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Single frame image taken today. My Pine Mountain preset applied in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 then sharpened in Aperture 3.
Nearly Wordless Wednesday
Month: January 2013
More HDR Exploration
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Today I am going to share several versions of one image to further illustrate the HDR process. In the image above I combined 5 exposures using NIK HDR Efex PRO 2. I then started with one of the realistic presets in NIK HDR Efex PRO 2 which I adjusted to my vision for the image. After getting it where I wanted it I created a custom preset that recorded all the adjustments I made to the image. I named the custom preset Pine Mountain #2 and saved it in the custom preset panel in NIK HDR Efex PRO 2 so that I could use it with any image I chose. I then started applying it to some of the single frames from this scene.
I’ll start with this frame which is the -1 EV underexposed frame. As you can see it is very dark and lacks detail in the shadows.
Below is the same image with the Pine Mountain #2 preset applied. It opened up the shadows and brought out a greater color range as well as some shadow detail.
I followed the same process for the 0 EV exposure below. This exposure has better shadow detail than the underexposed frame but it is beginning to show some blown highlights in the upper area, notably the small amount of sky and the mountain laurel leaves.
Once again I applied the Pine Mountain #2 preset I had created earlier to this single frame which produced the image below. There is now more detail in the shadows, the colors are richer but the sky is starting to gray slightly.
Lastly I used the overexposed image with the +1 EV and followed the same procedure with it. Once again the highlights are blown in the sky and on the leaves as well as on the rocks themselves.
This is the overexposed image after applying the Pine Mountain #2 preset.
Once again there is marked improvement both in the highlights and in the shadows but it still isn’t as rich as the first image in this post that was created by merging multiple exposures in NIK HDR Efex PRO 2.
My conclusion from this experiment is that; while there is increased detail in the shadows, better highlights and increased tonal range available when using NIK HDR Efex PRO 2 on a single image; the use of multiple exposures produces a richer more detailed image. I stand corrected regarding my earlier post about the differences in single vs multiple image HDR processing and the results that are attainable.
I hope this helps my readers and that they benefit from my exploration and experimentation with the NIK HDR Efex PRO 2 software. I feel certain that these results are repeatable regardless of which software is used be it Photoshop, NIK, Photomatix or any of the myriad of other HDR programs out there.
Pinnacle Point Sunset
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After my post last week about HDR processing I decided to follow up by processing an image from multiple exposures. In this case I shot four frames at +1.3, +.3, 0, and -3 ev then merged them in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2. I was watching the histogram while shooting which is how I came to use these settings. The histogram was fine on the dark end but was still blown out at the upper end until I underexposed it by 3 stops. That frame was the one that made the image work.
After merging and tone mapping the merged image I returned it to Aperture 3 where I cropped it slightly, added some sharpening and enhanced the definition and vibrancy. I also tried creating an image as vibrant as this using only the 0 ev frame but it was way too dark and noisy. From this experiment I have to admit that it is definitely better to use multiple images when the exposure range is as wide as this sunset was. Without the multiple exposures the lake and mountains in the center of the image would still be too dark and lacking in detail.
I am also including the four frames I used to create the HDR image below so you can see what I was working with to create the final image.
Where the Hell is Murph ?…: NORDKAPP…….Top of the World.
Today I want to share a post from my friend Murph. Murph is on an around the world trip on his BMW sidecar rig and posts his progress on his blog “Where The Hell Is Murph?”
This link will take you to his blog Where the Hell is Murph ?…: NORDKAPP…….Top of the World.
His story is one of self discovery and persistence. I met Murph several years ago at the BUB Motorcycle Speed Trials at the Bonneville Salt Flats. At that time he was traveling around the country following various motorsports events and living off his motorcycle. He usually camped near the events and in the case of some events such as the Baja offroad races he followed the race from the tip of Mexico back to the USA camping along the way.
Last year he decided to undertake an around the world motorcycle trip which he began this past fall in Holland. He went to Holland where he had his BMW converted to a sidecar rig in order to be able to carry all the gear he needs to be self sufficient and be able to handle the varied terrain that his quest will take him through.
He is also a very talented photographer and writer which is why I’ve decided to share his New Year’s Day post with all of you. He doesn’t use any special programs to process his images relying mainly on Photoshop for his editing. He shoots Nikon cameras and lenses as well as using his iPhone to record some video.
He began his trip in the beginning of winter and has been riding in ice and snow for a couple of months now. He wanted to ride to the North Cape in Nordkapp, Norway ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Cape,_Norway ) before heading for Russia this year. As he says on his blog “It’s all downhill from here”.
I hope you enjoy reading his story and seeing his photography.
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I Have Been To the Mountains!
This week I spent several days in the eastern Kentucky Mountains. There was no internet access in the cottage I stayed in so I was off the grid; actually that was a good thing because it allowed me to relax and read some Elmore Leonard western stories instead of banging on a keyboard. I shot quite a lot of multiple exposures for HDR processing which I plan to work on this weekend.
I did quite a bit of hiking and learned that I need to spend more time hiking just to get myself in shape for mountain photography. When a trail marker says it is only 1/4 mile long that doesn’t mean it won’t be strenuous. I don’t think there was a single moment when I wasn’t walking uphill or wishing for level ground. By the third day I was beginning to develop a some stamina and felt a little stronger.
I was staying at Pine Mountain State Resort Park and made a couple of trips to Cumberland Gap National Park where I met the Park Ranger, Scott Teodorski. Scott is a photographer himself; he gave me some suggestions for places to shoot and I took his advice. I’m glad I stopped in the visitor center first because I might have missed seeing Pinnacle Overlook and Iron Furnace without Scott’s suggestions to see them.
New rule: Always talk to the Park Ranger when you go to a new spot to shoot. The insights and passion they have for their park will lead you to see things that you might otherwise overlook.
I took a drive to Kingdom Come Sate Park which was about sixty miles north of Pineville. The views from the top are amazing and even though I was well past the golden hour I’m glad I scouted it out. The Park Headquarters are at an overlook that is almost 3000 feet in altitude. Once again I went in to meet the park ranger and get his advice about where to travel in the park. There is a road through the park named Shepherd’s Trail that I learned from the ranger was very scenic but that also could be treacherous in winter. It passes around the north side of the mountain and isn’t plowed outside the park boundary; he advised me not to attempt it in my two wheel drive pickup as there were many hairpins and switchbacks and there might still be snow on the road.
I took a new Phottix brand Variable Neutral Density filter with me, that I picked up from Outdoor Photo Gear, and did some testing with it at Iron Furnace. I’ll write up my review soon and share some of the images I shot with it. All in all it is a great addition to my gear though it does have a couple of quirks that bugged me.
