Tag: HDR

Time Gone By

Posted on February 12, 2013 by Nick Roberts

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I wanted to try something a little different with these bridge images. I decided to take them into Nik Siver Efex Pro and see what might come from that. I first used my -2, 0, and +2 EV bracket set to create a HDR image in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 which I then adjusted for exposure and tone mapped it. I returned it to Aperture 3 where I made a few adjustments to saturation, vibrance and detail slider before doing my final sharpening. After doing that I took that image into NIK Silver Efex Pro where I used the antique preset to create the image above.

Light at the End of the Tunnel — Looking Back To An Earlier Time

For the image above I followed essentially the same process, bracket set to HDR then back to Aperture for some adjustments and finally into NIK Silver Efex Pro where I applied the neutral preset and chose the Agfa 400 film look along with a little red filter to finish it

The Day the Bridge Came to Life

Posted on February 11, 2013 by Nick Roberts

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Once the people started using the bridge on opening day it went from a static thing to a living structure. I was surprised how much difference I saw once people were walking on the ramp and bridge. Having that many people up there really helped add some scale reference to things. Before that moment I knew how big it was but without people on there it was hard to get a feel for what a massive structure the ramp and bridge really is.

This image is another bracket set of three frames shot at -2, 0, and +2 EV and merged in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 then finished in Aperture 3. I first tried the merger at 20% anti-ghosting and nearly all the figures were distorted so I returned it to the merge setting and boosted the anti ghosting to 60% which solved the problem and gave me the results I was looking for.

Big Four Bridge Opening Thursday 02-07-2013

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Nick Roberts

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I thought that with the opening of the Big Four Bridge set for Thursday morning I would look back over the past six months of my posts about the bridge. Photographing this project has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life as an artist and photographer. Shooting almost daily, getting to know the construction crew, learning about bridge building, seeing my hometown from a vantage point few have ever experienced and expanding my photographic skills are all things that happened because I chose to create this blog which then led to my gaining access to the project.

I started the SpeedDemon2 blog last summer and tried to post a new image each day. Had I not posted a photo of clouds moving over the bridge after a thunderstorm on the blog, it would not have been seen by the Waterfront Development Corporation. Without them seeing that photo the Waterfront Development Corporation wouldn’t have had any reason to contact me or grant me access to the project and I would not have gotten the opportunity to go up on the bridge during the final phase of the conversion from abandoned railroad bridge to a pedestrian bridge and a central component of Louisville Waterfront Park.

When people ask me about how to get recognition for their photography I always tell them to blog about their work. I relate my story about the exposure and opportunities blogging has given me and my work, not only here in Louisville but around the world too.

I can’t begin to list everyone who helped me and took me under their wings as I moved forward with my personal plan for this body of work. I want to thank the Waterfront Development Corporation, Construction Solutions LLC and T&C Construction for all the support and access they have granted me.

I especially want to thank all the Ironworkers, Carpenters, Laborers and Equipment Operators for their cooperation and understanding as I went about documenting their day to day activities. These guys have become friends that I hope to stay in contact with for years to come. Without their skill and expertise the Big Four Bridge conversion could not exist; their dedication to craftsmanship and love for the bridge are evident in every detail. They never cut corners or took an attitude that something was “good enough” instead they took the approach that “perfection equals pride in a job well done” which shows everywhere one looks. Everyone who sees and uses this bridge owes them a debt of gratitude.

The Waterfront Development Corporation has restored Louisville’s Commons and given our city a park that celebrates our roots as a river city. Their vision and leadership will be enjoyed by the people of Louisville and her visitors for generations to come and exemplifies the title “The City of Possibility”. Waterfront Park gives the entire community a gathering place far greater than any of us who have lived here our entire adult lives ever dreamed possible.

Big Four Bridge at Sunrise

Morning sunrise on the Big Four Bridge jobsite. — Start of the Workday

Big Four Bridge at Waterfront Park, Louisville, Kentucky

The image above is the one that was seen by the Waterfront Development Corporation and landed me on the bridge. I was subsequently allowed to shoot this final phase of the conversion from abandoned railroad bridge to a pedestrian bridge between Kentucky and Indiana.

More HDR Exploration

Posted on January 29, 2013 by Nick Roberts

This image was created using 5 exposures +2,+1,0,-1,-2, EV

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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.

-1 EV after applying Pine Mountain #2 preset

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.

0 EV after applying Pine Mountain 2 preset

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.

+1 EV exposure after applying 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.

What Constitutes an HDR Image?

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Nick Roberts

I’m often asked what is HDR photography? HDR simply stated means High Dynamic Range. The impetus behind HDR is to reveal detail in all ranges of the exposure. It drives me crazy when people say that the only way to create HDR is by combining multiple images. Digital sensors are capable of a much broader exposure latitude than film; they can record so much information that was unavailable with film allowing us to create a broad range of tonality from light to dark within a single frame.

To my way of thinking HDR means being able to bring out detail in both shadow and highlight areas in a photo. Granted there are times, a strong backlight or a subject in deep shadow, when the exposure range is so great that combining a range of exposures is the only way to attain that goal but as long as the histogram/exposure is within the range of the sensor there is enough information in a single frame to create HDR. It is not any different that dodging and burning when you boil it down.

I remember my “ah-ha” moment in the darkroom eons ago when I had a negative that was severely underexposed in the shadows and my instructor explained that through dodging and burning I could extract the info that was there and create the image I thought I had taken. I was expanding the dynamic range beyond what a single exposure would produce, going straight from the negative through the enlarger, simply by burning in the underexposed shadows while dodging the overexposed highlights to tone map the image. Isn’t that the essence of Ansel Adams’ zone system? He exposed for as broad a range of tones as his film would record and then completed the image in the darkroom dodging and burning areas of the image to produce an image that had the full range of tones from pure black through pure white.

When folks refer to an image today as HDR I think what they are actually referring to is the stylization of the image. The emphasis is on enhancing not only the range of exposure but also enhancement of the saturation, hues and tints within the image along with increased contrast and sharpening. Sometimes the only way to accomplish those goals is through combining multiple exposures but simply combining multiple exposures usually results in a very flat image with very little contrast. It doesn’t become what is commonly referred to as an “HDR” until it has been tone mapped which, to my way of thinking, menas stylized through processing to attain the photographer’s vision for the photo. Taking this a step further I would argue that a single frame can be tone mapped and stylized to create what is referred to today as HDR photography.

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