Hot and Steamy in South Beach

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Hey Gang,

It's pretty hot and steamy here in South Beach . . . 80 degrees and humid :-)

One of the best places I have seen for HDR.

HDR tip: Think selectively. In the top image, I selected the interior print (in Photoshop) and desaturated it just a bit. Otherwise, it would have been over satured due to the interior lighting. In addition, I use Unsharp Mask only on the interior print for added impact.

Both images are Photomatix + Topaz Adjust.

Explore the Light,
Rick


Shootin' HDR in South Beach

in , ,
It's day 1 of my South Beach HDR workshop. We are all getting cool shots in this totally cool location.

Here's my favorites from today - Photomatix (3 shots) with a touch of Topaz Adjust (Spicify).

Photomatix tip: As the first adjustment, use the White Point slider - to preserve the highlights.

Photography tip: Photograph a subject at an angle to add a sense of depth to an image.

Life tip: Have fun! :-)

Explore the Light,
Rick
P.S. Get a discount on Photomatix and other plug-ins at The Plug-in Experience.

Here Comes Harry (My Interview With Harry Benson)

in
Hey Gang,

I have known photographer Harry Benson, and his wife Gigi, for 30 years. He's the man when it comes to photographing people - including the Beatles, presidents of the United States, and celebs like Jackie O - and Michael Jackson.

I interviewed Harry at the Holden Luntz Gallery in Palm Beach, where Harry is having a show.

Look for the interview on the Digital Photo Experience in a few weeks. Good info and good fun!

Explore the Light,
Rick

Topaz is Too Much Fun!

Hey, as always, click on images to see larger view.

Here are a few shots from today's HDR shoot (during my St. Augustine workshop) at the Magic Beach Hotel.

We all got cool images. Here are a few of mine, some of last pictures that I will be adding to my HDR book - due out in April.

I will be adding a short lesson on HDR on my app (see iPhone icon on the right side of my blog) soon.

See more examples of Topaz adjust on the Plug-in Experience. You can order Topaz from the Plug-in Page and get discounts on some plug-in there, too.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. Here's an important photo tip: Never underestimate the importance of a good - or very cool - subject.

HDR: Realistic or Artistic? The Choice is Yours!

in , ,
Everyone is getting great HDR images on my St. Augustine workshop. A topic of discussion: Realistic (top) or artistic (bottom) images?

Well, my friends, the choice is yours. Use Topaz Adjust to create artistic images (Spicify effect here) and Photomatix (Tone compressor) to create realistic images.

You can also create more artist images in Photomatix using the Detail Enhancer - by moving the sliders more to the right.

You can get a discount on Photomatix (and order Topaz Adjust) on the Plug-In Experience.

Explore the Light,
Rick