Almost Perfect Day
It took me over eight years, but I’ve finally put the finishing touch on this image. You can probably tell I was using an older Canon lens—one that’s long since been sold. I originally planned to share this photo of the iconic Hallgrímskirkja Church years ago, excited that I had captured the perfect angle, one that showcased its magnificence without the typical wide-angle distortion. However, even at 10:30 in the evening, the constant crowds and vehicles in front of the church made it nearly impossible to get a clean shot.
Removing these distractions required extensive editing, and for a long time, my trigger finger condition prevented me from dedicating the time needed to perfect it. Besides, at the time, it felt like just a simple travel snapshot, not something worth the effort. I had hoped to return to Reykjavík to recapture the scene under similar ideal weather conditions, perhaps experimenting with a longer exposure to enhance the cloud movement, but I was never able to find the same light and atmosphere as in this shot.
Over the years, I revisited the image sporadically, but my biggest hurdle remained: the vehicles and crowds on the left side. Without a second reference shot, reconstructing the missing details convincingly was a challenge. Then, a few years ago, Adobe introduced generative fill and removal tools, which finally allowed me to complete this image. While I’m not the biggest fan of AI-generated content, this is a great example of how AI, combined with careful manual work, can help refine and restore an image to its full potential.
It feels fitting that this picture belongs in the fantastic Sliders Sunday – Post Processed to the MAX! group. Thank you for creating this amazing space where we can share ideas and showcase our work.
Post-processing: Minor perspective correction, Adobe Generative Fill and removal, manual cloning and painting, and blue sky extension.
Almost Perfect Day
It took me over eight years, but I’ve finally put the finishing touch on this image. You can probably tell I was using an older Canon lens—one that’s long since been sold. I originally planned to share this photo of the iconic Hallgrímskirkja Church years ago, excited that I had captured the perfect angle, one that showcased its magnificence without the typical wide-angle distortion. However, even at 10:30 in the evening, the constant crowds and vehicles in front of the church made it nearly impossible to get a clean shot.
Removing these distractions required extensive editing, and for a long time, my trigger finger condition prevented me from dedicating the time needed to perfect it. Besides, at the time, it felt like just a simple travel snapshot, not something worth the effort. I had hoped to return to Reykjavík to recapture the scene under similar ideal weather conditions, perhaps experimenting with a longer exposure to enhance the cloud movement, but I was never able to find the same light and atmosphere as in this shot.
Over the years, I revisited the image sporadically, but my biggest hurdle remained: the vehicles and crowds on the left side. Without a second reference shot, reconstructing the missing details convincingly was a challenge. Then, a few years ago, Adobe introduced generative fill and removal tools, which finally allowed me to complete this image. While I’m not the biggest fan of AI-generated content, this is a great example of how AI, combined with careful manual work, can help refine and restore an image to its full potential.
It feels fitting that this picture belongs in the fantastic Sliders Sunday – Post Processed to the MAX! group. Thank you for creating this amazing space where we can share ideas and showcase our work.
Post-processing: Minor perspective correction, Adobe Generative Fill and removal, manual cloning and painting, and blue sky extension.