Archive for the ‘Adobe Lightroom’ Category

Cabrini-Green Demolition (1/125 at f/14 30mm, ISO 125)

Picking a treatment for an image can sometimes make or break the  image. In the case of my Cabrini-Green shots I had a strong suspicion I would be converting the images to black  and white. There are several reasons why I was leaning toward black and white. First, I the love the timeless factor BW lends to an image. Second, the scene felt cold, gritty,  and sinister in small way.  Lastly, the sky was a brilliant blue and I knew I would be able to convert the sky to pure black with the use of a red filter. I thought the black sky would add to the mood and serve as a nice contrast to the white building and the dust/debris that was being  knocked loose by the wrecking ball.

Once I had the images in Lightroom I did process several of them as straight up color images, and truth be told I just wasn’t feeling it. I had even gone as far as to process a few  HDR images, but once again I just wasn’t feeling it. I know this process can be extremely subjective and at the end of the day some people may have preferred the color images over BW but I just wasn’t feeling color, so I decided to stay true to my original gut instinct and  focus on converting the images as BW.

I didn’t use an on camera filter for this image but rather used a red filter preset that you can find HERE. Once the preset was applied, I decided to work on increasing the contrast through the tone curve. I wanted the white of the dust to really pop against the black sky so I increased the Lights slider a bit (this is located under the tone curve in Lightroom). I darkened the shadows just a hair to help set the mood and I added a little clarity. Now you can go crazy with clarity, and some people avoid it all together and use sharpen brush instead.  I feel when you have an image that has some texture, using the clarity slider can work nicely if you don’t push it too far.

The following images were processed very similar to the above image.

Cabrini-Green (1/250 at f/10, 70mm at ISO 125)

Cabrini-Green (1/200 at f/10, 85mm at ISO 125)

Cabrini-Green (1/125 sec at f/11, 80mm at ISO 125)

If you found this helpful consider subscribing to my blog HERE or checking out one of my workshops HERE.

Original Snowy Pier DNG file

Snowy Pier (1/250th at f/14, 16mm at ISO 200)

If you missed yesterday’s blog I suggest clicking HERE so today’s blog makes a little more sense to ya’.   Yesterday’s blog was focused on selecting of an image and the process I go about to actually take the image.  Today’s blog  is all about what goes into my processing.  As I mentioned yesterday, I took roughly 40 images of the “Snowy Pier.”  Selecting a final image to work with has a lot to do with composition, exposure and feel.  Most importantly I like to select images that will require the least amount of post processing to reach the desired effect.

I shoot all my images in RAW and always covert them to DNG files during the import process.    Once converted to DNG I look over my images using the Library Module in Lightroom.  I typically look through my library once very quickly and reject images that obviously won’t work either due to blur, poor exposure, excessive dust, etc.  In this case most of my images were pretty consistent with the exception of dust/snow on the lens.   Step two- it’s all about the composition, exposure, feel.  I try to look over my images and narrow down which images seem to nail the mood at the time of the capture.  I always assign a star rating of five to my strongest images (in Lightroom all you need to do is hit the number 5 to assign this rating).  It doesn’t matter what tagging scheme you use, but identifying your strongest images will make your life easier when you need to do side by side comparisons.

Here’s an example of the exact same images shot in AEB mode:

+1

BASELINE 0

-1

The next step is all about comparing my five star rated image and trying to select the one image I plan on working on.  In cases such as today’s image where I’ve taken multiple images that appear nearly identical, I focus on clarity.  I’ll increase my magnification to 100%  or greater to weed out any images that have camera shake or other abnormalities.

Side note:  Increasing the magnification and looking over your images can be crucial.  Especially if you ever plan on printing your images to a larger size.  Earlier this year I printed an image at 24X36.  I had previewed the images on my monitor and all looked good but, I had never gone over it with an increased magnification.  I had even gone as far as printing a  13X19 to do a proof of my Epson R2400.  I sent the image of to Mpix to be printed.  Once I received the image back and was getting ready to frame it, I noticed what appeared to be a two inch long shadow in my image.  Now, most people wouldn’t have caught it, but it was starring right at me saying “Yeah, stupid you missed me…. didn’t you.  You should have done a better job with your dust removal.  Hey next time try a 200% magnification before you decide to make a gigantic print…IDIOT!)  So my point is don’t rush this step… take your time…I’ve rushed this step way too many times in the past.

Once I’ve selected the RAW/DNG file I want to use from the five star rated images, I immediately work at establishing the correct exposure (if required) and  removing dust or in this case water spots from the image.  The one thing I do find myself doing quite often is adding black back into my image and then proceeding down to the tone curve for some basic adjustments.  I try to do all my cropping in camera, but this particular crop wasn’t something I could achieve on site, so I cropped the image vertically prior to exporting.

I knew all along I had intentions of opening today’s image in an external editor (EfexPro)  to apply one of my favorite bleach bypass effects.  Efex Pro was the first real plug-in I ever bought—it’s packed with 52 filters and  250 effects, simple to use and just plain fun.   If you’re like me and you want to streamline your workflow, get some cool effects and don’t have time to get a PhD in Photoshop, then I strongly suggest looking into plug-ins.   When it comes to exporting an image out of Lightroom into an external editor (e.g. Photoshop, Efex Pro or Photomatix Pro ) I almost ALWAYS export a COPY with Lightroom  adjustments and stack it with my original.   The reason I do this is to avoid losing the adjustments I’ve made in Lightroom upon exporting the image.

After I’ve worked the exported image in the Efex plug in I  save the image back into Lightroom and focused on the finishing touches.  Keep in mind  90% of my work is usually done in Lightroom, it’s only when the feel an image needs a little extra care that I take it out of Lightroom for further developing.  I really wanted to create a stark feeling with this image, so I it was important to work on creating a stronger contrast. I decided to burn in  the clouds, the left/right corners of the of the water and the black poles in the center of the image.  I did this simply by using the adjustment brush in Lightroom.   Once that was done I decided to brighten the snow using the adjustment brush once and bumping up the brightness/exposure a tad. Most of the time I have the auto mask turned on so that I have a little bit more control over the areas I’m working on.  If I end up going outside of an intended area I simply click the erase adjustment brush and remove the mistake.    Now, since I realize not everyone will know what I’m talking about here, I’ve included a very helpful link that will explain this process further…simply click HERE.

I was feeling pretty good about the way the image was looking so I decided to put it through one of my last steps— the Lights out mode (no I don’t turn the lights out in my room although that can help) but instead I use the the “Lights out” feature in Lightroom (click the letter “L” once to dim, twice to turn the “lights out” third time to get back to the original view).  I find that by  isolating  the image it allows me to sit back and review it one last time.   I ended up tweaking today’s image a bit  more after viewing it in “lights out” mode by playing with the tone curves to darken the image a tad.

After this final  adjustment was made I once again went back to the lights out mode to review the image.   Once I’m totally satisfied with the image I give it the official “GREEN” label (keyboard shortcut is the 8 key).  You can use any color you wish in Lightroom but to me  the green label means, “good to go” so it’s easy for me to remember.   All of my final images have one thing in common, a star rating of five and a green label.

There you have it folks.  Let me know if you have any questions.

If you found this helpful consider subscribing to my blog HERE or checking out one of my workshops HERE.

Bench (1/250 sec at f/6.3 at 16mm, ISO 100)

Today’s blog is going to be quick and dirty since I’ve been running around the last few days in preparation for my trip to Tulum, Mexico.   I want to remind everyone to check out Kajsa’s blog about travel preparation HERE (we’re giving away a few free gifts too).  I’ve chatted a bit on this blog about changing your perspective.   Point of view (P.O.V.) can make or break images.  I think today’s image is case in point.  This type of shot, if taken straight on, just doesn’t work.  I shot this image last week in Chicago after we received six inches of new snow.   Now, everyone shoots park benches, so nothing new here, but I really like the way the trees embraced this particular bench.  I sat there looking at the setting and an image popped into my head.   I immediately realized in order to make this work, or even come close to working, it was going to require me to lay flat on my back to frame it right.  I proceeded to get down in the deep, freshly fallen snow, and laid on my back with my 16-35mm on the camera.  I had the focal length set at 16mm and slowly slid toward the bench stopping every six inches or so to shoot.  The 16mm provided a nice optical effect by slowly bending the trees inward toward the bench. I tried to balance the shot so that the bench was the center point and the frame was as symmetrical as possible. I took some final shots, and later that day worked on the image in Lightroom.  Once in Lightroom I cropped in on the image keeping the bench as the center element; then I added a small vignette to help keep our focus on this lonely bench.  The last thing I did to the image was add a slight selenium tone to add to the feeling of the cold winter morning.  So there you have it.  Now, the next time you shoot an old familiar object consider a new P.O.V…….you might suprise yourself.

Solitude (1//125 sec at f/22, 16mm, ISO 200)

Dear diary, yesterday rocked.  I got my kid off to school, took care of some work and headed out to frolic in the snow with my camera.   Seriously, yesterday was wonderful here in Chicago.  There’s nothing better than shooting fresh fallen snow in Chicago.   I packed my camera and tripod into my beloved Streetwalker backpack, put my headphones on and headed toward the lake.   Solitude!  I passed a few other brave souls on the way to the lake.  A simple exchange of a smile is all that took to bond with my fellow snow loving friends.   I set up and moved, set up and moved, and repeated this cycle several times over the course of two hours.  Loving every minute of it.  I’m recognizing that  I’m becoming dependent upon these moments to ignite my creative passion.   I guess you could call it a much needed creative self-indulgence.  I normally might feel guilty about these moments.  I mean, I could be in meetings, cleaning my office, walking the dogs, the list goes on and on.  It’s at these moments of great mental debate that I remember a lecture I had once received by good ole’ mom.  “John, you’re much too intense.  You need to learn all of this (referring to work) will always be here.  You need to stop and smell the roses on occasion, otherwise you’re going to burn out.”   So, the debate ends in my head and I indulge my creative soul. Thanks mom.

Some of you might be interested in how I took today’s fun self-portrait so here’s my recipe so to speak:

1. I started with a nice snowy afternoon.  I like to think of snow as a white backdrop in my own private outdoor studio.
2. Be mindful of the surroundings.  If you’re trying to create a high key shot then try to avoid filling the frame with dark objects such as trees.
3. Set your camera up on the tripod.  I recommend covering the camera with an oversized Ziploc or something that will keep it dry while you’re setting up.
4. For this shot I set my ISO to 200, speed 1/125 at f/22 (I needed a darker exposure so I didn’t lose all the detail in the fence)
5. I use a MicroSync radio control trigger to fire the camera.  The camera’s self timer would work too.
6. Find your place in the photo and fire away.

Here’s the sequence in which I worked my voodoo:

1. Increased the exposure by +3
2. I removed a ton of water spots using dust spot removal tool in Lightroom
3. Used a bleach bypass preset (Click HERE to download)
4. Used the saturation brush on my jacket
5. Isolated the red using a preset (Click HERE to download)
6. Removed all distracting objects using dust spot removal tool
7. Did some minor straightening and called it good.

So there you have it…. presto. A fun shot, but the real reward, as always.. was in the journey.

My Yucatan Friend- Iguana (1/160 at f 9.0 280mm at ISO 200)

Free Stuff:
It’s no secret that Adobe’s Lightroom and CS4 are my first choices when it comes to image editing software. However, with that said, I realize not everyone wants/nor can afford to shell out $300.00 plus for imaging software. For those of you who are just dabbling in photography or don’t need the robust features of CS4 or Lightroom, then you should check out GIMP. GIMP is a free distribution image manipulation software that has a very Photoshop feel to it. I wouldn’t say GIMP is an Adobe Photoshop killer by a long shot, but it’s definitely an alternative for those looking to do more than just crop their images. Not to mention you can’t beat the price – FREE. GIMP will install on Mac OS X , Linux, Windows XP, Vista and I installed it on Windows 7. It supports TIFF, JPEG, GIF, PNG and PSD files. Plus, you can download several plug-ins that work with GIMP. GIMP isn’t for everyone but it’s a nice alternative to other free programs such as Picasa. If you’re interested in learning more about GIMP then click HERE. To read a CNET review click HERE.

More Free Stuff:
Stay tuned for this weekend’s blog because we’re going to be giving away a few free goodies, so mark your calendar!

Travel Fronts:
I’ll be traveling to Tulum, Mexico in the coming weeks with hopes of getting some good shots of the Mayan ruins. I’m currently building a shot list so if anyone has any suggested locations near Tulum please drop me a line.

Canon updates:
Canon has released its new 70-200mm lens. I have the previous model in my arsenal and I must say it’s an all time favorite and probably one of Canon’s most popular lenses. Click HERE to read a solid review on the lens.
Canon begins shipping its new EOS-1D Mark IV body this January. This camera is just sick (that means good ) but $5,000 just isn’t in the budget right now.  You can read more about it HERE and read a comparison to Nikon’s D3S HERE.

Ok, that’s it folks. It’s cold as heck here in Chicago but I promise to send some warm images from Mexico in coming weeks..;)

Matt's Sin City -Light Red Preset

Wow Green only preset via OnOneSoftware.com

Lightroom Black and White high contrast, vignette (John's preset)

I spent some time yesterday exchanging quick chats with fellow photographers on Twitter regarding Lightroom Beta 3.  By all accounts, the beta version of Lightroom 3 appears to be stable and very close to being complete.  However, with that said, I still don’t recommend using it as your primarily library application until it’s released in its final form.   One of the things I love about Lightroom  is the really cool developing presets.  It took me three clicks to change today’s photos.  Three different presets…three clicks…three different looks.  Bing, bang, boom. Oh, it’s addictive.   For those of you that don’t know what a preset is, please click HERE and HERE for an explanation.  Presets can make your life easier and are a serious addition (and addiction) to any photographer’s work flow.  Not to mention they can be straight up fun. So I thought I would share the name of a few sites I visit to download the latest presets.   Ononesoftware, the creator of some great plug-ins,  provides several presets free of charge for download – just click HERE and scroll down to free downloads.  If you use Lightroom and you’re not following Matt Kloskowski’s blog, well, shame on you.  This guy kicks out presets faster than I can get them downloaded and installed.  Check out Matt’s archive of presets by clicking HERE.  Adobe Exchange is another wonderful location to check out the latest presets. Keep in mind that not all Adobe Exchange presets are free, but not all good things in life are free (accept my blog of course..;) Click HERE to check out Adobe’s Exchange.  Lastly, if you dare, you can make your own presets and to learn more about how to do that just click HERE.  Now, for me, I use presets as a starting point in some cases.  I’ll apply an effect and simply tweak the images from there.  It feels like cheating, I know, but it’s very useful in speeding up your work flow and  providing creative alternatives along the way.   Don’t take my word for it.  Download a few presets and tell me what you think.

p.s. If you know of some sites with great presets then comment on my blog so others can check them out.

November 2009 Desktop Calendar

I’m back in the Windy City and slowly getting caught up.  I decided I would get a jump on things and get November’s desktop calendar to you a little early.  If you need the  1600X1200 click HERE; 1200X800 click HERE; 1920X1200 HERE and for you iPhone users that just want a cool wallpaper click HERE.   Feedback is always welcomed on ways I can improve the desktop calendar for you, so just let me know.

For those of you that might have missed  Adobe’s  announcement of its  “beta” version of Lightroom 3.  It’s available for download by anyone, regardless if you’ve owned it previously or not.  The “beta” version will expire on April  30^th 2010.  Keep in mind this is a beta product and it might have some bugs or enhancements to be worked on.  The new version sports better sharpening, a watermark tool (finally) and easier importing and exporting features.  If you’re on the adventuresome side, I recommend checking it out HERE.

Speaking of upgrades, I tackled the Windows 7 upgrade this weekend and it went flawlessly.  I’m happy to report that it seems to play well with Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop and all my plug-ins.  It’s pretty slick and does seem to be snappier than Vista.  Vista was a disaster but  Window 7 seems to be off to a good start.

It’s been a couple of months since we’ve had a contest, so I thought we would kick November off with a fun one – so stay tuned and I’ll have the details to you on Friday.   Have a great Monday…John

Idaho Wheat

Yesterday’s post created quite a  stir on my Facebook page.  It’s obvious that people have very strong feelings regarding the use of Photoshop in today’s digital age.  I tend to be of the mindset that Photoshop is nothing more than a darkroom for the digital photographer. It allows us to process our digital files much like a film photographer would develop his film in the darkroom.  As I admitted in yesterday’s post,  I took a few liberties with my photo of  the Tetons simply because it was fun to experiment a bit, and I may have over processed according to some.  I think many photographers that are new to the digital world are somewhat confused about what is 100% pure and what is processed.   In today’s world, if you’re using a digital camera, then simply put… everything is processed.  Especially if you’re shooting in JPEG mode.   Today’s digital cameras are much like computers.  They are all equipped with processors and a memory.  If you shoot in jpeg file format, then you’re allowing your camera to process the image for you using it’s automatic settings.  However, if you shoot in Raw file format, you’re getting as close to a negative as you possibly can with a digital image.  The camera does not fully process this image for you.  If you decide to shoot in Raw, as most professional photographers do,  then you are left having to process the image  using some sort of software such as Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Apple’s Aperture…etc.  Many professional photographers have opted to use Raw images simply because it allows them greater control over their processing.  One of the largest advantages to using Raw files coupled with non-destructive software, such as  Adobe Lightroom, is that the file is never altered, much like a film negative is never altered when printing an image in the darkroom.   This non-destructive processing allows us to work with the same image over and over again without losing any data or physically alternating the image.   So, all said, Photoshop is a key tool allowing digital photographers to work with their images (dodging, burning, cropping..etc.)   Sure, it’s possible to push the limits… but film photographers have been doing the same throughout the years using filters, cross processing, infrared…you name it.  Chances are, if you didn’t like the processes used in film, then you’re not going to like the same effects used in Photoshop.   However, keep in mind,  the digital image  process in principal  is very similar to the “old school” film process minus the safety lamps and chemicals.  If Ansel Adams hadn’t been a  brilliant photographer and a master technician in the darkroom, then he would never had reached his level of success.  So, before we judge another practitioner’s process, consider stepping out of the darkroom, turning on the lights, and giving the digital age a try.  I know I’ve done both, and can see pro/cons to each.

Self portrait by Michele Thomas

Portrait by Michelle Thomas

Baby portrait by Michele Thomas

What a crazy weekend.  I shot nearly 1500 photos this weekend between two portraits and one family wedding.   I had a blast and was able to experiment a bit at the wedding with my flash. I’m not a wedding photographer by any stretch of the imagination, and I must admit I admire anyone that can do that job weekend after weekend.  My hired task this weekend was trying to wrestle four kids into one frame.  I think this one task probably accounts for nearly 3/4 of all my weekend shooting, but at the end of the day I think we got it.  Now the real work is at hand as I dig through my Lightroom library to  separate the winners from the losers.   Here are a few suggestions of the prep work you might want to do before taking any portraits outside.  1. I scout an area where the light will be good at the time of the shoot  2.  Have a back up location just in case location one doesn’t work (for whatever reason) 3.  Have a dry location for the shoot in case the weather turns nasty  4.  Try to have everyone on site 30 minutes prior to the  shoot  so that they have time to get adjusted to the area.  5.  Run some test shots to check exposure, ect.     6.  If you’re shooting children, have food and water available (let’s keep the blood sugar up)    7.  Try to be engaging and explain the process to avoid mass confusion  8. Be in control (you’re the professional)  9. Be willing to have things slightly out of control (you’re the flexible professional..;)  10.  Have fun and make it fun.

Today’s photos are from Michele Thomas.  Michele is the last student from my June class to be featured this month on the blog. She did a wonderful job capturing some very nice portraits, including an optional  self-portrait that was assigned to the class.  You can check out more of Michele’s work by clicking HERE.  Next month I’ll will be highlighting photos from the July class.   If you’re interested in my online classes feel free to check them out HERE.  My next class will be this September, and class enrollment is limited so if you’re interested drop me a line at john@batdorffphotography.com

p.s. I’m heading to a  Lightroom 2 seminar today and plan on reporting some cool stuff tomorrow….till then.

I’m heading out this morning to New Orleans, but I wanted to make sure everyone received July’s desktop calendar. July’s calendar is a picture of the Oregon coast I took a few years back after my father and I finished a great  fishing trip on  the Deschutes River.  Click HERE to get  the new desktop calendar.  Remember, to save it to your desktop once the page opens.   The other day I had a nice email from a fellow blogger named Tammie Dooley.  We had a nice exchange about our sites and our work, but she never once told me she was one of the top ten finalist  in USA Today’s  “Capture America Beautiful” …that goes to character.  Everyone should check out her site and her award winning photo by clicking HERE.  Congrats Tammie for taking a killer shot!

Lightroom users remember Matt Kloskowski is coming to Chicago for his Lightrooom 2 Live tour.   This is a great opportunity to brush up on your Lightroom skills!  I’ll be there, so drop me a note if you’re going, and maybe we can hook up for coffee.