It's been a while since I posted a shot of Milly, but she's back with a vengeance this evening, mere seconds after roller-blading head-first into a puddle ;-)
As for the post-processing: this is an HDR image constructed from a single RAW file – one of the subjects I'll be covering in next month's tutorial. What I like about this technique is that it allows you to add local contrast to an image without the need for a whole slew of masked adjustments, all of which can take a considerable amount of time to get right. I did use some masked Curves for this version, but nowhere near as many as I would have needed had I not started with an HDR.
As always, let me know what you think.
Oh, and if you're not entirely bored with HDRs, I'll be posting another much less subtle one tomorrow.
captured camera lens focal length aperture shutter speed shooting mode exposure bias metering mode ISO flash image quality RAW converter cropped?
12.59pm on 31/3/08
Canon 1Ds Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
70mm
f/5.6
1/125
aperture priority
+0.0
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro & Photomatix Pro
1x1
Amazing! I mean that HDR technique is not apparent at all here. Well done. But most important the emotion is there. Love this portrait!
comment by m at 08:46 PM (GMT) on 31 March, 2008
Happy as always, after a near disaster.
comment byBetsy Barron at 11:25 PM (GMT) on 31 March, 2008
outstanding clarity on her hair and face - I wouldn't have guessed HDR either, just looks like you have stunning light
comment by kate at 02:48 AM (GMT) on 1 April, 2008
too too cute!!!! so precisely in the moment, as many of your portraits are! truly wonderful! she's clearly a great sport too! interesting the way the drips concentrate to the left side of her face- nice contrast to the right side- this was the first thing that struck me, besides her engrossing impish expression and the squeal you can almost hear. :)
comment byKevin H. Stecyk at 03:48 AM (GMT) on 1 April, 2008
Fantastic portrait David! I recall thoroughly enjoying an earlier photograph of Milly.
comment byJennifer at 08:03 AM (GMT) on 1 April, 2008
Wonderful :-D
comment byMad.Photo.World at 08:32 AM (GMT) on 1 April, 2008
Great expression, nothing like children having fun.
About the HDR. There are no way you can create an HDR from a single RAW. The data is not there. What you can do is create something that looks like it started out as an HDR. You can use tone mapping to pull out detail that you normally would not see, if its present in the data in the first place - but its not an HDR. Maybe its pseudo HDR. Don't know if there is a word like that :)
HDR photography is plain and simple about capturing the full luminance of a scene, not just 6 to 8EV.
Mad.Photo.World: you're quite right, I was using the term loosely - the generated file is a pseudo-HDR image. And I would agree with your comment that HDR photography is about capturing the full luminance of a scene, but that's only a part of it. A 32 bit HDR image can't be displayed on an LDR device (such as a computer monitor), so an equally important aspect of this form of photography is the processing and converting of these images back into something viewable.
comment byMad.Photo.World at 09:48 AM (GMT) on 1 April, 2008
djn1: Yes, correct.
My point was merely that there are so much more to do with an HDR, than just jumping in and tone mapping it.
32bit is a wonderful space to work in, but unfortunately in the end we have to end up in 8bit jpgs... for screen anyway.
Did enjoy your tutorial on HDR, its a "bit" different from my workflow, but still interesting. Keep it up.
"My point was merely that there are so much more to do with an HDR, than just jumping in and tone mapping it.
I agree, tone mapping is only one aspect of working with HDR images. Out of interest, though it might be more useful to have this conversation in the comments thread for the tutorial or the forum, how does your workflow differ?
comment byMad.Photo.World at 10:25 AM (GMT) on 1 April, 2008
We can move it to the forum. Will you create your entry and then i can answer it and we can take it from there ?
comment bymckun at 11:09 AM (GMT) on 1 April, 2008
HDR one portrait.
I never try this,but it looks great!
Amazing expressions capture.
It's been a while since I posted a shot of Milly, but she's back with a vengeance this evening, mere seconds after roller-blading head-first into a puddle ;-)
As for the post-processing: this is an HDR image constructed from a single RAW file – one of the subjects I'll be covering in next month's tutorial. What I like about this technique is that it allows you to add local contrast to an image without the need for a whole slew of masked adjustments, all of which can take a considerable amount of time to get right. I did use some masked Curves for this version, but nowhere near as many as I would have needed had I not started with an HDR.
As always, let me know what you think.
Oh, and if you're not entirely bored with HDRs, I'll be posting another much less subtle one tomorrow.
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
Canon 1Ds Mark II
EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
70mm
f/5.6
1/125
aperture priority
+0.0
evaluative
100
no
RAW
C1 Pro & Photomatix Pro
1x1
Amazing! I mean that HDR technique is not apparent at all here. Well done. But most important the emotion is there. Love this portrait!
Happy as always, after a near disaster.
outstanding clarity on her hair and face - I wouldn't have guessed HDR either, just looks like you have stunning light
too too cute!!!! so precisely in the moment, as many of your portraits are! truly wonderful! she's clearly a great sport too! interesting the way the drips concentrate to the left side of her face- nice contrast to the right side- this was the first thing that struck me, besides her engrossing impish expression and the squeal you can almost hear. :)
Fantastic portrait David! I recall thoroughly enjoying an earlier photograph of Milly.
Wonderful :-D
Great expression, nothing like children having fun.
About the HDR. There are no way you can create an HDR from a single RAW. The data is not there. What you can do is create something that looks like it started out as an HDR. You can use tone mapping to pull out detail that you normally would not see, if its present in the data in the first place - but its not an HDR. Maybe its pseudo HDR. Don't know if there is a word like that :)
HDR photography is plain and simple about capturing the full luminance of a scene, not just 6 to 8EV.
Mad.Photo.World: you're quite right, I was using the term loosely - the generated file is a pseudo-HDR image. And I would agree with your comment that HDR photography is about capturing the full luminance of a scene, but that's only a part of it. A 32 bit HDR image can't be displayed on an LDR device (such as a computer monitor), so an equally important aspect of this form of photography is the processing and converting of these images back into something viewable.
djn1: Yes, correct.
My point was merely that there are so much more to do with an HDR, than just jumping in and tone mapping it.
32bit is a wonderful space to work in, but unfortunately in the end we have to end up in 8bit jpgs... for screen anyway.
Did enjoy your tutorial on HDR, its a "bit" different from my workflow, but still interesting. Keep it up.
"My point was merely that there are so much more to do with an HDR, than just jumping in and tone mapping it.
I agree, tone mapping is only one aspect of working with HDR images. Out of interest, though it might be more useful to have this conversation in the comments thread for the tutorial or the forum, how does your workflow differ?
We can move it to the forum. Will you create your entry and then i can answer it and we can take it from there ?
HDR one portrait.
I never try this,but it looks great!
Amazing expressions capture.
Thanks all.