Make A Fake HDR Image

Doing High Dynamic Range images has gotten really popular.  I blogged about HDR several times in the past. This process involves shooting three or more versions of the same image at different exposures, then combining them to capture all the detail across the whole range of highlights, midtones and shadows in the photograph.

There are quite a few programs available to do this. Some versions of Photoshop have the ability to do HDR, but my favorite is Photomatix.   Yes, that is Photomatix, not Photomatrix.

Here is a way to make a fake HDR using the High Pass filter and a few other steps in Photoshop. Start out with an image that has good lighting and obvious highlights. I selected an image from the Peach Festival of a kid covered in bubbles.  The original is below.

So, lets get started.


Duplicate the Layer, then go Filter > Other > High Pass.
Set the Radius to 4.0 and then set the Blending Mode to Vivid Light.

Flatten the image, then duplicate the layer. go Filter > Other > High Pass.
Set the Radius to 6.9 and then set the Blending Mode to Color and the Opacity to 40%

Flatten the image, then duplicate the layer. Add a Gaussian Blur. Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the pixels to 9.4

Add some noise to the image. Filter > Noise > Add Noise, set the amount to 3%. Now add a mask to the layer. From the top menu, select Layer > Layer Mask > Hide All. Set the foreground color to white and background color to black, then use a soft brush at 30% opacity and start brushing over the entire image, except the eyes.

Flatten the image again, then go Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask and use the following settings.

Amount: 100%
Radius: 20.00 (This value may be different , depending on how much detail you need)
Threshold: 0

Now add some curves to the image to bring out a little more details and highlights. Go Image > Adjustments > Curves.

 Pretty simple.

You can use the High Pass filter to add detail to an image as well.

How Bout A Little Video

I put this little video together with images from a shoot with Warner Robins model Aisha Logan.

Mommy's Gardenias

Deborah's mom cut a gardenia bloom and brought it and put it in a vase.

Deborah told me it was quite photo worthy so I set about capturing this beauty.

It was sitting on the kitchen counter so I moved it to a more photogenic location.

I also decided it needed flash.

The top image was done with two lights, one on my right as I faced the flower. The other was on my left and behind the bloom at about a 45 degree angle.  Both flashes were pointed directly at the bloom.

The light is a bit harsh, but not too bad.

For the second photo I used an umbrella for my main light, and left the back light unaltered.

It was still direct flash. The umbrella really softened the light.

For the last photo, I still used the umbrella for the main light, but put a red filter on the back light.

Tomatoes

Photo for today, tomatoes, got any bacon?

A Photo A Day

I am going to try to do a photo a day, to find something that will make a decent photo each day.
For today I offer up this leaf and wind chime.
Some mornings the sun hits the little pendant just right.
So, why don't you join me in this photo a day hunt?

Eat A Peach

I shot the Peach Festival today for the Telegraph. I have no idea how many times I have covered this event, but a bunch. It can be a challenge to repeat something like this and come up with something different.  This year there were two new things to shoot.  One was a peach eating contest. There was only one other year when the competition was held, and I don't think I covered it that year.

Today gave me a really cool opportunity. One of the contestants, Elizabeth Stowe, wore her sunglasses. Each contestant was given a bucket with 20 peaches to eat from. I noticed the bucket of peaches was reflected in her glasses. I dumped the 70-200 for the 300mm and made the above photo.

Another new thing was these huge plastic bubbles folks were to try to navigate around a pool of water. Not an easy task, but one that did produce a couple of cool shots.

My last picture was the one above of Magdalene Volner. She was sitting under her brightly colored umbrella. I was talking to my friend Billy Powell when I saw her across the street.  I excused myself from Billy and went for this photo. I really like it.

These three were worth spending the day in the heat.

The Digital Imaging Photography Guild

Regenia Brabham invited me to come last night and speak to the Digital Imaging Photography Guild. I shared some of my forty years worth of photographs. The two here were in the slide show. It was fun digging through photos deciding what to take along, and even more fun visiting with this neat group of folks. They are a talented group, and very passionate about photography.

They meet the second and fourth Thursday of each month.  The gathering place is Central Baptist Church on Lake Joy Road in Warner Robins. They meet at 7pm.
Check their website for more information. http://dipg.ws/

The website has all the details for finding them, but also has galleries showing the wonderful wotk of Regina, Pete Nichols, Ruth Nichols, Donna Sergelken, Frank Dean, Deborah Cruce, George Coffey, Sharon Lilly, and Michael Williams. It is worth a visit to the site to take a look at their images.

They have some great programs, awesome competitions and great fellowship. It is really helpful to have a fellow photographers to visit with, share ideas and techniques, and get advice. Check them out.

The Truck

One of the most photographed objects, this truck under a shed in Peach County. I have not photographed 

it in several years. Been thinking about doing something with it. Today was the day.

Hope you like it.