Tag: plug-ins

Ironworkers

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Ironworkers Assembling an Iron Framework for a Bridge Pier.
Ironworkers Assembling an Iron Framework for a Bridge Pier.

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This shot is looking east with the Big Four Bridge in the background. The iron structure the ironworkers are building will be placed inside one of the steel cylinders that are in the righthand side of the image. There is a completed one on the barge behind the one where they are working. The hexagonal piece on the end is a jig to align the steel rebar while they assemble it.

This image is a single frame that was edited in Aperture 3 and Topaz Adjust. I wanted to capture the early morning fog and the light as the sun was coming up. The early morning on the river is a peaceful quiet time before the sun gets up in the sky and the temperature starts rising.

Topaz Adjust will be 50% off ($24.99) from September 9th through September 30th with this promo code: septadjust Topaz Adjust is one of their most popular plug-ins and doesn’t go on sale very often so if you haven’t tried it yet this will be a great opportunity to get it and save some money as well. Topaz Adjust is one piece of software that I find indispensable in my work and have been using for years now.

Here’s a link to their site:

http://www.topazlabs.com/705.html

 

 

 

HDR Images Using Topaz Restyle and OnOne Perfect Effects

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span #1
Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span #1

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This first image was created in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 from a three frame bracket set using +2, 0 and -2 EV. Because it was evening I shot it with a tripod to allow for the long exposures needed to capture such a low light scene. After merging the three frames in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2  I returned the image to aperture 3 where I made some adjustments to the color channels and applied sharpening.

Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span #4
Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span #4

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This second image was created by taking the same HDR image as above into OnOne Perfect Photo 7.5 and then opening it in Perfect Effects where I first added a layer with the  Daguerrotype effect I then added a second layer where I overlaid the Palladium Print effect after that I added another layer where I applied one of the Border effects to complete the image. As you can see it gives an entirely different feeling to the image which is one of the strengths of the Perfect Effects application.

Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span #3
Ohio River Bridges Project Downtown Span #3

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For this third version I took the HDR image into the newest Topaz Labs product, Topaz ReStyle, and applied the preset named Saffron Sunset. I was amazed by the transformation that Topaz ReStyle made to the image. I didn’t stop with simply selecting the preset; instead I then adjusted the sliders in the preset to give the image the feeling I was looking for. Topaz ReStyle has over 1000 different presets built into it and by previewing them in groups I was able to find one that I liked for this scene. One of the interesting feature of Topaz ReStyle is the ability to select a color pallet to work with and search the entire preset library to find variations that use the colors you have selected. You can then preview the presets with your image before committing to one of them.

I hope these three images help you to see the potential of combining different software options from Topaz, OnOne and NIK to create an image that expresses your personal vision for a particular image. Topaz ReStyle is going to become another tool for me to use when I want to explore variations on a theme and I think over time it will be as valuable in my workflow as the many other plug-ins that I already use.

Topaz ReStyle is on sale for $29.99 (a 50% discount) until August 31  if you use the link below and the promo code restyleit 

http://www.topazlabs.com/705.html

 

 

Faux HDR with Topaz Adjust

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Patina Pickup
Patina Pickup

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Today I’m wrapping up my automotive theme of the past week with this shot from the NSRA Streetrod Nationals a couple of years ago. Unlike most of my current work this image is a single frame which means it isn’t a true HDR image. I used Topaz Adjust to create the overall feeling of the shot and emphasize the sky and clouds while still rendering the truck’s shadow detail. By working with Topaz Adjust I was able to pull out the wonderful colors and tones that were in the image.

I hope you have enjoyed this week’s posts and writings. My goal with SpeedDemon2 is to share my workflow and discoveries as I evaluate and apply the many plug-ins that are out there today. I won’t claim that I’m an expert with any of them but after several years of exploring them I do have a pretty good handle on their strengths and their shortcomings. Plug-ins won’t make a poor composition or a badly exposed image better but when applied to photographs that are well thought out and  well executed they can definitely add interest and a personal style to your work.

Topaz, NIK and OnOne are really expanding the capabilities and usability of their products as they learn from their customers what they, the end users, want and need. The ability to combine presets, modify the presets and also create your own presets is rapidly expanding the range of styles and results we can get without spending hours or days inside Photoshop. Adobe’s decision to stop selling it’s creative suite and offering a subscription only model is, in my opinion, driving this expansion of features and functionality and will ultimately benefit all of us who enjoy creating photographic art.

On that note I want to mention that Topaz Labs has added another incredible program to their already extensive line. Topaz ReStyle is their latest offering and from my short exploration yesterday I think it will be a great addition to my workflow. ReStyle contains over 1000 presets and each one is fully customizable to allow the artist to fully explore his or her vision for their images. It is on sale at an introductory price of  $29.99 (the regular price after 08/31/2013 is $59.99)with the coupon code restyleit.

Use this link to go to the Topaz Labs website and download a free 30 day trial or take advantage of the introductory pricing which is good until August 31, 2013.

http://www.topazlabs.com/705.html

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SpeedDemon2 Is Going Self-Hosted Soon

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Morning Rower
Morning Rower

Hi folks I wanted to let you know why I haven’t been posting for a few days. I am in the process of moving from WordPress.com to a self hosted solution. I want to start selling prints and that means moving to my own server.

SpeedDemon2.com should be ready to go live soon. I’m just hammering out some details before flipping the switch. I’m sticking with the current theme, though there may be some minor tweaks to it. I like the simplicity of the theme but I also want to keep it fresh so there may be a few changes.

Just as practicing in photography is necessary and beneficial, so too is it the case with WordPress. The more I explore the WordPress platform the more I discover. That leads to new and more efficient tools to express my ideas and showcase my work. Just as photo processing has plug-ins that extend and/or facilitate my vision for an image; WordPress plug-ins do similar things for blogging.

As I said last week when I passed my one year WordPress anniversary I have an idea where SpeedDemon2 is headed but I really don’t know how the journey will unfold.

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Today is the last day to get Topaz Clarity for $29.99 before it goes to the regular price of $49.99. Use the link below and enter the code claritynew to get the 40% discount until the end of the day.

http://www.topazlabs.com/705.html

I am an affiliate with Topaz Labs and earn a small commission on each sale that results from someone using my link to go to Topaz Labs site. The commission helps me defray the costs of publishing SpeedDemon2. 

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Back to the Boneyard

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Here’s another shot from my trip to the Studebaker Boneyard in Arizona. I really like the texture and patina that this front end from a 1950 Studebaker has. The famous “Bullet Nose” grill is an American icon. Studebaker was so far ahead of it’s competitors, in the design realm, after World War II . Unfortunately the cars themselves were pretty mediocre in terms of the quality of their components which helped seal their fate.

I shot this at midday and, as I do most times, I was using my polarizer to cut down on the glare. I find using a polarizer to photograph these abandoned vehicles helps when I do my final processing. The polarizer seems to intensify the colors and bring out the texture in the rust. I recommend using polarizers to my students when they are shooting in less than favorable light such as the light in the middle of the day.

I processed this image in Topaz Adjust using the Spicify preset then I dialed it down somewhat from the default setting. One of the real benefits of using a plug-in such as Topaz Adjust is that I can accomplish the feat of opening up the shadows and showing the detail that is in them, such as the inside of the wheelwell here, where the viewer can see the ground and the inside of the fender too.  Too often I see images that have gone through one of these plug-ins where the effect is too strong. I often advise my students to think in terms of “less is more” when using them.

Compositionally I like the way the the subject comes forward in the frame; almost as if it is trying to jump back on the highway for one more ride.  The many triangles that are formed by the composition keep the image from being flat or static. The angles move our eyes within the frame while suggesting that there is more going on just out of our sight.