Breaking Out of the HDR Rut with Lightroom 5: Photomatix Pro vs. HDR Effects Pro vs. Lightroom 5
For quite some time, I’ve felt like I’ve fallen into the HDR rut and wanted to challenge myself to break out of the box of my routine HDR workflow. I’m proud that I “busted out” today and created this photograph which was enhanced solely using Adobe Lightroom 5 with no HDR processing whatsoever. In fact, the only adjustment was using highlight recovery:
Elk Encounter in Rocky Mountain National Park Highlight Recovery in Lightroom 5 Only
Handheld HDR Photos
I have been very happily practicing with a handheld HDR technique I recently learned from a tutorial by Uwe Steinmueller. This photo, Wildflower Bouquet Arranged by Mother Nature, is a handheld HDR I’ve created using the technique:
Wildflower Bouquet Arranged by Mother Nature
Don’t get me wrong, I’m a strong advocate of tripod use, even when not making HDRs with combined exposures. (more…)
Upper Forest Lake at Colorado’s Continental Divide: Behind the Scenes Specs
There is nothing like a hike up to a high country Colorado alpine lake to remind me that I live in one of the most splendid places on earth! I love this photograph of Upper Forest Lake at the Continental Divide.
Upper Forest Lake and Continental Divide in Late Spring
This spot is located in James Peak Wilderness, one of my favorite areas to hike, backpack, camp, ski, fish, and of course, take stunning photographs like this one! (more…)
Alternative HDR Technique: Coming Soon!
I love to make HDR (High Dynamic Range) photographs. If you didn’t catch my earlier post about why I love HDR so much, click here to read HDR Photos: Capturing the Elusive Sweet Dulcinea.
HDR photographs are processed using at least three bracketed exposures of the same shot: one shot for the metered exposure, one for the shadows, and one for the highlights. At times, there can be many more exposures, depending on how much range of contrast is in the scene. I’ve made HDR shots with as many as ten combined exposures in one stop increments. However, it is not always practical to take multiple exposures, or even if it is, the subject may be in motion due to wind or movement of the subject itself. (more…)
HDR Photos: Capturing the Elusive Sweet Dulcinea
High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography is like finding a way to make a portrait of the elusive, sweet Dulcinea. If you don’t know, Dulcinea was a fictional character who was the true love of Don Quixote and she was astonishingly beautiful to him. Don Quixote could see Dulcinea vividly in his imagination and describe her sweet beauty in great detail, despite only ever having been able to experience fleeting glimpses of her in real life. (more…)
