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.

Tomorrow Night at CLICK: Sunset Riders



Tomorrow night's activity at the California Photo Fest: horses running on the beach.

This is the 3rd time I'm teaching on the beach out here in Los Osos. Here are few of my favorite images.

My gear from last year: Canon EOS 7D and Canon 70-200 f/4 IS lens. All hand held. This year I will be using the Canon 5D Mark III.


As I tell my students, it's all about the light. Check out my Light class on Kelby Training.

Composition, of course, is important, too. iI's the topic of my latest Kelby Training class: Composition, the strongest way of seeing.


Another tip: exposing for the highlights is always key - as is checking one's histogram and the overexposure warning.


Getting a shot with all the horse's hooves off the ground will be a main goal. The key to getting a shot like this: take lots and lots of shots. Using a shutter speed of 1/000th of  a second and setting your camera on rapid frame advance helps, too. Also use focus tracking or continuous focus.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. For more examples of my photography - and tons of photo tips, check out my apps.

Sunset Shoot on My Croton Creative Workshop


Every year I run a workshop here in Croton on Hudson, NY. It's a ton a fun with great photo ops for the participants.

Tonight, as usual, we photographed sunset on the Hudson River. We encountered an exchange student who was willing to pose for the group. I set up the shot, offered a few exposure tips, and we all got a cool image.

I hope to see you someday on one of my workshops. Good fun. Good happy hours. Good photo ops. Good image processing. Who could ask for more!

Shoot me an email to get on my workshops list.

Explore the light,
Rick


Above is a shot from earlier in the day. Using a speciality lens (Canon 8-15mm), getting down at a low angle, composing carefully, and setting the correct exposure turned a snapshot (shooting at eye level with a normal lens) into a cool shot.

From Flat to Fab with Perfectly Clear


Let me be perfectly clear: I'm lovin' Perfectly Clear, a Photoshop and Lightroom plug-in, as well as an iPhone and iPad app, that lets you quickly and easily turn a flat shot into a fab shot, or a snapshot (dull in color and contrast) into a great shot (one with more details and color).

Of course, I am not talking about changing the content or the mood or the feeling of photograph - the most important elements in a photograph. I've spoken about that and written about that many times. Here is one of my posts (from last year) on that all-important topic.

FYI: I added this paragraph after my original post because some folks thought that a plug-in, any plug-in, could magically transform a photograph with no meaning into a purposeful image. How silly!

Photoshop plug-in used here.


If you are totally hyper, as I am, quick fixes are just a click away. Or, if you want to fine-tune an image - adjusting white balance, tone, color, clarity and noise - fast moving sliders area there for your corrective enhancement pleasure.

I say "corrective" because Perfectly Clear does 12 corrective corrections (I know that sounds redundant) in one click, not creative image enhancements such as those offered in Nik Software's Snapseed and Color Efex Pro, and onOne Software's Perfect Photo Suite.


Above you can see how a quick one-click turned a flat shot, taken on a very overcast day, into a sharper image that pops with color and sharpness.


When I take a photograph, I often want it to look the same as the scene looks to my eyes. That's not as easy as it may sound. You see, we can see a dynamic range of about 13 f-stops, whereas our digital cameras see only about five or six f-stops. That's where digital image editing comes in. In very high-contrast situations, of course, HDR is a must. But in lower contrast situations, we can bring out shadow and highlight detail, adjust color and contrast . . . but that may take some time and some Photoshop or Lightroom know-how.


With Perfectly Clear, what you see is often what you get, again, if the contrast range is not great.


Above you can see how my flat image was transformed into a fab image with a simple click. Kinda cool, no?

I could go on and on about Perfectly Clear, but the plug-in is so simple to use that it's really all about quick clicks.

Hey! You can save 25% (Until January 1) on Perfectly Clear by going to my page on the Perfectly Clear web site. If you following that link, the 25% discount code is automatically added. If you land on that page by chance, use this code to get your discount: RICKSAMMON.

Look for me at the Athentech Imaging/Perfectly Clear booth at Photo Plus Expo in NYC later this month.

Explore the light,
Rick

Photo Workshops vs. Photo Tours


I took the photographs in this post on my 2012 Death Valley Workshops with The Digital Photo Workshops. We hope you can join us for our 2013 workshop.

• • • 

Because I lead many workshops around the world, photographers often ask via email: "What's the difference between a photography tour and a photography workshop?"

Before I get going here, photo tours are great . . . for those who want to go on sightseeing tours. Workshops, like the ones I lead, are designed for photographers who want to grow and expand their creative vision.


My response:

Workshops: Designed to get you the very best shots from dawn to dusk. Getting up at 3 AM is no prob.
Photo Tours: Leave at 9 and set your day around meals.

Workshops: If you are driving and see something good, stop and shoot.
Photo Tours: Keep on driving.

Workshops: Usually cars or 4W drive vehicles.
Photo Tours: Bus tours.

Workshops: Hands-on training - daily - by the instructor or instructors.
Photo Tours: You are on your own.

Workshops: Photo reviews almost daily.
Photo Tours: No reviews.

Workshops: Photoshop and Lightroom advice and help.
Photo Tours: Computers are not even required.

Workshops: Group slide show.
Photo Tours: Only show is to show up for dinner.


Workshops: Leave on-time for sunrise.
Photo Tours: Who cares if you are late?

Workshops: Briefing on each location as to lenses, settings, etc.
Photo Tours: Very little suggestions by leaders.

Workshops: Instructors ask you how you are doing.
Photo Tours: Leaders are there only as tour guides.

Workshops: If you find something really cool to photograph, the groups changes plans so all can get great pictures.
Photo Tours: Get to the next stop.

Workshops: Instructors share their shots on their camera's LCD monitors so others can see and learn.
Photo Tours: Instructors are often fist on the spot.


I hope to see you on one of my workshops someday. See this facebook page to see the work of some of my recent students.

If you plan on shooting in Death Valley, here's my gear reco list.

Explore the light,
Rick