Friday, February 18, 2011
HDR
Well, I didn't venture too far for my HDR play day... I did take a few shots in the backyard though!
A new field of interest
I recently did some research on HDR (High Dynamic Range) Photography. I see pictures like this all the time, and have never known the name for the technique. This method of photography and post-processing really is why I desire to become a skilled photographer. HDR has the same powerful look of long exposure night photography (my initial interest). The art of using a long exposure is something that I have taken a great interest in.
Since my first point and shoot <$100 camera I got for a door prize at my high school prom after party/lock in (which we soon walked out of....) I found out that: "Whoa! If I change my exposure levels really high at night, the camera has to take a picture for a really long time to compensate, and the picture looks really cool!" I was taking the best pictures I could possibly take with that little beast.
Example:
It was a very much appreciated prize to win. If I hadn't gone to that teenage milestone they call, prom (Something I hadn't much of an interest in doing), would I be the same aspiring photographer I am today?
Since my days with the prize Kodak, I moved up to a Nikon P90. This camera was the best possible camera I could have stepped up to. Not too much to learn, not to little to get bored. This thing has some serious zoom to it. It did an awesome job in long exposure, and the tilt screen was just icing on the cake! PERFECT for being in a crowded area, just a 45 degree tilt down, hold above your head, and you can get awesome shots without any blind aiming! It also tilted straight up, so you could have the camera sitting on the ground and you could look straight down on the screen! Got many good shots of my sleeping puppy that way.
Now that I have stepped into the realm of the DSLR, my options and abilities have exponentially grown. long exposure? I have the ability to use the stars to know which direction the earth is spinning.
STAR TRAILS!
I haven't personally accomplished this just yet, but here is my motivation:
This stuff will blow your mind. GOOGLE IT!
Anyways enough camera history, back to HDR.
What is HDR?
(You're on the internet, a place of infinite knowledge, everything is a Google search away...but I'll go ahead and post a definition for you!)
"HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a set of techniques that allows the opportunity for a greater dynamic range of exposures through digital imaging techniques. It captures the full range of luminosity between light and dark in a single scene. What this means in terms of photography is that the processing of HDR captures everything from dark shadows to bright highlights and combines it into a single image."
HDR really allows you to bring back the emotion you felt while seeing your subject in reality before shooting. Don't you hate it when you get back from a trip and think you got some amazing pictures, and when you show them to friends and family, they just don't seem to "pop" as much as you remembered? HDR really allows you to get your pictures looking that much closer to how it actually looked through your eyes.
I don't think any photograhy can ever compare to seeing something grand in person. There are many things that are embedded into your memories. You can take a billion HDR shots of the beach, but if you show them all to someone who has never been seen the ocean in person, they won't know what it is like to have the sand between their toes, or that amazing smell of seasalt in the air.
Though digital images, and what you see with your own eyes aren't the same, HDR photography really bridges the gap of the two.
Here is a before and after image of HDR:
Before:
After:
*this guys name is Trey Ratcliff, he has VERY inspiring work.
Check him out HERE
So after being in sheer awe of this magical method of photography, I tried it out for the very first time.
This is just a picture of my house, about 9:20 AM. This is my very first attempt at HDR photography, and I am actually quite pleased with how it turned out for being my literal FIRST attempt.
Just for reference, here is one of the frames before HDR was applied:
I am about ready to throw on my headphones, and go get some more interesting subjects to frame.
Since my first point and shoot <$100 camera I got for a door prize at my high school prom after party/lock in (which we soon walked out of....) I found out that: "Whoa! If I change my exposure levels really high at night, the camera has to take a picture for a really long time to compensate, and the picture looks really cool!" I was taking the best pictures I could possibly take with that little beast.
Example:
It was a very much appreciated prize to win. If I hadn't gone to that teenage milestone they call, prom (Something I hadn't much of an interest in doing), would I be the same aspiring photographer I am today?
Since my days with the prize Kodak, I moved up to a Nikon P90. This camera was the best possible camera I could have stepped up to. Not too much to learn, not to little to get bored. This thing has some serious zoom to it. It did an awesome job in long exposure, and the tilt screen was just icing on the cake! PERFECT for being in a crowded area, just a 45 degree tilt down, hold above your head, and you can get awesome shots without any blind aiming! It also tilted straight up, so you could have the camera sitting on the ground and you could look straight down on the screen! Got many good shots of my sleeping puppy that way.
Now that I have stepped into the realm of the DSLR, my options and abilities have exponentially grown. long exposure? I have the ability to use the stars to know which direction the earth is spinning.
STAR TRAILS!
I haven't personally accomplished this just yet, but here is my motivation:
This stuff will blow your mind. GOOGLE IT!
Anyways enough camera history, back to HDR.
What is HDR?
(You're on the internet, a place of infinite knowledge, everything is a Google search away...but I'll go ahead and post a definition for you!)
"HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a set of techniques that allows the opportunity for a greater dynamic range of exposures through digital imaging techniques. It captures the full range of luminosity between light and dark in a single scene. What this means in terms of photography is that the processing of HDR captures everything from dark shadows to bright highlights and combines it into a single image."
HDR really allows you to bring back the emotion you felt while seeing your subject in reality before shooting. Don't you hate it when you get back from a trip and think you got some amazing pictures, and when you show them to friends and family, they just don't seem to "pop" as much as you remembered? HDR really allows you to get your pictures looking that much closer to how it actually looked through your eyes.
I don't think any photograhy can ever compare to seeing something grand in person. There are many things that are embedded into your memories. You can take a billion HDR shots of the beach, but if you show them all to someone who has never been seen the ocean in person, they won't know what it is like to have the sand between their toes, or that amazing smell of seasalt in the air.
Though digital images, and what you see with your own eyes aren't the same, HDR photography really bridges the gap of the two.
Here is a before and after image of HDR:
Before:
After:
Check him out HERE
So after being in sheer awe of this magical method of photography, I tried it out for the very first time.
This is just a picture of my house, about 9:20 AM. This is my very first attempt at HDR photography, and I am actually quite pleased with how it turned out for being my literal FIRST attempt.
Just for reference, here is one of the frames before HDR was applied:
I am about ready to throw on my headphones, and go get some more interesting subjects to frame.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
SNOW DAY!
Well, it seems Burleson, Tx has come across yet another day of snow! The past 3 days have been a nightmare of icy roads, but today has added a nice 4-5" of snow atop the ice.
I got some shots of Floyd, my siberian husky having an arctic blast in his kind of weather!
I got some shots of Floyd, my siberian husky having an arctic blast in his kind of weather!
 |
| Ready to go play in the snow! |
 |
| "What is this stuff?!" |
 | |||
He really seemed to enjoy the
snow we got. He kept shoving his
nose into it, and running at full
speed all over the yard! It was so
cool to hear his little husky paws
trot on the snow. I think he knew
it is what he is built for.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Initial post
Greetings! Welcome to my photography blog. My name is Bradley Duncan, and I am just now entering the real world of Photography. I have always seen things from an abnormal perspective, but never knew why nobody else seemed to point out these things, these angles on life that I was so intrigued by. I find myself being amused with the things that are out of focus.
In my past, I have tried to express my thoughts or outlooks upon numerous things,but I never seemed to be on the same page with many people. I wonder way off into my vision before I speak and get the usual "Where the hell did that come from?!" response. My mind is constantly traveling through a seemingly chaotic path of nonsense, things that wouldn't normally be immediately related to the initial topic. After all of the lightning fast thoughts, the words usually have little to do with most are currently thinking about. I am terrible at "branching off" in conversation, and most of the time I never work back to what I was getting at (unless reminded). This is all connected I'm sure.
Upon my entering of independence, I have had to make some decisions on "What I am going to do with my life". Though, I can assure you, I STILL HAVEN'T THE SLIGHTEST IDEA. I am truly interested in finding out what it is I am destined to do. I have been very interested in music, but I am finding a real love for photography. No matter what happens in my life from here on out; I know I will play, listen, think, tap, hum, and maybe even burp a tune every waking moment until... even after death. I also know that I will forever have a very deep interest in the ability to freeze time, and put it on display for the universe, and beyond. These things may very well have nothing to do with my career, but I do know they are the hobbies only that I truly love and it would be fantastic to do almost anything from either category for a living.
(Re-read, remember initial direction, get back on track)
My personal interest in photography is a form of expression. A speechless way to show you my perspective on that topic that otherwise would have had you saying "Where the hell did that come from?!"
This is the world traveling from my brain, though my eyes, through my lens, transcribed into 1s and 0s in my Digital camera for my computer to understand, and onto your screen.
This is our world through my eyes, for you to see, comprehend, discuss, and hopefully enjoy.
In my past, I have tried to express my thoughts or outlooks upon numerous things,but I never seemed to be on the same page with many people. I wonder way off into my vision before I speak and get the usual "Where the hell did that come from?!" response. My mind is constantly traveling through a seemingly chaotic path of nonsense, things that wouldn't normally be immediately related to the initial topic. After all of the lightning fast thoughts, the words usually have little to do with most are currently thinking about. I am terrible at "branching off" in conversation, and most of the time I never work back to what I was getting at (unless reminded). This is all connected I'm sure.
Upon my entering of independence, I have had to make some decisions on "What I am going to do with my life". Though, I can assure you, I STILL HAVEN'T THE SLIGHTEST IDEA. I am truly interested in finding out what it is I am destined to do. I have been very interested in music, but I am finding a real love for photography. No matter what happens in my life from here on out; I know I will play, listen, think, tap, hum, and maybe even burp a tune every waking moment until... even after death. I also know that I will forever have a very deep interest in the ability to freeze time, and put it on display for the universe, and beyond. These things may very well have nothing to do with my career, but I do know they are the hobbies only that I truly love and it would be fantastic to do almost anything from either category for a living.
(Re-read, remember initial direction, get back on track)
My personal interest in photography is a form of expression. A speechless way to show you my perspective on that topic that otherwise would have had you saying "Where the hell did that come from?!"
This is the world traveling from my brain, though my eyes, through my lens, transcribed into 1s and 0s in my Digital camera for my computer to understand, and onto your screen.
This is our world through my eyes, for you to see, comprehend, discuss, and hopefully enjoy.
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