Uploads from farbspiel, tagged tonemapped

Infinity (HDR)

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

Izmir Harbor (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 08:58:21 -0800

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)

Get even more details about this image at farbspiel-photo.com, and view the Before-and-After comparison of this image to see where it comes from.

The story of this photo
This image was shot from a cruise ship in the harbor of Izmir, Turkey. On this day, the weather conditions were changing so quickly that we had blue sky in one minute and pouring rain the next. Fortunately, when we arrived, the weather was basically fine, and we had a few clouds. This made this shot more interesting

I know that the purists and those that like more natural HDR images may be turned off by the colors of the water. I am not going to pretend that this was actually the color of the water when I was there. But that is actually what Topaz Adjust gave me when I played with the adjustments. I went on processing the image, pushing it a bit into that 'green' direction. Then I thought that this may turn off many people, and I started thinking about changing it to something the was closer to the original (dull) color. Now, if you are serious with your art, that should be the point where you say: 'Wait a minute! I'm about to produce something just because more people may like it???' I decided against the change and went with the version I liked most.

What can you take away from this little story? Don't let the taste of other people influence you too much. Do what you like and what you are passionate about. That's the best way to find your audience and to stay authentic.

How it was shot
> Taken hand-held
> Six exposures (-3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 ev) - semi-autobracketing
> 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 6 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
> Retoucing to remove dust spots
> Topaz Adjust to get back the details and the colors [details]
> Topaz Infocus (sharpening)
> Curves layer on the water (more contrast for a more reflective look)
> Saturation layer on the water (master)
> Saturation layer on the blue parts in the sky (master)
> Saturation layer on the clouds (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the clouds (fine-tune contrast)
> Levels layer on the buildings (more contrast and brightness)
> Levels layer on the mountains in the back (darkening)
> Saturation layer on the mountains (slight desaturation)
> Global saturation and levels layer for global fine-tuning
> Slight vignette effect [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

Ceremonial Room (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:14:58 -0800

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)

Visit the photo page on farbspiel-photo.com to get even more information, including a Before-and-After Comparison the Photomatix settings and the Layers palette in Photoshop.

The story of this photo:
This is a 12-shot HDR Vertorama image taken in ceremonial room of the palace of Rastatt in southern Germany. Taking such photos while you are on a regular visit is quite a challenge. You cannot use a tripod, there are typically other people around you, and the dynamic range is very high. Nevertheless, with the right technique, anyone can do it.

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 (0EV, -2EV, +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 post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Topaz Detail on the entire image to get back the colors and the 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
> Global levels layer with a luminocity mask to brighten the dark pars a bit
> Saturation layer on the figures around the ceiling (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the figures around the ceiling (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the golden elements to bring out the golden tones (master)
> Levels layer on the golden elements (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the orange elements in the ceiling (master)
> Saturation layer on the ceiling paintings (master)
> Vibrance layer on the ceiling paintings (less vibrance, more saturation)
> Levels layer on the ceiling paintings (more contrast)
> Saturation, Levels and Vibrance layers on the chandeliers to bring out the glow
> Saturation layer on the red marble pillars (master, more on the left)
> Levels layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Masked Levels and Saturation layers on the center of the floor to get a slight spotlight effect
> Saturation layer on the white parts of the walls (desaturation, more on the right)
> Levels layer on the white parts of the walls (more contrast, more on the right)
> Saturation layer on the ceiling canvas (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the ceiling canvas (more brightness on the left side)
> Masking out the windows to preserve the details in the highlights
> Some additional sharpening using the high-pass filter method [details]
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

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!

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

______________________________________________________________________
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:

______________________________________________________________________

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!

Up! (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 04:59:00 -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 took this shot in a hotel in Budapest. Actually, I did not realize that this was a hotel until I looked it up in Google Maps a few minutes ago. Anyway, it was in the afternoon and the sun was shining in illuminating the ceiling in nice yellow tones. This was actually a part of a larger vertorama shot. However, when I stitched all the shots together, the overall composition was not really good. So I decided to use only a part of the scene. Therefore, this is a rather small vertorama. Nevertheless, it is one. :-)

I almost forgot to mention that I was invited by Topaz Labs to contribute to their Pro Insight Blog section. You can find my article here: Integrating Topaz Adjust in your HDR Workflow. Accoring to the increase in traffic here and on the HDR Cookbook, quite a few people read it. I hope you find it useful too.

Enjoy!

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

How it was shot:
> Taken with a tripod
> 3x3 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
> Created additional exposures with -4EV and +4EV with ACR to control the highlights and shadows [details]
> Created 3 tone-mapped images from the TIFF files using Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved the images as 16bit TIFs
> Stitched the 3 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 Denoise (very lightly to remove the remaining noise) [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the ornaments and the wall in the upper part (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the ornaments and the wall in the upper part (contrast)
> Saturation layer on the balustrade (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the balustrade (contrast)
> Global saturation layer (master)
> Levels layer on the middle part (brightening)
> 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!

Hall of Fame - Ludwigsburg, Germany (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 03:48:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

A Room with a View - Bebenhausen Abbey, Germany (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 10:39:00 -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:
Until a few days ago, I guess I was the last human being that had no Facebook account. But now I have been assimilated. Resistance was futile. My mental distinctiveness was added to that of Facebook. From this time forward, I will service the collective... or something like that. I will have to look that up again in the Facebook TOS ;-)

If you go to my farbspiel - photography page, you will get updates whenever something happens in my little universe. That is, whenever I upload a photo to flickr, publish a new recipe in my HDR Cookbook, post a video on my YouTube site, go to the toilet, have to sneeze, or do anything equally important, you will be the first to know, maybe even before I know it. That is, of course, if you happen to like the page enough to 'Like' it. I just wonder, is there actually a difference between liking and 'Liking' something? I guess I will find out, right?

You may also want go to my new SmugMug site to see what is happening there.

Whatever you do, enjoy yourself! I hope, I'll see you on Facebook.

Success story:
> This photo is/was featured in the The Top30 HDR Images in June 2011 on hdrlabs.com.

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
> 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
> 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 Denoise on the entire image [details]
> Curves layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Photo filter layer (blue) on the blue parts of the floor to get back some of the color
> Saturation layer on the red parts of the floor (reds)
> Curves layer on the walls (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the walls (yellows)
> Saturation layer on the ornaments on the ceiling (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the outside (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the outside (master)
> Global saturation layer (master)
> Global levels layer (more contrast, brightness)
> 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!

Chain Bridge - Budapest, Hungary (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 21 May 2011 09:21:00 -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!

Grab the source images and play with them as you wish.

The story of this photo:
Opened in 1849, the Széchenyi Chain Bridge is one of the famous attractions of Budapest. At the time of its construction, it was regarded as one of the modern world's engineering wonders. [adapted from Wikipedia]

On this trip, I actually had a tripod with me. Something that does not happen too often (shame on me). So, I went on a night shoot to capture some of those wonderfully lit buildings at the River Danube. I will probably post some of them in the coming weeks.

But now to something completely different: Have you ever had a troll in your stream? Well I did in the last couple of days. That guy turned up and started insulting me and my visitors in his very first post calling one of my images a "big load of crap" that "attracts a lot of flies" (which would be the visitors commenting on it). Would you believe it? After I replied, he started flooding the photo page with more lengthy insulting comments. When I found out that he has a history of doing such things, I blocked him. There are some strange people out there, so be cautious, guys.

Anyway, enjoy the photo!

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

How it was shot:
> Taken with a tripod
> Three exposures (0, -2, +2 EV) autobracketed and merged to get and HDR
> Camera: Nikon D7000
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3,5-5,6G ED VR
> 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 one additional exposures in ACR (-4EV) to preserve highlights [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
> Blending with the original +2EV exposure (sky)
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Denoise on the water [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the bridge for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the water (yellows)
> Curves layer on the water (enhancing the reflective look)
> Gaussian blur on some parts of the water for a smoother look
> Levels layer on the bridge (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the bridge (yellows)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer on the lower thrid of the image (water)[details]
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

Württemberg Mausoleum - Stuttgart, Germany (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 14 May 2011 03:44:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

Matthias Church - Budapest, Hungary (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Mon, 09 May 2011 05:41:00 -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!

Read my new HDR Cookbook post about the technique of producing an image like this.

The story of this photo:
Matthias Church is located in Budapest, Hungary, at the heart of Buda's Castle District. The current church was constructed in the 14th century and was extensively restored in the late 19th century [adapted from Wikipedia]. The church is allegedly amongst the "100 most beautiful cathedrals in the world". I don't really know what that is worth. However, the interior is unlike any other church that I have seen in that it is entirely held in orange, red, and yellow tones with a bit of subtle blue in it.

This is actually the first HDR vertorama upload that I created by using a tripod. All the earlier ones were shot hand-held. Usually, tripods are not allowed in most churches. However, the people in Budapest seem to be quite relaxed about this issue. I asked at the entrance whether a tripod was allowed, and the guy looked in disbelief because he did not understand what a tripod is. When I finally succeeded in explaining it (with my hands), he waved me through with that look on his face saying "I have got better things to do that caring about tripods!". Great, thanks! :-)

Enjoy!

Success story:
> This photo is/was featured in the The Top30 HDR Images in May 2011 on hdrlabs.com.

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

How it was shot:
> Taken with a tripod with a simple Novoflex panorama plate and a Kirk macro rail fitted to it as a panorama adapter
> 5x3 autobracketed shots (three exposures with 0, -2, +2 EV - shutters speeds: 6s, 1.6s, 25s)
> 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
> Created additional exposures with -4EV and +4EV with ACR to control 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 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 Denoise [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Global exposure layer (slight increase in exposure and slight decrease in gamma)
> Global Levels layer (more contrast)
> Saturation layer (increased master, toned down the reds and the blues)
> Levels layer on the middle part of the ceiling (brightening)
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

Baroque Oval - Ludwigsburg Palace, Germany (HDR Vertorama) - [Explored]

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sun, 01 May 2011 05:15:42 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

The Blue Room - Bebenhausen Palace, Germany (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 00:02:00 -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:
In the last two weeks, I was a bit slow in following your streams and commenting. As a matter of fact, I did not have a lot of time to do any photo editing and uploading. I am trying to be more active now. I hope you are all doing great, and that you had a nice and relaxing Easter break. Did you get to do some shooting? I hope so! Well I actually did. I was visiting some places with my family. One was the Abbey and Palace at Bebenhausen. I got quite a few nice shots there, and this is the first upload.

Bebenhausen Palace was originally built in the 12th century as a Cistercian monastery. Later, in the 16th century it was partially re-built and used as a hunting palace by the kings of Württemberg. Even until the mid 20th century it was still used as a parliament building by the government. Unlike many palaces of that time, its style is not very pompous but more oriented towards the upper-class living standards at that time with mainly wooden interiors.

Enjoy!

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]
> 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 Denoise on the entire image (more aggressively in the shadow areas) [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the blue ceiling and walls (master)
> Saturation layer on the wooden parts (reds, yellows)
> Global saturation layer (master)
> Global levels layer (more contrast, brightness)
> 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 Organ - St. Michaelis Church - Hamburg, Germany (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 06:37:00 -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)

The story of this photo:
This is the main organ in the St. Michaelis Church - Hamburg, Germany (better known as "Der Michel"). I was travelling through Hamburg on a business trip. It was one of those occasions where you have like 3 hours to visit all the major attractions. This church is one of them. So I was rushing through the city having several locations on my plan. No tripod, just my camera and me. Like on a military seek and rescue operation, I had to get in get my shots and get out again quickly to rush to the next location. Not the most relaxing visit. :-)

Unfortunately, about 3000 other people had the same brilliant idea of visiting the church on what was one of the first sunny days in Germany for a long time. So, I had to do quite some cropping to get rid of all those people in the lower part. I ended up with a bit of an unusual format. Judge for yourself.

Enjoy!

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]
> 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 Denoise on the entire image (more aggressively on the lower part of the image) [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Levels layers on the plates in the center and to the left and right (more contrast)
> Saturation layers on the lamps, the cyan tiles, he golden parts, and the organ
> Photo filter on the cyan tiles (for a bit more color)
> Saturation layer on the white interior (slight desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the pipes (desaturation)
> Lots of detail work (too much to explain here)
> 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!