Standing at the Edge of the World | Emerald Isle, NC
Here’s a shot of my friend and fellow photog Brad Styron taking in an awesome sunset on the coast. I thought I would use this shot to take a moment and explain some of my post-processing a little more in-depth than usual. My methods have changed recently and this adaptation in processing has helped to strengthen my images. Where I used to tonemap and create HDR images, I now manually blend exposures. Hopefully the workflow breakdown below can explain it better:
Gear: Nikon D90, 18-105mm VR Nikkor lens, tripod
EXIF: Three bracketed exposures @ f/22, ISO-200. (1/6 sec., 1/2 sec., 2.5 sec.) Manual white balance.
Step 1: I opened all 3 files in Photoshop. Adjusted the levels slightly in the lowest and middle exposures to bring out a little more brightness.
Step 2: Masking. How you do this is based on your preference. I like to layer my darkest exposure on top of the middle, work on it & flatten it, then layer that on top of my brightest exposure. I just like to work on a darker image and lighten it as I go.
There was only minor blending on the first two exposures, but on the final mask I brought in the water at 100% opacity. Using a brush of around 15%, I slowly lightened some of the highlights in the sky. That’s it. I then flattened the image.
Step 3: Using Nik Color Efex, I fixed the blue color cast in the image and added just a touch of contrast using the Pro Contrast Filter.
Step 4: With Nik Viveza, I selectively adjusted the structure in the foreground to add some extra sharpness. On a separate layer of Viveza, I dropped the saturation in the foreground sand (again, using the selective area feature). After applying the layer, I then masked a bit of it away in Photoshop to get rid of some of the over spill of the adjustment.
Step 5: I duplicated that layer and used the Dodge Tool to lighten the foam of the surf and the highlights in the clouds. Mind you, the tool was set very low (5-10%) and set to dodge the midtones. This was just a minor tweak to bring the scene back to more of my taste.
Step 6: After this was all done, I flattened the image and added on final filter. Using Nik Color Efex, I added a Glamour Glow (set very low, at 8%) with a very low touch of warmth to bring a calm, minimal glow to the scene. I flattened again and saved.
If there was one theme that you noticed, it was the use of ‘just a touch,’ ‘a little bit,’ ‘very low,’ and ‘light.’ The key to what I’ve been doing lately is to use every effect in moderation. Just because a slider or setting goes up to 100 doesn’t mean it should.
Most of what I do pretty much follows that workflow. Maybe a few less or few more uses of Viveza and Color Efex or a little more dodging and burning, but that’s the gist of it. Also, many times I end up simply blending two exposures rather than all three. It’s usually the darkest exposure that gets discarded in that case.
Hope that helps to explain what I do and can help you make a better image!
As always, you can comment or pick my brain at any of these sites: Facebook | Twitter | Flickr | 500px | Google+
©2012 Zach Frailey
4 Things That Every Photo I Take Is Built On
The image pictured below was originally just going to be my typical daily photo post on the blog and on my Facebook page. As I was processing it, however, my mind started to wander (as it so often does when I’m buried in Photoshop). There have been so many tips, tricks and suggestions made to me since I first started shooting, that I forget what they all are. However, I have taken them all to heart to the point that they have all mashed together and been ingrained in my photographic eye. As I started at this photo, I began to pick it apart and break it down into the various tidbits of tips that I’ve picked up over the years. Maybe you know them and use them already, maybe you don’t. Hopefully they can help you the same way that they’ve helped me. (note: every tip pertains to this photo and every photo I shoot!)
1. Be different. Be unique.
Today, we see so many photos. They’re all over Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Google+ and so on. I think it’s easy for photographers, especially newcomers, to get caught up in trying to be ‘better.’ I don’t think ‘better’ is what you should shoot for. Instead, be ‘different.’ So many people are doing the same exact things, trying to do those same exact things better than the rest. Why not create your own style? We all see the world in different ways, reflect that through your lens.
My photography professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania would always say something like this. He’d critique students’ work and would say something like ‘that’s a great shot, technically phenomenal, great lighting, but it’s just a beach.’ I used to think he was nuts. At the time, the photos he was saying that about, in my mind, were fantastic. But, that’s because we were chasing grades. To me, that shot was ‘A’ work, not art. As I’ve grown and became more of an ‘artist,’ I look back on his choice of words fondly because he was exactly right. Anyone can shoot a picture of a beach or a flower or a car or a sunset. Everyone who visits Cape Lookout shoots a photo of the lighthouse. Everyone who goes to the beach is going to take a photo of the sun setting over the water. The key is to somehow make your shot different. That’s where the artistic side takes over. You’re at the location at the right time and place, now make something unique.
2. Perspective, POV.
Change your perspective. Everyone takes a photo standing up. Sometimes all it takes is dropping down on one knee to create a completely different feel. Also, think about a different point of view. Shoot through something to frame your subject, place your camera at the level of your feet to create a sense of scale and bring depth and detail to the immediate foreground. The possibilities are pretty endless. To use the above photo as an example, don’t be afraid to go the extra mile to get something different. I could have stayed up on the beach and gotten a typical sunset. Instead, I kicked of my shoes, rolled my pants up and went into the water with my tripod. I may have gotten a little wet and cold, but in the end that’s just all part of the adventure of photography. Don’t be afraid to step off of the beaten path and into the tall grass. It’s fun!
3. Simple is good.
I read an article by Chase Jarvis that said, “almost every photo that is bad has too much information. Outside of technical basics, the number one reason that most photos fail is because there is no clear subject. Remove clutter, remove distraction. Tell one story, tell it well.” That has stuck with me and really helped mold my more recent work. I don’t think there is much more elaboration that I can add over what Chase said. Just keep it simple.
4. Patience
And finally, patience. I spend a lot of time sitting there, camera set up, remote in hand…waiting. I don’t want to snap off any random shot. In my mind’s eye I know what I’m looking for and I have to wait and see if the clouds move where I need them to. There is no worse feeling than shooting something then packing up and leaving only to look in your rear view mirror to see the scene has transformed into something completely different and amazing. Simply put, you must be patient.
I’d love to hear your feedback, let me know what you thought!- Facebook | Twitter | Flickr | 500px | Google+
©2012 Zach Frailey, all rights reserved
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Sneak Peek at my book, Sky Chasing, vol. 1!
I’m currently taking pre-orders. If you’d like to order, please email me at zach@uprootedphotographer.com or shoot me a message on Facebook for more details. All pre-ordered books will be signed and dated!
I’ve been working hard at this for several days now as I try to complete it. Very much planning on having this in hand by Christmas, at least that’s the goal. We all know how that can change :-)
The plan was originally for this to be simply a photo book. As I’ve been working on it, I find myself adding tips and other tidbits of photography info in there. By no means is it a how-to manual for photography, but I feel that it can offer something for anyone, whether you just want to look at some images or if you want to learn something.
The images in the book all involve Eastern North Carolina. When I was planning the book, I had a hard time deciding if I should include shots from places I’ve traveled to this year such as Pittsburgh, PA, Colorado Springs, CO and Chincoteague, VA. I decided to concentrate on my new home area for the one though. The photos range from the Outer Banks of NC all the way down to Wilmington, NC. That being said, most of the book is not of landmarks, but of the skies, sunsets, sunrises and scenery of the region.
I’ll share more info as it is available, enjoy the early sample!
Leaning Right | New Bern, North Carolina
During an unseasonably warm morning, I was out and about running errands. Having my camera gear with me, I figured this was the perfect morning for an impromptu walk in the park. I headed over to Glenburnie Park, on the banks of the Neuse River, and began hiking around and snapping photos. As I reached the back corner of the park and got ready to head back toward the Jeep, I noticed how wonderfully the morning sun had back lit the canopy of leaves across the scene. I had to spend a bit of time working the scene because there was just so much to see. The leaves are the real star of the show here, but they have a fantastic supporting cast from the shadows, texture in the ground and of course, the leaning tree that is front and center.
The Shot: This photo took a particularly interesting turn in post processing, leading me to try new things and come out with great results from an unexpected place. After merging my exposures in HDR Efex Pro and doing my typical masking with the original exposures, I took the image through Silver Efex Pro. As you may or may not know, this program is used for making (amazing) black and white images. I ran the photo through High Structure with a yellow filter. This created a very bright black and white layer in Photoshop. Next, I set its blend mode to ‘Luminosity.’ Finally, I duplicated the original background layer and moved it to the top, masked out the tree trunks and other various portions of the photo and voila, brought out a ton of detail in the image. I’ll have to add this new method to my workflow!
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Black, White & Sunny | Cape Lookout, NC
I recently took another ferry ride over to the Cape Lookout lighthouse to shoot it against a dramatic sky, but once again my plans were foiled. It seems like there are never clouds in the sky over there. Good for vacationers, but not for me. A few weeks ago conditions were similar, but I was unable to get a single usable shot because of unforeseen debris on my sensor. All sunflares were useless. This time, sensor cleaned, I shot a few brackets against the spotless blue sky. Those of you who are into HDR know that it’s pretty pointless to try to HDR a sky like this, but I was doing it for the flare. In fact, the lighthouse and the rest of the image are a single exposure masked in. It was just ‘ok’ in color, but I found the black and white conversion really brought out the diamond pattern on the lighthouse and drew a lot of attention to the sun rays pointing at it. The plain blue sky was just over powering, and that’s why black and white worked best.
The Shot: 3 exposure HDR merged in Photomatix. Middle exposure sky and lighthouse were masked back in using photoshop. Finishing touches were made using Nik’s Color Efex and black and white conversion was done in Nik Silver Efex Pro.
©2011 Zach Frailey
