Blue Planet Photography

There are several applications out there for processing multiple image files to stretch the dynamic range of a scene (HDR, or High Dynamic Range). The two most popular are Photoshop and Photomatix Pro. Generally, the reviews of Photoshop Merge to HDR are less than stellar while Photomatix Pro is all the rage. I use Photomatix Pro for most of my HDR processing, and I own Photoshop, so I thought I’d see for myself what the issues were. I believe you should use whichever application best suits your needs, but also that one application is not necessarily all you need.

I selected one of my 6-shot HDR image series and processed it three ways. I used minimal settings adjustments in Photomatix (strength 100, luminosity 4, light smoothing v.high, micro contrast 10, gamma 75, white point .250, black point .092, all other settings default or 0):

1. Photomatix Pro
2. Merge to HDR in Photoshop then further processing of the 32-bit HDR file in Photomatix Pro
3. Merge to HDR in Photoshop and further processing in Photoshop

The results are below. Additional comments following the images.

Processed in Photomatix Pro only

Processed in Photoshop using Merge to HDR, then through Photomatix Pro

Processed in Photoshop using Merge to HDR after color balance adjustment in Camera Raw, then further processing in Photoshop (duplicate layer, blend=multiply, adjust color saturation)

As you can see, the series processed in Photomatix Pro alone has a marked yellow cast from the ambient lighting. One of the cons of Photomatix Pro is even though you’re shooting in RAW and using the RAW image files to create the single HDR photo, when Photomatix processes the images it doesn’t take into account any of the Camera Raw adjustments you might have made. So, if your white balance is off, there’s nothing you can do about it until after processing is complete. I tried making color balance adjustments in Photoshop after the Photomatix processing, but apparently I’m not very much of a Photoshop wizard and couldn’t remove the yellow/orange/red cast effectively so I left it as is. This issue could have been compensated for, somewhat, by adjusting the in-camera white balance (I was shooting on auto white balance), but I think if you’re looking for accurate color representation you might still end up with a less-than-accurate final product without the ability to further compensate in Camera Raw.

With the other two, I started with Photoshop Merge to HDR, which does take into account all Camera Raw settings, so I was able to remove the color cast caused by the ambient lighting. Running the 32-bit HDR file through Photomatix Pro resulted in a good looking image, but with a bit of grunge while the straight Photoshop-processed image looks very clean. In both Photoshop files I created a second layer, used the multiply blend mode and adjusted opacity to increase contrast slightly, and increased color saturation on the brass.

These are simple examples, but show the different looks you can achieve by using more than one application (or one application rather than another). It comes down to the final look you’re trying to achieve.

Classes that are coming up in the next couple months:

Photo I
This 8-hour class (meets for 2 hours over 4 weeks)lays the foundation from which to build a successful hobby or career in photography. Covered are the fundamentals of light and camera operation from the light meter to the histogram, how all these components work together to create the photographic image, and how you are in control of the results. Weekly assignments and reviews help you to practice the principles and techniques learned. Held in Caldwell, Idaho, Nampa, Idaho, or other location. When weather permits, we will shoot outside during the class. $195
1/4 - 1/25
1/14 - 2/4
2/1 - 2/22
2/4 - 2/25
Go here to register

Before You Buy
This 2-hour seminar is for people thinking about purchasing their first digital camera. We will cover the pros and cons of digital photography, explore the models and brands available, their features, costs, accessories, and try to fit a selection of camera recommendations to your personal shooting style and expectations. There are no sales pitches during this class. I do not sell photo equipment, so you will not be pressured to buy anything. You will, however, be better prepared when you are shopping at the store or online, knowing what you want, what’s available, and less likely to get talked into spending more than you intend or to buy something you don’t want or need.

If you would like to schedule a different date please select “open date” to register and I will contact you after registration to arrange a date and time.
1/7
2/3
3/10
Go here to register

HDR Photography
HDR photography is one of the most popular tools in digital photography to increase the dynamic range in your photographs (the ability of your image to represent detail in the darkest shadows and the brightest highlights). In this 7-hour workshop you will learn what conditions and subjects are best for HDR photography, how to bracket exposures for HDR, using Photoshop and Photomatix Pro to create HDR images (realistic and illustrative looks), create pseudo HDR images from a single RAW file, and more. We’ll spend part of the day in class covering the background and application details, go out for some photographing, then return to the classroom for hands-on processing. You will need a camera that allows you to manually change the esposure, a laptop computer with at least 1 GB of RAM, a means to download your files from your camera/memory card to the computer, a tripod, Photoshop, and Photomatix Pro (free trials are available for both applications).

If you would like to schedule a different workshop date for a group, please contact me to arrange a date and time.
1/23
3/13
Go here to register

Creating Art: Why you do it and what’s holding you back?
This 12-hour workshop (over 6 weeks) will help you discover your reasons and background for creating art, inspire you to explore and experiment, explore the barriers preventing you from creating your art, find the solutions to breaking those barriers, and assist you in getting your art out into the world for people to see and appreciate. Based on the books Art & Fear by David Bayles & Ted Orland, and The View From The Studio Door, by Ted Orland, we will work through exercises and discussions to get you on the right track of creating satisfying and successful art. Both books (signed by the authors) and a workbook are included in the workshop fee.

If you would like to schedule this workshop for your group, please contact me to arrange a date and time.

2/2 - 3/9
Go here to register

Critical Feedback for Photographers
Many photographers and other artists dread both receiving and giving criticism, believing (wrongly) that crtique is a negative process, only pointing out failures. While criticism can be judgmental, the purpose of giving and receiving feedback is positive and, if in the spirit of helpfulness, is one of the most useful tools available to you for improving your work. Criticism can be defined as “informed discourse about art to increase understanding and appreciation of art”. During this 4-hour class I will describe the three main processes of critique (Description, Interpretation, and Evaluation) and work through these steps using our own work and examples from other sources. This is an interactive class and at the conclusion you should be more comfortable with receiving feedback, know how to use the feedback you receive, be able to provide useful feedback to others when requested, and be able to apply this process to the evaluation of art forms other than photography.

This is a good class for camera clubs and other art groups. Contact me for group rates. If you’d like to schedule a workshop on a different date than is listed, please select “Open Date” in the drop down list and I will contact you after registration to arrange a date and time.
1/16
3/20
Go here to register