Tag: texture

Excavator Teeth

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Excavator Teeth
Excavator Teeth

Click on the image to enlarge it in a new window.

Sometimes the simplest approach to processing with plug-ins can yield good results without a lot of time consuming steps. A case in point is this image that I used Topaz Adjust on to create a faux HDR version. I worked with the zero EV frame and applied the Spicify preset. I then tweaked the sliders in Spicify to get the texture and contrast I wanted, then I returned it to Aperture 3 and sharpened it for the final image you see here. While in Topaz Adjust I also added a small black border that, to my thinking, helps isolate the image on the page.

==========================================================

I have an affiliate relationship with Topaz Labs, and earn a small commission on any sales that are made by using the Topaz Labs link below, which helps support this site. Even if you aren’t ready to make a purchase you can use the link to access a Free 30 day Trial of Topaz Labs products to determine whether or not they will fit your own digital workflow.

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

==========================================================

Cedric’s Shadow #3

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Cedric #3
Cedric’s Shadow #3

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

The position of the hook and the man’s shadow on the rust colored sheet pilings really drew my attention. I processed this image with Topaz Clarity and Aperture 3 to enhance the texture and colors while maintaining the warmth of the early morning sunlight on the scene.

Using OnOne Perfect Photo Suite 7.5 with HDR Images

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Old School Hotrod
Old School Hotrod #1

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

I took an HDR image that I created in NIK HDR Efex Pro and started experimenting with it in OnOne Perfect B&W to see what I could get from it. The OnOne Perfect Photo Suite is very powerful. It allows me to work in layers so that I can turn on and off each individual layer to see whether I like what it does in conjunction with other layers. For the first image here I applied the Ambrotype preset and then made several adjustments to the paper tone and silver tone, added an Emulsion border and adjusted the contrast and sharpening. Using the HDR image as a starting point helped render the interior details while still maintaining the surface textures on the car.

Old School Hotrod #2
Old School Hotrod #2

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

This is the HDR image I started with. As you can see there is a lot of color in the image due to the patina of age. Most of the color in the glass and the wooden steering wheel was too muted for my taste until I adjusted the separate color channels in Aperture 3 after merging my bracket set in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2.

Old School Hotrod #3
Old School Hotrod #3

Click on the image to enlarge it in another window.

For this last image I used the Perfect Effects application and applied a preset that changed the overall color of the image yet allowed me to emphasize the yellow and red in the window sticker. I can’t recall which preset I started with but I’m sure that I adjusted it’s effect to get the result I was looking for. I seldom stop with the base settings in these presets as I consider them to be starting points rather than end results.

The point of this post is to show that digital image processing opens the door to many options when creating art photography. It’s no longer necessary to spend hours in Photoshop building an image only to discover that it doesn’t convey your vision for the piece. By applying plug-in presets the artist is able to look at variations rapidly and decide what they want final result to be. Once a preset has been selected the artist can then make their own changes to it and emphasize the aspects of the image that are important for their vision of the image.

Using Handheld Bracket Sets for HDR Images

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Deuce Coupe Interior #1
Deuce Coupe Interior #1

Click on the image to open and enlarge it in another window.

I found another good use for HDR processing last week while photographing at the NSRA Streetrod Nationals here in Louisville. It’s always difficult to capture the details inside the cabins of these cars in a single exposure. By shooting a three frame bracket set of +2, 0 and -2 EV I was able to tame the highlights and reach into the shadows. I shoot handheld whenever I can to allow myself the luxury of being able to frame my images without the hinderance that a tripod creates. I have found that applying 20% Ghost Reduction and checking Align Images in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 compensates nicely for any camera movement that a handheld bracket set creates. In this image you can see the texture in the carpet as clearly as if it had been shot from a tripod.

I used the Balanced Preset in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 as my starting point for merging the three frames before tone mapping the image. I then returned the image to Aperture 3 where I completed my adjustments to exposure and contrast before applying sharpening.

Deuce Coupe Interior #2
Deuce Coupe Interior #2

Click on the image to open and enlarge it in another window.

For this monotone image I took the color HDR image into OnOne Perfect Photo 7.5 and used the Perfect B&W application. I started with the Ambrotype preset and then made several changes to it’s default setting. I used a cream color for the paper tone and a deep blue for the silver tones. The ambrotype preset includes a border bit I didn’t care for it so I also changed it with the border adjustment tab. I chose the Emulsion #003 and added it and I also changed the width of the edge to something I felt better fit the image. By beginning with my HDR image I was able to show the same detail in the shadow areas as I had in the color image and also control the contrast and highlights. 

 

Moon Over Angel’s Envy

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Moon Over Angel's Envy
Moon Over Angel’s Envy

Click on the image to open it in another window.

This image is a single frame from my exploration of the Vermont American Building last week. I used Topaz Clarity to process it before returning it to Aperture 3 for cropping, sharpening and color channel adjustments.