2nd of 2 Versions of Image… Uprooted, 2 Toned

So, this is yesterdays image, but double tone mapped in Photomatix Pro 4 and without the warming filter applied to yesterdays shot. I just thought it would be nice to compare what double toning does… although it’s a bit different applied here rather than to a landscape or city shot, I think. Double toning seems to add more contrast, and to get a bit more of the other-worldly look to my images. I rarely do it, usually because it adds a ton more noise to deal with later. It adds nice texture to woods, and such, which is why I wanted to try it here. I can’t really explain my settings in tone mapping, because I change them with every image, but usually I have luminance up, micro contrast all the way up, I change around the smoothing but I often try to have micro smoothing as low as the image will take, and I play with all the other settings wildly. I always have the strength at 100, though. In double toning, I will bring the color saturation down a bit and usually go for more “normal” looking smoothing and micro smoothing (more to the right for both)- especially if I have already had it set low for the first time through Photomatix.

Here’s yesterdays shot:

Love to hear comments on these, and what you like/don’t like about either. I can’t decide which I like better, myself. See more of my work at http://www.kelleybard.com, or on flickr or facebook.

*NEWS*

So exciting, this weekend has been the annual Snowdown celebration in my town and I’ve been out with my camera the past few days. In the next few days, I’ll show some fun shots from the light parade last night, and some images from the hot air balloon event today. I froze my butt off for those, so they better be good! I’ll also be posting my February deal on flickr, facebook and buzztown soon, so “like” Kelley Bard Photography there if you haven’t already to hear about it!

Enjoy a great weekend!

2 Versions of 1 HDR… First- Uprooted, 1 Toned

I saw this tree a week or so ago on the side of the road and swore that I would be back at some sunset to take photos of it. My original idea for the shot was to get very close to the roots and get them in focus with everything else out of focus. I need a wider lenses to make that shot happen, though- even at 24 mm I couldn’t make the image I liked. So I stepped back a bit and got this shot… which I really like as well.

HDR is High Dynamic Range imaging, a process where you take several images of the same scene at different exposures and combine them in a computer program. I use Photomatix Pro 4, but others are getting decent/good results out of Nik HDR Efex Pro and Photoshop CS5. I used it for this and for tomorrow’s image, to get depth and texture in the shadows, highlights, tree limbs, etc. I developed each image similarily, with only a few changes. This one was single toned, which means it was put through tone mapping one time (resulting in more natural look and less noise to clean up later). I also wanted to bring up the warmth of the day I shot this… late afternoon as the sun was setting, and I wanted that warm color here, too, so I added a warming photo filter. The image tomorrow is decidedly cooler, and a bit more otherworldly and dark as a result of the double toning. When it comes up, I would love to hear some comments on what you like/don’t like about each image!

Posted to my website (www.kelleybard.com) as well as flickr and facebook. Enjoy all my images and have a great weekend!

*Next week, I’ll be posting some images from my recent testing of OnOne Softwares PhotoTools 2.6… keep coming back to view them and judge for yourself whether it’s worth the use!*