One-Year Ago (05-August-2010) — California

Gone to See America August 2010 Road Trip. Day 5: Eastern Sierra Photography Workshop with Michael Mariant.

Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Examples (HDR Express, Photomatix Pro, NIK HDR Efex, Photoshop CS5 HDR).  A year ago, I attended the Eastern Sierra Photography Workshop led by Michael Mariant. I knew I was going to be late traveling from work in South San Francisco. Michael gave me the GPS coordinates to meet at the Red Canyon Petroglyphs. The following  is an image of the petroglypths processed with Capture One Pro, Topaz, Nik Color Efex Pro, and Photoshop CS5. This is followed by a series comparing different HDR programs (HDR , Photomatix Pro, Nik HDR Efex Pro, Photoshop CS5 HDR Pro)

Let me know which if any HDR images you like or don’t like.

Red Canyon Petroglyphs. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed using Capture One Pro 6, Topaz Detail 2 (color jump), Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Define 2, Photoshop CS5 (David J Mathre)
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, 1/160 sec). Raw image processed using Capture One Pro 6, Topaz Detail 2 (color jump), Nik Color Efex Pro, Nik Define 2, Photoshop CS5
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using HDR Express (David J Mathre)
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using HDR Express
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using Photomatix Pro (tonal contrast) (David J Mathre)
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using Photomatix Pro (tonal contrast)
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using Photomatix Pro (tonal contrast strong) (David J Mathre)
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using Photomatix Pro (tonal contrast strong)
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using NIK HDR Efex Pro (David J Mathre)
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using NIK HDR Efex Pro
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using Photoshop CS5 (photorealistic) (David J Mathre)
Red Canyon Petroglyphs. HDR Composite of 7 images taken with a Nikon D3s and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 200, 24 mm, f/5.6, various). HDR Processed using Photoshop CS5 (photorealistic)

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Previous Images from this Day in the Past:

Red Canyon Petroglyphs. Nikonians Eastern Sierra Photography Workshop — Day 1 (05-August-2010).

 

Friday (15-July-2011) — Florida

The Photographic Art Society of Florida. “Black & White and One Color” Exhibition.

I just got word that a print of my image “Girl with Yellow Pants Running” won First Place at the The Photographic Art Society of Florida exhibition last night. The theme of the show was “Black & White and One Color”. I took this image while on the second Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop (UTPW-II) earlier this spring while returning by bus from a field trip to the Pacaya Volcano in Guatemala (02-May-2011) in the town of San Francisco de Sales. The image was processed with Capture One Pro 6 using the inverse color selection tool to select the yellow color of the pants and notebook and decreasing the saturation of all other colors to black and white. Other processing was performed with Nik Viveza, Nik Define, and Photoshop CS5. I thank my sister Kari Sheppard for persevering while printing the image for the exhibition since it kept coming out too dark.

Girl with Yellow Pants Running into Building with UNE Party Sign in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 280, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Nik Viveza 2, Nik Define 2 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Girl with Yellow Pants Running into Building with UNE Party Sign in San Francisco de Sales. Pacaya Volcano National Park. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 24 mm f/1.4G lens (ISO 280, 24 mm, f/2.8, 1/200 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Nik Viveza 2, Nik Define 2 and Photoshop CS5.

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Sunday (03-July-2011) — New Jersey

Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey.

I got up early this morning to drive to the High Point monument in northern New Jersey. It was raining when I left, but I hoped that it would clear up by the time I got there. Just the opposite — heavy rain when I got there. Furthermore, the front gate was still locked. I gave up and drove back the long route along the Delaware River. Because of the rain there was very little traffic. I’ve used up most of my vacation this year between the Patagonia workshop with Thom Hogan and the Central America & Panama Canal Enrichment Voyage – Ultimate Travel Photography Workshop II with Michael Mariant. As such, I know that I am not going to be able to do a cross-country road trip this year so it was good to get a long drive in this holiday weekend.

When I got home there was a lull in the rain and I saw that the wild raspberries were starting to ripen. In order to get an image of a cluster of the berries in focus with everything else out of focus I took a series of images using a focus rail to adjust the camera to subject distance over a 3 cm distance with a macro lens. I then used Helicon Focus to make a composite image from the 20 images. The first image is the result. The next three images are the first (front focus), mid (middle focus), and last (back focus) images. Even though there was some (not much) movement due to wind, Helicon Focus did a great job adjusting the images so all of the composite images were correctly registered.

Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. Helicon Focus composite of 20 images. (David J Mathre)
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. Helicon Focus composite of 20 images.
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5.
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5.
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Wild Raspberry Cluster. Early Summer Backyard Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 VR macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 100, 210 mm, f/6, 1/60 sec) with SB900 flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro 6 and Photoshop CS5.

Friday (01-July-2011) — New Jersey

Summertime Nature in New Jersey. Sourland Mountain Preserve.

Morning Walkabout at the Sourland Mountain Preserve. Wildflowers: Queen Anne’s Lace, Black Eyed Susan, Daisy, others.

Black Eyed Susan. Summer Wildflowers at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 205 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Black Eyed Susan. Summer Wildflowers at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 205 mm, f/6.3, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Flying Ant in a Queen Anne's Lace Flower at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 205 mm, f/6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Flying Ant in a Queen Annes Lace Flower at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 205 mm, f/6, 1/500 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5
Black Eyed Susan. Summer Wildflowers at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Black Eyed Susan. Summer Wildflowers at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/1250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Daisy - Summer Wildflowers at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Daisy – Summer Wildflowers at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 70-200 mm f/2.8 VR lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 400 mm, f/5.6, 1/2000 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Summer Wildflowers at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 205 mm, f/6, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Summer Wildflowers at the Sourland Mountain Reserve. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 105 mm f/2.8 macro lens + TC-E III 20 teleconverter (ISO 200, 205 mm, f/6, 1/250 sec). Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.

Monday (13-June-2011) — New Jersey

Backyard Springtime Nature in New Jersey.

Macro images of a small pink wildflower I found today. Thanks to Ann DeCamp for pointing me to the identification of the flower as Deptford Pink, Mountain Pink – Dianthus armeria

Macro Image of Small Pink Wildflower. Spring Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 Macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/25 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Macro Image of Small Pink Wildflower. Spring Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3x and 105 mm f/2.8 Macro lens (ISO 100, 105 mm, f/16, 1/25 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.
Macro Image of Small Pink Wildflower. Spring Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/4 Macro lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5. (David J Mathre)
Macro Image of Small Pink Wildflower. Spring Outdoor Nature in New Jersey. Image taken with a Nikon D3s and 200 mm f/4 Macro lens (ISO 200, 200 mm, f/16, 1/60 sec) with SB-900 Flash. Raw image processed with Capture One Pro, Focus Magic, and Photoshop CS5.