Yosemite workshop

[Jack_Flesher]

Nice shot Rob! We were there last year the second week of December and the sun is a LOT further South by then --- almost as far South as it ever gets --- and thus a lot further to the right of that gap when it rises. That probably cuts a good 4 - 5 stops of difference out alone... Even with your 2-stop SND image above, you can see 1) the lower sky in the V is blown and 2) the Sisters are pretty dark and not showing a lot of detail...

As for the V-shaped SND filter to match the valley, that is EXACTLY what we have accomplished with the blended pairs in CS3!

[Kent10D]

Beautiful stuff.
Looks like it was a great workshop in a glorious environment.
Makes me sorry that I live so far away.

[guy_mancuso]

Some other parts of the park shot with the 28 cron . Very smooth lens. I left the warm tones in

[alba63]

Originally Posted by robsteve

Somebody needs to invent a ND grad that fits the V shape of mountains like this and the Tunnel View shots.

This would probably be challenging and only be useable for a very limited range of situations each, but what I really don't understand is why practically NO software company has yet borught a converter that allows different "developing zones" (at least for exposure and contrast) in one and the same RAW file. You would simply make a soft feathered selection in the sky and develop it at -1EV and the rest at +1EV. plus/minus 1EV would keep the noise acceptable, probably in low ISO even +/- 1,5EV is no problem and this would avoid those awful blending of 2 developed conversions.

The next step would be for camera makers: They would do 2 (or even 3) immediate exposures while shutter stays open, bracketed by 2EV and then which could be handled as 1 RAW file with 2 ISO layers. Processed in camera or in the native (company's) RAW converter. Of course this is only an option for still images or short exposure times: But in bright sunlight (think: wedding in sunny outside conditions) lets say 1/125th for the general scene + 1/500th (or even 1/750th) for the highlights. THis would only lengthen the shutter speed by a fraction and avoid blurring problems. I hope the cameras of the future will have this as a basic feature, just as full color sensors. This would be much more important than ISO12800 but as long as the mass market wants more Megapixels and ISO25600 in their entry level DSLR, the more subtle qualities of capture deviced will not be adressed by the manufacturers.

Obviously I am not an engineer or physicist, but if the described method could be realized, it would solve a lot of the DR problems we are facing in digital capture. I don't know why so far there is not one DSLR that can do the 12 stops of light that are claimed for MF backs. The Fuji S5 (that I have) is very very good but lacks in the resolution compartment.

Sorry, this has gotten longer than wanted...

bernie

[rwfreund]

Ok, here is one of the few images I took during the workshop that actually fit within the sensor dynamic range.

Some grasses and autumn colors reflected in the Merced river
-bob

[sjt1]

Originally Posted by guy_mancuso

LOL yes Imants it is fun to play in the PS stuff, i really enjoyed watching everyone doing HDR's and selections and such. Fun to teach also, landscape really lends itself to HDR the shots from the floor of Yosemite which is refered to Valley View with El Cap is a nasty contrast difference and really need to work the image and HDR type work really can help in these situations. My shot was a day earlier than the others and extremely early in the morning but I had fog to deal with so a little different.

Here is my final version which we showed to the students and Jack also had some nice winners. Photoshop can be a blast i agree.

I shot this with the M8 and a Zeiss 15mm 2.8 which i was playing with and about F8 and 2 to 4 seconds on the orginal images

That HDR pic is magnificent. I especially like its "clarity" if you know what I mean - even given all the nasties jpg conversion gives a pic, it still looks detailed and sharp at the same time. Again, it would look great printed huge. Great stuff

[dspeltz]

Originally Posted by woodyspedden

And finally one more of El Capitan on a different day and again shot about one hour past sunrise.

Woody

I was not there with you fellows but did stop at the same spot a week prior. Here was the water sans mountain. I liked the reflection of the sky in the moving water.

David

[robsteve]

Originally Posted by alba63

This would probably be challenging and only be usable for a very limited range of situations each, but what I really don't understand is why practically NO software company has yet brought a converter that allows different "developing zones" (at least for exposure and contrast) in one and the same RAW file. You would simply make a soft feathered selection in the sky and develop it at -1EV and the rest at +1EV. plus/minus 1EV would keep the noise acceptable, probably in low ISO even +/- 1,5EV is no problem and this would avoid those awful blending of 2 developed conversions. ...

bernie

Bernie:

I think Lightzone will do what you described. It has a pretty steep learning curve though.

Robert

[Jack_Flesher]

Originally Posted by rwfreund

Ok, here is one of the few images I took during the workshop that actually fit within the sensor dynamic range.

Some grasses and autumn colors reflected in the Merced river
-bob

Hi Bob:

Nice capture and I love the composition! However, this particular version looks a bit "washed-out" on my monitor? I only ask because the one you showed me on the workshop seemed to have a better overal tonal range and a was bit more saturated. It almost looks like it wasn't converted to sRGB before posting? (Obviously if you made a choice and prefer this version, please ignore my comments!)

Cheers,

[guy_mancuso]

Originally Posted by sjt1

That HDR pic is magnificent. I especially like its "clarity" if you know what I mean - even given all the nasties jpg conversion gives a pic, it still looks detailed and sharp at the same time. Again, it would look great printed huge. Great stuff

Yes the jpg's got to it. Printed this one would scream big. Jack printed a shot of mine I took in Germany and brought it too me. Honestly there was so much detail in it not sure somone put magic pixel dust in the darn camera. It really was shockingly amazing that the M8 can put that much detail out in print. Now i understand what these large format printing folks are saying.

[sjt1]

Originally Posted by guy_mancuso

Yes the jpg's got to it. Printed this one would scream big. Jack printed a shot of mine I took in Germany and brought it too me. Honestly there was so much detail in it not sure somone put magic pixel dust in the darn camera. It really was shockingly amazing that the M8 can put that much detail out in print. Now i understand what these large format printing folks are saying.

Lets not forget the talent of the photographer! Great stuff.

[sjt1]

Apologies for this but I was the one spoiling this thread with technical questions about streaking, as I was seeing it in my camera. I got my camera back from leica yesterday and I report on it here:

http://www.l-camera-forum.com/leica-...l-streaks.html

Apologies for the shamelss self promotion, but I am doing this in the hope it helps someone.

Again, sorry for spoiling the thread with tech stuff.

Steve

[fotografr]

I'm really impressed with the quality of all the images posted from this workshop. I'd have loved to go myself, but had a prior committment that was booked several months in advance. I hope this turns into an annual thing. Great work, everyone!!!

[flatfour]

Lovely pictures Ellwood. I like the next to last and have taken the liberty to make it B&W. I don't think colour is so good in these shots but that's a very personal view.

[Jack_Flesher]

Originally Posted by fotografr

I hope this turns into an annual thing.

It almost certainly will and probably the third or fourth week in October, so mark your calendar (We are already looking for appropriate lodging with high-speed internet...)

Cheers,

[andybarton]

Originally Posted by fotografr

I'm really impressed with the quality of all the images posted from this workshop. I'd have loved to go myself, but had a prior committment that was booked several months in advance. I hope this turns into an annual thing. Great work, everyone!!!

Have to agree with everything you say, here, Brent.

[guy_mancuso]

Yes but to bad it was moved from the M8 forum because i certainly heard about it from Leica. Now no one see's it

[stunsworth]

Well the only two people who seem to complain about photographs being posted in the photo forum are you and your side kick Jack, most of the rest of us don't have a problem.

[guy_mancuso]

Steve if you only knew what you are talking about, i was not talking about us at all my friend . Also i don't appreciate the word sidekick , I take that as a insult.

[guy_mancuso]

Originally Posted by stunsworth

Well the only two people who seem to complain about photographs being posted in the photo forum are you and your side kick Jack, most of the rest of us don't have a problem.

BTW are you reading peoples PM and E-mails. When you have facts please let us know than.