HDR – Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon at Bright Angel Lodge - HDR

HDR Photography, an acronym for ‘High Dynamic Range’ is a photography process where multiple exposures are captured, aligned and merged into a single image that enables a much wider range of colors and tonality.   The technique allows a greater dynamic range of luminance between the light and dark areas of an image and it means you can process an image that accurately represents the image you saw in your head when composing your shot.

My view is that nothing beats a well composed image that uses great lighting (natural or studio lighting) and requires very little or no post production. However, HDR is one technique that I’ve been wanted to explore and learn more about as part of my photography learning and I recently picked up some Nik Software to try out.

HDR has become a very popular technique over the past few years with the increased popularity of DSLR’s and especially with auto bracketing features where several photo’s can literally be taken in seconds.  Creating HDR images is difficult to do from one image, so HDR images typically combine a series 3 or more photographs taken at different exposures (under exposed, normal, and over exposed). It is possible to take one exposure use software (such as Nik Software HDR EFEX Pro or Photomatix Pro) to automatically recreate 3 exposures, which is exactly what the above photo is.  On this post is a non-HDR image from the same trip for a comparisons.

To some photographers, HDR photography helps the photos look more “dramatic” while others see them as being very overdone, or overly processed and generally looking too chromatic. Just take one look at the popular HDR group on Flickr and you’ll see there are lots of folks working with HDR.

For me, some of the reasons I enjoy certain HDR photography is that I feel it helps certain elements ‘pop’ while creating a unique representation of the scene I saw in my mind’s eye that day.

[Canon SD750; 5mm; f/8; 1/80; ISO 80] Single image post-processed with Nik Software HDR EFEX Pro.

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Gondola Ride Magic

Gondola Rides - The Venetian

No it’s not Venice.

Rather it was during a work trip to Las Vegas where I managed to grab a few minutes and decided to do a photo walk.  This is The Venetian Hotel, which has some awesome photography locations complete with the graceful and romantic Gondola rides down the Grand Canal.  The Gondola floats beneath bridges, alongside cafes and through the vibrant Venetian streetscape.

I found the photo relaxing.

[Canon G12; 28mm; f/4; 1/800; ISO 160] Highlight and shadow post-processing in Aperture.

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Tioga Lake

Tioga Lake, California

Like many of you I’m accustomed to the routines in life and as you can tell have not been consistent in updating this blog.  I’ll try to do better.

Last month I took a meandering ride on a motorcycle down the pacific coast highway, through the Redwoods and then over to the Sierra Nevada mountains and through the East entrance of Yosemite.  There were some great roads and terrific photo ops on the trip.

This is Tioga Lake, just prior to the East entrance which sits at an altitude of 9,945 feet.

[Canon G12; 28mm; f/4; 1/640; ISO 160]

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Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon - Kauai, Hawaii

Waimea Canyon on the island of Kauai is the largest canyon in the Pacific.  The canyon measures 10 miles long, 1 mile wide, and more than 3,500-feet deep. It was carved thousands of years ago by rivers and floods that flowed from Mount Waialeale’s summit.  Mount Waialeale rises to 5,170 feet at Kawalkini Peak in the center of the island and is the wettest spot on earth with 465 inches of annual rainfall.

Although smaller than the Grand Canyon in Arizona, Waimea Canyon rivals the beauty.  I drove there by car on coastal road (Hwy 50) and passed through Waimea and turn up Kokee Road (Hwy 55) at Kekaha. The climb is fairly steep from Kekaha and it merges after a few miles into Kokee Road.  There are numerous lookouts that offer terrific views of this natural wonder.

[Nikon D300; 12mm; f/4; 1/320; ISO 200]

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Kauai Sunset

Kauai Sunset

Often called the “Garden Island” – Kauai, Hawaii is a true Pacific gem, from its sculpted mountain ridges, lush rainforests to the spectacular beaches.  The scenery is rather special and it doesn’t take long to be impressed.

I recently visited the island and tried to capture the natural grandeur of this special place.

I shot this at a slow shutter speed to capture the breaking waves and left a Hoya Polarizing filter on the lens to bring out the colors of the sky.  This was taken near Poipu Beach.

[Nikon D300; 42mm; f/4; 1/5; ISO 200; Polarizing Filter]

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NPS

Nikon Professional Services

Nikon rolled out their Nikon Professional Services (NPS), an organization designed to assist photographers who earn their living using Nikon equipment.

The web site isn’t deep in content yet, but it will get there.

As many of you know professional photography is an extremely competitive and time-sensitive business.  If a photographers shooting routine is interrupted their business is in jeopardy and NPS is there to help no matter what the problem.

To become a member you should be a full-time professional photographer owning and using a ‘certain’ amount of Nikon equipment.  There are membership requirements imposed by regional NPS organizations.  The U.S. link is HERE.

Photo courtesy of NPS.

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Veterans Day

Willamette National Cemetery - Portland, OR

Today is Veterans Day, and my heartfelt thanks is extended to all veterans and their families.  It’s really a day of reflection to honor those who currently serve in harms way and have sacrificed on our behalf.

This photo was taken at Willamette National Cemetery.

[Nikon D300; 120mm; f/5.6; 1/30; ISO 200]

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High On A Mountain

Grand Canyon at Bright Angel Lodge

There is a Stan Ridgway song of “Mexican Radio” fame that paints a mental image for this photo taken at the Grand Canyon.

“High on a mountain, wind blowing free
Thinking of the days that used to be”

I was visiting the Mojave Desert with some friends with only a point-n-shoot camera when we did a quick drive-by of the Canyon.  It was late April, thirty degrees and snowing on the rim at Bright Angel Lodge .  We were on the South Rim just long enough to capture the experience.

[Canon SD750; 5.8mm; f/2.8; 1/200; ISO 80]

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Feeling Blue

Blue Rain Drops

The Portland Rose Garden is one of the oldest continually running rose test gardens in the U.S.  The garden receives hundreds of roses each year for testing to determine their resistance to disease, their color, and many other rose attributes.  When the roses are in bloom (April – June) the park comes to life.

However, there are multiple gardens with a collection of flowers and plants.  I stumbled across this plant near the miniature rose garden and the color grabbed my attention.  This photo was taken in November on a cloudy and wet day.

[Nikon D300; 105mm (Macro); f/2.8; 1/50; ISO 200]

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Tour The Garden

Heavenly Falls at Portland Japanese Garden

I managed to get a couple hours of walking at the Portland Japanese Garden earlier in week to shoot some photo’s.  The sky had heavy cloud cover which helped the lighting of the area.  It’s truly a tranquil place to visit with stunning beauty, especially when the fall colors arrive.  This photo is of Heavenly Falls while standing on the Zig Zag Bridge.  I shot it without a tri-pod and used the bridge railing to maintain focus at the slow shutter speed.

[Nikon D300; 24mm; f/3.5; 1/2; ISO 200]

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