Photo in Flickr’s Explore

Yesterday the Letting of steam photo got into the Flickr’s Explore selection. This is my second photo that made it there :). The highest position it had until now was 383 :)

Single RAW HDR

Most HDR’s are created from multiple shots, but from time to time, you have to use just a single RAW file. This is usually with a moving subject, or something like fireworks. Photomatix can directly open just a single RAW file and tonnemap it, but I prefer a different approach. What I do is that I export the image three times from Lightroom, always with a different exposure setting. Then I have my three photos, from where I continue as with a normal HDR file. From my experience, this gives me a better result, than if I only opened the RAW directly in Photomatix.

Btw. If you have a JPG file, you can still try HDR processing it. Just export it at different exposures and combine back in Photomatix. The results are worse than if you used a RAW file, but sometimes are really nice. Some of my older photos are created from a single JPG, because I wanted to edit photos I took before I started with HDR.

Just to see the difference, here is the original RAW file for today’s photo.

Reflected Fireworks

I really hopped I’ll be able to take new fireworks shots over the Kuchajda lake this year. But this year, there were none. I don’t know why as it’s kind of a tradition, but either way, it was raining so heavily that day, that it would be quite impossible to take any good shots. So this is one of the last years shots, when the weather was great and the fireworks were just beautiful :)

HDR from a single shot, taken with Canon 450D with Sigma 10-20mm lens, from a tripod.

Tension

I think this type of composition has a tension in it. The opposing lines of the bridge and the railing are in conflict, where your eyes are pulled to one side and then immediately to another (or maybe not, what do I know? :) ). But either way, I like this type of composition. In the photo the New Bridge in Bratislava.

HDR from three shots, taken with Canon 450D with Sigma 10-20mm lens, from a tripod.

Cinemagraph

For some time I have been looking at cinemagraphs, and wanted to try one for myself. I have quite a problem with this, as my camera can’t shoot any video. But this time, I went shooting with a friend, who borrowed me his :). So this is my absolutely first try for a cinemagraph. I have never done this before :)

I quite like it :). I don’t think it’s the best, but passable :). I probably should have selected a simpler one to start with, but maybe next time :). Video taken with Canon sx20, edited using Photoshop, based on tutorial found here.

Letting off steam

There was a gathering of historical trains in Bratislava this weekend (called Rendez), so I had to go there to take few shots. This was my favorite, from all the trains there :). And even the weather played along nicely, with the clouds breaking up few minutes after I arrived there :)

HDR from three shots, taken with Canon 450D with Sigma 10-20mm lens, from a tripod

War veteran

Looking at this car, I have to think of all the WW2 documentaries i have seen. This one was beautifully restored, with all the details, like a shovel on the side (the other side :)).

HDR from three shots, taken with Canon 450D with Sigma 10-20mm lens, from a tripod.

Still under the bridge

This is exactly what I want my HDR’s to look like, clean, sharp, lots of details, but with a light HDR effect, looking as real as possible. I edited HDR photos almost daily for the last 1 and a half years and finally, I’m getting to the point where I want to be :). And now to start focusing more on the composition side of things :)

HDR from three shots, taken with Canon 450D with Sigma 10-20mm lens, from a tripod. Photo taken from under the Old Bridge in Bratislava. In the distance the Eurovea shopping center and Tower 115.