The Photo Journey » HDR

Work your location

Scott — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 05:24:09 +0000

When arriving on the location of a great landscape waiting to be captured, it is important to work out the key features and start to work out different possible angles and compositions. This means it really does pay to arrive early and leave late.

This weeks image was captured on our trip through regional NSW. I have driven past these cattle ramps hundreds of times, but until now I had not thought of stopping and creating something different in comparison to my usual landscape image. The location had the setting sun bathing the hills, trees and farm fences with an amazing orange light.

I tried a bunch of different angles before being rather happy with my initial image (located below). I love the natural lines in the image and the effect of the setting sun, but before hitting the road again I wanted to try something completely different. That’s when this weeks image was born.

The setting sun was dropping rapidly and I had about 10 minutes to capture the last intense rays of light for the day. I positioned my camera to face directly at the sun, but to create the effect I was after I placed the centre of the sun behind the ramp of the cattle dips side planks. There was no way I would be able to capture the image in just 1 shot so I set-up the camera to bracket 5 shots of +2, +1, 0, -1, -2. This was then processed into a HDR image with Photomatix. One of the issues with shooting directly into the sun is that it shows each and every dust or mark on your lens or filters. Hence I need to spend a good 15 minutes in Photoshop removing the marks with the healing brush and clone tools.

So next time your out shooting why not capture your safety image and then experiment. Sure you wont get a winner every time but in the digital world you’ve lost nothing giving it a go.

Add Character to your Landscapes

Scott — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 06:31:36 +0000

This weeks photo was the last thing I expected to capture when arriving on location at Beachmere on the Queensland Sunshine Coast.

My intention was to shoot a small concrete jetty I had heard about in the area. Without the exact details on its location I had to park the car and walk along the waters edge to start exploring. After about 400m I noticed the sun was rising and I didn’t have an interesting foreground object, nor was I close to finding the the jetty I was in search of. I noticed these 2 seats on poles and my first reaction was what the hell! That’s going to totally screw up my shot. My shot being the fruit of a Pandanus Palm shot up close, with the rising sun on the horizon. It wasn’t looking all that spectacular when it hit me. Those darn seats on poles were my shot.

These seats are so bizarrely positioned and seem out of place that they make the viewer question them. I really liked the texture in the sand and the way the early morning sunlight’s angle provided some great contrast.

Something I have only just started doing is capturing behind the scenes (BTS) stills of the weeks image. It’s a way for me to give you guys a sneak peak of how I captured the weeks image. You can get the sneak peaks and extra tips on the Facebook page and my Twitter feed.

Coffs Harbour Jetty Dawn (Time Lapse)

Scott — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 16:44:36 +0000

A very cold winters morning welcomed me for this weeks image. I wanted to capture in one frame multiple iconic tourist hot spots for Coffs Harbour. Those being the Jetty, the Marina and Mutton Bird Island.

The Coffs Harbour Jetty was originally built in 1892 . It was used for Commercial shipping until 1974 when trade ceased to run from the Coffs Harbour port. The Jetty slowly fell apart which led to its eventual closer due to public safety concerns in 1990. But 6 years on it was restored to all of its glory using the same construction methods and materials used 100 years ago.

This week I decided to try my first ever DSLR time lapse. And to make it a little more interesting I decided to make it a HDR time lapse. I setup the tripod with the composition I liked and set my intervalometer to take 3 bracketed exposures (+2, 0, -2) every 12 seconds. You can see that early on the sky certainly wasn’t anything spectacular and that the vibrant colours did not arrive till almost 20 minutes after sunrise. It realy proves that you should stick around and see what happens on bleak looking mornings.

I batch processed the HDR files with Photomatix and then using Adobe Lightroom 2 I made a few changes and then exported the images as jpegs so that I could open them in Windows Live Movie Maker. I set the individual images display time to 0.1 of a second.

I hope you enjoy my first ever DSLR time lapse and I would love to hear your feedback on it.

Click here to view the embedded video.

So what do you think?

Week 17 & 18 Catchup

Scott — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:31:25 +0000

Firstly guys sorry for the delay in uploading the recent blog posts. There have been a few things on the go of late, but all will be revealed on the blog in the next few weeks. So onto week 17 & 18′s images.

For week 17 I decided to rise early to try and capture the HMS Endeavour replica vessel against Brisbane’s skyscrapers. Unfortunately whilst I did manage to get a few shots there wasn’t anything I was happy with because of the lack of a foreground object. It just looked flat.

So when I noticed an old Brisbane Ferry docked on my walk back to the car, I knew I had to grab a few frames before it began its day of ferrying tourists. The distance from the opposite bank and the angle were perfect. If only the Endeavour had been in its place.

HDR of +2, +1, 0, -1, -2 @ f16, ISO 200

For week 18 we headed back to our home away from home, Woolgoolga. Some friends of ours were getting married on the Saturday afternoon so I knew I’d miss sunset. Unfortunately I also slept through my alarm and missed first light. I rushed down to the beach and managed to capture it just peaking over the horizon.

I knew to illuminate the tree and to try and managed the hotspot the sun would make, I would need at least a 2 stop HDR. If I was to take a single image metered for the sky the tree would be black, and if I metering to expose the tree correctly the sky would end up being blown-out. I decided to go with a bracket of 5 images of +2, +1, 0, -1, -2 @ f16, ISO 200. This gave me the largest dynamic range of light to bring into Photomatix.

Whilst the flare from the sun at first really annoyed me I actually don’t mind it now. The rays of light complement it and it gives the image a warmer feel. I possible could have avoided this by moving around a little further to the left and blocking more of the sun with the Pandanus Palm.

In the next blog post for week 19 I introduce a great software package to help you plan your next landscape adventure.

Landscape Blogs I Follow

Scott — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:09:50 +0000

This weeks image was captured at Nudgee Beach, Qld. Another location I had not shot at previously but had seen some great reflection and mangrove pattern shots on flickr. Sunrise wasn’t anything spectacular however with the use of my Tiffen HT Circular Polarising Filter I could emphasize the reflections.

I have had a few questions from readers about what websites I follow. So this week here are a selection of blogs I keep an eye on and may interest you.

brentbat.wordpress.com – Brents site has taught me so much about seascape and night photography over the past 2 years. He is a very enthusiastic Sydney based photographer that goes above and beyond with some great on location videos and processing videos. I have picked up many of my current photoshop techniques from his tutorials. Brent also plays around with portrait work so its a great mix of content.

www.leannedoroszuk.com.au – I have only just started to follow Leannes blog but its been a great read so far. She has a way of making you feel involved in the capturing of her images with great stories from the field.

landscapephotographyblog.com – Mark is a fire art photographer based in the UK. His blog has a wealth of information. Much like my site Mark wants to share his tips, tricks and experiences to inspire others to go out and shoot. Another great feature of the site are the Location Guides. Whether you are planning a trip to the UK or a local, his guides will give you directions to key locations and monuments.

www.michaelfrye.com – Michael is a nature and landscape photographer based near the famous Yosemite National Park since 1983. He has some amazing images of the area and has also written 2 books, The Photographer’s Guide to Yosemite, and Digital Landscape Photography. His blog gives some great tips on issues like selecting focus and selecting the correct metering mode for your images.

Other blogs I follow that aren’t specifically landscape oriented.

http://bulliver.wordpress.com/

http://danproud.wordpress.com/

http://www.chasejarvis.com/

http://fstoppers.com/

Natural HDR Processing Tips

Scott — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 08:19:32 +0000

I headed off to Shorncliffe Pier at 4:45am to capture the sunrise at 6am. However 3 wrong turns latter and I missed the sunrise, but only by a little so I was able to save the shot. Shorncliffe is a great location with plenty of possibilities and one mammoth pier. It was my first time to the area and it looks like an exciting spot for many return visits.

This week I have put together an in-depth (28min) post processing tutorial where I take you through Photomatix, Lightroom 2 and Photoshop. Because it is a little long I have also created a 1 min fast forward so you can get a quick glimpse of what I will cover to gauge if the tutorial will be of interest to you.

Many people have been inquiring how I manage to keep my HDR images looking so natural and fairly noise free. These tips are shared in the full length video plus a few other tricks.

Here is the 1 min fast forward teaser.

Here is the full narrated tutorial.

Useful Online Resources

Scott — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 02:23:32 +0000

This week I will share with you some very useful websites I use to help plan my weekly image. They will cover websites that will help with location scouting and weather monitoring. New websites are cropping up all the time so keep your eye out and share your favorites on the Facebook page.

Canon 40D @10mm, f16, ISO200 with Tiffen HT Circular Polarizer & Tiffen 0.6 Hard Grad plate filter. HDR +2, 0 -2.

Location Scouting

www.flickr.com – Flickr is not only a great resource for learning tips and techniques and sharing your images with the world it is also a great place to scout locations. There are numerous ways of using flickr to scout locations. If you find something you like leave a comment or email the photographer about the location. Most people are willing to help you out. Just remember to return the favor when somebody asks you.

Use the search function and sort by interesting and wade through the results.
Flickr Maps allow you to view aerial maps of the entire world and see GPS tagged or manually tagged images.
Join Flickr Groups for the area you are traveling to or live in. Some of these groups have discussion threads about great local locations and it is also a good spot to see what other people have been capturing around the area.

www.google.com/maps- Google Maps allows you to check out possible shooting locations with the use of the aerial maps and street view. Not only that but you can turn on the option to display photos that have been tagged in the area.

www.google.com/images – Google Image Search, is a bit of a hit and miss tool however every now and then it yields an insight into a locations possibilities. Simply enter in a search related to the area you are planning on shooting at. for example for this weeks photo location I would enter in something like “Story Bridge Brisbane at Sunset”.

Weather Monitoring

www.SkippySky.com.au – This little site is a absolute gem. Whilst is it an Australian hosted site it does work for other major parts of the world. Basically it predicts cloud cover up to 120 hours into the future. Its actually a tool created for Astronomers to predict clear skies but I use it in reverse to see when low cloud will be around. Well worth a look

www.WillyWeather.com.au – This is probably my most visited site on the iPhone. It is only for Australian conditions however they may be something similar for your country. The great thing about its weather monitoring is that it is very specific to a location. For example back in my home town of Woolgoolga I can get tide times and other weather conditions for 15 different beaches in a coastline of just 30km. This localised information is amazing. Not only does it give you the sunrise and sunset times it also supplies first light and last light time which is great for capturing blue hour.

www.Weather.com – This is not a site I use myself regularly as I use Willy Weather for my local resources the Weather Channels website does give you some great information for most populated areas. Just make sure that you click the “Expand Weather Details” button to get all the information like sunrise and sunset.

Effects of White Balance

Scott — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 00:38:22 +0000

This week I want to share a trick with you about intensifying your landscape skies and cityscape’s with the use of white balance. Even if you are shooting in RAW which allows you to change your white balance settings in post, it is always good to try and capture everything right in camera. Its much more gratifying come days end and if someone asks to see your image whilst your on location you can impress them straight away.

Canon 40D @ 14mm, f16, ISO200 with Tiffen HT Circular Polarizer. HDR +2, 0, -2 merged in Photomatix

After some rather poor weather I decided a mid week sunrise shoot was in order. So I headed out to Wellington Point about 30 minutes drive from Brisbanes CBD at 4:30am to see what would be on offer. Wellington point has some great subjects to shoot like its small jetty, rockpools(as seen in this weeks video) and who can forget the mangroves.

The on location video this week shows you how changing your white balance can boost your sunrises or sunset shots. It is also interesting to play with your WB when shooting cityscapes at night as settings like tungsten can really make your city jump off the night sky.

So this week try shooting the same location with differing WB settings as see how you go.

If you are enjoying the tips and tricks from the site please join the Facebook fan page here.

Explore your town or city

Scott — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 01:51:59 +0000

This weeks shot is something I have been wanting to shoot for the past 3 years of living in Brisbane. I have walked past it many times and on just about every occurrence I think to myself I must shoot these globes and the Casino.

So this week I want to encourage you to step outside into your town or city and take the image you have been putting off. See if you can create what your mind has already captured.

Canon 40D @ 14mm, f11, ISO200 with Tiffen HT Circular Polarizer. HDR +2, 0, -2 merged in Photomatix

To capture the afternoon sky and textures of this 120 year old building, the Treasury Casino I have made use of the HDR technique. I set the camera for 3 bracketed photos, 2 stops apart. Then using Photoshop I have masked back some of the components to keep it looking relatively natural.

Here is a quick tip on taking a photo in a location that has a lot of people walking through your composed shot. By extending your exposure time to something like 20 -30 seconds with the use of a ND Filter and low ISO setting, you can give a feeling of desertedness. Within the 30 sec exposure only the people who stay relatively still will be visible in the final image. Shoot a bunch of frames to make sure you get what you are after.

Tripod Maintenance Video – 3/52

Scott — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 21:53:59 +0000

Anna and I headed back to where we both grew up and spent 25+ years of our lives before we moved to Brisbane. We both still have family back in the Woolgoolga/Coffs Harbour. It has some wonderful landscapes and I hope to bring you many more from the area over the year.

Canon 40D @13mm, f22, Tiffen Circular Polarizer. HDR of +2,+1,0,-1,-2

This is the Sandy Beach Rock-pools after a massive low tide. The sunrise wasn’t really that special so I decided to experiment a little with a 5 bracket HDR of +2, +1, 0, -1, -2. I really wanted to make sure I captured the sea creatures that call these rock pools home. You will see a few sea anemone & periwinkles in the foreground. (Yes there will be a blog post all about HDR’s in the coming weeks.)

To achieve a clear view into the foreground water I used my Tiffen Circular Polarizer to remove the reflections. A Polarizer is a great tool to have for landscape photography as it allows you to be creative with the reflections and it gives the clouds a little more pop.

This week I want to share with you one of the most important things to do after a landscape shoot – cleaning the sand and/or dirt out of the legs of your tripod. It will ensure continued ease of use of your tripod for future shoots, and maintaining it will also add years to its life. After a camera your tripod is the most important tool in landscape photography so looking after it is a must.

Sorry for the poor audio volume. I’m working on a fix for the next video.

Once again is you have any questions or want me to blog about a particular aspect of landscape photography shoot me a message via the contact page.

Photography Blogs and I live by.

Scott — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:43:01 +0000

I thought it was about time I shared with you my favorite photography blogs that I spend most of my time on the internet trawling through.
Mark J Rebilas – http://markjrebilas.com/blog

Mark is a freelance sports photographer based in Phoenix, AZ. I’ve been following his blog since the 2008 Olympic games in which Mark captured some amazing Olympic moments and showed us just how diverse his sports photography skills are. His work can be seen on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times and loads of other sites.

He is one of very few sports photographers that shares how he sets up remotes and he doesn’t mind showing you his not so great shots, like when some stupid redneck fan gets in his way of a play.

Trey Ratcliff – Stuck in Customs – http://www.stuckincustoms.com

Trey is the king of HDR Images. His blog is updated with a new striking image everyday or there about. He has traveled all over the world putting his HDR spin on some amazing world icons and even a few spins on different cultures.

He has written one of the most in depth tutorials on the technique of HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography available on the internet. He teaches you how to use HDR in such suttle ways to enhance the image but not destroy it with halo effects and unreal colours.

Dan Newton – Liquid in Plastic – http://www.liquidinplastic.com

Dan is one of the best star trail photographers I have come across on the internet. Like Dan I too became a fan of star trail photography when I got my first science text book in year 7. It happened to have a star trail over an astronomers observatory on the front cover. Like Trey has his tutorial, Dan has an equally great tutorial on star trail photography.

Not only does Dan share his tips on star trails but he also gives great setup shots and details on his other still life shoots.

David Hobby – Strobist – http://www.strobist.blogspot.com

Strobsit is one of the most famous photography blogs in the world. David has shown the world the power of small off camera lighting. His Lighting 101 posts developed amateur on camera flash photographers into off camera pro’s and he followed this up with Boot Camp and Lighting 102. He steps you through how to get that flash off camera and even better how to do it on the cheap side by using old soup containers as diffusers and so forth.

Zack Arias – http://www.zarias.com

Want the honest truth about photography? Well Zack will tell you, and who knows his wife meg may well help along the way.

Zack is a full time editorial photographer and he will tell it to you as it is. He recently release his DVD titled OneLight Workshop and it looks to be a very well put together production.

One feature of Zack’s blog that i really did is his critiques. Basically a bundle of wannabe paid photographers send in there site to get critiqued. Zack and his wife Meg sit up to all hours discussing the selected sites giving tips and cracking some great jokes. If you want to know how or how not to layout your online portfolio well this is the place to find out. Oh what ever you do don’t use selective colouring and expect them to love it.

Udi Tirosh – DIY – http://www.diyphotography.net

Udi has built one hell of a diverse selection of DIY photography hacks and tips. Wanna know how to make gels for your strobes for cheap? Maybe you wanna build a light box or sound trigger. This place has it covered.

I have built a fair few things from the site and made a few modifications along the road. For us non-professionals there are some great hacks.