Posts from the ‘Out My Front Door’ Category
I’m going to go ahead and classify this image as ‘forward-recon’. I have been meaning to get down to the Gates Rubber facility knowing that it would offer some interesting subject matter. The traffic and weather weren’t very cooperative tonight, so I am planning on another trip. It will be either earlier in the morning, or later in the year. The sun needs to venture a bit further into the northern hemisphere for my vision. Until then, here is a preview from the scouting mission. Hopefully I can make it back before it is cleaned up…..I think I have plenty of time.
Capture Notes:
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VRII
Gitzo Traveler
Aperture: f/5.3
Focal Length: 65 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VR II
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Notes:
Capture (5 Images)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
NIK Color EFX Pro (ProContrast – Color correction)
NIK Color EFX Pro (Tonal Contrast – Desaturate and mid tone/shadow textures)
Photohop (Saturation/Vibrance selective to graffiti)
Photohop (Resize for web)
NIK Sharpener (Display 30% adaptive 60% output strength)
LightAsMagic.com
I believe great images lurk right outside your door. You don’t have to travel far to find beauty and interest. I spend my summer days running by this tree and I knew northern clouds would compliment it beautifully. This afternoon the clouds were building in the north, but the sky remained a brilliant blue. I knew this would be the time to visit my running partner. It just so happened to be the end of a year!
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16
Gitzo Traveler
Capture Notes:
Aperture: f/22.0
Focal Length: 11 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Processing Notes:
Capture (8 images)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
Photoshop (Curve adjustment)
NIK Color EFX Pro (Tonal Contrast)
NIK Color EFX Pro (Brilliance/Warmth)
Photoshop (Crop to 4×5)
Photoshop (Size for web)
LightAsMagic.com
A neighbor friend of ours, who also happens to be a great photographer, was telling me about her cross processing techniques of days past. You can visit her site by clicking here.
I really like the Lo-Fi vibe you can achieve with this process, so I decided to go out and find a subject to experiment with digitally. I have had this building on the radar for a while, and I thought it would be the perfect subject for this technique. FYI, the cross processing I applied was compliments of my favorite digital toolset, Nik EFX, and free fo any chemicals like the days of yore. I like it. It’s as if I am blogging from the 70s.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300 ED AF
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Notes:
Capture (7 images)
Photomatix (HDR Tonemapping)
NIK ColorEFX Pro (Tonal Contrast for texture)
NIK ColorEFX Pro (Cross Process for lo-fi vibe)
Photoshop (Re-size and prep for web)
NIK Sharpen (Display 30% Adaptive)
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: To get the height required to make this image, I had to set the tripod up on the top of my car. Two things I learned here. 1) Tripods don’t work well if they are on a moving surface. Turn your car off! 2) You might think you stand still, but you don’t. Get off the car and use a cable release from the ground.
You all know I missed its rise yesterday, so I to set my alarm to see if it was still there in the morning. Sure enough it was! The image has its flaws, but I hadn’t had my coffee yet.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300 ED AF
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Note:
Capture (9 images)
Photomatix (HDR/Tonemapping)
NIK SilverFX Pro
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: Something I discovered this morning is that the Moon’s orbit is faster than you think. I bumped up my ISO to 400 so I could increase my shudder speed to get 9 images shot as fast as possible.
A cold day of training reminded me of a tree I had been meaning to make an image of and I thought the storm behind it might do well for the backdrop. Nature’s studio cooperated. Sure, a bit dramatic, but after 5 hours of riding in the cold I felt dramatic!
Nikon D300
Nikkor 35mm 1.8
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Note:
Capture (7 images)
Photomatix (HDR Tonemapping)
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Bleach Bypass)
Nik Define 2.0 (Manual selectively applied to sky)
Photoshop (Crop Re-size)
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Vignette)
Nik Sharpener (Display adaptive selectively applied to tree and foreground)
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: I’m not sure if this necessarily falls under the category of a tip, but I had a friend of mine ask if I would write a bit more about my process. I wasn’t sure where to start, so I figured I would start with a concept I have decided to call ‘Creative Scheduling’. We are all busy doing everything but making art. That is one of life’s common denominators. My personal way of dealing with this is to schedule the creative process. It sounds crazy, but hopefully I can try to shed some light on it. I break my photography time into 4 broad categories.
- Photo Walks: These are times that I have set aside to grab my gear and throw myself into an environment. Just like meeting friends for dinner, or going to the doctor, the appointment is on the calendar.
- Photography of Opportunity: This is just a matter of being prepared. Put together a kit that your are comfortable taking with you wherever you go. It could be a small PointnShoot or an SLR with a select set of lenses. Just make sure it is portable enough that you like to have it around. That way, when the images show themselves, you are ready for them. Here is what I take.
- Travel: It is basically a blend of the above. When I am traveling I will conduct some forward recon on the net and schedule a couple of ‘Photo Walks’ during my vacation. The prior planning makes me very efficient when on location which still allows me plenty of time to hang out and relax with my family and friends. On vacation, I always have a Photography of Opportunity kit at the ready.
- Pre-Visioned: These are images that I have stumbled upon when I (or the image) wasn’t ready. These are things I see when I am out and about running, riding, or just too busy to stop. I will make note of these images and save them for later. In my mind’s eye I will try to imagine the ideal conditions for my vision. Then, when it fits into my schedule and the conditions are right, I will go make it happen.
Why use this post to describe my ‘Creative Scheduling’ process? Because it is an example of Pre-Visioning an image for later. I found this lone tree on a road I commonly ride and I knew that a southern storm would make the perfect backdrop for it. The storm arrived the same day I had to run an errand to the quarry. I grabbed my gear and stopped to make the image. Two minutes later I was back on the road, image in hand, and off to get some flagstone.
It was unexpectedly sunny today so I decided to take a break from the black and white images I had been posting as of late and find some warm colors. I spent the sunset in downtown exploring a couple of locations I have had on the radar. The sun fooled me and I headed out out without gloves or a jacket. I froze my lens cap off.
Once the tallest building west of the Mississippi, the Daniels and Fisher Tower continues to stand proud amongst its modern day peers.
Nikon D300
Nikkon 16-85 VR II
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Notes:
Capture (7 images)
Photomatix (HDR Tonemapping)
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Brilliance/Warmth 75% Opacity)
Nik Sharpen (Display adaptive 30%)
Flickr
Tip: Can’t afford a Helicopter to gain an elevated perspective of the city, use a parking garage.
The Speer blvd. bridge makes for a grand entrance to Denver. I had been wanting to make an image of the bridge for some time. Recently, while attending a local evening photo walk sponsored by Illuminate Workshops I was able to get the job done. Originally I planned on shooting the bridge from a distance using a long lens to compress it against the skyline. I did that. However, when crossing back across the street I stumbled across this view. I’m glad Starbucks was on the other side of the street.
For more on the Illuminate Workshops visit their site:
http://www.illuminateworkshops.com/
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VR II
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Notes
Capture
Photoshop (Levels Adjustment)
NIK Sharpener (Display)
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: When you are shooting at night, really pay attention to your lighting. The light on the right was turning off intermittently and leaving that side of the bridge dark. I didn’t notice it at first, but after a couple clicks I did and was able to capture the even lighting.
Like a moth to a flame, I was drawn to the ice cream shop. Not for the ice cream, because it was below freezing Saturday night, but for the neon!
Note: Does anyone know if ‘but’ followed by ‘for’ is a violation of a grammatical rule? If so, let me know. It sounds odd.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VR II
Gitzo Traveler
Processing Notes:
Capture (7 images)
Photomatix (HDR/Tone-mapping)
Photoshop (Levels Adjustment to correct color)
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Tonal Contrast to boost textures)
NIK Sharpen (Display adaptive 30%)
LightAsMagic.com
Tip: When photographing at night it is good to have a flashlight along. Make sure it is reasonably bright. You want to be able to illuminate a distant subject to aid in focusing. When I go out for an evening photo walk I carry a small MagLite in my bag as well as a head lamp.
My first evening photo crawl with a great local photo group started out in high fashion. We met at a local pub/coffee shop in Denver, got a quick route briefing, and then headed out. I began the night by making the traditional expansive images of highway lights. However, my eye began to be drawn to the details along the footbridge we were crossing. Maybe it was my heightened focus or an unconscious interest in civil engineering. Either way I found a composition that inspired me. It was a fun evening and I look forward to joining them again next month.
I took my Flip MinoHD camera with me, and made a quick video. It is in my standard directing style, but this time I added a little ‘Holiday Bop’ to it.
Get the Flash Player to see this player.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VR II
Gitzo Traveler
Processing:
Capture (1 image)
Adobe Raw (Temperature and fill light adjustment)
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Darken/Lighter Center)
Nik ColorEFX Pro (Tonal Contrast cut highlights/midtone contrast, boosted saturation and shadow contrast)
Photoshop (resized)
Nik Sharpener (Output for display)
LightAsMagic.com
If you are interested in the photo walk, or some great workshops you can find more information about them here:
Tip: When working at night I have found that I primarily shoot in Manual Mode and set my shutter speed to ‘Bulb’. I will make an educated guess at the time, make the image, review (chimp), and then adjust. If you are taking a 5 sec exposure, don’t worry if you accidentally shoot for 6 sec. To overexpose a 5 sec exposure by 1 stop, you will have to shoot a 10 sec exposure. Even with a generous margin for error while working at night with long exposures, you still might want to take a stopwatch. Also, you will need a steady tripod and a cable release. The cable release is optional, but it always use it.
Now that my favorite open space is covered in snow and frozen I have to look back on these images to remind myself that summer will return again. The winter solstice has passed and the days are getting longer. I am looking forward to my next hike/bike on mountain behind my house and the images that will inevitably be made. I guess I will need to dust off my snowshoes and head to the hills.
Nikon D300
Tokina 11-16 ATX Pro
Tip: In a previous tip I mentioned using a polarizer to reduce reflections on water. Polarizers are also a great filter to help bring out the brilliance in the sky. Just be careful when using them with wide angle lenses. Occasionally you will run into problems with unequal polarization effects.
Lately I have been taking a deeper dive into the NIK ColorFX filter suite. When I first read about the Bleach Bypass filter I wasn’t quite sure how (or where) to apply it. I dug through the archives a bit and found an old favorite of mine that I thought I could reprocess. I was really happy with the results. The Bleach Bypass filter is great for achieving a vintage vibe for your architecture images. It also make for an interesting portrait tool. The NIK filters are well worth a look.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VRII
Gitzo Traveler
Capture (7 images) –> Photomatix 3.2.6 –> Nik (Define 2.0, ColorFX Pro Bleach Bypass and White Neutralizer) –> LightAsMagic.com
I am having a hard time diverting my gaze from reflective surfaces. I looked at the man in the mirror. I asked him to change his ways. He ended up grabbing my camera and taking a picture….damn him!
Nikon D300
Nikkor 16-85 VRII
Gitzo Traveler
Give the gift of a computer desktop to your friends and family. It’s free, just send them the link:
Red Rocks Amphitheater is just down the hill from my house, so I visit it quite a bit. It’s my personal Landscape photography training ground. Today the light was barely gracing the tops of the rocks and I wanted to try a couple new techniques in post. I decided to find a reasonably interesting foreground object and go for it.
A couple readers have asked for a quick “101″ lesson regarding HDR images and the tools used to create them. I am still working on more substantial content, but until it is finished, I will outline a basic example here.
Here are three images from the seven bracketed images I captured (+3,+2,+1,0,-1,-2,-3) to create the above photo. Obviously one is exposed for the rock and sky, the other is exposed for the cactus, the middle one is what the camera meter decided was a good average of the light in the scene. However, no one image has an exposure that is adequate for both foreground and background. That is where Photomatix Exposure Fusion comes in. You might be able to achieve a balanced exposure outside of software, but it would require either filters or flash, maybe both. But if you are traveling light, then this might be the way to go for you? You can read more about Photomatix here:
http://www.hdrsoft.com/
Foreground exposure +3 on the meter
Metered
Background exposure -3 on the meter
Processing: Caputre (7 Images) -> Import -> RAW Conversion to .tiff (applying NX2 landscape picture control) -> Photomatix (Exposure Fusion attenuated) -> NoiseWare -> Photoshop (contrast/saturation boost, sharpened) -> flickr
Tip: Even if the weather is nice, if you are planning on making some image near cactus, make sure you bring something other than your flip flops.
Recently I had reader and fellow photographer contact me regarding some mentoring (If you are reading this Fred, Happy Thanksgiving!). I try to publish tips on the site, but reading information here is no substitute for field work. No better way of sharing tips than taking a photo walk. A quick shooting session in Red Rocks park followed by some processing over a beer seemed to do the trick. Fred sent me his photos, and I think I like his better. He is a great photographer, and I think we can learn a lot from each other. If anyone else is interested in a photo walk on the CO front range don’t hesitate contacting me.
Camera: Nikon D300
Lens: Nikkor 35mm 1.8 DX
Fred’s Tip: I tried a technique that Fred uses in his workflow. I will admit I kind of like it. This information if for folks that shoot in Nikon RAW. I’m sure it is applicable to other manufactures, I just don’t know the details.
Fred shoots his images in Neutral, then when he does his RAW conversion he will change the picture control in NX2 to either standard or landscape while converting to .tiff. He does this to boost saturation and contrast so he doesn’t introduce any artifact while making the composite image in Photomaitx. Thanks Fred. I enjoyed the walk and the tip!
The best laid plans……well, you know the rest. We have had some great weather patterns here in CO the last couple of days. Anticipating another glorious morning I decided to wake up early and try my luck. It wasn’t what I expected. The low lying clouds really put the kabosh (sp?) on my vision of brilliant waves of golden goodness. However, they did offer my some nice backlight and framing for the distant mesas.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300 VR II
Gitzo Traveler
