Tag: photography

HDR of Robyn Keith at Work

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Robyn Keith #2
Robyn Keith #2

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The woman in this image is Robyn Keith. Robyn is a carpenter and I wanted to capture her at work with the rising sun behind her. The light was really rich the morning I shot this and the sparks flying from her cutting wheel also caught me eye. I also liked the way the morning sunlight was reflecting off the surface of the concrete form that she was working on and tying the sparks, the sunlit sky and the reflections together.

This HDR image was created in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 from my standard bracket set of +2, o and -2 EV. Because she was moving slightly while cutting off the rebar, I had to apply 80% anti-ghosting to eliminate some ghosting around her head. When applying anti-ghosting I always strive to use the smallest percentage possible to avoid creating other artifacts in the image. In this case 80% was the lowest amount I could use; anything less than that amount left ghosts of her head and hands. I could have dealt with that issue inside Photoshop but the anti-ghosting settings in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 usually are a much simpler approach and work very well in most cases.After merging the three frames I applied the Balanced preset to do my basic tone-mapping. I like to use that preset because it adds a small amount of contrast to the initial merger and sets the stage for me to adjust the shadows and highlights without adding too much of an over-processed HDR feel to the merged files. As usual I returned the merged files to Aperture 3 where I completed adjusting it and sharpened it.

B&W HDR Image

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Drilling Equipment #2
Drilling Equipment #2

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Using HDR to create a B&W is another way to exploit the broad dynamic range that a HDR image gives me. This image was created from a three frame bracket set that I first processed in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2.

After tone mapping and adjusting the contrast I returned the image to Aperture 3 for final color adjustments and sharpening. After finishing it there I decided to use OnOne Perfect B&W to convert it to a monochrome image. I liked the composition and the way the conversion turned out which is why I’m sharing it with my readers.

 

HDR of Ohio River Bridges Project

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Saturday on the Ohio River Bridges Project
Saturday on the Ohio River Bridges Project

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This image was captured looking west from the Big Four Bridge. The two cranes in the river are drilling sites where the towers for the Downtown Span will be built. The tugboat in the foreground was moving barges into place at the two drilling sites.

The image was created from a three frame bracket set of +2, 0 and -2 EV shot handheld. I merged them in NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 and applied the Balanced preset which I then tweaked to get the detail and realism I was looking for. I set the anti-ghosting at 60% which did a good job of rendering the moving tugboat. After merging and tweaking the image I returned it to Aperture 3 where I finished adjusting the color channels, contrast and sharpening.

Nick Roberts – Using HDR Photography to Create Your Own Personal Style Workshop in Louisville, KY, United States Rescheduled to November 9, 2013

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Entrance to the Big Four Bridge, Louisville, KY
Entrance to the Big Four Bridge, Louisville, KY

This workshop has been rescheduled to November 9, 2013.

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Nick Roberts – Using HDR Photography to Create Your Own Personal Style Tickets in Louisville, KY, United States.

I will be presenting another HDR workshop Saturday November 9, 2013. If you are confused about the How and Why of HDR image making this is the workshop for you. The workshop will cover how to shoot HDR,  how to process your images using NIK HDR Efex Pro 2 and how to finish them in your favorite image editing software. We will also touch on using plug-ins from OnOne, Topaz Labs and other NIK software apps.

The workshop structure is very hands on; you will be working on your own laptop using files I provide to learn how to merge and finish them as HDR images. Afterwards we will use images that the participants provide on their own to better grasp the core concepts.

Final Assembly of the Pier Reinforcement Structure

Posted on by Nick Roberts
Ironworkers on barge
Ironworkers on their construction barge put the final touches on the pier reinforcement structure.

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This image shows the pier reinforcement structure that will be taken out to the drilling platform in the background and installed inside a steel caisson  that has been drilled thirty feet into the bedrock under the river. The men are making their final assembly before rigging it to be lifted and inserted into the caisson the next day.

Once again I worked with a single frame from my bracket set in Aperture 3. I created a preset that I can apply to most of my shots from this day which will greatly speed up my processing for the entire shoot. Once I have my basic settings adjusted to suit my vision for the photo I create a preset that I can then apply to other images from the shoot and then adjust to fine tune a particular image.