I Hate HDR?

HDR image © Rick Sammon

I'm teaching HDR at the California Photo Festival today.

As usual, I'll begin my presentation by suggesting to the audience that if they want to have some fun, do a Google search for "I hate HDR."

Hundreds of pages come up. Some posts are event long rants.

Most HDR haters hate HDR for two reasons:

One, they feel HDR is cheating (although Ansel Adams created HDR images and he was not called a cheater).

Two: they feel most HDR images are "over-cooked."

Here's my take on the topic:

One, why hate any form of creativity?

Two, why take the time to write about why you hate something?

HDR image © Rick Sammon

I do think that there are two main types of HDR images: realistic, above, and surrealistic, below.

HDR image © Rick Sammon

Often times, I think the subject suggests the HDR effect: realistic for landscapes, and surrealistic for artistic and really cool looking subjects.

© Rick Sammon

I go on to say that as much as I love HDR, it can ruin the mood of the scene, as illustrated by the HDR image at the left.

Finally, I say, "Follow your heart." Or as Ginger Baker wrote, "Do What You Like."

HDR image © Rick Sammon

I use several HDR programs and plug-ins. Check them out on my Save on Creative Plug-ins page and save a few bucks on some bundles.

My best HDR tips are on my iPad and Mac app: Rick Sammon's iHDR.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. For hands-on HDR learning (and loving) check out my HDR workshops.

Digital Delray Days - Day II

© Rick Sammon

Today was day #2 of my Digital Delray Days. Again, all the students did a great job.

One more Digital Delray Day on Thursday . . . then off to Orlando, Tampa and then Vero.

More pix to come, but for now, a favorite from our base camp: Colony Hotel.

Above: Potomatix HDR, Nik Software's Color Efex Pro/Detail Extractor, Magical Mirror Effect in Photoshop CS5.

Read about HDR and plug-ins here.

Yes. The work of MC Escher inspired my image.

© Jason Eldridge

Above: A cool shot of me shooting my Jason Eldridge:

www.eldridgestudios.com

www.eldridgestudios.blogspot.com

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Join a workshop for lots of photo fun.

First Annual Digital Delray Days Begins with HDR - and awakening the artist within

© Rick Sammon

Today was day #1 of my Digital Delray Days - an annual event designed to inspire creative photographers in South Florida . . . and from around the country.

We started the day with HDR - capturing the entire dynamic range of a very high contrast scene. Everyone got it! (We also covered flash and people photography.)

Back in my room, I processed my HDR sequence and added a touch of Topaz Adjust/ Dark Ghostly to create the image I saw in my mind's eye. After applying Topaz Adjust, I used Shadows/Highlights in Photoshop to fine-tune my image.

Read more about Topaz Adjust and the other plug-ins I use. Great creative fun.

Above: Middle exposure of my seven exposure HDR sequence.

The idea here is to envision the end-result... and to go beyond HDR images.

If you want to master HDR - and get some ideas for creative HDR images - check out my iHDR app.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Shoot me an email to get on my 2013 Digital Delray list.

Florida Photo Caravan 6th Shoot: Delray Beach

Topaz Adjust/Portrait Smooth. © Rick Sammon

Today my Florida Photo Caravan students will be shooting in and around the Colony Hotel in Delray Beach.

HDR will be the focus in the AM. Model photography in the PM.

Nik Color Efex Pro/Indian Summer. © Rick Sammon

For the HDR images, I'll encourage my new friends to experiment with different plug-in settings as a final touch. Experimenting often results in pleasing results, as illustrated above.

To learn more about the plug-ins I use, see my Creative Plug-ins page. Save a few bucks while you are there.

Scroll down to see previous posts from the road.

Explore the light,
Rick

Florida Photo Caravan 2nd Shoot: HDR

My best HDR of a parking garage: Visitor's Center parking garage.

We're just back from our second shoot on my 2012 Florida Photo Caravan. 

Our location: St. Augustine. We focused on HDR. Here are a few of my favorite HDR images . . but we all got good shots. I'll share these images with you as they come in.

Photomatix and Topaz Adjust/ Spicify

Tip: After you process your images in Photomatix or HDR Efex Pro, add a plug-in effect - or boost the saturation and contrast in Photoshop or LIghtroom. Above I used Topaz Spicify. Below I used Nik Software's Silver Efex Pro.

Nik HDR Efex Pro and Nik Silver Efex Pro

Flagler College. Photomatix plus Topaz Adjust/ Exposure Correction.

If you want to learn about HDR, check out my iHDR app. To learn more about the plug-ins I use, click here.

Click here to get on the list for my 2013 Photo Caravan and other workshops.

Explore the light,
Rick

The Magic of HDR at the Magic Beach

© Rick Sammon

My Florida Photo Caravan beging tonight with a seminar and welcome dinner in St. Augustine.

Here's a quick HDR image I just created with Nik HDR Efex Pro and Topaz Adjust/Spicify.

 This is the world-famous Magic Beach Motel, which will reopen in April.

Click here to read about HDR Efex Pro and Topaz.

Follow along all week for some photos and tips.

Today's tips: Shoot at an angle to create a sense of depth in an image. For max depth of field: use a wide-angle lens, small aperture and focus 1/3 into the scene

Explore the light,
Rick

Guest Blogger Rob Dweck Shares His Creative Vision

Today's guest blogger is Rob Dweck, a wonderful photographer (and person) who assisted me at the California Photo Festival.


Take it away Rob.


Every one of us has something that inspired us to pick up a camera and get into photography. For me it was a natural extension of my love for nature and the outdoors. There was no better way to spend my free time than to lace up my hiking boots and spend a day on the trail where I could turn off the phone, forget about the day job and relax as I took in the view from the top of a mountain or a long stretch of sandy beach. Wanting to bring some of that experience home with me, I bought a little point and shoot camera and snapped photo after photo as I hiked through some of the most spectacular landscapes on earth. I returned home and downloaded my photos expecting them to look like what my eye saw and…disappointment.

The truth was I had no clue what I was doing. The dial on top had several modes for different types of shooting, but I couldn’t find the Ansel Adams mode. It quickly dawned on me that I needed to learn what I’m doing if I wanted to bring home more than just snapshots. So I read books, watched videos, practiced, practiced and practiced some more. In the ongoing process of shooting, learning and making lots of mistakes, (a big part of my learning process), I found a new creative outlet that has brought me more joy and gratification than I ever imagined possible. What started as a way to bring home a bit of nature’s beauty, is now an ongoing process of artistic expression. 

Like so many photographers, I started out by going to many of the iconic locations that have been photographed gazillions of times. I was happy to get my “me too” shots, but after shooting enough of those, I wanted to do more than re-create someone else’s photo. On a recent trip to Glacier National Park, I got the classic sunrise shot from the Wild Goose Island overlook, and after the golden light faded from the peaks and the hoards of other photographers packed up and left, I saw some other possibilities.

Seeing the movement of the clouds, I knew that a long exposure would capture that movement as streaks fanning out across the sky. With the sun already fairly high in the sky, I knew that the only way to get a slow enough shutter speed was with my 10-stop neutral density filter, which I attached it to my lens to get a 5 minute exposure. I converted the file to black and white and created an image that was much more compelling than the classic golden hour shot I made 25 minutes earlier.
 

One of the reasons I love doing long exposures is that it allows me to capture movement in a way that otherwise goes unseen by the naked eye. I used my trusty neutral density filter in this photograph of Maligne Canyon to get a 141 second exposure that blurred the water into a silky smooth flow that wouldn’t be possible with a shutter speed of just a few seconds.
 

Not being a photojournalist, I’m less interested in faithfully recreating a scene than capturing the essence of a scene or how I felt when I was there. Getting creative with filters and camera settings is one way to accomplish that, experimenting in post processing is another way. I shot this photo in Vernazza, Italy during twilight to capture a more ambient and peaceful perspective on this small town. During peak season, the town is overrun with tourists and the partying continues into all hours of the night. I wasn’t interested in capturing that aspect, so I chose this vantage point from a hillside, and then added a subtle glow effect using the Glamour Glow filter in Nik Color Efex pro. This gave the image a slightly ethereal look that more closely matched what I was feeling at the time.
 

But there are times when everything comes together and I want to capture a scene exactly as it appeared. That was the case in this photo when the outlet stream of Rodeo Lagoon in the Marin Headlands was unusually still and provided a perfect mirror for the cloudy sunset sky.

With the extreme dynamic range of the scene, I knew I’d need to bracket several exposures and use HDR to capture it all. I composed the shot and placed the camera on the tripod, but something seemed to be missing. The shot needed one more element. A little patience paid off and as soon as the surfer walked by, I quickly fired off three bracketed exposures. Even though the surfer is a small part of the frame, it made the shot. I processed the three exposures in Nik HDR Efex Pro to re-create the scene as my eye saw it that night.

What started out as a way for me to document my journeys has evolved into a continuous process of seeing light and capturing it in an artistic way. I learn something new every time I shoot and would like to leave you with five things to consider the next time you pick up your camera.

1.    The camera doesn’t see what you see. Know what it can and can’t do so you can use it to re-create your vision.
2.     Patience, perseverance and persistence are the keys to many successful images. You may need to visit a location several times to get the shot you want. 
3.    Only include what’s necessary. If something in the frame doesn’t enhance the image, it will probably be a distraction. Eliminate it by zooming in, shooting from a different position or cloning it out in post processing if necessary.
4.    Don’t let reality limit your imagination. Unless you’re a photojournalist or on a specific assignment, you do not have to faithfully re-create what you see. Let your imagination run wild with the camera and with post-processing.
5.    Be safe. I’ve seen photographers get in some very dangerous situations to get a shot. No photograph is worth your life.


Website: http://robdweck.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/RobDweck
Google+: https://plus.google.com/101075837196297812605/posts

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Thank you Rob for sharing your vision. You have a wonderful eye - and spirit. I hope to see you at the 2012 California Photo Festival.


Explore the light,
Rick