How can I create a dramatic, darkened sky like in these example photos?

Asked 11/23/2011

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I’ve seen landscape images with very dramatic skies, strong contrast, and a gritty or high-impact look. Is this typically created with a lens filter, or is it mainly done in post-processing? If there’s a common name for this style or technique, what is it called?

hdr post-processing landscape filters dodge-and-burn

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

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In considering the second image I found an example out of my own collection as an example image to illustrate my point.

Before adjustments: enter image description here After adjustments:

I think what you are looking at may have been achieved with HDR, as I did with my example images. I used Photomatix Pro with 3 source RAW files to achieve this. Outside of Photomatix, I did not process any further. The images that you provided look to have quite a bit of grain, so you could add that in. My original images did not have any filters applied to them.

Originally by user4892. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user4892

14y ago

AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

This look is most likely created mainly in post-processing, not by a single optical filter. Based on the examples and the community replies, the effect can come from a combination of:

HDR processing from multiple RAW exposures
Dodge and burn editing to selectively darken and lighten parts of the image
Added grain or a gritty texture
Possibly a circular polarizer (CPL) at capture to deepen and saturate the sky

There doesn’t seem to be one single formal name for the overall style, but “HDR” and “dodge and burn” are the most relevant technique names mentioned. A CPL can help in-camera, especially for richer skies, but the heavy contrast and dramatic toning in those examples are mostly signs of software editing.

So: think of it as a heavily processed HDR-style landscape image, often finished with local contrast, dodge/burn work, and possibly grain.

How can I create a dramatic, darkened sky like in these example photos?

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