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Untitled

© Alan Long

Untitled

Uploaded: April 16, 2008

Comments

Deri C. Dority April 19, 2008

Wow, I love the sky and the surrealistic look to this image. It has a lot of impact and really catches the eye. #903826

Alan Long April 19, 2008

Thanks, Deri. I took it in Jim's last 8 Steps to Better Photography class. BTW, we share an interest in HDR, so I look forward to seeing more of your work! #5808261

Deri C. Dority April 19, 2008

Did you use a filter to get this effect? The clouds are really quite striking.
I am glad to see meet someone else interested in HDRI. I really think that it is the future of imaging. I just wish I could find a class on HDRI. #5808282

Alan Long April 20, 2008

Hi Deri. Nope, no filter. This was taken at twilight in SF with a tripod. Nikon 24-70 f2.8, D300 body, ISO 200, 5 sec at f16. Post processed in Aperture with adjustments to saturation (1.2, default 1.0) and vibrancy (0.4, defult 0) as well as mapping of the luminancy levels. I had to work to bring the sky back, as it was cloudly and twilight. Attached is the original. I also bumped the yellow saturation a bit to bring out the streetlights. Attached is the original.

There is a new book out on HDR. I will either pick it up, or at least try to get you the reference. It mainly appears to compare the different programs out there. I am using Photomatix, and his view is that this is a good one. I have mixed feelings about HDR. I like the images that it produces, but feel that sometimes the results are over the top in the pics I take. And I feel like it doesn't work for some photos, but I am still working out when I feel it helps and when it's not as good.

If you like, I have run across a number of really good web resources as well. And, perhaps I can set up a site where we can post HDRs and discuss them, as I have a lot of space available on my .mac account.
#5811183

Deri C. Dority April 20, 2008

Hi Alan,
Thanks so much for the detailed response. It was very helpful (and also helpful to see the original).
I just got a book from Amazon called Mastering HDR Photography by Micheal Freeman. There is another new one coming out in a couple of weeks and I have back ordered it from Amazon.
I use Photomatix, but also use CS3 to merge and tonemap the images. You can take the same image and run it through Photomatix and CS3 and you get 2 different results. Sometimes I like Photomatix better and sometimes I like CS3. I think that CS3 does a better job of preventing movement artifact in some images.

#5811258

Alan Long April 20, 2008

Hi Deri. I have to admit that I am behind on my CS3 skills, as I just got it a few weeks ago. I have been using Aperture and Nikon Capture NX for most of my needs, and resisted buying PS, as I feel that it is outrageously priced. Now that I have it, I am still getting my feet wet. Any interesting resources on CS3 and HDR out there? #5811263

Deri C. Dority April 20, 2008

Hi Alan,
CS3 is pretty straight forward. You go to file/automate/merge to HDR. You then just follow the prompts. Tonemapping is very limited compared to Photomatix. Once done, I process it in CS3 like I normally would (I use the Nik Color Efex filters). #5811438

Alan Long April 20, 2008

Went to the bookstore, and the HDR book, which was there yesterday was gone today!! Given the style, it may have been Michael Freeman's book. His light and lighting for digital was my first intro to HDR. I will keep looking.
#5812745

Deri C. Dority April 20, 2008

Hi Alan,
There is also one called the HDR Handbook that came out about a year ago. It is a good technical book on HDR and also covers each individual program. However, there have been a lot of big changes since that book came out. Micheal Freeman's book is the newest. If you type in HDR into Amazon.com, you will see a list of the new HDR books coming out over the next month. #5812849

Alan Long April 20, 2008

Cool. Thanks. Several of my pics for the week #2 assignment that I am going to upload today are HDRs. Cheers, and happy HDR-ing!!! #5812934

Deri C. Dority April 21, 2008

Hi Alan,
I just got a book that I preordered about 6 months ago. It was just published and distributed this week. "The complete guide to Hight Dynamic Range Digital Photography" by Ferrell McCollough looks like one cool book. It has some amazing pictures in it although I haven't had time to start reading it.
Deri #5817022

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