Uploads from farbspiel, tagged vacation

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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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.

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

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

farbspiel posted a photo:

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Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
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About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
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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

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

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The Fishing Village - Ko Panyi, Thailand (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 11:57:00 -0700

farbspiel posted a photo:

______________________________________________________________________

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

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

The story of this photo:
Ko Panyi is a very interesting little town in Thailand's Phang Nga district. In the 18th century, Thai law would let only people of Thai national origins own land. Therefore, nomadic Malay fisherman built their settlement on stilts in the water. Pretty clever, he? Today, it is a tourist attraction due to its unusual construction and history. If you ever happen to visit the famous James Bond Rock, chances are that you will have your lunch right here at Ko Panyi island.

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 D90
> 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]
> 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 [details]
> Topaz InFocus for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the sky (master, blues, hue)
> Levels layer on the sky (more contrast and brightening)
> Saturation layer on the clouds (slight desaturation)
> Photo filter layer on the water (orange)
> Curves layer on the water (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the water (master)
> Saturation layer on the poles and some elements of the interior in the huts (desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the wooden tones (master)
> Saturation layer on the mountains in the background (master)
> Levels layer on the mountains in the background (slight darkening)
> Saturation layer on the roofs (master)
> Curves layer on the roofs (more contrast)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer (only on the lower half) [details]
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

Sunset Gate (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 03:14:00 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

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

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

Success story:
> This shot is the most interesting photo uploaded on February 5th 2011 has not been explored though (last check: May 2011)
> It is among the top 10 HDR uploads of all times (last check: May 2011)

The story of this photo:
The Brandenburg Gate is one of the most famous and symbolic places in Berlin and probably in all of Europe. The Berlin wall was right in front of the gate, leaving it as a sign of imprisonment on the eastern side. I took this shot from Pariser Platz on the east side (former German Democratic Republic). When the Berlin wall was built, this place became the "death zone" where nobody could go. After the reunification in 1990, it became the center of the city again, this time being perceived as a symbol for peace and reunification.

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 D90
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was tone-mapped:
> 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:
> Slight cropping to remove some objects at the edges
> 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 sky) [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Some retouch (fixing some artifacts in the sky)
> Global levels layer (increased contrast, brightening)
> Saturation layer on the sky (master, blues)
> Levels layer on (selective brightening)
> Saturation layer on the ground (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the ground (brightening)
> Saturation layer on the gate and surrounding buildings (master, yellows, tones down the blues)
> Levels layer on the gate and surrounding buildings (brightening)
> Photo filter (orange) on the face of the gate
> Saturation layer on the Quadriga (master)
> Levels layer on (brightening)
> Saturation and levels layers on the people (restore natural skin tone)
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

Harbor Entrance - La Goulette, Tunisia (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 05:27:12 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

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

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

The story of this photo:
This is the Entrance to the harbor in La Goulette, Tunisia - a place that you probably have seen, when you have ever been to Tunis by ship. This was shot when we came back from a tour through Tunis and the situation was such that I could not wait for those people to disappear because the next group of people was already right behind me. So this was a very quick series of autobracketed shots without thinking too much about it.

I was shocked to see the violence going on in Tunis right now with the protests against the government. Having been to the place a few months ago brings you a bit closer to the events there. I hope that the people of Tunisia will get what they deserve - a government that is more democratic - and that the violence will soon end permanently.

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 D90
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was tone-mapped:
> 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 sky) [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Blended the people from original 0EV exposure into the HDR image to correct ghosting
> Saturation and levels layers on the people to adjust them to the rest of the image
> Saturation layer on the entrance (master)
> Levels layer on the entrance (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the white parts of the arches (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the white parts of the arches (brightening)
> Saturation and levels layers on the star (slight desaturation and darkening)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

Long Tail (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 09:57:00 -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)

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

The story of this photo:
One thing that I have learned about creating HDR images is that "time is a great advisor". - Watch out! I am in a Zen mood today! - LOL

I regularly go through my archives looking for shots that I have neglected for one reason or another so far. With experience comes a change in the way you look at older shots, and sometimes you discover something that you would not have seen a few months before and you bring that out in post-processing. This is one of those photos.

It was shot in the Phang Nga area in Thailand just before we got onto that boat to take a tour to the James Bond Rock and Ko Panyi.

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 D90
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3,5-5,6G ED VR
> Details can be found here

How it was tone-mapped:
> HDR created from the 3 JPEGs
> 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 (less aggressively on the sky) [details]
> Topaz Denoise on the entire image (more aggressively on the sky) [details]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the water (master, yellows)
> Curves layer on the water to enhance the reflective look
> Saturation layer on the sky (master, blues)
> Levels layer on the sky (increased contrast)
> Topaz Detail on the sky to bring out the details in the clouds
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

No. 45 (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 02:41:00 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

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

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

The story of this photo:
This shot was taken in Sidi Bou Said, a place near Tunis where many artists (also western artists) were staying to seek inspiration. All buildings in this town are white with blue windows and doors.

I think a door is a fitting metaphor for this time of the year: We are leaving the past year behind us and enter a new year, uncertain of what lies behind this opening door but with high hopes, ready to meet new people and make new experiences. May this door bring new inspiration to you and your loved ones.

Ok, that was the philosophical part, and now to the photo: ;-) I know that some HDR purists may argue that the walls are slightly blown out in some areas. Well, believe it or not, but I did this on purpose in post-processing despite the fact that the details were actually present in the image data. This was a very bright day under the Mediterranean sun and it was about noon. All those white walls in this town created an extremely bright ambient light that was quite unique. In fact, many of those walls actually appeared blown out to my eyes because the dynamic range was so big. I was trying to recreate this in the photo while retaining as much detail as possible.

Enjoy!

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

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> Camera: Nikon D90
> 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]
> HDR creation and tonemapping using Photomatix version 3.1 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved as 16bit TIF

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Slight perspective correction to straighten the important lines in the photo
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Denoise [details]
> Saturation and photo filter layers on the floor to enhance the red tones
> Saturation layer on the white wall (slight desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the blues (master)
> Levels layer on the blues (brightening)
> Saturation layer on the blacks (desaturation)
> Levels layer on the blacks (darkening)
> 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 State Dining Room (HDR) [Explored]

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 07:08:20 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

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Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
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About | HDR Cookbook | Before-and-After | Making-of | Pics to play with
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Explored! Highest position: 337 on Tuesday, December 28, 2010

The story of this photo:
This is the state dining room in the Grandmaster's Palace in Valetta, Malta. Two beautiful chandeliers, a (comparably) small table and the portraits of all the former Maltese presidents and governors are the most notable features of this hall.

Enjoy!

I hope that each of you is having a great holiday time and that Santa Claus brought you some cool Christmas presents. He sure did for me. I got so many new gadgets, I think I have to spend all of my holidays playing with them. :-)

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

How it was shot:
> Handheld [details]
> Three exposures (-1, -3, +1 ev) autobracketed and merged to get and HDR
> Camera: Nikon D90
> 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
> 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]
> Topaz Infocus on the entire image for sharpening
> Saturation layer on the walls (desaturation)
> Saturation layer on the copper ornaments in the ceiling (master)
> Global saturation layer (master)
> Curves layer on the floor (more contrast and enhancing the reflective look)
> 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!

Place du Carrousel - Paris, France (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 07:44:00 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

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Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
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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 revisited the shots from our Paris trip last year and found a bracketed series of shots of the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel which is positioned in front of the Louvre. I decided to process it and share it with you.

This is one of the rare night HDRs you will find in my stream. I love night shots with great lighting. However, I still have a hard time getting used to carrying around a tripod. I have bought a real light-weight carbon tripod to increase the likelihood of me actually taking it with me. And yet, I still feel that I have a lot more freedom and I am a lot faster without it, getting more shots from more angles. As a result, I have developed some skills of shooting hand-held in low-light conditions, something that comes in handy in churches where tripod are forbidden. Still, I have to get used to using the tripod more often.

BTW, you can find a shot of this place in day light here. This earlier shot was one of my very first uploads to flickr. Go and visit it! It may feel a bit lonesome on the very last page of my stream. :-)

Enjoy!

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
> Camera: Nikon D90
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3,5-5,6G ED VR
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> HDR creation and tonemapping using Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved as 16bit TIF

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]
> Topaz Infocus for sharpening
> Levels layer on the sky (darkening)
> Curves layer on the arch to enhance the contrast
> Saturation layer on the arch (master / yellows)
> Black fill layer on the arch masked with the in verted blue channel (contrast enhancement)
> Levels layer on the black elements of the rach (darkening)
> Saturation layer on the horses (master)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

The Wormhole (Exposure Fusion)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 04:48:00 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

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Explore the world of HDR with me at farbspiel-photo.com - View. Learn. Connect.
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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:
The next best thing to using The Transporter for doing your traveling through spacetime is a wormhole, as you probably all know. I think they say that using a wormhole is like taking a roller coaster ride while you are on LSD, neither of which I particularly fancy, by the way. Even better still: You never quite know where you end up, and chances are, you might get crushed by the G-forces. Well, I guess there is no such thing as a free lunch, right?

I discovered this wormhole on the AIDAbella cruise ship. After doing the meticulous wood work on the floor, there was too little time left to set up a tripod. So I took the shot handheld. As a result, this is a bit more blurry than my usual standard. After having thrown every piece of sharpening software at it that was available to me, I am still far from happy with the quality. Nevertheless, since I like the colors and the light here and since it complements my previous upload nicely, I decided to post it anyway. But don't look to closely. And if you do, please do not put me on your black-list for blurry-picture-posters. ;-)

By the way. The door at the end of this corridor takes you right here.

Enjoy!

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

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> Three exposures (+1, -1, -3ev)
> Camera: Nikon D90
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was (tonemapped):
> No tonemapping and no HDR here! I used the exposure fusion feature of Photomatix Pro 4.0 since it produces less noise.
> Saved as 16bit TIF

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 Denoise [details]
> Topaz Infocus to rescue a bit of sharpness
> Levels layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Curves layer on the blue parts (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the blue parts (master)
> Saturation layer on the arches (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the arches (slight brightening)
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

The Transporter (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 07:06:00 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

The Virgin (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 11:35:58 -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)

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

The story of this photo:
Right now, I am having fun going through my archives digging for those gems that I neglected due to a lack of vision and imagination. Doing this really shows you how your skills developed. This shot is over a year old and was shot in the famous church Notre Dame de la Garde in Marseille, France. This statue of a virgin with child and a bouquet is somewhat hidden in a smaller room if I remember correctly.

Enjoy!

If you are interested, take a look at my "HDR Cookbook". It contains some more information on my workflow and techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> Camera: Nikon D90
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3,5-5,6G ED VR
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> HDR creation and tonemapping using Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved as 16bit TIF

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 (more aggressively on the wall behind the statue) [details]
> Sharpening using Topaz Infocus
> Saturation layer on the ceiling (slight desaturaion)
> Saturation layer on the shine behind the statue (master)
> Levels layer on the shine behind the statue (slight increase in contrast)
> Saturation layer on the stone parts of the ceiling (master)
> Levels layer on the stone parts of the ceiling (increased contrast)
> Saturation layer on the black marble in the foreground (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the black marble in the foreground (increase contrast)
> Saturation and levels layers on the text to light it more evenly
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Watermarking

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

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Suvarnabhumi International Airport - Bangkok, Thailand (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 02:30:00 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

Fontanella Tea Garden - Mdina, Malta (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 04:37:47 -0800

farbspiel posted a photo:

Chedi Jungle - Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:50:40 -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)

The story of this photo:
I took this shot in March on our journey through Thailand. This was taken in Wat Phra Mahathat, a famous temple in southern Thailand. It has a 78m high chedi (to be seen on the left) that is surrounded by 173 smaller ones. What you see here is really only a small part of these chedis. A great place to play hide and seek. ;-)

There were not a lot of tourists around at that time of the day. All the smart people played hide and seek elsewhere to hide from the heat. Man, it was so hot. They took us there around noon and I was just melting.

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 D90
> 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
> 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]
> Saturation layer on the sky (master)
> Saturation layer on the clouds (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the sky (increasing contrast)
> Saturation layer on the chedis (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the (brightening, more contrast)
> Some smaller adjustments in terms of contrast and saturation on different elements of the image
> 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!

Room for Confessions - St. Peter’s Basilica, Vatican (HDR Vertorama)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 08:07:06 -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)

The story of this photo:
This is another vertorama from St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. You may wonder where all the tourists are. Well, I sent them all out to take some shots ;-) I wish I could have! This section was locked for the public.

Take a look at my "HDR Cookbook" if you are interested. It contains some more information on my techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld (Read more about the technique!)
> 5 autobracketed shots (three exposures each with 0, -2, +2 ev)
> Camera: Nikon D90
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was stitched and tonemapped:
> Preparation: Developed the RAW files in ACR (consistent white balance, CA correction [details])
> Created 5 HDRs (32 bit) using Photomatix Pro 4.0
> Stitched the 5 HDRs using Photoshop and saved in OpenEXR format (some distortion correction and cropping before saving)
> Tonemapped resulting panorama HDR using Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved as 16bit TIF
> Take a look here for a more detailed description.

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop CS4
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Denoise [details]
> Saturation layer on all the marble elements (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on all the marble elements (brightening)
> Saturation layer on the all the red/yellow/orange elements (master)
> Saturation layer on the confessionals (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the confessionals (brightening)
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

The Docks - Palermo, Italy (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 05:01:31 -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 was shot as we slowly floated into the harbor of Palermo, Italy on the AIDAbella cruise ship. When I was shooting this, I was bracketing the shot as usual. But I did not think that I would get these shots aligned properly as there was a parallax effect since I was moving. I was quite surprised that Photomatix somehow managed to cope with this. This is another proof for my most important rule: Always bracket, no matter what! :-)

Enjoy!

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

NEW: My HDR Cookbook now contains a "Making of" section. Go and watch it!

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> Camera: Nikon D90
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3,5-5,6G ED VR
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> HDR creation and tonemapping using Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved as 16bit TIF

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 water, the sky and the rest of the photo with different strength [details]
> Saturation layer on the sky (master)
> Saturation layer on the clouds (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the clouds (increase of contrast)
> Saturation layer on the water (master)
> Curves layer on the water (more contrast to enhance the reflective look)
> Levels layer on the docks etc. (slight increase of contrast)
> Saturation layer on the docks etc. (master)
> Saturation layer on the foreground dock and some ships (slight desaturation)
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter (different strengths on the water and on the rest of the photo) [details]
> Watermarking

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

- Thanks for viewing!

The Cloister - Monreale Abbey, Italy (HDR) [Explored]

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 02:40:16 -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)

Explored! Highest position: 499 on Monday, October 25, 2010
Man, this one barely snuck in! After two of my last three uploads scratched Explore without being picked up by Scout , this one finally got recorded. :-)

The story of this photo:
It seem that every serious HDR photographer needs to have a few standard shots in his/her portfolio. Some abandoned car wreck, some shot from under a bridge, some shot of a pier going out into the sea, some sunset shot with rocks and water in the foreground, a cloister shot etc etc etc.

I have made a shocking discovery: I have none of these in my stream!!!

Now is the time to change this! So here is a cloister shot. :-)

This was shot in the abbey of Monreale in Italy. I have tried to recreate the wonderful light that I experienced when I was there. Unfortunately, my time there was quite limited and there were a lot of other people there. So, no chance of shooting this without those tourists. I upgraded to Photomatix Pro 4.0 recently, so this was a chance to test the semi-automatic deghosting feature. It worked reasonably well. Anyway, just ignore the people and enjoy the cloister!

If you are interested, take a look at my "HDR Cookbook". It contains some more information on my workflow and techniques.

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> Three exposures (0, -2, +2 ev) autobracketed and merged to get and HDR
> Camera: Nikon D90
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> Preparation: Developed the RAW files in ACR mainly for CA correction [details]
> HDR creation and tonemapping using Photomatix Pro 4.0 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved as 16bit TIF

How it was post-processed:
> Post-processing was done in Photoshop
> Transformation correction (straightening, slight partial distortion correction to make the image symmetrical)
> Topaz Adjust on the entire image to get back the colors and the details [details]
> Topaz Denoise on the entire image [details]
> Levels layer on the sky (brightening)
> Levels layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the floor (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the plants (darkening)
> Levels layer on the masonry (more contrast)
> Levels layer on the ceiling (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the ceiling (master)
> Global saturation layer (master)
> Global levels layer (fine-tuning 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!

Mysterious Door - Sidi Bou Said, Tunisia (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:54:00 -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 was shot in Sidi Bou Said, a small town near Tunis. All buildings in this town are white with blue windows and doors, except for a couple of doors that are green and red like this one. I have no idea why that is. Probably people got bored from the blue colors.

Personally, I like the light and the contrast in this photo. It was shot mid-day. So the structures in the walls are really emphasized. Interestingly, the left wall is lit by the sun from above while the right wall is lit by the reflections of the stairs and the left wall. So on the right side, the light comes from below.

Enjoy!

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

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> Three exposures (0, -2, +2 ev) autobracketed and merged to get and HDR
> Camera: Nikon D90
> Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 18-200mm 1:3,5-5,6G ED VR
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> HDR creation using Photoshop (better alignment of source photos)
> HDR creation and tonemapping using Photomatix Pro 3.1 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved as 16bit TIF

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]
> Saturation layer on the door (increased master)
> Levels layer on the door (brightening)
> Levels layer on the sky (brightening)
> Levels layer globally (increased contrast)
> Watermarking
> Vignette effect using a masked fill layer [details]
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]

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

- Thanks for viewing!

Rien ne va plus! (HDR)

nobody@flickr.com (farbspiel) — Sat, 16 Oct 2010 10:01:19 -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 another interior shot from the AIDAbella cruise ship - the casino! Did you know that they are only allowed to open the casino once the ship has reached international waters? Anyway, I did not gamble on that trip! In fact, my first and only gambling experience was in Las Vegas where I played some poker. After a few hands I lost big time. I had a full house and my opponent had four sixes. Can you believe that??? Normally this only happens in Hollywood movies. This time it happened to me. To make things worse, that guy won an additional 100 Dollars for making the best hand in that hour with his quad sixes. Duhhh...

Maybe you noticed that I did a bit of redesign on my frame which also carries over into the photo. I hope you like it. I borrowed the original idea for that kind of watermarking from Ryan Eng. I think it's a brilliant idea to integrate the watermark into the photo. Ryan, if you happen to read this, I hope this is ok with you.

Enjoy!

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

How it was shot:
> Taken handheld [details]
> Three exposures (0, -2, +2 ev) autobracketed and merged to get and HDR
> Camera: Nikon D90
> Lens: Sigma 10-20mm F3,5 EX DC HSM
> Details can be found here

How it was tonemapped:
> Preparation: Developed the RAW files in ACR mainly for CA correction [details]
> HDR creation using Photoshop (better alignment of source photos)
> Tonemapping using Photomatix version 3.1 (Detail Enhancer)
> Saved as 16bit TIF

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 (more aggressively on the ceiling) [details]
> Saturation layer on the floor (yellows, reds)
> Levels layer on the floor (more contrast)
> Saturation layer on the chairs (master, yellows)
> Saturation layer on the ceiling (master)
> Saturation layer on the tables (slight desaturation)
> Levels layer on the tables (slight darkening)
> Vignette effect on the lower half of the photo using a masked fill layer [details]
> Sharpening using the high-pass filter [details]

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

- Thanks for viewing!