Posts from the ‘Out My Front Door’ Category
I had big plans for this image. I love making images that contain captivating light and massive reflective surfaces. If you have ever visited Denver, you know the Denver Performing Arts Center (DCPA) fits the bill quite nicely. One thing I didn’t account for was it being closed. I’m not sure why I thought it was open to the public at night? It must be the Utopian in me……
A couple weeks back I decided to schedule up solo photo-walk. I hadn’t been out on one lately, and I was itching to get out and explore. If you remember from a previous post, photo-walks are a big component of my ‘Creative Scheduling’. These are great ways not only to create, but to relax as well. Something goes on the in the creative brain the tends to silence all other stresses that are begging for your attention. So I checked the weather, charged the batteries, put together a route, and quieted my mind.
Another addition to my Spaceship Suburbia project. After reading Christian Cantrell’s Containment (a great sci-fi read I might add), I started looking around for an image that resembled a polymeth structure from a remote planetary colony. I found it; a fragile atmosphere contained within the conventions of humanity.
A while back I was searching for a reasonable backup camera to travel with over the summer. After quite a bit of deliberation, I decided on the Nikon D5000. I have been putting it through the paces and I am quite pleased. Here is a simple capture from the camera while we were out on a drive over the weekend. I will be writing up a more formalish review of it shortly, as for now, here are a couple things I like about it.
- Same image guts as its big (D90) and bigger (D300s) brother.
- Quiet shutter mode. It helped when shooting some street photos in France. Very stealthy.
- It has video! I made a quick movie while I was in France that I am still editing. Once it is done I will post it along with a more detailed review.
- Super light and compact.
- You can get the same image quality of a D300s, for under $500 (if you are willing to buy refurbished).
- Swivel LCD – Much easier on the back when having to shoot in yoga poses.
New ones await…….
This image is from the ‘Out My Front Door’ project. You can read more about it on the about me page. The basic idea of the project is to make images of sites I have found within a bike ride of my house. The goal of the project is simple, make images instead of thinking about making images. This is one of those sites. It is the last remains of a ranch that was donated to the city as open space. Story has it that the man who owned the ranch would spend over 4 days to mend the entire line of fence. Now it is home to many miles of trails for both cyclists, hikers, and runners. Philanthropy at its finest.
In an attempt to capture the essence of this wonderful space, I had a great time processing this image. I surely pushed it a bit more towards an impressionistic interpretation of the scene. However, to me the mountain itself is a beacon of green rolling grass, painted on a canvas of sky, that can be see from miles away.
Tech Note: I was experimenting a bit using the Promote Control which allows the camera to bracket any number of frames (up to 99) at 1/3, 1/2, or 1 EV. Far more than most cameras are normally capable of. You can read a great review of it over on my ‘Bracketer In Cirme’, Brian’s Matiash’s site.
According to Brian, good Promote Control form.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VR II
Nikon CPL II
PromoteControl
Gitzo Traveler
Aperture:f/8.0
Focal Length:16 mm
ISO Speed:400 (oops)
Processing Notes:
Capture (21 images @ .3 EV)
NX2 – Raw Conversion
Photomatix 3.2 – HDR/Tonemapping
NIK Define 2.0 – Noise reduction auto profile
Photoshop – selective curve adjustments applied to grass
Photoshop – selective sat adjustment applied to grass (trying to tame it abit)
Photoshop – Global curves adjustment
Nik Color Efex Pro – Glamour glow
Sized For Web
LightAsMagic.com
After my run this weekend, I decided to swing by a couple locations I have had on the radar for a while. Surprisingly, this facility is fairly accessible at 7am on a Sunday. I approached it from a variety of angles, however because the sky was as clear as it has been in quite some time, I didn’t have the backdrop of interest I was looking for. I did find a couple of interesting foreground elements to incorporate, but nothing was really working. I thought to myself, what can I do with huge white silos and a blue sky? My decision was simple….Orange Filter! I applied an orange filter in my Silver Efex pro conversion, darkened the sky up, and created the contrast I was looking for to surround these structures.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro
Gitzo Traveler
Exposure: 1/4000 sec
Aperture: f/8.0
Focal Length: 14 mm
Exposure Bias: -2 EV
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (1 images)
Nik Siler Efex Pro – High contrast orange filter
NIk Viveza 2 – Selective boost to structure/brightness in foreground
Sized for web
Nik Sharpener 2.0 – Adaptive 40%
LightAsMagic.com
A stand of trees I have worked with before, caught my attention again. I probably tried 20-30 images as I was experimenting with various panning timings and techniques. I settled on this image because I enjoyed how a touch of detail was retained in the background. In order to capture the detail and still achieve the motion, I would turn the shutter over, pan quickly, then pause.
Click..Pan..Pause…Review….Click….Pan…..Pause…..Review…..until I got it right.
Capture Notes
NIkon D300
Nikkor 70-300 AFS VR II (VR ON)
Exposure: 0.5
Aperture: f/32.0
Focal Length: 100 mm
ISO Speed: 400
Exposure Bias: -1 EV
Flash: No Flash
Processing Notes:
Capture 1 image
Aperture – Raw processing (including definition and contrast boost)
Sized for web
LightAsMagic.com
In preparation for my guest blog post on my fellow photographer and Urban HDR shooter, Brian Matiash’s website, I headed down to the rail yards. Paying attention to the sign, I laid my ear on the tracks listening for any approaching trains. When the coast was clear, I made my into position, quickly acquired focus, bracketed 9 frames, and fled the scene. Brain would probably want me back home typing as opposed to chasing images…but I promise, the text is well underway. Visit Brian’s site today for some incredible images, and in the near future to read my post “Looking Forward”.
To learn more about the use of selective curves, and other tips to help realize your creative vision, give the tutorials over at Chromasia.com a try.
Chromasia Photoshop Tutorials
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VRII
Gitzo Traveler
Aperture: f/5.6
Focal Length: 85 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (9 Images @ 1EV)
NX2 Raw Conversion
Photomatix – HDR/Tonemapping
Noiseware – noise reduction (landscape profile)
NIK Sharpener – Selective to the sign (it was a bit soft)
Nik Color Efex Pro – Tonal contrast selective to foreground
Photoshop – (5 selective curves adjustments)
Size for web
LightAsMagic.com
This is another image I received some questions about, so I thought I would put together a quick (< 8 mins) processing video to show you some of the steps I took after generating the initial Tonemapped HDR .tiff. Also, I really dig Nik Silver Efex Pro. I dig it so much, I was trying to find ways of using it for color images. In this video, I use Nik's Silver Efex Pro High Structure preset to bring out the texture and character of the building. I liked results, and I hope you do to.
For my other processing videos, click here!
Also, if you are interested in the tools I used in this video, you can use the coupon code LIGHTASMAGIC to receive 15% off of Photmatix or any Nik Tools.
For more information on some of my favorite Nik filters, and how they fit into my work-flow, click here.
A couple friends of mine, who also own a local wine bar here in town, asked me down to shoot some HDR test images. Normally, I am happy making images for my own eye and sharing them on the site. However, they are very keen on the technique, and thought the light and glass were a good candidate for it. They were right! The interior design, light and glass work is stunning. Maybe HDR imagery will be making a bit of local commercial headway? I am looking forward to my next visit, hopefully I can catch a better sunset.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 17-35 AFS 2.8
Gitzo Traveler
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 35 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (7 images @ 1 EV)
NX2 (Raw conversion)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
NIK Color Efxe Pro (ProContrast)
NIK Color Efex Pro (Glamour Glow)
NIK Color Efex Pro (Tonal Contrast selective to bottle)
Resized for web
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: White wine is best paired with HDR.
There are a bunch of things technically wrong with this image (lens flare being a big one), but because it reminds me of the start of summer, it is sooooo right. Summer is close! Opening day was Friday, and as my good friend said, “Mother Nature set the thermostat to AWESOME!”. I am feeling very inspired, and I hope you are too.
I shot a couple photos from the iPhone while out enjoying the AWESOME…wish I had my 300mm when I ran by a couple of elk.
http://bestc.am/photographers/15879
Note: I will be posting a new video tomorrow. It it geared towards those just getting into photography. I hope to answer the question that new photographers are commonly faced with….”Why don’t my pictures look like that?” Quick answer: Pixel pushing! Also, tomorrow night I will be shooting a local wine bar where I will be having a spring show, so stay tuned for the details.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro (no lens hood)
Gitzo Traveler
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 11 mm
ISO Speed:400
Processing Notes:
Capture (9 images @ 1ev)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
Nik Sliver Efex Pro (High Structure – luminosity layer)
Nik Color Efex Pro (Pro Contrast)
Nik Color Efex Pro (Tontal Contrast – selective to the concrete)
Resized for web
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: As I mentioned in the critique above, lens flare was a serious problem in this image. Sure, I didn’t have a lens hood with me, but I doubt that would have solved it . Had I not been trying to dodge the errant foul ball, I might have tried this slick technique from a fellow photographer. Jump on over to his site to see a neat solution to lens flare.
I was relieved to find out that Denver drivers respect photographers who decide to set up tripods in the middle of the road. I tried various approaches to this image, but the one that really worked happened to be from the middle lane of the street. I was quick, and the drivers were courteous allowing me to come away with this image unscathed. Actually, it was a pretty lazy Saturday afternoon and I felt like I was in a Zombie movie. There weren’t too many folks out and about. I am guessing they were all at home captivated by Butler.
I am debating if I should have cropped out more of the sky? I decided to leave it in my composition because of the interest the clouds offered. That, and I didn’t want to push my luck with texting drivers. Let me know if you think the image would have benefited from less sky.
Note: I am preparing 2 new videos for the end of the week, so I don’t know if I will be getting another image out for a couple of days. Hopefully it will be worth the wait! I will be shooting with TheBestCamera, so feel free to follow me here.
http://bestc.am/photographers/15879
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VRII
Gitzo Traveler
Aperture: f/4.0
Focal Length: 16 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (9 images @ 1ev)
NX2 (Raw -> TIFF conversion)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
Noiseware (Noise reduction weak noise preset)
Photoshop (Curves adjustment)
NIK Color Efex Pro (Tonal Contrast selective to church)
Photoshop (Curves selective to sky)
Photoshop (Size for web)
LightAsMagic.com
Songs For Post Processing: If you missed the April playlist you can find it here. I couldn’t wait until May to introduce the band Midlake. They are a fresh addition to my iTunes library. I hope you like them too.
This image of the the historic Brown Palace Hotel has been on my list of images to chase for quite a while. It has been on the radar, and falls under the ‘Out My Front Door‘ category of images. This weekend I headed down the monthly photo-walk a bit early to see what I would come up with. There was a tree in the way of my initial composition, so I decided to see just how wide the Tokina 11-16 could get. Boy, was I ever surprised. I didn’t think I had a chance to capture the entire elevation of the building, but the Tokina didn’t let me down. I was only about 6 feet away from the base of the building at 11mm (17ish DX). Also, there was a flag on top of the building that kept creeping into my frame. I sat outside for about 10 minutes waiting for the wind to finally die down. I almost gave up. I am glad I waited. I am sure the patrons in the Ships Tavern where happy to see me leave as well. It always makes me a bit nervous when paparazzi are around. Good thing my high school counselor directed me towards a steady office job, and away from Hollywood stardom.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro
Gitzo Traveler
Aperture f/11.0
Focal Length: 11 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (9 Images @ 1EV)
NX2 (RAW -> TIFF conversion)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
Noiseware (Noise reduction)
Photoshop (Curves adjustment)
Nik Color Efex Pro (Tontal contrast selective to building)
Photoshop (Masked in underexposed sky)
Noiseware (Noise reduction) against the bracketed image being masked in)
Nik Sharpener (Selective to marquee)
Photoshop (Size for web)
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: Because I masked in an image from the sequence for the sky, I ran a Noiseware against the bracketed image prior to masking it in as a layer. That way I didn’t lose too much detail by running Noiseware against the entire image twice.
This is an image I have been meaning to make for quite a while. It is an industrial part of town that I used to have to ride through on my way to ‘greener pastures’. I was usually fully outfitted in tight shiny spandex, oversized shades, and a stars n’ stripes helmet. Yeah, totally out of place. This weekend an errand provided the opportunity to visit the location in more traditional attire. Upon arrival, I noticed the puddles of water, and I quickly changed my composition. I made the decision to to get my camera as close to the ground as possible to emphasize the reflections. After getting home and reviewing the image, I am happy I did.
You might have noticed that I have joined the Chromasia.com affiliate program. They offer some of the best digital photography tutorials that I have found so I thought I would spread the word. The tutorials are developed by David Nightingale, who also authored one of my favorite HDR Photography books. If you are interested in improving your post processing make sure to check them out. They are offering a 25% discount until March 31st. I took advantage of it, so I thought you might like to as well. (You probably need to have Photoshop to take full advantage of the lessons). Click the image below to visit their site.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro
Gitzo Traveler (Ground Set)
Aperture: f/11.0
Focal Length: 11 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (8 Images)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
Dfine 2.0 (Noise Reduction automatic profile)
NIK Silver Efex Pro (High Structure – selectively applied to building/layer luminosity blending mode)
Photoshop (Curves Adjustment)
Photoshop (Vibrance/Saturation Boost)
Noiseware (Noise Reduction – Landscape profile)
Photoshop (Crop 4×5)
Photoshop (Size for web)
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: Actually, it is more of a processing trick I picked up on. In this image I applied a Silver Efex Pro filter to the image. But its not a black and white image you ask? I changed the blending mode of the newly created layer in Photoshop from Normal to Luminosity. It was a good method to enhance the textures along the walls of the building.
