I received several emails about the making of my Devil's Punch Bowl image, posted on social media a few day ago. For those who wrote, here ya go!
The image is one of more than 225 images in my new on-line class, Master Landscape & Seascape Photography.(Save $10 by using this code: landscapes.)
The image, taken on my Oregon Coast Photo Caravan Workshop, started out as a seven-stop HDR bracketed sequence. HDR was needed due to the extreme contrast range. The key was to take a sequence that captured the entire dynamic range of the scene.
I used my Canon 5D Mark III and Canon 17-40mm lens @ 21mm.
To get the entire scene in focus, I used my wide-angle lens, small aperture and focused 1/3 into the scene - a basic practice for getting max depth-of-field.
As usual, I processed my HDR sequence in Photomatix, the #1 program I recommend for HDR imaging. My goal: I did not want my HDR image to look like an over-cooked HDR image.
HDR negatives can look a bit flat. To add contrast to my image, I used the Tonal Contrast filter in Nik Color Efex Pro.
I also "burned" the sky in the window in the distance. I also spent some time cloning out bootprints in the sand in the foreground.
To learn more about landscape photography, check out my on-line class, Master Landscape & Seascape Photography. Save $10 by using this code: landscapes.
I teach all this stuff on my photo workshops.
Explore the light,
Rick