The Photographers' Corner 2013-2020

[ItDontMeanAThing]

During the recent HDR discussion I wanted to post a 1 exposure (AKA 'fake') example but couldn't find one where I'd saved all the right bits. So I'll use a photo I took yesterday.

It was too windy for a multi exposure hdr. I exposed so the sunset would be a little blown out, the boats dark but still with detail and hoped I could recover detail from both in post processing.

I was shooting raw. This jpg was extracted from the raw file, scaled and cropped:

FakeHdr-SOOC.jpg

A. I pulled the histogram to the right to open up the darks:

FakeHdr-Expanded-darks.jpg

B. Started over, pulled the histogram to the left to expand the highlights:

FakeHdr-Expanded-highlights.jpg

If you're familiar with Luminosity Masks (LM), the rest is a summary. If not, the rest are manual steps on each layer with a lot of (fun) tweaking along the way.

Base layer was B (expanded highlights)
Next layer was a LM on the darkest 25% of A (expanded darks), in overlay mode
Next layer was a LM on the lightest 33% of A (expanded darks), in normal mode

The result combined the visual parts of the 3 layers. This new layer is the basis for any additional processing.

FakeHdr-Final.jpg

[ItDontMeanAThing]

This should make it easier to see the difference between the first and last photos:

FakeHdr-Before and After.jpg

[seraphim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIREd I like this version too. How did you set up the lighting? In my small apartment, I don't have much room to store big studio lights, but I do have a small collapsible light box. I should play around with it more.

Same basic lighting pattern: a bare bulb flash from the left, a bit lower than normal and a white reflector on the right. The bone is leaning against a leatherette camera bag. The light is feathered; it's not pointing directly at the subject, but off to the right, which accounts for the top right part of the bag getting a bit more light.

The first copy I posted was edited on an LCD screen, which my eyes have problems with. It looked correct, but after I posted it and saw it with my iPad I knew it was wrong. So I put it in my iPad, and opened up the exposure, and reposted it. Vanity lol.

The studio lights make things easier, but they aren't necessary. The studio flash has a modeling light, so I can see the shadows, and a slider to adjust the power level. Flash isn't necessary either. A light bulb is sufficient, and let's you see the shadows before shooting, which a regular flash doesn't. Easy to store. Just have to do some fast tests to get the color balance correct.

Difficult part in an apartment is getting the room dark, so ambient light doesn't interfere with the lighting.

[seraphim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ItDontMeanAThing This should make it easier to see the difference between the first and last photos: Attachment 18850

The golden highlights look nice against the shadows. Have you the software to do the layers in RAW format?

[seraphim]

Same shot as previous, using a 100 watt halogen desk lamp (leftover from college), handheld, no reflector (needed other hand to activate the shutter). I keep pushing inexpensive lighting, so I thought I ought to back it up. Just used camera's meter reading, because I was in a hurry. It required some color correction on the iPad, because I didn't adjust the camera for color balance. Could have used a daylight bulb, if I'd wanted to spend any money.

ImageUploadedByEarly Retirement Forum1399050528.346978.jpg

A little light reflected on the right would have opened up the shadows more.

The focus may be off because I forgot to refocus. Tripod was still in place, so I just popped the camera back on, adjusted the tripod head, and retook the photo, using the same focus locked in from yesterday lol. Getting old....

[FIREd]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seraphim Same basic lighting pattern: a bare bulb flash from the left, a bit lower than normal and a white reflector on the right. The bone is leaning against a leatherette camera bag. The light is feathered; it's not pointing directly at the subject, but off to the right, which accounts for the top right part of the bag getting a bit more light. The first copy I posted was edited on an LCD screen, which my eyes have problems with. It looked correct, but after I posted it and saw it with my iPad I knew it was wrong. So I put it in my iPad, and opened up the exposure, and reposted it. Vanity lol. The studio lights make things easier, but they aren't necessary. The studio flash has a modeling light, so I can see the shadows, and a slider to adjust the power level. Flash isn't necessary either. A light bulb is sufficient, and let's you see the shadows before shooting, which a regular flash doesn't. Easy to store. Just have to do some fast tests to get the color balance correct. Difficult part in an apartment is getting the room dark, so ambient light doesn't interfere with the lighting.

Thanks for the information. I don't do a lot of studio photography so this is all pretty new to me. But I do have a dark room (bathroom) and all the necessary equipment, so I may give it a try.

[seraphim]

Been playing in the studio some more - same subject different settings. I took the WB switch of auto and put it on incandescent. The mic came out looking much more natural, with a bit of warmth I actually like. I also concluded the original shot - taken with a flash and WB on auto - is a bit too cool (bluish). Hard to tell without making comparisons. Later, I'll try a flash shot with the WB on flash, and maybe try out the Nikon's bracketing mode for WB. Using the desk lamp is kind of fun.

[seraphim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seraphim been playing in the studio some more - same subject different settings. I took the wb switch of auto and put it on incandescent. The mic came out looking much more natural, with a bit of warmth i actually like. I also concluded the original shot - taken with a flash and wb on auto - is a bit too cool (bluish). Hard to tell without making comparisons. Later, i'll try a flash shot with the wb on flash, and maybe try out the nikon's bracketing mode for wb. Using the desk lamp is kind of fun.

ImageUploadedByEarly Retirement Forum1399063066.466890.jpg

[Walt34]

For white balance I really like the ColorChecker especially in mixed light sources like tungsten/daylight. I'll put that in the scene or if a portrait ask the person to hold it next to their face and take a shot. Then in LR it's one click to set the WB for the whole series under that lighting. The arrows point to the default squares for portrait and landscape. Portrait is a little warmer.

One can also set up a camera calibration for that particular lighting. If it's just one source I'll just use the expodisc and set a custom WB in the camera. For some reason I'm really anal fussy about WB.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seraphim Using the desk lamp is kind of fun.

I'll have to try that next winter when it gets cold out again. It looks like one can get some results hard to duplicate other ways.

[seraphim]

Yea - I'm going to play with presets, etc, when I get a few minutes. Got too lazy letting the camera set things automatically.

Ok played with the settings. Seems the lamp is between 2500K and 2650K.

2500k looks best.

[ItDontMeanAThing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seraphim The golden highlights look nice against the shadows. Have you the software to do the layers in RAW format?

I wish. Whether using multi-exposure or 1-exposure HDR, I produce TIFFs from the RAWs. I work in Linux (darktable, GIMP), so I don't know if it's even possible with lightroom, aperature, etc.

Those highlights are what first attracted my to the subject, along with the backlit Thai flag.

[Aus_E_Expat]

A slightly off topic question but do any of you make money from your photography?

Or is it purely a hobby?

If you make money, do you do it through sales to friends etc or do you sell on line etc?

Just curious whether these hobbies can expand to income streams.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aus_E_Expat A slightly off topic question but do any of you make money from your photography?

Purely a hobby for me. I've given some thought to hanging out a shingle but there's the "running a business" aspect of it that I don't want to deal with. The book Best Business Practices for Photographers was an eye-opener about what it takes to run a professional-level photography business.

That, and I'd have to shell out a bunch of money for additional high-end camera bodies and lenses that I'm not at all sure I'd ever be able to recoup from the business. A client does not want to hear "my camera broke" when they put the effort into dressing up and showing up for a shoot.

It's a tough market out there with lots of microstock photography sites selling photos for almost pennies. I looked at the web sites of some local pro photographers and I'm not sure how they stay in business for the little they charge.

[Ronstar]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aus_E_Expat A slightly off topic question but do any of you make money from your photography? Or is it purely a hobby? If you make money, do you do it through sales to friends etc or do you sell on line etc? Just curious whether these hobbies can expand to income streams.

Just a hobby for me as well. I've tagged along and taken a few shots with my niece's husband on a couple of shoots. He makes a few bucks but I refuse to accept money for any shots I take. Same with hobbies of brewing and woodworking. I don't want my hobbies to become a job, and like Walt said - there's the business aspect that I don't want to deal with.

[Mr. Paul]

I've sold a few pics and shot a few weddings but like Ronstar I don't want to tarnish the enjoyment I get from photography with business concerns. I had a few photos in a local shop for a while. Did OK but when the owners sold the store I was OK slunking back into anonymity

Here is one from this week. Decided to scout out the local scene and see how the snow melt is coming. Got up to about 9500 ft. before running into too much snow. This is Tijeras Peak near Music Pass in the Sangre de Cristos. Handheld HDR assembled from 5 shots.

Tijeras Peak by KBColorado, on Flickr

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aus_E_Expat A slightly off topic question but do any of you make money from your photography?

Doing it for money would take all the fun out of it for me.
That, plus the fact that I am nowhere near good enough, motivated enough, or disciplined enough.

[seraphim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aus_E_Expat A slightly off topic question but do any of you make money from your photography? Or is it purely a hobby? If you make money, do you do it through sales to friends etc or do you sell on line etc? Just curious whether these hobbies can expand to income streams.

I did, back during the days of film. Portraits and weddings. A friend of mine was a Master Photographer, and took the the time to teach me, and I was A PPA member for a short time.

Getting beautiful photographs back then required a lot more time to learn, because feedback took time; one had to wait for film to be developed and prints made. It also took metering skills, and consistency - because one could could not go back and retake a photo.

Digital has made things easier, technology has made cameras more prevalent and cheaper (in phone cameras, etc)so more people are taking photos, and more people are becoming good. Competition is stiffer, and the market for professional photographers, in the non-commercial market, is greatly decreased. So, for part-time semi-pro or advanced amateurs, I don't think there is as much as a market.

Keep in mind I'm about 20 years out of date, but I think there are ways to make money - I just don't think it will be a significant amount. You need a large amount of excellent photos to get into stock photography. Selling images online? I'm not sure what the market is these days, with so much available on the internet. Companies doing annual reports can probably get photos in house . Common people are ripping off photos from the net for many of their needs. I know artists who make a bit of money doing cards. Maybe doing candid portraits at events, if there's no house photographer, but in the age of selfies, how many people are going to put out cash?

Just my $.02, but I think there's an era of photography that's gone for good. Do it for fun, get proficient, and then try to sell images, if you want. Like acting, some people make it, so many don't.

[seraphim]

Beautiful shot, Paul.

I'm getting more sold on HDR, seeing some of the results which don't look so fake. But I still think ago to requires SOME pure shadows in it, lol.

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by seraphim Digital has made things easier, technology has made cameras more prevalent and cheaper (in phone cameras, etc)so more people are taking photos, and more people are becoming good. Competition is stiffer, and the market for professional photographers, in the non-commercial market, is greatly decreased. So, for part-time semi-pro or advanced amateurs, I don't think there is as much as a market.

I just watched a documentary on the photographer and filmmaker William Klein. He commented that nowadays, everyone has a cellphone and uses it to take pictures. He said that many of them do very avant-garde things - things that professional photographers would never try. I thought that was an interesting viewpoint.

As seraphim said, lovely picture Mr Paul.