Category: Topaz Plug-in

1948 Buick

Posted on by Nick Roberts

This Buick caught my eye at the Street Rod Nationals here in Louisville last summer. I decided to use Topaz Adjust to make a Black and White version and really like the way it came out. By getting down low with my camera I was able to create a dynamic composition that emphasizes the lines in the car.

Here is the same car processed in Topaz Adjust. The Spicify preset really brought out the color in the car and enhanced the clouds. I got in low and close to the car to compose this shot. I like the way that the car seems to be moving out of the frame, the details inside the headlight, the reflections of the sky and the way the metallic paint sparkles in the sun.

One tip I have for shooting these types of images is to use a polarizer. Using a polarizer intensifies the colors and subdues the glare that shooting at midday causes. The other tip I have for you is to get down on the ground and shoot up at the car. Don’t be afraid to get dirty lying on the ground; in the end the results are usually worth it.

This final image is of another 1948 Buick I found down in Alabama. It has been given a faux HDR look with Topaz Adjust. I took this shot early in the morning and shot it from a low angle to emphasize the grill and the massiveness of the car. The sky was very hazy that morning which resulted in it being nearly colorless but the Spicify preset brought a little color back into it. The halo around the tree is a result of pushing the preset a little too far but even at that I like this image.

Bonneville Wrap Up

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Today I’m going to try and wrap up my posts from the BUB International Motorcycle Speed Trials. I want to move on to doing more HDR posts but the response to these photos shows that there are many people who have enjoyed the Land Speed Racing images.

This opening image is another photo that was edited in Topaz Adjust. The skies at Bonneville can be pretty amazing and this image showcases another one. Using Topaz allowed me to accent the sky while bringing up the colors in the racers and motorcycle. The noise issue isn’t as intense either which really helps this image hold together.

The composition works because the diagonal lines and triangles formed by the people concentrate on the fellow telling his story. I like the way the truck and the woman on the right side of the frame direct your eye into the negative space that leads to the horizon.

This image is another of those photos I like that show the people and machines of BUB. The camaraderie of the racers and their support crews is one of the great things about Land Speed Racing; these people genuinely care about one another and will assist anyone that needs help even if they are a direct competitor.

The image has been through Topaz Adjust which accented the colors and brought out the patterns in the sky. This is another image where the inherent noise of the Spicify preset hasn’t overwhelmed the scene.

Compositionally  I placed the front wheel of the bike on the right at the edge of the frame because I like the way it appears ready to leap out of the picture. The triangle formed by the negative space between the bikes leads the eye into the scene where the racer’s conversations are taking place. When you look at this image you find triangles formed by the bikes, by the people and by the combination of people and machines. I really like the single spectator ambling along on the left side who, while obviously not a part of the group, is still connected to them by his stance and the way he is studying the scene before his eyes.

I shot this closeup of the engine because it is so rich in detail and texture. From the sock protecting the velocity stack to the sheen of the valve cover there is so much  contrast of materials. The mechanic’s arm and hand are interesting as the viewer wonders what adjustment is being made. Topaz once again enhanced the contrast and vibrancy of the image while still retaining the detail. While there is some noise in the sky I don’t think it detracts from the overall impact of the scene.

Compositionally the engine at the right hand foreground of the frame is balanced by the fellow standing on the left in the background giving depth to the image as well as another point for the eye to land on.

This image was taken just as the rider left the starting gate to go to the start line. I love the energy that is conveyed by the wheel’s slight blur in contrast to to the crisp detail of the engine and the rider’s shin. The composition is strong because of the triangle formed by the front fork and the rider’s torso and the way it fits into the rule of thirds meme.

Here is one of those images where Topaz has added a great deal of noise in the sky while still managing to enhance the color and detail of the subject.

This image evokes an atmosphere of curiosity as if these two men are meeting for the first time in an alien landscape. The man on the left seems to be trying to understand what this contraption is while the one on the right is sitting there waiting for a question perhaps?

Another Topaz image where noise is very pronounced yet in the context of the image I don’t find it out of place. The noise in the sky reflects the texture of the salt and adds an otherworldly aura of mystery to the image.

As is often the case in motorsports; there are times where, for whatever reason, the action stops. This woman was waiting to make her land speed record attempt at the start gate when the course had to be closed due to an engine failure on the course. When that type of event occurs it is often necessary to have the course inspected to be sure there is no debris let on it that could endanger the next racer to run down the course. At those times the racers are simply waiting and as this woman shows it was a good time to stretch out and relax.

Topaz added lots of noise which for me is symbolic of the texture of the salt and therefor I saw no reason to soften it. On this image I added a vignette to direct the eye into the scene and reinforce the composition’s reliance on the rule of thirds and diagonal lines.

Vintage Indian Racer

Posted on by Nick Roberts

I really like the way this image turned out. The bike is a work of art and has been lovingly restored. The young man riding it is probably half the bike’s age. I really like the juxtaposition of the vintage bike with the modern leathers and helmet. The reflection of the other participants in the face shield and the golden glow on it are part of why I chose this image.

As in yesterday’s post this image went through processing in Aperture 3 and Topaz Adjust. The noise in the image works for me; much as the film grain in Kodak Tri-X did when I shot B&W film years ago.

The motorcycle and rider fill the foreground in the composition yet they still allow the viewer’s eye to move on into the scene through the negative space of the salt flat into the distant mountains. The shadows on the left hint at unseen spectators that are waiting in anticipation of seeing him speed off down the race course in pursuit of a world record.

The Stewart Brothers

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Here’s another of my BUB International Motorcycle Speed Trials shots taken at the 3 Mile start line. I like this image for so many reasons, the colors, the composition, the expressions of the people, the racer standing in the background and most of all the serendipitous inclusion of the man leaning into the frame. I didn’t include him but just as I released the shutter he popped his head into the picture. I thought to myself “damn that just ruined the shot” so I reframed the shot and did it again. Once I was home and had time to sort the shots from that day I found that I liked this one more than the ones that excluded this guy.

This image was processed in Aperture 3 and Topaz Adjust using the Spicify preset. When I processed this image I was just getting started with Topaz Adjust a couple of years ago. The haloing in the image didn’t bother me then but as I’ve progressed with my processing I’ve begun to try and minimize it more and more.

Watching…

Posted on by Nick Roberts

Toady’s image is once again from the 3 Mile International Start Line. The lady’s shirt says it all if you’re a Land Speed Racing enthusiast. The Black and White Bar is a fixture in Wendover and hosts an all you can eat spaghetti dinner one night during the BUB event.

I processed this shot in Topaz Adjust and then took it back into Aperture 3 where I adjusted the color, straightened the horizon and sharpened it. As for composition I placed her in the foreground of the right hand third of the frame while using her head angle to lead the viewer’s eye to the motorcycle racing past. The negative space on the left continues to carry your eye into infinity and reinforces the vastness of the Salt Flats.