Alright, I’ve been having fun experimenting with HDR.  Remember, it’s an experiment.  I’ve just started in with this stuff.  It’s a new medium to me, and I still haven’t perfected it yet.

So, why is it my test photos are getting wows across the board?  I mean, I’ve never had this type of response to photos before.  Sure, I’ve gotten requests for specific shots while traveling across the country…but this is something different.

What exactly do I mean?  Let me fill you in.

I’ve sold 4 8×10 prints this week directly to people who insisted they must have “that print.”  Not too big, but let’s keep going.  I’ve printed out MANY shots for a local gallery owner to pick through.  Looks like we’ll be showing 15 of my photos by the end of the month.  They’ll be framed and everything.  I won’t frame them….that would go poorly.  Also, my friends up at Rollies Camera are interested in featuring several of my shots in their store for sale after looking through my website……plus I’ve recently been asked by another gallery owner about my photos.  It was funny….the owner of Rollies caught me before I left and asked if I’d be interested in featuring my shots there…..Are you kidding?  Of course!!!!

This has all occurred in the past 3 weeks.  Very interesting.  Oh, and folks aren’t just interested in the HDRs.  There are standard shots that are also getting inquiries.  Nice!

Finally, I’ve finished sorting what I needed to sort, and I’ve selected 18 photos that will list on Imagekind for the time being.  So far 4 are up.  The rest will follow when I have time to run to the Raven.  Each Tiff file is over 50MB, and uploading from here is just too slow.  14 more files at 50+MB will be way too slow.  So, time to go get some Mint Tea!

Here’s the thing….the photos will not stay up there permanently.  I’m thinking that each print will only be allowed to have a limited printing.  I’m thinking somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 prints of each in larger format.

Oh, and one other fun thing Imagekind offers…..Greeting cards of my shots.  If you click on a specific print you’ll see one of the options is greeting cards.  So, when you check the gallery click each photo.  You’ll see the option for a greeting card.  Talk about a fun way to share the shots!  I’m excited.

So, looks like more picture taking and photo sorting will be happening here at the Airstream.  With or without people’s interest I’d still be doing it.  Now there’s one more reason to take my shots beyond my own personal enjoyment.  It’s a lot of fun.

Grab your camera and head out somewhere today.  Enjoy yourself, and when you see a fun photo opportunity take it! 

The other day I’d mentioned that I’ve started posting my photos at Imagekind.com. The shots going up are going up specifically for sale. Finally, I found a site that does full sized prints quickly and efficiently.

Before posting the link to the site I’d actually placed an order. I got a 10×6 print of my “Window on Arizona” and one of the sunset shots from atop the Granite Dells. I received the prints yesterday, and I was glad to have picked Imagekind.

I found Imagekind a few weeks ago while doing a search on Trey Ratcliff. He’s the photographer who has made some amazing HDR shots across the world. When I first started investigating HDR I found Trey’s photography and I was nothing short of “wowed!” I also found out he listed his poster prints on Imagekind. If it’s good enough for a globally recognized photographer……

One of the things I like about ImageKind’s service is the customer can specify what they want. Prints can go up to 36×24 inches for my prints. You could go higher, but the stuff I’m producing isn’t large enough (pixel size) to print 60×39 inches. If you want a print that size from my photos let me know, I can produce files large enough to do it.

Another interesting feature at the site is the ability to have the prints framed as well, not to mention they offer prints on canvas too. Since I’m lousy at matting photos I’m very happy to have such a service available.

Other Print Options

I’ve also tested out the services offered by MPix.com. I’d read a recommendation about them at Photoshop Insider a few months ago. Gotta tell you, I like their options for prints as well. If you ever need to create a lot of prints check them out.

Last week I ordered 2 “Standouts” from MPix. Standouts are photos matted to a small “box” body. You can set the photos on your desk or table, or you can hang the standout on your wall. The issue with using MPix is simply shipping. If I used MPix for my photos I’d have to purchase, receive, and then resell.

Remember, I’m a full-time Airstreamer. Not much room for inventory.

Getting the prints and the blog out there

Now I’m going to shift gears from my latest photography and prints to something else. How does one get their blog out there, and their prints more popular? Simple…..word of mouth.

The Airstream Chronicles has a large readership. I appreciate the readers here. Thanks for popping by and checking in.

I’d like to see the readership increase. And I’d like to see my photography sell more. Oh, and “The Digital RV” too. Honestly, wouldn’t you like to make a living with your hobbies? I know I would, and I know people who do it.

For the past few years the site’s popularity has increased, and I’ve been amazed. So many people reading along. But my amazement hit the skids last night. I followed a link from a friend’s blog to one of his commenter’s blogs, and it stopped me cold.

See, people find blogs through the comments of other people’s blogs. They also find other related blogs from links on blog sites. On the right hand bar of my blog you’ll find many links to other sites I like.

The link I followed was to a very new blog. So, it should just be growing in popularity, but being around for a short time shouldn’t be too popular. In the case of this blog though, there were already a ton of commenters and readers. Why? It tells of the sexual exploits of the writer.

Interestingly enough that site linked to many “popular” sites. All of them more graphic than the last. And each more popular than clean sites.

Remember way back when I posted the rating of my site based on a web service? Yeah, my site is G rated.

What I found super interesting was the other side of blogging I never thought of. The blog I found through my friend’s site link has different types of web ads. She specifically mentioned folks signing up for a dating service on her site. The service would then pay her, so she’s hoping everybody signs up. The service? Setting up opportunities for affairs…..ah, the nicer side of blogging, wouldn’t you say?

Clearly that site will be more popular than mine in no time. Not interested in competing……Ah well. What can I do? Well, ask the readership to pass along my site, my prints link, etc. If you enjoy the site, pass along a link to it in an e-mail to friends, RVers, photo enthusiasts, etc. It’s easy. Copy the link from your browser window and paste it into an e-mail.

And if you really like the site, check out the prints and see if there’s anything that catches your eye. Proceeds from my book and prints are what keeps this site going you know.

Well, that’s the wrap for today. I think this site’s popularity will only go so far. It lacks sordid tales, and the photos while nice never include half naked shots of anyone. Sure, the HDRs are sometimes mind bending, but I’m willing to bet they’ll never be as popular as a shot of somebody in a bikini!

Granny J’s curiosity about a favorite spot has caused me to weigh the pros and cons of sharing the location of the Promised Land climbing area.  I’ve given vague directions previously on this site.  The directions will continue to be vague, but they might help Granny J identify where the spot is.

Why be so vague?  Do I like big secrets?  Nope.  Bottom line, getting to the Promised Land takes some doing.  Repeat the last sentence and say, “How true it is.”

Last year, August 11th to be exact, Andy, Brooke, & I found the Promised Land.  It’s funny, we literally wandered the desert for a while looking for it.  We’d been out previously in search of it, and it wasn’t easy to find.  The one map that existed was no longer in print.  Instead, we headed out in the general direction and explored dirt double track after dirt double track.  We didn’t even know for certain that we’d found it at first…..

Today I know the way, and it’s easy to find.  Not easy to get into though, the roads are still rough.  You need a 4×4.  Without one you’ll find several tough spots.

Given the fact that Bill Cramer is doing a new guide for climbers, and including the Promised Land, I’m not too worried about giving the location.  It’s going to be out there soon anyway.

For those familiar with the area this won’t be too hard.  Head to Chino Valley.  Find Perkinsville Rd.  If you’re coming from Prescott Perkinsville Rd will be on your right after the Safeway.  Stop there and get a Gatorade or two.  Once you’ve found Perkinsvill Rd, take it.  You’ll drive to where the pavement ends and you hit a dirt road.  Continue onward past the gravel company.  Soon on your left you’ll see a dirt road to the Haystack development.  Take that road.

Now this is where things get sketchy.  Directions are now going to get vague!

Before reaching Haystack the road splits.  One into Haystack, one along the edge to the left.  Take the road to the left.  You’ll drive along with Haystack on your right, then you’ll be into open land.  Cross a HUGE wash (don’t do this during Monsoons) and stay to the right.  Now there’s a new landmark….the PIPELINE PROJECT has cut a huge swath through the desert.  It looks like a super highway made of dirt.  Immediately after crossing this new “road” hang a left onto a smaller track.  Follow this main “road” for well over a mile.

You’ll hit a major fork soon.  An open triangle shows signs of 4 wheelers off roading every weekend.  Stay left here.  You’ll approach the pipeline road.  Get on the pipeline road (go right) for 1/8th of a mile.  Then take a left onto an almost unseeable double track.  Follow this track (rough) to an old windmill that no longer works (Little Thumb Butte is the backdrop for this windmill).  At the junction near the windmill go left.  Follow this road (super rough) to a roughed out parking lot and you’re there.  You won’t know you’re there, as there’s nothing grand at the lot.  It’s time to hike.  Follow the path north into the dry river bed.  Walk toward the distant rock formations sticking to the river bed.

That’s the story.  Somewhere in Chino you may or may not find the Promised Land.  It’s a wonderful canyon.  Good climbing, fun hiking, great photo opportunities, and if you’re there at the right time you’ll see the swallows nesting throughout the canyon.  You’ll see the red tails looking for the next snack.  And if you forget to bring water you’ll see plenty of vultures waiting on you……

Best bet….drop me a line and sign up for a photo tour of the area.  I’ll take you to see things you might not otherwise on a visit to the area!

Which cause am I furthering exactly?  That’s a good question.  I’ll wrangle up a good answer.

I’m furthering plenty of causes today.  You can take your pick and apply it to today’s post. 

• Achieving total relaxation:  After two days of rest (Thursday & Friday) I find myself with another day off.  Nice!  And unplanned.  But I could definitely use a little more rest, so no complaints.
• Seeking new sites:  I’m always looking for new things to photograph.  So, with my extra day of rest I took a ride to Sedona & Flagstaff.  Sadira was kind enough to come along too!
• Improving photos:  After seeing a few shots from Bert’s new wide angle lens (acquired only weeks ago) I couldn’t resist.  The Sedona portion of the trip landed us at Rollies Camera where I picked up a new wide angle lens.
• Answering reader requests:  An HDR of the Airstream was requested.  And a little better view of my new site has been requested repeatedly.  So, with my new lens I was able to get a full view of only half of my site (the other half is where I shot from).  Through answering the requests I have found a new subject to shoot, had an opportunity to try out my new lens, and got to play with yet another HDR shot.  Guess this category covered all the causes……

Without any further delay, you now get a look at my new site, and my Airstream in HDR.  I went a little over the top with the HDR on this shot.  Just having a little fun with the medium!

Now I’m concerned questions will abound.  Not about the photo technique, but about the site.  What’s under the trailer, is that a step stool, etc, etc.  Those questions will be left for another time.  Gather them up, ask them in the comments, or speculate on the contents of the photo and site on any number of forums across the Internet…..

Ah, clearly a well rested Rich is a cheeky Rich to boot!

So, on to a rundown of today’s activities….

This morning Sadira and I headed North before 9 a.m.  First stop….a gas station.  I don’t even want to talk about it.  24 gallon tank you know. 

Once I’d topped off we headed straight for Sedona, AZ.  Truly a favorite place to go taking pictures.  Today though I took no Sedona photos.  The reason for the visit was strictly business.  A stop into Rollies Camera.  I knew they had some wide angle lenses in, and I’ve been pining for one since getting a look at Bert’s new lens.  I lay the blame with Bert, and Bert alone! 

I’m teasing you here Bert!  I know you’re reading along!

While at Rollies we had several pleasant surprises.  My favorite sales guy was in (of course) and we found the lens I was searching for.  Sadira also found something wonderful.  A unique version of a Crumpler Bag.  This bag had a custom design for wildlife watchers.  The Velcro had been dealt with……

It’s at this point Tombo has stopped reading my blog.  He’s opened two browser tabs and is searching Sadira’s site as well as Crumpler’s site.  A stealthy pack without velcro noise is a priority for Mr. Tombo……  Wow, a well rested Rich really is a cheeky so and so!

While Sadira wrestled with the concept of trading up on packs I checked out lenses and settled on my final choice.  I also shared my web site with the folks in the shop, and they took a look at my “photo only” site.  Lot’s of “Wow’s” which made me smile.

Sadira resolved her pack dilemma and made her way to the “Life is Good” shop.  I headed out of Rollies, and realized I forgot one item, so returned quickly.  While cashing out the owner asked me, “Are you aware of what we’ll be doing in the front of the store soon?”  I told him I wasn’t, and I got an extra pleasant surprise.  Rollies will be featuring a few local photographers soon, and they’re interested in my work being in the mix!

Other things are currently in the works.  So, this adds fuel to the fire.  And it helped me justify my shinny new lens!

After wrapping up in Sedona we headed to Flagstaff.  A visit to Bookman’s for Sadira (and some interesting books), and then a walk through the town.  We shot a unique church in town, and I’m not sure what to make of the photos.  See, the trimmings of the church were painted in an odd shade of “pink”.  Pretty stones mixed with pink.  Pink gargoyles too…..  I just don’t know.

While in Flagstaff we also stopped by the Life Is Good store.  They seem to be popping up everywhere!  But Life is Good after all, so I won’t complain about seeing their stores everywhere.  Also, I was wearing one of their shirts today, not to mention a hat from them as well!

We strolled around Flagstaff for quite a while.  Many trains rolled through, all blasting their horns letting people everywhere know they weren’t slowing down for anyone!  Neat to watch, hard to cross the tracks while waiting on train after train!

While wandering I took another “door” photo.  I think it’s written somewhere that in order to have your photography taken seriously you must shoot doors and make them look cool.  I don’t know if I made this door look cool or not, but I did like the door to begin with.  Actually, I think it was the building’s exterior that caught me!

I’m not sure if this shot will classify me as a serious photographer or not.  But it does mean I’m trying.  I haven’t moved into a post modern apartment with only black and white furniture yet, and I’m currently not wearing a turtle neck while drinking wine, so I think we’re still a ways off from “serious photography.”  Normally when I’m out shooting I’m wearing a T-Shirt, North Face A5 Shorts, Chacos (sandals), and a Nalgene water bottle is in tow somewhere.  As you can see, a far cry from a serious photographer’s attire.

Honestly, I’ve got a cool art deco home…..my Airstream.  I don’t know how much further I’d need to take it.  Maybe if I start taking detailed photos of rivet lines it will count for something and I can skip ahead to “serious.”

After all our fun in Flagstaff we finally headed home.  We went a different way though.  Off and on Route 66.  More unique photo ideas.  While I saw one potentially interesting item I decided to skip it.  The shot had already been done by Ben Wilmore.  Ah well, I’ll find that special shot along 66 at some point in time.  I’ve got a lot of other ideas too.  Many can be done right in my own back yard.

That’s it for tonight.  I need to go stare at my new lens for a while now……….

Well, what’s done is done.  I totally skipped a post yesterday.  Actually, it wasn’t skipped, it was forgotten.  Whoops.

The past few days have been nice, and I almost feel rested again.  That’s a good sign.  I just wish I had a few more days to nurture that rested and relaxed feeling.  Not to mention my hip is no longer sore, and I worry it might go right back to where it was without additional down time.  We’ll just have to see.

Yesterday my friend Josh popped by early in the a.m.  We decided to head out to the Promised Land and take a few more photographs.  Josh has never been to the Promised Land, and he’s enjoyed some of my photos from there.  I should start a photo tour company for obscure spots in Northern Arizona…. hmmmm…. almost sounds like a good idea!

As you may recall from prior climbing photos, and other photos from my visits to the Promised Land, many little nests can be seen on the canyon walls.  Since I’ve started visiting the spot I have never seen anything residing in the nests….until yesterday!

As we made our way into the canyon everything around us was alive.  Many lizards moved out of the way as we trodded along the canyon floor.  Doves popped out of bushes, and red tail hawks called out as we passed.  The most lively I’ve seen the Promised Land.

As we passed the first climbing area the canyon was a buzz with activity.  Tiny little birds popping down to the remaining pools of water in the canyon.  A quick trip to the water and mud, then right back to their cliff side homes.  There were so many birds in sections of the canyon you just couldn’t count them, you could only watch them “swarm”.  Pretty interesting.

Over the past year I’d wondered about all the nests.  When do they return, how long do they stay, and where do they go next?  What I know now is that they return….well, now.  They’re not here from August through at least April.  Why do I know that?  Because during all my visits from August to April nobody has resided in these cute little nests.  And now the nests are full.

As far as how long these little architects stay….who knows?  I’ll have to check back in and see when they leave.

The remainder of the morning will be spent sorting photos.  I went over the top yesterday and filled the card with the birds.  High speed shutter, crazed birds colliding mid-air….there have to be a few interesting shots in there.  So, it’s time to sort.  If I come across anything of interest I’ll pop it up here!

Yesterday I took a quick trip over to Watson Lake in order to take a few photos of the Granite Dells from the shoreline. I couldn’t stay long, work was calling. Not literally of course, but you get my meaning.

Now that I’ve started playing around with some new techniques (7 Point System & HDR) it seems I can’t find the time to go out and shoot super interesting subjects. Sure, I’ve gotten a couple of neat photos lately, but I want to roam around more. Plus I’m not getting home from work until after 7 every day.

That means I’m missing sunsets, missing out on the crazy lizards running around here, and totally taking a pass on the gangs of Quail moving around the park. You’ve got to watch out for those quail gangs….they wear their colors you know!

Thursday will be a day of rest, but I don’t think it will be super restful. Groceries, laundry (I miss my own washer & dryer), cleaning, maybe a nap. I hope somewhere in there I find the time for a few photos. I’d love to get North of Paulden and do some larger expanse shots. Or maybe down to Skull Valley again, I have a few photo ideas there.

If I’m wrapped up all Thursday maybe Friday will be a fun day. At least there are 2 days back to back off. Haven’t had that in a little while!

Oh, and I haven’t forgotten adding other favorite links. Yesterday’s were a start. Next week I’ll include some more photo links and blogging links (plus a few more financials). But not today. I’m already running behind, and work starts earlier today.

Looks like I won’t go off for a few quick photos this morning…..bummer. Maybe I’ll find time this evening as I’ll be home before 7 tonight.

I’ve gotten many questions privately regarding the HDR process. People really want to know how the process works. I can completely understand.

Months ago I found a web site talking about HDR. I was investigating the process after speaking with another photographer about how I shoot. He suggested I look into HDR, as it was a technique that he thought would work with some of my landscape shots in the Dells. Boy howdy, he was right!

So, today I thought I’d talk about the process, and about the 7 Point system as well.

The current photo to your left is an edited photo (not HDR) that I used the 7 Point System with. I only spent about 5 minutes on it. The shot was a little too dark, the white balance was off a bit as it was an extremely overcast day, and very little blue showed through in the sky. You’ll see the original photo next, and I think you’ll agree it was a touch washed out.

The 7 Point System is extremely helpful in knowing what to do in Photoshop. For this photo I worked in the Camera Raw editor. Nothing more. No masks, no layers, no painting with light. I could definitely improve this image some more, but I didn’t want to spend a long time on a quick shot for this post. Realistically I could have used Photoshop Lightroom’s Develop module and done the same quickly.

So, where did this edited photo come from? It was the 0EV exposure I shot as part of a series to create an HDR. When creating HDRs you want to take at least 3 photos at different exposure levels. With each exposure you get different levels of detail. A -2 EV will give you a lot of dark space, but the bright space making it through is usually not clipped. Your 0EV shot shows a bit of everything, but might not have the most extreme contrast. Finally, an over exposure will blow out your highlights (clouds and sky) but it provides a more accurate depiction of things like the foreground in a sunset photo.

Normally when you shoot a sunset the foreground is DARK. Or it’s a silhouette. Whatever the case, in order to get the detail of the foreground you need to over expose. When that happens the sky turns to junk. So, you need a few exposures.

The exposure to the left is the 0EV (on my light meter) shot. Pretty dark and ominous. Lacking a lot of color and detail. Did I take a bad photo? Nope, this is what the scene was due to lighting. Did it look like that to me? Nope, I definitely saw it different than the camera.

The first photo on this page was derived from this exact picture. Ah, the 7 Point System really can help with a “bland” photo. I’m so glad I’ve finally realized that using Photoshop isn’t some evil thing. Instead, used right it can really help you accurately recall a scene that your camera sensor just couldn’t bring in the whole way.

Our cameras always have a fixed aperture you know. You can select the amount of light and your exposure time when shooting a subject. Now, let me ask you, when you view a scene does your “aperture” in your eyes stay the same? No. Your pupils dilate, change the light coming in, and your eyes get to readjust for all sorts of light levels. It’s hard getting the whole scene with one fixed setting at a time. That’s where HDR comes in. Oh, and by the way, I’m not expert, but I get it, I finally get it, and it’s cool that someone realized blended exposures could show the viewer more!

Next I’m going to show you the -2 and +2 exposures side by side. Those two shots plus the one above went together in order to create the final HDR.

As you can see, the over and under exposures wouldn’t make for great photos alone. The under exposure (super dark one) shows you no details of the rocks at all. But take a look at the sky. Darker blues, darker elements to the clouds. The sky’s detail comes through a little more.

The over exposure on the other hand shows you all of the foreground. You really get to see the rocks of the Dells. But the sky’s detail is almost washed out. Not great. Maybe the 7 Point system could help with the brighter shot, but the dark one wouldn’t get too far……

The fun part is the fact that if you combine the 3 exposures (-2, 0, +2) you can get all the detail out of the 3. Take a look at the last image in this post and you’ll see…..

This image is the final HDR image. A shade different than any of the pictures you’ve seen so far, yet it’s just a Tone Mapped combination of the 3 images. It doesn’t look like any of the original shots, but it was derived from all the color and light information in the 3 photos.

In addition to combining the photos you also get to tone map the shot. You can increase the color strength of the image in order to get each color to really pop. You can reset the White and Black points to enhance bright areas and shadowed areas. And you can work on the contrast in the photo through a Micro Contrast and Micro Smoothing tool.

I currently use the Photomatix Program, and the Photomatix Plugin in my Adobe Photoshop CS3. There are other programs out there for HDR generation, and each has its own name for tone mapping, but all of them do the same thing.

So, not only are the photos blended, they are then worked on in the Tone Mapping within Photomatix. I can push the colors up or down, enhance light and shadow, and make my own attempt to really represent how my eyes saw the scene. And if I want I can also enhance what I saw. It was pretty drab out there when I shot this photo. Nice to take the drab out of it.

Since I arrived in Prescott I’ve been fascinated by the Granite Dells, Granite Mountain, and most of the national forest surrounding the area. I’ve been amazed by the scenes around me, and I’ve shot too many photos of the area. Many of those shots end up on the blog.

Over the year I’ve had many comments from readers about the area. Everyone gets that the rocks are amazing and the area is beautiful. Many people have commented on the neat photos coming out on the blog. And I’ve been glad to share the area.

The disappointment for me has always been the fact that none of the photos I’ve posted have truly captured how vast some scenes are. The Dells always seemed flat in my regular photos. While readers get to see the rocks I always thought they didn’t really see the rocks. With the HDR technique I think I’m finally showing you how dramatic the scenes are here.

Well, hope you enjoyed my longer explanation of HDR. If you’re interested in trying this out feel free to drop a comment with your questions. I’ve posted links to HDR tutorials before, but I’ve found every one lacking. I finally found a book that really helped me understand more about HDR. It’s not a “simplistic” book. A little technical actually, but if you can push through the technical I think you’ll find some great pieces of information. The book is, “The Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography,” by Ferrell McCollough.

By the way, if you’re a full-time RVer who is now interested in these photo techniques…….don’t blame me for filling your rig with books. It’s happened to me, and I’m finding ways to make space! And if you’re going to fill your rig with books, make sure my book is among them!

As most readers know, I’m a “Full-Time RVer”. Sure, the Airstream isn’t rolling all over the country, but that doesn’t define a full-timer at all. Folks in this category live in an RV full time. That’s it. The travel is a bonus.

Right now the travel would be painful given gas prices. So I’m happy to be a stationary Airstreamer at the moment. I sure would like to go to a few places to take photos, but I’ll wait a while. I wonder when my Titan can be solar powered……?

If you’re not familiar with Airstreams, or more specifically my Airstream, you don’t have the largest amount of space to work in. My Airstream is 25 feet long and 8 feet wide. For those who are mathematically challenged or are unsure about devices known as “calculators”, 25×8 yields 200 square feet of space. My first apartment by myself was an “efficiency”, and it was 450 sq ft. You can’t fit a ton of stuff in that amount of space, but that’s what I’ve got to work with.

With my spacial constraints I still manage to have every amenity I need. My kitchen sink, a cute stove, microwave, a claustrophobic shower, etc. And with all of my small tech devices I cover everything you can imagine for an office, entertainment center, etc. Part of my gadget hoard includes a full set up for photo development while on the road or at rest.

Probably not too shocking. You’ve seen many photos out of the Airstream Chronicles site, you know I post regularly, and I talk about watching DVDs and other fun stuff.

Given all the recent HDR photography I thought it would be useful to talk about what goes into my portable photo lab. What does it really take to produce cool travel images, how much space does it take, and how does it fit in to a full-timing lifestyle?

So, what’s in my little bag of tricks? Here’s the list:

• Macbook Pro: This is the computer I use every day. I’ve been using it since the Spring of 2006. It’s my entertainment center, productivity center, e-mail box, web device, blogging tool, etc. It’s also the hub of my photography setup.
• Photoshop CS3: Photoshop has to be one of my most used programs lately. Photo editing, resizing, & retouching all take place in Photoshop.
• Photoshop Lightroom: Probably the coolest photo management program I’ve ever seen. When I off load photos, Lightroom is the program I choose.
• Photomatix Pro: This is my newest program. If you like the recent HDRs I’d suggest checking out Photomatix.
• Canon 40D: The newest addition to my camera bodies. I picked up the 40D because it has a built in image sensor cleaner. If you’ve ever lived in AZ you’ll understand why the sensor cleaner is necessary…..dust is everywhere, all the time.
• Canon 30D: Ah yes, I’ve got a 30D as well. I’ve been extremely happy with this camera. My only complaint is the fact I keep having to clean the image sensor thanks to all the dust here. It’s now my “indoor” camera (you know, macro photos….).
• Canon SD550: The SD550 is no longer in production. I bought this “Digital Elph” years ago. It’s a wonderful little camera. It’s also super small. Many of my shots during my travels in 2006 were taken with the 550. Simple little point and shoot camera for those moments when you don’t feel like breaking out a big camera. If you want something similar check out the SD1100.
• Canon Selphy: This is my tiny portable printer. I make cute little postcard prints with it. The color quality and speed of this printer are amazing!
• Canon IP100: I just purchased this super small photo printer within the past 2 weeks. With some of my latest photos I wanted to print 8×10 and 8.5×11 photos. The IP 100 is ultra slim, and the color quality is fantastic. I’ll write a longer review on the printer after I’ve passed the 1 month ownership marker with it.
• Crumpler Bag: My newest camera bag is a Crumpler. A compact and stylish carrying case.
• Lowepro Camera Backpack: If I need to carry “everything” the Lowepro is the bag I use.
• Canon Lenses: I have too many lenses….. My primary lens is a 28-135mm Image Stabilized lens. I also have a 17-85mm IS lens that came with my 30D (it’s my second favorite lens). The bulk of the photos you see here have been shot with the 28-135 or the 17-85. My other lenses are “specialized” for only certain shots.
• 2 500GB MyBooks: Currently I’m running 2 Mybook external hard drives. My Lacies have been filled, and they’re now stored away. The MyBook drives store all of my photography, ITunes library, system backups, etc. 1 drive is the primary drive, 1 drive backs up the primary drive. These drives take very little space, and they store so much.

There’s the list in a nutshell. Amazingly enough, this stuff takes very little space. My cameras and lenses fit into my Lowepro & Crumpler bags. Between the two bags everything is put away all the time. The bags fit under my credenza in the Airstream, and there’s plenty of room for more stuff to fit under there as well. The printers can both be stored in an overhead compartment and plenty of room is leftover for other items. Finally, the Macbook sits out on my dinette.

If you rounded up all these items you could stack them on my couch and leave room for 2 people to still sit on the couch. Pretty small amount of space for all the equipment does, don’t you think?

Do I have other little odds and ends? Sure I do. I got almost everything listed, and really for most folks it might be over kill. 1 camera pack, 1 camera, 1 printer, 1 computer…..you’d have your own portable lab too. I’d strongly suggest using Photoshop, Lightroom, and Photomatix (if you’re interested in HDR photography). With all that in hand you too could have a compact photo lab that you’ll be extremely happy with.

I was planning on holding off on more HDR shots today.  Instead I was going to write about my portable photo lab.  There’s so much I can do in the Airstream’s space, and the equipment takes almost no room.  Well, except those darned books….  

I’ll write about my portable photo lab later.  Instead we’ll talk a little more about the HDR shots.  I know, more strange photos, right?  Sure, if you want to call them strange.

Last night I walked into the Granite Dells once again (shocking).  Strange wispy clouds were covering the skies once again.   I thought I might find some interesting shots.  Once again I set out to create a few unique HDRs that really relay what the Dells are like.  See, I’ve never been satisfied with photos of the Dells.  I never feel like the depth and scale of the rock formations gets relayed with standard shots.

So, I set up to do my HDRs.  The first two photos that you’re seeing here today are shots that went into the first HDR on this page.  One over exposed photo, one under exposed photo, and the one missing with a centered exposure.  In the end, with 3 photos in hand I generated the next photo…..

As you can see, this HDR seems to be more than a sum of it’s parts.  That’s why HDRs interested me in the first place.  The fact you can really bring out the contrast and detail of a scene blows my mind!

What’s nice is that you can see so much more than you would with a standard snap shot.  Normally, a sunset photo will yield neat skies and dark shadowed mountains.  Not with the HDR technique.  You can show the foreground as well, really providing the detail of the scene.  Just plain exciting, don’t you think?

Creating my HDRs isn’t super time consuming.  But keep in mind.  I don’t consider any of these a final product yet.  Give me time.  These are just the first pass with little work.  The next step to really get great art prints out of these is to work with the histogram, ensure accurate color, and make sure the HDR isn’t over the top.

With HDR you can do really accurate photos.  Or you can create almost cartoonish images that go beyond the reality of the scene.  I’d like to fall closer to the accurate scene.  Maybe with a little extra “pop” that makes a viewer stop and say, “Wow!”  Personally I’ve been saying that a lot lately as I learn about this craft (and it is a craft for sure).

Well, that’s it for today.  Hope you enjoyed seeing the photos that go into an HDR.  For your viewing pleasure I’ve included a second HDR from last night.  Just plain fun!

Oh, and by the way……with these types of shots I have to ask you……….

Isn’t my back yard super cool?  :)  I think it is!

This morning I had to get up and head out extremely early. More classes down in Phoenix. And in the future….a flight for a week of training elsewhere…..in the cards apparently. Wow, I used to fly constantly back in the “cell phone” daze…..

So, do you really want to hear about today’s class, the long ride to Phoenix, the extreme heat down there, etc, etc? Nah. You probably don’t.

Oh, and it was hot down there. Good grief…we headed to lunch and walked to the lunch spot. So hot….boiling inside quickly! Lunch was a salad, as nothing at the restaurant fit within my needs. Not a bad salad though….and it was hot……oh, I wasn’t supposed to talk about this…..

How about the latest HDR photos? Ah yes, that’s much more fun!

Sunday night I shot several series to create the two photos in today’s post. The first one is my favorite of the two, but it still needs some work. Due to a lens flare there’s a spot I’m unhappy with. But I’ll correct it.

The second shot was taken right before the sun went down. There was a lot of pink and yellow going on, and the overall lighting really impacted the look of the Granite Dells.

Of course each of these photos is really a compilation of 3 exposures of each scene. They’re pretty neat, but nowhere near finished. Just the beginning of my HDR trek with each photo.

If dinner gets finished quickly I’ll head up into the rocks and try a few more exposures tonight. See, there’s some funky cloud cover again today, and I’m betting it would lend to interesting HDRs.

Oh, and the second shot has a similar version posted a few days ago. Similar, but not the same. Did a little additional tweaking on it. Still, I like the first shot better……