Uploads from farbspiel, tagged photomatix

Infinity (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 06:03:01 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

Big City Lights (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 10:25:26 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

High Five (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 09:42:13 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

___________________________________________________________________________

Snatch your free copy of my new eBook today: HDR Top Tips - 10 Tips for Better HDR Photos.
___________________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
___________________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

The story of this photo

This is a 6-exposure HDR image from inside the Porta Nigra in Trier, Germany. This building was built by the Romans around 200 AD. Today, it is a World Heritage Site. In the post-processing, I gave this image back some of the colors that the original building must have had.

It has been quite a while since I uploaded my last image. I hope, I have not lost too many of you due to this. I have been busy lately creating new content and new formats. For example, I have started a video tutorial series called Hands-on Photo Tips. I am also in the process of releasing more in-depth content in yet another format. I will tell you more on that soon.

I promise, I will be creating images more regularly now. For now, let's start with a 4-in-1 feature: Over the week, I will also be posting a Before-and-After comparison, a Making-of video, and a Pics-to-play-with feature for this image.

How it was shot

> Taken hand-held
> Six exposures (-3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 ev) - semi-autobracketing [details]
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED

How it was tonemapped

> CA reduction and white balance correction on all source exposures in Adobe Camera Raw [details]
> Saved the 6 images as TIFFs
> Created two additional exposures in ACR to get all the details in the highlights and in the shadows [details]
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix (Details Enhancer option)

How it was post-processed

> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Topaz Adjust to get back the details and the colors [details]
> Topaz Infocus (sharpening - not on the windows)
> Levels layer on the windows (more contrast)
> Photo filter layer on the floor to get back the original color (red)
> Levels layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the floor (master)
> Levels layer on the bowl (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the bowl (master)
> Saturation layers on the pillars/arches and the border (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the pillars/arches and the border (more contrast)
> Levels layer on the walls (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the walls (yellows, master)
> Levels layer on some areas around the windows to reduce the glare
> Global Levels and Saturation layers for tuning the overall colors and contrast
> Some retouching to remove litter
> Slight vignetting [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

Let there be Light (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 22:36:53 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

___________________________________________________________________________

Snatch your free copy of my new eBook today: HDR Top Tips - 10 Tips for Better HDR Photos.
___________________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
___________________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

View the Before-and-After Comparison of this image to get an insight into the process through which it was created.

The story of this photo:
When you are taking photos outdoors, the rule says that you should not do so in the middle of the day. The light is harsh and not very flattering for your subjects. This 12-shot HDR Vertorama image taken in the Basilica St. Lorenz in Kempten, Germany is a good example where photographing around noon is actually a good thing. In this case, the sun was shining through the window and on the floor. It was reflected on the pillars and the other objects in the church. This created a special lighting from below that you don't get when you go there late in the afternoon or early in the morning.

Note however, that I had to cheat a bit more than usual to compensate the very bright exterior on the right side. In the original exposures, the right window was blown out, and there was nothing I could do to get back those details. This created an asymmetry in the image that was kind of distracting: The left window had the nice blue colors you see in the image while the right window was white. To cure this, I took the freedom to duplicate the left window and copy it over the right side. But pssst - don't tell anybody! ;-)

This is the kind of processing where opinions are divided. What's your take on this? Do you think that this type of 'manipulation' is Ok?

How to do it yourself
Read my recipes for Taking Interior HDR Vertorama Shots, Taking HDR Vertorama Shots with a Tripod, and Creating HDR Panoramas and Vertoramas to learn how you can produce images like this one too.

How it was shot
> Taken hand-held [details]
> 4x3 autobracketed shots (-2EV, 0EV, +2EV)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> CA reduction and white balance correction in ACR
> Created two additional exposures in ACR (+4EV and -4EV) to preserve highlights and shadows [details]
> Saved the images as TIFFs
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix (Details Enhancer option)
> Stitched the 4 tone-mapped TIFFs using Photoshop

How it was processed
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Perspective correction and cropping
> Some retouching to fix stitching errors (due to hand-held shooting)
> Global saturation and levels layers for better contrast and colors
> Global levels layer for better overall contrast
> Separate selective adjustments to the following parts: the golden elements, the paintings, the floor, the ornaments on the pillars (saturation layer for better colors, levels layers for more contrast) [details]
> Saturation layer on the white walls (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the white walls (more contrast)
> Copied the window from the left over the window on the right to deal with the blown-out exterior
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

Family Portraits (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 23:49:24 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

Rosanou Abbey (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 12:32:22 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

New Mosque - Istanbul, Turkey (HDR Vertorama) - [Explored]

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 11:10:21 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Explored: Highest position: 83 on Saturday, December 31, 2011

Watch the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

The story of this photo:
It has been quite a while since the last image I published. During this time, I built my new website farbspiel-photo.com. So, please apologize my inactivity over the last few weeks. The new website integrates all the information I provide. It is the new home of the HDR Cookbook. I'd be happy if you pay me a visit. If you like it, feel free to subscribe and tell your friends. :-)

Well, now I am back to creating images more regularly, and I am going to end this year with this HDR Vertorama shot from the New Mosque in Istanbul. In Turkish, this place is called Yeni Camii. It is situated on the Golden Horn at the southern end of the Galata Bridge. It is one of the best-known sights of Istanbul.

The source photos were actually quite a mess. I discovered too late (at home) that they were much too dark. You can also verify this in the Before-and-After Comparison. I had quite a hard time fixing this and squeezing the tones at the high end out again. I hope it's not too obvious.

This will be my last image for this year. I wish you and your loved ones a happy new year!

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken hand-held [details]
> 4x3 autobracketed shots (0EV, -2EV, +2EV)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
> Details can be found here

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> CA reduction and white balance correction in ACR [details]
> Created two additional exposures in ACR (+4EV and -4EV) to preserve highlights and shadows [details]
> Saved the images as TIFFs
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix (Details Enhancer option)
> Stitched the 4 tone-mapped TIFFs using Photoshop

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Some perspective correction and cropping
> Some retouching to fix stitching errors (due to hand-held shooting)
> Global saturation and levels layers for better contrast and colors
> Saturation layer on the windows (blues, cyans)
> Selective contrast using levels layers on some parts of the ceiling
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Lightening the center part of the ceiling using a masked levels layer
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

Take me to Istanbul (HDR Panorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 10:26:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

Santorini Cathedral (HDR) - Source Images Available!!!

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:01:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

St. Martin's Cathedral (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 05:57:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Watch the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

The story of this photo:
St. Martin's Cathedral in Mainz, Germany is 1000 years old and its interior is predominantly Romanesque. This style is much simpler than that of later churches with very little decorations. The big challenge in terms of photography was the notable lack of light, even on this sunny day. I had to go as low as 1/8s on the brightest exposure here. Of course, tripods were not allowed. This was quite a challenge in post-processing.

Nevertheless, I hope you like the result.

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken hand-held [see here and here]
> 4x3 auotbracketed shots (0, -2, +2EV)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
> Details can be found here

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> CA reduction and white balance correction in ACR [details]
> Created two additional exposures in ACR (+4EV and -4EV) to preserve highlights and shadows [details]
> Saved the images as TIFFs
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix (Details Enhancer option)
> Stitched the 4 tone-mapped TIFFs using Photoshop

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Perspective correction using the transformation tools
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Photo filter layer on the ornaments (yellow)
> Levels layer on the ornaments (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the ornaments (master, lightness)
> Saturation layer on the carpets at the bottom (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the paintings (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the paintings (master)
> Vibrance layer on the paintings (more vibrance)
> Photo filter layer on the yellow walls (yellow)
> Levels layer on the yellow walls (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the yellow walls (master)
> Saturation layer on the red walls (master)
> Photo filter layer on the dome (orange/yellow)
> Saturation layer on the ceiling (desaturation)
> Many detail adjustments of contrast to preserve the highlights and shadows
> Global saturation and levels layers (fine tuning colors and contrast)
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

The Library (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 11:35:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Watch the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

The story of this photo:
On the way to the location of our most recent vacation, we went past Wiblingen Abbey near Ulm in southern Germany. This abbey is renowned for its great library. Having seen some images of this library, I knew that this would be a great place for shooting vertoramas. And here it is.

The funny thing about this room is that most of the elements that appear to be marble (e.g. the pillars) are actually painted wood because it was cheaper. Typical for Swabian people. ;-)

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken hand-held [see here and here]
> 7x3 auotbracketed shots (0, -2, +2EV)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
> Details can be found here

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> CA reduction and white balance correction in ACR [details]
> Saved the images as TIFFs
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix (Details Enhancer option)
> Stitched the 7 tone-mapped TIFFs using Photoshop

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Perspective correction using the transformation tools
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Levels layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the floor (master)
> Photo filter lyer on the floor (orange)
> Levels layer on the white parts of the ceiling (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the white parts of the ceiling (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the paintings (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the paintings (master, tones down the reds)
> Levels layer on the ornaments (more contrast)
> Levels, saturation and photo filter layers separately on the different ornaments
> Levels layer on the statues (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the statues (desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the middle part of the image (master)
> Many detail adjustments of contrast to preserve the highlights and shadows
> Global saturation and levels layers (fine tuning colors and contrast)
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

The Refuge (HDR Panorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 10:27:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Watch the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

The story of this photo:
This is the church close to the hotel where we spent our last vacation a couple of week ago. I got up early one morning (much to the surprise of my wife - lol) grabbed my pano gear and went there to get the right light. Just as the sun rose, the light was shining straight down center aisle. Perfect! Well, it would have been, but the church was still closed. It seems that god is not an early bird. ;-). When I finally got in, the symmetry in terms of light that I had planned for was gone. But it was still a nice sight. So, I took some panos and vertos. This is the first one.

I just realized that this is my first panorama upload in over a year. All the other stitched images where vertoramas. Well, this proves that I can still photography in horizontal direction. ;-)

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken from a tripod with a simple pano adapter [details]
> 5x5 manually bracketed shots (3s - 1/80s exposure time)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
> Details can be found here

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> CA reduction and white balance correction in ACR [details]
> Saved the images as TIFFs
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix (Details Enhancer option)
> Stitched the 5 tone-mapped TIFFs using Photoshop

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Perspective correction using the transformation tools
> Fixing some parallax errors manually (no-parallax point must have been inaccurate)
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the walls (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the walls (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the ceiling (master)
> Levels layer on the ceiling (more contrast)
> Saturation layer for toning down the reds
> Saturation and levels layers on the interior except for the walls and the ceiling (master and more contrast)
> Masked the windows from all the adjustments to preserve the details
> Saturation layer on the windows (master)
> Global saturation and levels layers (fine tuning colors and contrast)
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

The Alley (HDR) - Source Photos Available!!!

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 08:12:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

View the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

Download the source files at "Pics to play with" and try your own processing style! Take a look here to see all versions.

The story of this photo:
This is the entrance area of Wiblingen Abbey - one of the many great old abbeys in southern Germany. This place is over 900 years old - well, not the buildings you see here, but the place in general. Be sure to visit it if you happen to be in the area around Ulm.

Since providing the source photos with my previous upload was such great fun for everybody (including myself), I am giving out the source photos for this one again. Be sure to grab them and produce your own version of this image. Show us the resuts in the HDR group.

So, boys and gals, you have an assignment for the weekend!!! LOL

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains a lot more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Handheld [details]
> Three exposures (-2, 0, +2 EV) autobracketed and merged to get and HDR
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> Preparation: developed the raw files with ACR mainly in order to reduce the CA [details]
> Created additional exposures in ACR
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix
> Tone-mapping: Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Perspective correction and cropping
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the buildings (master)
> Levels layer on the buildings (more contrast)
> Saturation layers on the roofs (toning down the reds)
> Saturation layer on the sky (master)
> Levels layer on the sky (contrast)
> Saturation layer on the clouds (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the clouds (more contrast)
> Levels layer on the floor (more ocntrast)
> Saturation layer on the path (desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the sand (master, yellows)
> Global saturation layer (master)
> Global levels layer (contrast - masked to preserve highlights)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

Mountain Shed (HDR) - Source Photos Available!!!

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 09:40:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Watch the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

NEW: Download the source files and try your own processing style! Take a look here to see all versions.

The story of this photo:
This is the first image from my recent trip to the German Alps. Moreover, it is the first image I upload that was taken with my new Nikkor lens. I replaced my Sigma 10-20 lens with the Nikon 10-24 lens due to a lack of sharpness. This investment paid off. Go here to follow the discussion on this switch.

The news continue: For the first time, I am providing the original source files for everybody to download and work with. If you'd like to check how your processing style looks with this image, go ahead, download the source photo package (link given above), and have fun with them. I have started a thread in the HDR group where you can post your results.

I am looking forward to seeing them!

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Handheld [details]
> Four exposures (-4, -2, 0, +2 EV) semi-autobracketed and merged to get and HDR
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikkor AF-S DX 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> Preparation: developed the raw files with ACR mainly in order to reduce the CA [details]
> Created additional exposures in ACR
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix
> Tone-mapping: Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the shed (tone down the green cast on the side)
> Curves layer on the shed (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the sky (master, lightness, hue)
> Levels layer on the sky (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the clouds (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the clouds (contrast)
> Levels layer on the mountains in the back (more contrast)
> Photo filter layer on the mountains in the back (removing blue cast)
> Global saturation layer (master)
> Global levels layer (contrast - masked to preserve highlights)
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

Ethnographic Museum - Budapest, Hungary (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 10:10:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Watch the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

The story of this photo:
I just came back from a short vacation today. 8 days almost without any online interaction. Sometimes I took a look or two to see what was going on, but very little activity from my part.

As I came back, I decided to finally finish this image. Somehow, I was not happy with it before I left. So I decided to let it rest. When I looked at it today, there was not much I could change. So, I figured it was finished. Maybe I am too hard on myself here. Judge for yourself. By the way, I wrote about letting your images rest in my latest HDR Cookbook recipe about "Why you need an artistic workflow". Take a look!

This images was shot in the Ethnographic Museum in Budapest. It was a hot and sunny day, and everyone was either taking a nice bath or they were visiting the parliament building right across the street. So, I was virtually alone.

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> 5x3 autobracketed shots (three exposures each with 0, -2, +2 EV)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> Created two additional exposures in ACR (+4EV and -4EV) to preserve highlights and shadows [details]
> Saved the images as TIFs
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIF images were then used as input to Photomatix
> Stitched the 5 tone-mapped TIFs using Photoshop

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the ceiling (desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the painting (master)
> Curves layer on the painting (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the golden ornaments (master)
> Curves layer on the golden ornaments (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the pillars (desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the gray part of the floor (desaturation)
> Curves layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Global saturation and levels layers (fine tuning colors and contrast)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

The Tube (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 08:10:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Take a look at the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

The story of this photo:
This is one of those images that you just quickly snap while you are on your way to some promising location and that turn out great. In this particular situation, I was on my way to the Budapest Parliament building for some nice interior shots. When I left the tube, I though "Let's just take a quick AEB series here... even if it's not going to be great." I was really looking forward to the parliament. When I walked up to the building, it turned out that it was booked out! What? Booked out? What does that mean? Too many politicians??? No, too many tourists. I was a bit late on that day, having shot a number of other locations before. Yesterday, I thought "Let's see how the tube photos turn out", and here you go. What do you think?

Enjoy!

Update on Google+
Man, Google+ is flying! I have exceeded the 5,000 friends (people that put me in their circles) mark now. Everyone is excited to be there and the spirit is great. All kinds of photographers lists are being built and circulated so that people find each other. Of course, I had to create one too: The Definitive List of HDR Photographers on Google+. That's bold statement, eh? ;-) But it slowly turns out to be just that, the HDR list on G+. If you are on G+ already, check it out.

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Handheld [details]
> Three exposures (0, -2, +2 EV) autobracketed and merged to get and HDR
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> Preparation: developed the raw files with ACR mainly in order to reduce the CA [details]
> Created two additional exposures in ACR (+4EV and -4EV) to preserve highlights and shadows [details]
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIF images were then used as input to Photomatix
> Tone-mapping: Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the pillars (desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the floor (master)
> Curves layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the ceiling (master)
> Curves layer on the ceiling (more contrast)
> Global saturation layer (master)
> Global levels layer (contrast - masked to preserve highlights)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

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Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

The Ingress (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 06:01:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

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Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Watch the Before-and-After Comparison and the "High-definition Making of..." video (choose the 1080p version for full details) to see where this photo comes from!

The story of this photo:
I have been spending too much time on Google+ and too little time on flickr lately. Therefore, I've also not been commenting on your work as I used to and as I should. Sorry for that! But seeing Google+ come to live and grow right from the beginning has been exciting. There is a strong and very active photography community on G+ that is growing every single day. Just as a comparison, my 7 week old facebook page now has around 300 'followers'. My 3 week old Google+ profile has 3000. Crazy!!!

Speaking of 'followers', I know that people who express interest in a person's page on any social website are commonly called 'followers' or 'fans'. However, I don't like that term. I think that term degrades those people to a mere mass of individuals whose primary property is 'being a fan of XYZ' - a mere number that one tries to increase to get more exposure. I cherish every one of you who is interested in what I do, although it is getting increasingly difficult to memorize each one by the first name. ;-)

Anyway, this HDR vertorama does not depict a church as most of the earlier uploads of that type. Although, one may argue that it is kind of a temple too - a temple of the modern business world. However, I doubt that in 500 years from now, masses of people will be visiting it and look at its interior in awe. :-)

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> 4x3 autobracketed shots (three exposures each with 0, -2, +2 EV)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> Created 4 tone-mapped images directly from the RAW files using Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)
> Created two additional exposures in ACR (+4EV and -4EV) to preserve highlights and shadows [details]
> Saved the images as 16bit TIFs
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIF images were then used as input to Photomatix
> Stitched the 4 tone-mapped TIFs using Photoshop

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the marble floor (desaturation)
> Curves layer on the marble floor (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the white elements (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the white elements (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the glass structure (master)
> Photo filter layer on the glass structure (cyan)
> Curves layer on the glass structure (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the glass roof (master)
> Photo filter layer on the glass roof (blue)
> Saturation layer on the floor mats (master)
> Curves and Levels layer on the red brick walls (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the red brick walls (master)
> Saturation layer on the metal rails (desaturation)
> Global saturation and levels layers (fine-tuning colors and contrast)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

The Green Room - Bebenhausen Palace, Germany (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 09:47:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

Closer to Heaven (HDR) - [Explored]

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 20 Jul 2012 08:51:15 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

EXPLORED - Highest position: #13 on Saturday, July 21, 2012

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Snatch your free copy of my new eBook today: HDR Top Tips - 10 Tips for Better HDR Photos.
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About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
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(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

The story of this photo

I took this photo at a recent HDR workshop I held. It is a 8-exposure HDR image of Fortress Marienberg in Würzburg, Germany. It was shot across the Main river at the blue hour.

If you take a single shot at the blue hour, you would usually try to shoot right around the time where the artificial light (e.g. the lighting of the fortress) is of about the same brightness as the ambient light. This is important to get a balanced exposure and not overexpose the building. However, that time window may only be a few minutes long.

So, what do you do if you miss that point? Well, you either come back the next day and hope for good conditions or you use HDR. That is a prototype situation for using HDR: A large dynamic range that exceeds the capabilities of your camera. If you take multiple exposures of the scene, you can create a well-balanced exposure even if you fail to take your best shots at the perfect time. In addition to that, the blue tones get more intensive towards the end of the blue hour when the blue starts to fade to black. So when the blue tones are really intensive and just as you would like them to be, the highlights will actually be too bright in relation to those blue tones if you take only a single shot.

In this case, I shot many AEB series throughout the entire blue hour. But I deliberately chose to use one series that was produced right before it was too dark. That was the series that gave me those great blue colors.

To summarize this little lesson: When you're out shooting at the blue hour, be prepared to shoot exposure series. That will help you a lot in the post-processing.

How it was shot

> Taken from a tripod
> Eight manual exposures (30s, 15s, 8s, 4s, 2s, 1s, 0.5s, 0,25s)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED

How it was tonemapped

> CA reduction and white balance correction on all source exposures in Adobe Camera Raw
> Saved the 8 images as TIFFs
> Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
> Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix (Details Enhancer option)

How it was post-processed

> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Some retouching to remove a huge ugly crane
> Topaz Infocus (sharpening selectively on some parts)
> Levels layer on the sky (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the sky (master)
> Levels layer on the clouds (brightening)
> Saturation layer on the clouds (desaturation)
> Slight vignetting [details]
> Watermarking [details]

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Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!

Basilica of Vierzehnheiligen - Bad Staffelstein, Germany (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 08:32:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
______________________________________________________________________

About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
______________________________________________________________________

(Hit 'f' to fave this image)

Watch the Before-and-After Comparison to see where this photo comes from!

The story of this photo:
This image was quite a lot of work, I can tell ya! Getting out all the pretty details of that church literally wore out my graphics tablet. I may have to get a new one after this. Anyway, this is a beautiful Baroque-Rococo basilica with a very rich interior. It is really busy in May when all the Pilgrimages arrive there after having walked hundreds of kilometers. Of course, tripods were prohibited, so this is another hand-held vertorama.

Enjoy!

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook"! It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld (Read more about the technique!)
> 5x3 autobracketed shots (three exposures each, with 0, -2, +2 ev)
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> Created TIFFs from the RAW files in ACR - reducing CA [details] and setting the same white balance for each shot
> Topaz Denois on the resulting TIFF images
> Created additional exposures with -4EV and +4EV with ACR to control the highlights and shadows [details]
> Created 5 tone-mapped images from the TIFF files using Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved the images as 16bit TIFs
> Stitched the 5 TIFs using Photoshop

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Slight perspective correction and cropping
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the gray ornaments (desaturation)
> Photo filter layer on the gray ornaments (blue)
> Levels layer on the gray ornaments (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the golden elements (yellows)
> Levels layer on the golden elements (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the marble (master, yellows)
> Vibrance layer on the marble (more vibrance)
> Curves layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the floor (master)
> Saturation layer on the paintings (master)
> Levels layer on the paintings (more contrast)
> Saturation layers on the green and yellow parts (master)
> Saturation layer on the white walls (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the white walls (more contrast)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

______________________________________________________________________
Learn these techniques at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.

- Thanks for viewing!