and for the most part they have been. I have a little over a week to go here in the city and a whole lot more that I want to do (it is a three week long stay in Paris).
You’re welcome. You’ve made excellent use of your photo shoot opportunities in Paris and I’ve been vicariously enjoying your time there. Best, Babsje
It’s like you are going back in time with the first photograph. Very nice.
I do like them both. Having seen the colored umbrellas first, I have a slight preference for them. Interestingly, I didn’t notice the texture of the tree trunks on the right until I looked at the B&W, which is a nice feature of both images.
I like them both!
One shot, many possibilities…