10 replies to this topic

[geek-accountant]

Motivation is a topic we are discussing recently and a subject of some things coming (ie, getting the motivation to go out and take some photos).

So, I was down in the basement working on some posts a good part of the day and decided I need to go out and take some photos. Telling myself, "Just get up and go out and take a few!!" So I head upstairs with the camera and tripod and what do you know, it's raining. Good excuse to not go out, right? NOPE, I have made the decision to go out and that's what I am going to do!!

Once I get to Suwanee Town Center, it really is raining good and no way I am going out there with my gear. But instead of going home, I will wait around a bit and see if this clears, heck maybe I can get a rainbow. Well that never happened, but I did manage to get a few photos.

Image #1




Image #2



Image #3



Image #4



Image #5

[timekills]

Are those straight, or HDR? The clouds, especially seem to have a very deep level of contrast. Are you going to make a panoramic of those?

[geek-accountant]

These are HDR, the variation in light between the ground and the sky was far to great for a single image. Not making a pano out of these, but I did shoot a few that I might try and make into a pano HDR.

[krom]

Okay you have to excuse my photo newbness but what's HDR? Great photos BTW, and a good topic too.

[JediTim]

Okay you have to excuse my photo newbness but what's HDR? Great photos BTW, and a good topic too.

High Dynamic Range imaging - In a nutshell it is taking multiple exposures of the same exact scene with different exposures and merging them together for a photograph that shows detail in the parts of the scene that would be either under-exposed (shadows) or over-exposed (bright sun or white areas)

The reason this is done is because the limitations of digital film sensors.

[geek-accountant]

Exactly JediTim. I never really shot film, but I think many HDR images are beyond what film go achieve. The thing is the human eye can see a MUCH wider range of light than a digital camera. So by shooting the normal one shot image you end up with something that didn't look like what you had seen in person. HDR is a method to bring the final image closer to what the actual scene looked like, plus add a bit more (amounts depends on your preference) saturation to the colors. For me, I almost don't want to shot anything else now. I love shooting HDR. I know the look is not for everyone, but as the photographer, I have to take what I like and want to shot and people will either like it or they will not. No problem, I shot for the fun of it and the art of it and have no problem manipulating an image to get the end results I want.

With that said, I have seen MANY HDR images that are not to my liking because they were "overdone". But that's just my taste.

Just noticed that in image #2, I forgot to remove the trash can. Compare image #2 to image #1 and you will see what I am talking about.

[JediTim]

Exactly JediTim. I never really shot film, but I think many HDR images are beyond what film go achieve. The thing is the human eye can see a MUCH wider range of light than a digital camera. So by shooting the normal one shot image you end up with something that didn't look like what you had seen in person. HDR is a method to bring the final image closer to what the actual scene looked like, plus add a bit more (amounts depends on your preference) saturation to the colors. For me, I almost don't want to shot anything else now. I love shooting HDR. I know the look is not for everyone, but as the photographer, I have to take what I like and want to shot and people will either like it or they will not. No problem, I shot for the fun of it and the art of it and have no problem manipulating an image to get the end results I want.

With that said, I have seen MANY HDR images that are not to my liking because they were "overdone". But that's just my taste.

Just noticed that in image #2, I forgot to remove the trash can. Compare image #2 to image #1 and you will see what I am talking about.

Didn't notice the trash can previously either. The can "looks" a little squeezed in this shot...almost like it was merged together improperly.
Tim

[timekills]

Nice job on the shadowing on the stone wall with the trash can removal in #1.

[ikon]

I never really shot film, but I think many HDR images are beyond what film go achieve.

100% correct. Although film generally has higher DR than cmos sensors, many scenes have more DR than film can handle. This is why Ansel Adams developed his famous 10 step system. He would use his light meter to measure the highest and lowest values of a scene and then decide on his exposure. On scenes with a lot of range he would expose for the shadows (effectively overexposing the bright areas), but then he would use 'pull' processing. This basically consisted of pulling the film from the developer before the normal, recommended time. The effect was that the shadow areas would be in the develper long enough to get some detail, but the highlights would be prevented from building up so much silver that they became opaque blobs.

[geek-accountant]

Great info ikon, thanks.

[ikon]

Great info ikon, thanks.

BTW, Ansel also did the reverse for low DR scenes. He often did this for misty of foggy scenes. He would underexpose the film somewhat then leave it in the developer longer than normal. The effect was to give the negative more contrast.