Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/05/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Aram, I have been enjoying the Yosemite work from you guys. I'll be visiting in December. I loved your dead tree as well and credit to you for showing some textures and alternates as well as the absolutely obligatory spectacular scenery. I looked carefully at your HDR example of the falls. You guys haven't convinced me yet on HDR. (I haven't tried it for myself). I get that the principle is that you are trying to increase the recorded dynamic range by combining exposures and I can see that the falls shots is a very contrasty scene. Bu the highlights (water) and blacks are still clipped here (as shown). I don't know which Raw converters you use but I am having success with the latest ACR bringing back clipped highlights. Try this and let me know what you think: Make your exposure for the highlights without any -EV in camera. Ideally as close to clipped as you can. Keep in mind that the camera histogram is from the jpg preview, not accurate for the Raw information. Open in converter and adjust the exposure until you have a full range to 255. Try recovering as needed, one or more channels may not be clipped. ACR does better there. I think. Excepting for tiny specular highlights, you want the lightest possible exposure with the highlights JUST below the clipping warning IN RAW. This way you have the maximum number of original linear tones in the highlights before the gamma curve to approximate our perception. Yes I know that we don't differentiate those brightest values very well. The object is to start with the maximum number of linear tones in the range. Then when the gamma adjustment is made, as the tones are repositioned you end up with the range pushed downward, hence the maximum possible number to differentiate the mid-tones and increases in those vital shadows. That equals more range (and less noise) in that shadow end. We already know that the M8 is a superb tool for rendering those darks. Example ACR processing. See histogram for tonal range. Default exposure for centre bright area and contrast. <http://www.pbase.com/image/97208285> http://tinyurl.com/6r9vt2 Cheers Geoff http://www.pbase.com/hoppyman/e http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/gh/ -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+hoppyman=bigpond.net.au@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Aram Langhans Sent: Monday, 12 May 2008 13:25 To: lug@leica-users.org Subject: [Leica] IMG: Yosemite too... Bob. Liked your photos. I just got back from Yosemite, too. We were there from April 28 To May 2. Wasn't the weather just great? Here are a few shots of Yosemite falls I took. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/Yosspr08/Yosemite-falls_HDR2.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/Yosspr08/yosemite-falls-4204-Edit.jpg. html Just love that dead tree. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/Yosspr08/yosemite_falls-4201.jpg.html http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/Aram/Yosspr08/yosemite_falls-4194.jpg.html The first one was using the HDR of Photoshop. I'll be posting more later. Just got back 3 days ago from a long return home. Comments and criticism welcome. Aram No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 269.23.16/1427 - Release Date: 5/11/2008 1:08 PM _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information