HDR Is For Me

I have recently been playing around with HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography. I tried it a few times a while back using the HDR automation in Photoshop CS4, but had poor results that were to say the least, uninspiring. A month or so ago I did an assignment for a client that required me to do landscape photography. I scheduled the shoot for a window of what was supposed to be good weather. It was not as good as predicted. Dark overcast clouds with bright sun lit areas made exposures that captured the scene on full glory were difficult. When faced with this situation following the rule of thumb you expose for the highlights and let the shadows fall dark. But not any more. I shot a handful of the images with bracketed exposures thinking that I would use HDR to add some punch to the otherwise difficult lighting that I was faced with. To pull it all together since I had had unsatisfactory results with Photoshop alone I invested in Photomatix Pro, a dedicated HDR software. I was very pleased with the results.

So what exactly is HRD photography?

HDR is an acronym for High Dynamic Range. HDR photography is a digital photography post-processing technique that allows a greater dynamic range of luminances between the lightest and darkest areas of an image. What this means is that in a single image you can include a far greater range of values from the dark shadow areas to the bright highlight areas then can be captured by film or with digital cameras.  So much more in fact that you can actually capture a wider range of values than the human eye can see at any one time.


HDR accomplishes this by combining multiple images shot with different exposures each properly exposing for a different range of luminance or brightness within the subject; think bracketing. With computer software you can digitally combine these multiple exposures into a single image that includes properly exposed detail from dark shadow areas to bright highlights.

Take a look at the two images on the right.  The top one is a traditional single exposure shot using the best exposure I could for the scene. Notice the dark detail-less shadow areas on the right side of the canyon and the bright slightly overexposed highlights on the left side. In the second shot, made using HDR, five different frames, each shot with a different exposure are combined allowing you can see a much larger range of luminance throughout the scene.

I don't want to get more technical than this in this post. My intent is not to write a whole lesson in HDR photography. There are a lot of great resources on the web that can explain it better than I can. I'll list some at the end of this post. My intent here is to share my excitement for some of the images I have been creating lately using this technique.


As we have entered our "monsoon" weather pattern here in the San Juans there have been a lot of great opportunities for photographing dramatic storm clouds and light. I made this image of Mt. Sneffells from the famous Dallas Divide.



Notice in this shot the bright sky and clouds hold detail as well as the dark areas of the wood on the shaded side of this old mining building in the ghost town of Ironton.



And I am really liking how HDR images convert to black and white.



As I said, I first tried this process in Photoshop CS4 with poor and discouraging results. After a lot of research I finally bought Photomatix Pro and am thrilled with the results.  The latest release of Photoshop CS5 is supposed to include a dramatic improvement in it's HDR ability. I have not upgraded yet so I can not report on it. But I can say that in my research on HDR, Photomatix Pro seems to be the standard of excellence. I highly recommend it.

You can download Photomatix here. It costs $39  for the light version, and and $99 for the Pro. You may also download the full Pro version on an unlimited trial basis. It adds a watermark across the image however until you purchase the license.

Here are some resources I found on line that I found very helpful.

Trey Ratcliff's blog, Stuck in Customs
Trey seems to specialize in HDR and creates some realy cool images. They are more to the extremely manipulated side for my taste, but still very cool stuff. He also has a really good introduction to HDR, the HDR workflow, and reviews for additional software that he uses to fine tune his images.

Introduction to HDR by John Paul Caponigro
This article that appears in Digital Photo Pro magazine by John Paul Caponigro is the best resource I have found for just straight out telling you what each adjustment slider in Photomatix Pro does.


And Don't over look the Resources on High Dynamic Range photography links on the Photomatix web site.

The Photographer's Ephemeris For iPhone

The Photographer's Ephemeris is a great tool and it is now available for the iPhone or in my case the iTouch (I'm not an iPhone owner). I wrote about it back in April 2009 in my post presenting resources for calculating the sun and moon position. The Photographer's Ephemeris is the creation of Stephen Trainor and I like it because it matches sun and moon, rise and set information for any location with a graphical interface generated by Google Maps. Best of all it is totally FREE! Stephen accepts donations however and I encourage you to donate and support this great tool.

Now, if you are on the go, you can get this information on your iPhone or iTouch. The mobile app is not free however. It will set you back $8.99 and is available here through the iTunes Store.

If you haven't been to the Photographer's Ephemeris web site lately, click on over there. Stephen has posted some video tutorials on how to use the program.  Watch these for a great demonstration of the true power of this program.

Pet Photography for Kids; Tips and Techniques

Yesterday I taught fifteen 5 year old kids tips and techniques for taking better photographs of pets. We started off with a short classroom session in which we discussed tips and techniques. Then we met outside where the local Ridgway Second Chance Humane Society was kind enough to meet us with some of their volunteer staff and more cooperative dogs awaiting adoption. Some great personal stories were shared by the students. I learned a lot about the variety of pets out there, and the kids were very excited to get to do some hands on work photographing the dogs. 

Here are the highlights of what the kids learned and then got to put in to practice.

 Be Patient and Calm:

• Pet photography requires a lot of patience. Your energy level will affect the animals so stay calm.

• If you are patient enough, your pet will relax and you will have the opportunity to get a decent shot.

• Animals are naturally uncooperative, so it's up to you to anticipate the best moments to shoot pictures.  Work with your pets, not against them.

• If you are longing for a formal pet portrait shot, try to schedule the photo session when you’re animal is somewhat sleepy or just woke up. It will be much easier to keep him still.

• If you want a more dynamic shot, pick a time when your pet is energetic.

Lighting:

• Photograph your pet in great light. In the case of animals, that's almost always natural light, go outside.

• Avoid direct sunlight, as it can alter natural coloring and increase the contrast between shadow and light, hiding some features. Look for a shady spot or choose a bright but overcast day.

• The light next to a large window or open door or late day sunlight makes all animals look great.

• Don't use a flash, this can cause red-eye and distort the true coloring & shading of your pet.

•  The exceptions are if your pet has a black coat, in which case a flash or bright sunlight can actually bring out shading and texture which may be lost in photos taken under other lighting conditions.

Composition:

• Keep your camera at the animal's eye level. You want to avoid having all of your pet pictures taken from a human eye's view, which is to say, looking down. Get down on your hands and knees if you have to.

• When photographing a living creature, it's almost always best to focus on the eyes. Make the eyes sharp. It's where people look first.

• Decide if you want a portrait of full body shot

• Use a long lens. Zoom in. That will throw through the background out of focus, which is a way to give contrast between the background and your pet.

• Look for simple backgrounds that will contrast against your pet. In other words, if you have a black dog look for a light colored background. If you have a white cat, look for a dark background. Spend time considering what the background will be

• Eliminate distracting background items by composing to avoid them. Try shifting your position so that the background becomes less busy. If you notice a tricycle, basketball, or trashcan behind your pet, move. Use a distant shrub or plain grass instead.

Posing:

• Your pet is not a person; they do not understand they are having their photo taken. So be patient and don't fight them.

• Let them play with the camera…sniff it, put there nose in it…let them get comfortable.

• Play with your pet. Keep your pet as comfortable and at ease as possible. Cameras can be distracting for some animals, so if you cannot get your pet to behave normally, try having someone else divert their attention and keep them engaged.

• If your pet will not sit still, have someone hold them in position. If you are shooting a tight portrait, then hands and arms are easily cropped out of the frame.

• Get close to your pet whether it's a horse or a goldfish. Fill the frame with the animal you love and leave out all of that distracting other stuff like lawn furniture and telephones.

• Take plenty of tightly cropped facial photographs with a zoom lens if possible, and have their face fill the frame while still in sharp focus. Try taking some three-quarter views as well as from the front. A slightly angled pose can sometimes make a beautiful portrait photograph.

• A good idea is to have favorite treats or toys at the ready. Hold them up near the camera to catch (and hopefully hold) interest in the right direction. Most importantly, don't be afraid to be silly. Try making funny and unusual noises or movements to get their attention.

Capture your pet’s personality:

•  A successful picture is one that conveys the character of its subject. You know your pet better than anyone else. If you have a lazy cat, show him yawning, if your dog is of a playful type; show him in action performing his favorite trick.

• Take a picture that reflects some characteristic, such as curiosity, goofiness, loving adoration, or confidence.

• You do not have to include every inch of your pet, only the parts needed to express what you’re trying to capture.

If you have tips I didn't include let me hear about them in the comments section below.

Katie and Chris's Wedding

Although It is not make it my primary business focus, I find wedding photography an enjoyable challenge and I get to shoot a few weddings each year. For me it is an opportunity to meld many skills into one fun event. It is an opportunity to be a documentary photographer, and that is the style I bring to the weddings I photograph. I get to meet and interact with new people forging relationships in a short amount of time in order to tell their story with photographs.  I get to be a location portrait photographer finding great settings and light on the fly creating environmental portraits. I get to draw on my knowledge of both natural and supplemental light. And, as I had to do last weekend, I must remain flexible and roll with the punches in a high stress situation.

Katie and Chris were married last Saturday in what was supposed to be an outdoor wedding here in Ridgway at a location with some of the most dramatic Colorado mountain views around. For me, the real challenge started when a week of perfect weather ended on their wedding day with rain, snow, and no mountain views.


I had scouted out the location for the wedding and had a good sense for how the ceremony was going to happen. I was in the dressing room photographing Katie getting ready when the report came in that it had started to rain... hard. That's wen everyone went to plan B, or at least started making plan B. The outdoor wedding had quickly changed to an indoor wedding.

While everyone rushed around finding a new location for the ceremony I tried to keep up with the action as creatively as I could. It was fun watching all the family and friends roll with the punches keeping a great attitude.

Everyone moved in side the bar ad the reception seemed to begin before the ceremony ever happened.After an ours delay waiting, and hoping for a break in the rain, it was decided the ceremony must go on. Everyone was ushered into the dining tent where some of the tables had been pushed back making room for the bride and groom.


Shooting in a white tent on a dark flat light evening is not my favorite set of circumstances. The white tent however did provide me an opportunity to soften the effect of my on camera flash. By turning the flash head up I was able to bounce light off the tent ceiling using it as a giant reflector.

After the ceremony there was about a three minute break in the rain and clouds. I quickly rounded up Katie ad Chris and dragged them out side for a few shots. I typically do not do a lot of directing or choreographing of photos during a wedding, but when I see a good opportunity I will act on it. The images we made in the natural light withthe dark storm clouds behind I think are quite unique to all the others from the evening.

The highlight for me creatively wise however was well after dark when the party finally got underway, the rain subsided, and the brave and committed moved out into the cold air for some dancing. Shooting in a large totally dark space with a flash can be really boring. Finding a way to create separation for your subject from the background can be challenging. And that is what I had to do for my favorite photo from the evening; a shot of Katie and Chris during their first dance.

This photo was made by placing a remotely triggered flash on a stand directly behind Katie and Chris. I positioned myself so that the flash was hidden by then and would there fore not flare in my lens. It also creates the beautiful rim light separating them from the dark background of he night. I had a second flash that I hand held off camera to my left providing fill light so Katie and Chris would not be totally silhouetted.

Make sure you click over to the wedding gallery my web site and see more of the wedding photos I have done. I'll have more from Katie and Chris's wedding up there soon. If you or someone you know is in need of wedding photography, give me a call.

Louis Vuitton and Annie Leibovitz Campaign

Last night I got turned on to some of Annie Leibovitz's recent work for Louis Vuitton. She has been shooting a series of really interesting photos on a campaign that is mixing photography, film, and great story telling into a multimedia campaign. The campaign is called Louis Vuitton's Journeys, and is designed to bring awareness to the companies core values and dedication to fashion through the stories of some extraordinary figures from society, art, and science. My favorite is the piece with Astronauts Jim Lovell, Buzz Aldrin, and Sally Ride.

Annie's photography is of course stunning and I particularly like this photograph. There are so many things I like about it; cool concept that reinforces the image of astronaut without hitting you over the head, excellent lighting, composition, use of color and overall execution. And the video (not done by Annie in this segment) using robotic cameras and the behind the scenes footage is also cool. I never get tired of hearign stories about man's greatest exploration... space and the journey to the moon.

See what I am talking about on the Louis Vuitton Journes A Journey Beyond segment.

Make sure to also check out the piece with Mikhail Baryshnikov where Annie sits down with him for an interview and talks about past photo shoots she has done with him over the years. It's a really neat look into Annie's relationship with a subject  she spent a lot of time photographing and her overall philosophy and approach to her photography.

For even more with Annie, have a look at this You Tube video with Annie photographing Keith Richards. Another old friend of hers, you can see their comfort with one another, but beyond that it's fun to see her stroke his ego and work "with" him to get what she wants.

Salt River Spring

The Salt River runs through central Arizona and is one of the most unique and exciting ways to see the Upper Sonoran Desert I know. This month I was fortunate to run and photograph the Upper Salt not once, but twice. The Upper Salt is a 53 mile class III - IV whitewater run that flows through a deep desert canyon beginning on the White Mountain Apache Tribe's ancestral lands and flows into the Tonto National Forest.

This section of the Salt is a free-flowing section of river which means that with no dams to control the flow, boaters are totally at the mercy of Mother Nature. This winter was kind to Arizona, if you like snow that is. A large snow pack and a cool spring have meant that Salt River flows have been exceptionally good for boating. Some years the river only runs with a boat-able flow for a week or so, but this year there has been several months of water.

Spring run off coincides nicely with wildflower season in the Salt River Canyon. The Sonoran Desert is beautiful and extreme, but to see it with water and the bursting colors of blooming cactus and wildflowers is not to be missed.

My first trip down the Canyon was for seven days on the water beginning April 4th, 2010. My second trip began on April 25th, and we spent eight days on the water. It was incredible to see the progression of the wildflowers blooming in such a short period of time. Not only were new varieties of flowers blooming, but there was an up canyon migration of the blooming by species. The yellow brittlebush that blanketed the canyon slopes in particular could be seen peaking further up canyon on the second trip.

Photographically both trips had a lot to offer. I had finished the first trip feeling I had not documented what I had experienced adequately. Having a second chance at it does not often happen. I also found the technical nature of the whitewater made it difficult for me to adequately photograph the action. On the second trip I had more opportunity as I had a second oarsman on my boat, Owen. This allowed me to spend a little more time looking beyond the next drop or turn in the river and I was able to get out and shoot some of the other boats on the trip as well.

In my early days photographing white water, I did it primarily form a kayak. The maneuverability and solo nature of a kayak offers greater flexibility for photographing whitewater action. The raft on the other hand dies allows me to carry more photographic gear which is a benefit when it comes to landscapes.

Below are two slideshows, one from each trip. I hope you enjoy them and I’d love to hear what you think in the comments at the bottom of the post.

Salt River Trip 1



Salt River Trip 2

Kayaks, Cypress, and Alligators... Oh My

I have been back from my Florida trip for some time now. In fact I have had a whol other trip since which you will hear more about soon. I have been playing some serious catch up and I'm off on another trip this weekend for a whole week. But slowly I will be making posts sharing my adventures and photos.

This post is from my Florida trip.  After about a week in the Melbourne area photographing amazing birds and doing a little coastal kayaking in the mangrove swamps I had the opportunity to spend a few days with my buddy Jack exploring and photographing the Big Cypress National Preserve, a part of the Everglades. Wow! what an amazing place. The Cypress trees are very cool and if you are a tree-huger this place is not to be missed. Walking around in the calf deep water under these giants is an experience I will never forget. It was actually a dry time in the swamps as you can see by the high water marks on this big boy above. As with almost everywhere in Florida that I encountered the wildlife was abundant. Yes, there are alligators in these waters! Luckily I did not see any here.

Another highlight from Big Cypress National Preserve was kayaking the Turner River Canoe Trail. Jack and I did not get to paddle the whole thing, but we did have a great day doing a section of it.

The Turner river is a great way to get off the beaten path and see a cross section of the Preserve. We started in the big cypress trees loaded with Spanish moss and fought our way through the thick water plants watching ducks, osprey, herons, and alligators.

As we descended, the river narrows and we enter a transition zone where the cypress begins to give way to mangroves indicating you are getting closer to the coast. The river only descended an inch or two over the long distance that we had paddled, yet that was enough to cause a whole new ecosystem to evolve.

We were delighted to see a water lily and took this as a good place to turn around and begin the paddle back to the put-in. The sun was setting anyway and we did not want to get caught out in the dark.

It's amazing how ones comfort lever will change with exposure. I must say I was a bit nervous about the whole alligator thing at first. Alligators seem to be everywhere in Florida. I knew this from a previous trip to the state one college spring break many years ago. But I had not actually been sharing the same water with them on that trip. Now, here I was paddling a kayak in a swamp and they were all around me. With time I had become somewhat acclimated I guess. I actually got out of my kayak, after a good look around first,  and wading in waist deep water took the water lily picture.  I was even brave enough to pull out my camera while tenuously balancing in my tipsy kayak and grabbed this last shot of Jack and this gator.

Polaroid Film Returns from the Dead

Last year I was saddened to learn that Polaroid film was being discontinued. I posted about it in January 2009, Polaroid Abandons Instant Photography. Now I am pleased to announce that I just learned Polaroid returns from the dead!

In an effort to save instant photography the The Impossible Project has just unveiled its new PX100 and PX600 instant films for Polaroid cameras, after a three year effort to save Polaroid photography from extinction. The film isn't cheap at the special introductory price of $21 per 8 pack of B&W film, you are paying $2.63 per shot. But if you love Polaroids your back in business!

Kayaks and Mangroves

I'm in Florida, the "Sunshine State". The sun is not shining. In fact I have seen very little of the sun since I arrived last week. It got sunny, for about a day, and today it started raining again. I must admit it is a bit disappointing, but I am not letting it bother me. In a way it is kind of refreshing. We don't get this kind of driving all engulfing rain in Colorado.

I new the rain was coming today and that is why I was up and out the door a 6am with my friend and fellow photographer Jack Moseley. I've been looking forward to this for a long time. Today we are paddling through the One Thousand Islands Mangrove Salt Marsh in Cocoa Beach, Florida.

The Thousand Islands were formed sometime in the past three thousand years when a storm-driven sea broke through the barrier island into the Indian River Lagoon System, leaving behind a deposit known as a flood tide delta. From the 1960s to the early 1970s the islands were significantly reshaped by the cutting of canals in a effort to control mosquitoes. The area now is a rich productive ecosystem packed with wildlife and is a playground of mangrove tunnels, channels, and islands crying out for exploration.

It's hard to get out of your boat in the tangle of mangrove roots and branches forming the tunnels. To shoot photos you need to work from your kayak or stand in the mud of the shallow waters. It was a bit chilly today , so I worked mostly from my boat.

I am amazed me how quietly we move through the water. There is a strong sense of peacefulness in this place. It did not take long to feel we were far from other people. We were never very far from civilization however, and occasionally could hear it. We also quickly realized how easy it would be to get lost in this maze of tunnels with no opportunity to get any visual bearings.

Our day was cut short as the clouds moved in, the temperature dropped, and the rain began to fall.  We did not see much in the way of wildlife, but exploring the crazy shapes of the mangroves was enough. I'm hoping we will have the chance to come back, explore, and photograph this amazing environment more fully before my time here in Florida is done.

 

Vendor Client Relashionship

It's been a little while since I made my last post. I wish I could use the excuse that I have been off on some great photo adventure. But I can't. I have been on a great personal adventure however.

A few years ago I re-connected with Dan Neiss one of my best friends from high school. Dan has been living in Austria and I have not seen him in about twenty-six years. For the last two weeks he has been visiting me here in Colorado and we have had a ball skiing and reconnecting.

Dan is a graphic designer; an excellent one too. Check out his work here. As a fellow creative we had a lot to talk about when it came to our businesses. A particular point we spent a lot of time talking about is how our work is viewed, or misunderstood and often disrespected, by clients.

I am still surprised at how much of my professional career as a photographer is spent not practicing photography, but business. In particular is spend an inordinate amount of time on educating my clients to how the photo industry works. Dan turned me on to this You Tube video that really says it all.  This video is not specific to photography, but really captures the all too prevalent attitude of many clients when it comes to working with creatives. Have a look...