You gotta join us live for our next Lightroom Live, totally free of charge. Not only will you learn terrific techniques, but if you tune in live, you can be entered to win excellent prizes to help you in your work. (Note: MUST BE TUNED IN LIVE TO WIN). We'll be giving away a copy of Perfectly Clear from Athentech. Plus you never know what else. We kick off Monday, October 3rd at 1:00 pm Eastern, 12:00 pm Central, 11:00 am Mountain, and 10:00 am Pacific. 2:30 pm in Newfoundland. Check out the YouTube event here and it'll show your … [Read more...] about Personalizing Powerful Plugins with Serge Ramelli
HDR
An Update To My HDR Workflow
I have used HDR since day one. Even before there was software to help with the task, I would shoot multiple exposures on slide film and scan them to layer on top of each other. Now we have tools like HDR Soft’s brilliant Photomatix Pro. I still use Photomatix even though you can do HDR in PS/Lightroom. Why? It’s more powerful, offers more control over the final output and it’s noticeably faster. When I shoot any landscape these days I make several exposures just in case. But unlike the old days when I was shooting bracketed … [Read more...] about An Update To My HDR Workflow
Simple shooting strategy for High Dynamic Range
I've been saying it for so long that it's time to write about it! What I'm referring to is my often-given advice for capturing bracketed images. Many people say that we should choose the 'correct' exposure, then capture overexposed & underexposed images. However I recommend to forget the notion of the middle image being the 'correct' exposure. Rather, the 'correct' exposure is a series of images -- and those images capture the full dynamic range of the scene. We can do that by measuring and choosing all of the exposures … [Read more...] about Simple shooting strategy for High Dynamic Range
HDR: Is a Three Step Process
The biggest mistake HDR shooters make is trying to rush the process. Some think its as simple as shooting the photos and running them through a merging application. Others try to save even more time and use in-camera HDR solutions. While both of these options can make a better photo than just a traditional exposure, they don’t really embrace the full capabilities of HDR imaging. For that, you need to truly take a three-step process. Shoot Using the bracketing option on your camera (or manually adjusting exposure), you’ll successfully … [Read more...] about HDR: Is a Three Step Process
Should I say “HDR” anymore?
I find myself using the term ‘HDR’ less and less every day. When I started as a panoramic photographer in 2002, I was continually frustrated because almost every 360º scene would have blown-out bright highlights or ‘blocked up’ shadows. Often I would have both of those extremes in the same scene because a camera can only capture so much dynamic range. Imagine being outside of a hotel where the sun is behind the building. The shadows are dark on the building, but I still need to capture the complete scene at a pool -- of course before crowds … [Read more...] about Should I say “HDR” anymore?
44 Free Presets for Photomatix
Free Presets? You Bet! The team at Photofocus has put together a collection of free presets to help you get the most out of HDRsoft's Photomatix. These presets are absolutely FREE, you just need to join our mailing list to get them. Please subscribe to our newsletter using the button below. Once you have confirmed your subscription, you will receive a link to download the file. You must use a valid email address to receive the presets. Click the button to confirm and download. Macintosh Install Instructions Method 1 … [Read more...] about 44 Free Presets for Photomatix
The InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast July 21st, 2016
https://soundcloud.com/photofocus/the-infocus-interview-show-photofocus-podcast-july-21st-2016 Get the show here or get it on iTunes — Don't forget to post a review on iTunes. In this episode of the InFocus Interview Show, our guests discuss HDR photography, how they use Photomatix Pro in their workflow, and more! We have four great interviews in today's episode. They are as follows: 1. Chamira interviews Bob Lussier. In their discussion, they chat about: How Bob uses his HDR to document abandoned textile spaces and … [Read more...] about The InFocus Interview Show | Photofocus Podcast July 21st, 2016
Setting a Self Timer for Bracketing HDR Images on Sony Cameras
Sometimes I forget to pack a remote shutter release when I stumble upon an HDR scene. Luckily I can set up a Sony A7 series camera to shoot a bracketed series of images with a self-timer. Press the Menu button on the upper-left backside of the camera. Navigate to the page 2 of the Image menu and scroll down to Bracket Settings. Press Ok. Inside Bracket Settings, click on Self Timer. I like to assign a 2-second self timer. Scroll down to BRK 2 and click Ok. To shoot with the self-timer, all you need to do is enable the Continuous … [Read more...] about Setting a Self Timer for Bracketing HDR Images on Sony Cameras
Go Make A Panorama
You should make a lot more panoramic photographs. It's a great way to capture a larger view of the world, and you don't need to buy a new lens. In fact, you'll find that a panorama gives a better view than simply using a wide angle lens because the objects far away are not diminished as much as they are with a wide angle lens. There are many options for stitching the pieces of the panorama together. For my work, I've found Lightroom is usually adequate, and Photoshop does it a little better. Those who make a living selling panoramas often … [Read more...] about Go Make A Panorama
Setting up Bracketing on Sony Cameras
Nikon and Canon cameras have a button on the camera body to enable a bracketing mode. Sony cameras don’t…I’d buried under the shooting mode menu. Once you know what you’re looking for and configure your settings, it’s very easy to switch in and out of bracketing mode. Let’s go through the settings and get set up. To enable bracketing, we need to change the Drive Mode of the camera. You can do this one of two ways: Press the left side of the circular wheel on the back of the camera Go into the Menu, navigate to page 2 of the Image … [Read more...] about Setting up Bracketing on Sony Cameras
Presets Make Photomatix Pro Simple to Learn
Once Photomatix Pro 5 opens a set of bracketed images, especially in Tone Compressor, the choices of controls is kind of intimidating. The first question that comes to mind is "Where in the world do I start???" The answer? Presets. Quick start: Photomatix Pro Before jumping into presets, here's a quick start for opening a series of bracketed photos. The graphic that follows shows the series of dialogs to navigate to merge photos into an HDR file. Drag a set of images made at least one stop apart into the Photomatix Pro dialog. Tell … [Read more...] about Presets Make Photomatix Pro Simple to Learn
Photomatix for Linux!
Most of my friends and acquaintances in the photography world know that I work with HDRsoft who makes Photomatix software. Photomatix is used to combine and render bracketed images for high dynamic range scenes. This same company is also a sponsor of Photofocus, just to be clear about that. But for quite a few Linux users that I've been in contact with, it's a big deal that HDRsoft has just released 'Photomatix for Linux.' This means the HDR workflow is now supported on 3 platforms (Linux, Windows, and Mac). This isn't 'Photomatix Pro' … [Read more...] about Photomatix for Linux!
Essential Gear for HDR Photography
To capture great HDR images, you need some essential equipment. Most of it you probably already own, but may not aways bring with you on a shoot. It’s important to think of HDR photography as a tool, not a subject. Here’s what I mean…when you’re a portrait photographer, you go out and shoot photos of a model. A wedding photographer goes out and shoots photos of a wedding. A travel photographer shoots photos while traveling. You don’t go out to shoot HDR photography. Rather, HDR is a tool you can use to create images with more dynamic range than … [Read more...] about Essential Gear for HDR Photography
Plan for the Solar Eclipse, Aug 21, 2017
When the sun and the moon and the earth line up with the moon in the middle it makes a solar eclipse. This happens from time to time, but since the moon is so small, you have to be in just the right place on Earth to see a total eclipse where the sun is completely obscured. I saw a partial eclipse in 2014, and that was incredible. But our American readers are in for a real treat because next August 21st there will be a total eclipse in much of the United States. Thanks to a note from my friends at the Eastern Idaho Photographic Society, we've … [Read more...] about Plan for the Solar Eclipse, Aug 21, 2017
Creating Dynamic Black and White Images with Expanded Dynamic Range
I love black and white photography. Perhaps its the newspaper journalist in me… but I just adore a beautiful grayscale image that pops off the page. Black and white photography is frequently a misunderstood technique in the digital age. Many photographers incorrectly shoot and post-process their photos. I’d like to share one workflow (but its my favorite). In-Camera Workflow Getting a great black and white photo requires capturing a color image first. Ideally an image with a wide dynamic range. While all cameras are different, here … [Read more...] about Creating Dynamic Black and White Images with Expanded Dynamic Range
The Best Photographers Practice Finishing
Practicing with your tools on daily pictures will make you a better photographer when it counts. Having your camera with you isn't enough to make you a better photographer. You need to practice finishing your photographs just as much as making them in the camera. A well composed and exposed photo is only half done. As I photographed these coneflowers, today, I knew I'd need to use HDR techniques in order to reveal the details in the center and maintain rich color in the petals. However, it was windy so there was no way to shoot a bracket of … [Read more...] about The Best Photographers Practice Finishing
Get the Most Dynamic Range from a Single Raw File
Do you like dynamic range? Let’s put it this way, are you a fan of the Shadows and Highlights sliders? Getting great tonal definition is a big part of making an excellent photo. Pushing the Limits with HDR Most people have mixed thoughts about HDR. Some resist because of the extra steps of shooting bracketed photos. Others had the over-the-top look practiced by some artists and abused by many. Don’t worry, neither of those problems exist in this workflow. I’m going to show you how to get the most out of a single raw file. What You … [Read more...] about Get the Most Dynamic Range from a Single Raw File
5 Ideas when faced with ‘blah’ light… but a GREAT location
Lately I've been working on a project which includes capturing ‘post card’ type images in and around San Francisco. A huge challenge with this project is that I'm doing on my own time, which ain't much, and it means that I can't often visit the best locations at the most ideal times. This presents a problem to solve which is, ‘How can I get at least a good (doesn’t have to be great) photo when the light isn’t very good?’ And I decided to share some ideas which have come from this experience. On one particular occasion, I took time to … [Read more...] about 5 Ideas when faced with ‘blah’ light… but a GREAT location
Instant Replay: Panoramas and HDR with Ron Pepper
Join Rob Sylvan and Levi Sim with their special guest Ron Pepper, a photographer who makes a living shooting panoramic and HDR photographs. Pepper puts these special photographic techniques to incredible uses, and he's a wiz. We'll show you what scenes make a great panorama or HDR, how to keep it organized, how to put it together and finish it off, all launching from Lightroom. Be sure to check out these excellent videos by Howard Pinsky for tips on using the new features built into Lightroom for making Panoramas and making HDR's, … [Read more...] about Instant Replay: Panoramas and HDR with Ron Pepper
Exploring A Port Huron Scene With Photomatix
For a while now, I’ve been itching to begin experimenting with incorporating the Photomatix software into my workflow. One bright sunny Michigan morning, I had the opportunity to do just that. I found myself driving through downtown Port Huron after a networking event, my Canon 70D camera, 18-35mm F1.8 Sigma Lens, and tripod conveniently nestled in the passenger seat next to me. As I crossed over the downtown bridge, I decided that it was the perfect time to take some bracketed shots. The morning was clear and the sun was bright. No better time … [Read more...] about Exploring A Port Huron Scene With Photomatix
Photographer of the Day: Chris Utano
Category: Nature Photographer: Chris Utano Title: Rocks I am a sucker for a well-composed shot of a shoreline. As a nature photographer, it has all the elements: land, sea and sky. This image is not only well composed. It is deftly processed. With sunsets and sunrises, there is always a temptation to pump up the saturation. Utano resisted that temptation. Still, there is enough punch for me to suspect a bit of HDR sweetening, but not so much that it feels unnatural. As a result, the photo feels like one is looking out the window … [Read more...] about Photographer of the Day: Chris Utano
Free Webinar – Landscape Photography: Shooting and Making Compelling Images
photo by Scott Bourne Don't miss this free educational event. We'll be tackling how to make the best looking landscape images, from shoot to post. Join Scott Bourne and Richard Harrington for this free and informative webinar. You'll learn how to shoot better landscape photos by exploring composition, time of day, and pre-planning. You'll also learn a few production tips like HDR and tack sharp shooting. Once captured we'll develop images in Photoshop and Lightroom and show you how to use Perfectly Clear to enhance your images. All … [Read more...] about Free Webinar – Landscape Photography: Shooting and Making Compelling Images
Photomatix Selective High Dynamic Range for Interiors
Interiors are tough to photograph. With film, windows had to be covered with gray gel (ND) to balance their brightness to the inside lighting. If bulbs were too bright for the rest of the lighting, they had to be turned off part way through the exposure. One of the toughest situations were arched ceilings lit with bulbs or tubes lining its edges. This super bright feature in a hallway or elevator lobby usually didn't have a way of shutting it off. These features are still quite popular today. Capturing one of these interiors has never been … [Read more...] about Photomatix Selective High Dynamic Range for Interiors
Getting Started with HDR Shooting
I head out to Great Fall National Parks to walk you through HDR shooting. Have you tried to photograph the beauty of a scene but just can't capture its intensity or range? In this episode, I'm joined by special guest, Abba Shapiro explore the world of HDR photography. You will learn the benefits for using High Dynamic Range photography to capture all your breathtaking moments. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDzPcbfX7eE In this video you will learn: The benefits of High Dynamic Range photography The camera settings needed to achieve HDR … [Read more...] about Getting Started with HDR Shooting
Auto-Stack Images in Lightroom for Easier HDR Processing
The other day I was showing a friend how to send images to be merged into an HDR in Photomatix Pro by exporting from Lightroom. When we were going through his image library, it was difficult for him to remember which images were in each sequence. He couldn't remember if his camera was set to show the image sequence as -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 or 0, -2, -1, +1, +2. Sometimes he would take a sequence then vary the shot, and looking at the thumbnails was difficult. Rather than struggle to find each sequence, we enabled Auto Stack in Lightroom. Stacks … [Read more...] about Auto-Stack Images in Lightroom for Easier HDR Processing
Shooting HDR Timelapse – Developing HDR Photomatix
I'm a huge timelapse fan... plus I'm a bit nutty about HDR. In this tutorial I show you how easy it easy to batch process a giant HDR series. I shot in Zion National park and created HDR timelapse movies to tell the whole story. https://youtu.be/GicROfiZdO0 You can learn more in this complete lynda.com course. … [Read more...] about Shooting HDR Timelapse – Developing HDR Photomatix
Macphun’s Aurora HDR Pro Update Has Me Impressed!
By now most of you have heard of Aurora HDR from Trey Ratcliff and the team at Macphun, and if you haven't, well it's a joint project by Trey and Macphun to create an application tailored to exactly what the most prolific HDR photographer in the world would want out of software. Over the course of an entire year they worked together to create an app for photographers of all skill levels that would produce incredible images. You can run it as a plug-in for Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, and Photoshop Elements, OR you can run it as a complete … [Read more...] about Macphun’s Aurora HDR Pro Update Has Me Impressed!
Shooting Landscapes? Go the Extra Mile
Landscape photography brings its own rewards. Being in a beautiful place at a tranquil time of day is therapeutic. Add good company, and it doesn't really matter if you make any good pictures because the experience alone was worthwhile. For instance, I visited my parents, recently, and my dad and I awoke early to photograph the moon setting over one of our favorite places, Garden of the Gods. Due to a small cloud that wouldn't move, the moonset was a bust, but I exercised a few tips I've learned to make the most of the experience anyway, and we … [Read more...] about Shooting Landscapes? Go the Extra Mile
Deghosting HDR Images in Photomatix
HDR Photos are created by merging two or more exposures together to show the entire dynamic range of a scene. This is an great tool that we explore fully in our HDR Learning Center. The challenge is a moving subject. Ghosting Ghosting happens when something moves during the exposure brackets. Leaves on trees blown by wind, waves on a body of water, cars moving on a roadway or in this case, camera movement causes multiple images--ghosts--in the photograph. The wind farm below is a great example of ghosting. The windmill is a great example of … [Read more...] about Deghosting HDR Images in Photomatix
How to Use HDR for Nighttime Photography
Making pictures at nighttime can be challenging. Parts of a picture that are lit with street lamps or other lights are very bright compared to the darkness of the sky or the shadows under trees and porches. This scene is described as having a high dynamic rangethe difference between light and shadow is very great. This is the reason we have HDR tools for photography. Let me show you how I used HDR techniques to make a picture at nighttime. Bracket While photowalking with a terrific group in Austin, Texas, I wanted to make a picture of the … [Read more...] about How to Use HDR for Nighttime Photography
