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Photographic technique or HDR?

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Based on the exif posted, it's a single 30s exposure @F8. Probably some photoshopping of the curves and levels afterwards.

Course, exif could be lying :)
 
but don't have a link to the site. I'm sure someone will post it though. I believe it is at Cambridge. The photographer gives a short tut...basically, he is taking several pictures focusing from front to back and then blending them. This is not to be confused with HDR where you combine exposures.
Atlantian said:
Can someone have a look at these photographs and tell me if it is
down to HDR or simply down to the photographic technique?

http://www.pbase.com/jjrobinson/image/75280236

If so, how to achieve such results??
Click to expand...
 
I would have initially thought it was a HDR merge, but when I study it again. I just couldn't quite explain. It has a bit of dreamy effect, surrealistic effect, but actually I quite the picture. Just wanna know how to take such picture, if HDR, how was it done.
 
Probably focus-bracketing.
 
It COULD be any number of techniques, including HDR or merging shots with multiple focal points. I think you could do it easily enough in one though, using a long exposure with a small aperture. The small aperture gives you the deep depth of field and the long exposure gives you the misty, soft quality in the background with dust in the air reflecting light.

I suspect if it was HDR the photographer would have been tempted to reduce the over exposure on the moon.

--
Robb

 
Friends, I'm the photographer who took these pictures. Thanks to Chris Heath for pointing out this forum on my photos and I really am surprised at how many emails and responses I have received regarding my captures since they were uploaded to PBase. To answer some of your questions:

-first of all, I purchased my first (and only) DSLR camera in December 2006, along with the 17-55 2.8IS, 70-300mm IS and 100mm macro. (and numerous books which I read front to back). I am truly a beginner when it comes to photography.

-none of the pictures are HDR, as a matter of fact, I didn't know what HDR imagery was at the time of this trip. I really wish I had as I would have taken numerous exposures of most landscapes.....(I have begun dabbling with HDR of late though)

-all shots were taken on a tripod in RAW format and were processed after my return home in Camera RAW and CS3. As I was a beginner to these programs, most of the processing done were the basics. Exposure, Shadows, Saturation/Vibrance, Colour Temperature in Camera Raw. Levels, Curves, Saturation, Channel Mixer, Shadows and Highlights and Sharpening in CS3.

Regarding my photos that were mentioned earlier:

-I achieved the HDR effect in some of the photos using the Shadows and Highlights feature in CS3. This is a very powerful tool and I strongly recommend that the proper way to use it is learned to create these HDR/surreal looking images.

-the deep blue in the night shot was done by changing the color temperature of the shot for the nice moonlit sky look, then changing the other colors in the shot back to their original color.

-the 3rd shot, of the dayscape of the condo complex, raised some questions about it being an HDR as it didn't have the exif data posted with it iike the others as HDR merges often remove the EXIF data. I have since uploaded the original shot, with the exif data in case anyone is interested.

-as another poster mentioned, some of the dayscape shots, specifically the flowers seem overly vivid. This is a beginners error to oversaturate items in the picture and now that I have color calibrated my monitor (which wasn't calibrated at the time of the processing), they do look a little too vivid. This vivid look of just the flowers was achieved with the new Vibrance tool that arrived with the new Camera Raw in CS3. Great tool as it only saturates items in the photo that it identifies as not being too intense in color already. Nice tool and I rarely use the saturation tool anymore.

If there is anymore things anyone is wondering, send me a message or post another comment. Glad to help anyway I can.

If you want to look at two photographers that I try to duplicate with my images, check out Gil Azouri and Sean McHugh. Now these guys are amazing.

Take care, JR
 
To answer some emails I have received:

Regarding the filters, I use B&W polarizers and ND Grad filters...

I also received some emails regarding proper exposure time....

Here's a little trick I use to find out a good starting point for exposure time.

Set the apeture to the lowest setting you have...ie: F2.8, with the camera on automatic and try to take a shot. With my camera, if the exposure time is under 30secs, the camera will identify for you the exposure time. Over 30 secs, it will flash informing you a bulb exposure is required. For example, say the camera at 2.8 asks for a 20 sec exposure. Of course you don't want to shoot at F2.8 due to lack of depth of field so now it's just a math thing. At F4, it would be 40sec, F5.6-80secs, F8-160sec, F11-320secs, etc, etc. Keep in mind that this will produce an average exposed shot, that is a night scene will come out greyish, not nightish. In order to still look dark enough to be night, you will have to back off on the exposure time a tad or do it later in Camera RAW....

Hope this helps and let me know if there is anything more I can help with....JR
 
good info.
J J Robinson said:
To answer some emails I have received:

Regarding the filters, I use B&W polarizers and ND Grad filters...

I also received some emails regarding proper exposure time....

Here's a little trick I use to find out a good starting point for
exposure time.

Set the apeture to the lowest setting you have...ie: F2.8, with the
camera on automatic and try to take a shot. With my camera, if the
exposure time is under 30secs, the camera will identify for you the
exposure time. Over 30 secs, it will flash informing you a bulb
exposure is required. For example, say the camera at 2.8 asks for a
20 sec exposure. Of course you don't want to shoot at F2.8 due to
lack of depth of field so now it's just a math thing. At F4, it
would be 40sec, F5.6-80secs, F8-160sec, F11-320secs, etc, etc. Keep
in mind that this will produce an average exposed shot, that is a
night scene will come out greyish, not nightish. In order to still
look dark enough to be night, you will have to back off on the
exposure time a tad or do it later in Camera RAW....

Hope this helps and let me know if there is anything more I can
help with....JR
Click to expand...
 
Atlantian: I think the surreal type effect you are referring to is the result of a combination of shadows and highlights, but more importantly, adjusting the color temperate to the cooler end...it really is powerful to be able to adjust the temperature after the shot, even to an area of the range the would normally be considered "wrong" for the photo to get an unique effect.

Keep in mind that no matter how much processing is done, none of it will work if the original shot isn't a good composition. Not that I'm plugging myself and my ability at all as I mentioned earlier that I have little experience....but if you ever get to Maui, you'll see what I mean. It really was hard to take "bad" captures when you are surrounded by the things Maui has to offer. My wife and I booked our next trip for next year before we had even left the Maui the first time.

JR
http://www.pbase.com/jjrobinson
 
cspringer is right on with that website he suggested earlier....not only is Sean McHugh an outstanding photographer, but he has taken the time to design a website to assit the rest of us with our techniques using the ones that he has already mastered.

Gil Azouri has always responded to my emails in a timely matter with suggestions or advice on the processing he does with his photos.

Now these are two guys that deserve the admiration and respect of the photographic community for their willingness to share their masterful techniques with others.

Often, I have emailed a pbaser to get some advice on how he achieved a shot, only to never receive a response back, or a cryptic one about how it is some sort of secret. I never understood this....
 
JJ, You have some really beautiful photos on your site. Thanks for all of the info on how you captured/processed them.
J J Robinson said:
cspringer is right on with that website he suggested earlier....not
only is Sean McHugh an outstanding photographer, but he has taken
the time to design a website to assit the rest of us with our
techniques using the ones that he has already mastered.

Gil Azouri has always responded to my emails in a timely matter
with suggestions or advice on the processing he does with his
photos.
Click to expand...
Do you have a link for Gil's site?
J J Robinson said:
Now these are two guys that deserve the admiration and respect of
the photographic community for their willingness to share their
masterful techniques with others.

Often, I have emailed a pbaser to get some advice on how he
achieved a shot, only to never receive a response back, or a
cryptic one about how it is some sort of secret. I never understood
this....
Click to expand...
Thanks
Bruce
--
http://CusinBrucie.smugmug.com/gallery/1285864/1/60412211

To Learn How I earn the EXTRA money for my camera equipment!! Send me an e-mail and I will promply let you know how to find out more info.
Have a Great Day!

My Daughter's Art/Photo Site, Please have a look http://lipping.myexpose.com/gallery/



'I need a Shave and a Banana, NOW!!!'
 
Due to the numerous requests I've had for my methodology, I haven't been able to get back to everyone. What I'm going to do is post the methodology here in the forum or create another forum with my methodology so everyone can see it....this will work much better than replying individually to everyones requests....

--
JR
J. J. Robinson
http://www.pbase.com/jjrobinson
 
Well if the shots of the moon are of more than one image, then why is the moon still washed out ? Anyone who dables in HDR/Exposure blending would probably 'fix' this . . .
 
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