Eastern Oregon-by Chip Phillips

by Chip Phillips
May 21st, 2013

Buckhorn Lookout

 

 

Imnaha Canyon Light

 

We took a trip to Eastern Oregon, specifically the Zumwalt Prairie and Imnaha/Hells Canyon.  I have always wanted to visit this area by haven’t gotten around to it until now.  We spent two nights out at the Buckhorn Lookout overlooking the Imnaha Canyon.  The new Fj Cruiser did a fine job of towing our little travel trailer down about 45 miles of dirt road.  While out there, we explored many of the 4 wheel drive roads in the area, and did some off trail hiking as well.  There is much to explore.  We hiked out on a nearby bench and enjoyed the above view around sunset one evening in between breaks in the rain.

 

Little Barn, Zumwalt Prairie

 

After a couple of days out in the woods, we drove out to the town of Joseph, stopping in for some chocolate and espresso at Arrowhead Chocolates (highly recommended). I made a few trips out to the Zumwalt Prairie and enjoyed some dramatic light.

 

Zumwalt Prairie Wildflowers

 

 

With the Zumwalt Prairie, Imnaha and Hells Canyons, Wallowa Lake, and the Eagle Cap Wilderness, this area has so much to offer.  I could spend a few weeks here and never run out of amazing things to see.  For now it’s down to the Palouse for me where I will be teaching many workshops during the rest of spring and early summer.

Techniques used on these images are demonstrated in my set of videos: Image Editing Volume 1

More of my work can be seen on my website: chipphillipsphotography

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Photography and our Environment

by Adrian Klein
May 13th, 2013

By Adrian Klein

Each day I think about my impact on this earth. It’s not always a pretty one I must admit. I’d like to say that by adventuring out and capturing pretty pictures I help show why we should conserve this or protect that. I think many of us taking nature photos hope for this in one way or another whether it’s a business or a hobby. The reality these days is that we tend to inspire others with a camera to get out and capture their own version of a particular location, whether standing curb side or lost in a dense jungle.  I am in that boat as well, which adds to the traffic on both road and trail. I see locations online, in books or magazines and it inspires me to go there, or go somewhere if not there, which is more about me having a great adventure and bringing home photographic memories. I certainly think about my environmental impact, yet let’s be honest; an urban, bike riding, vegetarian eating, hipster who rarely drives is likely having a more positive impact on the environment than I am.

Sure my family and I do many things at home that help reduce our carbon footprint. We recycle as much as we can, let the lawn go brown in summer, sometimes walk to the store and my travel mug goes everywhere with me. I rarely buy store bought water, layer up before turning on the heat, pick up litter and the list goes on. Yet when I drive thousands of miles each year in my car, usually solo, to numerous locations I know this has an environmental cost. Despite that cost I still go as the need to get out is always burning inside me.

This is not meant to be a doom and gloom or down in the dumps post. I am merely talking about a subject that I hear few talking about even though many of us make big road trips for our photography. I believe we do have a responsibility to try and take extra steps to compensate for all the car and plane travel each of us, as outdoor travelers, do each year. This is not to imply you should make it your life’s mission to save the planet. I am no planet saving saint by any means. I am saying, take a little extra time to make a difference in whatever way works for you. Even if you believe that our current climate change is part of a natural cycle, it’s still in the best interest of everyone to help do our small part for the betterment of our planet.

Population growth is another factor impacting our environment that I am responsible for helping along. This is why I believe in trying to teach my kids about our impact to this planet, recycling, conserving, etc. As a kid I thought my dad was some weirdo because of his fanatic thirst for recycling way more than the average household. Now I am that dad.  My childhood included him leaving me on the side of the road to walk the remaining distance to our destination for throwing a pop can out the car window. Lesson learned… for life.

Beyond what I noted above I also try to participate in various events like picking up litter on the Oregon coast this spring with my daughter, along with speaking out against development that can negatively impact our planet for generations to come from local changes to large scale projects like Keystone XL Pipeline.

There are no easy answers since the traffic to most outdoor destinations continues to grow as our population realizes the need to connect to the natural world, with or without a serious camera in tow.

What are your thoughts on this topic?

Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but foot prints. Image taken on a hiking trail during a previous backpacking trip.

Take nothing but pictures, Leave nothing but foot prints.
Image taken on a hiking trail during a previous backpacking trip.

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Posted in Locations, Philosophy, Photo Travel, Photography Business | 8 Comments »

The View by David Cobb

by photocascadia
May 6th, 2013

The View By David Cobb

There is a place I go to photograph off a non-descript pullout on Highway 14. It’s found along the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, it’s easy to get to, and I keep returning for the view. Mt Hood stands over the town of Hood River, Oregon and windsurfers and kite boarders ride the winds to skip across the summer swells of the Columbia River. Osprey, bald eagles, and vultures fly overhead and an occasional wild turkey gobbles from the nearby woods. It sounds idyllic, but it’s not. Cars speed by to someplace unknown, semi-trucks roar through with a blast of wind at their backs, and litter is scattered about the land. I come here to watch fireworks in July and I arrive for the view, but mostly I keep returning to photograph.

I love the view from here looking west down the Columbia River Gorge. I usually frame my image of the scene with 20% land and 80% sky, capturing the receding buttresses of the Gorge dwarfed by the skies above. In this transition zone from wet to dry, the heavens paint a different canvas each and every day—and so I return. Some days I arrive for sunrise, sometimes sunset, and other times to catch the drama of spring showers and rainbows, but everyday it’s about the view that is forever changing.

Do you have a place you keep returning to? Let me know in your reply.

Spring Showers

Spring Showers

Columbia Gorge Sunrise

Columbia Gorge Sunrise

 

Columbia Gorge Sunset

Columbia Gorge Sunset

Columbia Gorge Showers

Columbia Gorge Showers

Columbia Gorge Morning

Columbia Gorge Morning

Columbia Gorge Barge

Columbia Gorge Barge

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Posted in Locations, Philosophy, Photo Travel | 12 Comments »

Travel Tripod: The Benro A0580F by Sean Bagshaw

by Sean Bagshaw
April 22nd, 2013

When I travel by plane with my camera gear I usually check a larger bag with my mid-size Gitzo Mountaineer carbon fiber tripod packed inside, and then I bring my camera and lenses on the plane with me. This system has worked well for years. The tripod is protected, sandwiched between layers of clothing. As long as my luggage isn’t lost I arrive with a sturdy and somewhat light tripod capable of handling anything.  However, at the eleventh hour while preparing for a light weight trip to Costa Rica, I discovered that my usual strategy wasn’t going to work.

Rich-Coast

For this trip I wasn’t going to need much clothing and would also be moving about frequently through rugged terrain on various modes of transportation with limited space so I decided that I would use a single, carry-on back pack to carry all my possessions. Three days before the trip I decided that I should probably do a test pack to make sure I had everything and that the carry-on backpack system was going to fly (pun intended).

I found that I had plenty of room for all my clothes and could also pack my camera, lens and other photo gear in a small f-Stop padded cell inside the pack. I was somewhat stunned, however, to discover that while my carry-on approved pack was about 23 inches long, my tripod (with ballhead removed) was 26 inches. There was no possible way to fit the tripod inside. I considered strapping it to the outside. I have done this successfully in the past when carrying on smaller camera bags.  Since not all air lines will allow carrying on an attached tripod and since the pack was already pushing the carry-on dimension limit anyway, I decided that I didn’t want to risk it.

La-Fortuna-Falls

Scrambling, I quickly got online and searched B&H and Adorama for small tripods. Most of the tripods I could find that would fit in my pack were of the super cheap aluminum variety. I have tried these before and found that they aren’t sturdy enough to be useful with a heavy SLR, don’t have independent legs and don’t have any way to attach a ballhead with a 3/8 inch thread. Finally I found an aluminum/magnezium tripod that was just under 18 inches long and appeared to be somewhat well built. It was from a company I had not heard of before called Benro. If at around $80 it turned out to be lacking in strength or quality at least I wasn’t breaking the bank. I had it shipped over night.

A0580F

When the Benro A0580F arrived just hours before my departure I’ll admit I wasn’t expecting much. But taking it out of the box I was pleasantly surprised. The build quality, materials and features were quite excellent, especially for the price. The leg angles could be adjusted independently. The quick locks on the leg segments were built well and worked as they should. The ballhead mount was sturdy and secure. It even had several nice features that don’t always come on much more expensive tripods such as a bubble level and compass, interchangeable metal spike and rubber feet, a reversible center column, padded foam grip and padded carrying/storage case. Most importantly, it easily fit inside my carry-on.

tripod_c8tripods-adj-lg-anglstripods-hd-mnt-scrws tripods-wng-nt-lock

During the trip I successfully used it to take long exposure images at twilight, deep in the cloud forest and even at night. Admittedly it isn’t the same as having a full sized tripod.  While it proved sturdy enough to hold my Canon 5D Mark III with a 24-105 mm lens, at full extension (especially with the center column extended) there is some tendency for shake if you aren’t careful. Using a cable release mitigated this issue in all but very windy conditions. Also, the trade off of a tripod that collapses to less than 18 inches is that, when fully extended (without the center column) it only elevates my camera to about chest height. Bending over to look through the view finder wasn’t ideal, but seeing the live view mode on the rear screen was no problem.

The-Fortune

In the end my last minute emergency purchase turned out to be a good one and I’ll be keeping  the Benro in my line up for future use as well. I’m completely happy with the quality and features, and the fact that it can deliver sharp images despite it’s minimal size will prove it’s worth many times in the future. In addition to fitting inside a carry-on pack it only weighs 2.6 pounds, just a little more than half as much as my 4.65 pound Gitzo Mountaineer. This makes it very attractive for lightweight backpacking trips as well. Benro even makes a carbon fiber version that shaves the weight down to 2.1 pounds.

When I returned home I was so happy with my purchase that I decided to see what else Benro had to offer. All of their tripods are small and light. The largest has a collapsed length of just 24 inches (still smaller than my Gitzo) and a weight of about five pounds (for aluminum). Most intriguing is their line of Travel Flat tripods. These lay flat when folded, to even better fit within luggage, and they are just as short and even lighter than their traditional tripod designs. Perhaps on a future trip I’ll have another “emergency” so I can try one of these out.

I’m sure there are other good small and light tripods. If you have a travel tripod that you love please share in the comments below.

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Posted in Gear Review, Locations, Photo Travel | 12 Comments »

The Advantages of Luminosity Masks by Sean Bagshaw

by Sean Bagshaw
April 16th, 2013

I recently produced a series of Photoshop video tutorials called The Complete Guide to Luminosity Masks to help people learn how to use Luminosity Masks in their image developing repertoire. Luminosity Masks are very powerful tools for making refined image adjustments in Photoshop. Their use in landscape and nature photography was originally developed and established by my friend and colleague, Tony Kuyper, with whom I collaborated on the videos. Tony’s Luminosity Masking techniques revolutionized the way photographers like myself, as well as all the members of Photo Cascadia, are able to make adjustments to our images within Photoshop.

If you are familiar with Tony’s work, his written tutorials or his Photoshop actions, then you already have at least basic knowledge of Luminosity Masks. For those just being introduced to Luminosity Masks I thought it would be helpful if I briefly explained what they are and what they can be used for.

Luminosity Masks are actually just one of many ways to create layer masks in Photoshop. Like other types of masks, they can be added to any pixel layer or adjustment layer to control where and to what extent an adjustment or filter will be applied to an image. For example, let’s say I’d like to use a mask to constrain a darkening adjustment only to the sky in this image.

Unadjusted Image

Unadjusted Image

For the purpose of comparison let’s consider a very simple way to generate a mask; painting on a mask with a white or black brush. White areas of a mask will reveal any adjustments made on the layer, black areas will conceal any adjustments made on the layer and shades of gray will partially reveal adjustments depending on how dark the shade of gray is. In the mask below I have painted the landscape black and left the sky white so that the effects of a darkening Levels adjustment will only be revealed in the sky. By using a soft brush I was able to feather the boundaries of the adjustment.

Hand Painted Mask

Hand Painted Mask

Depending on the situation, painting a mask by hand can be challenging and often leaves dark or light halos along edges.

Adjustment Through The Painted Mask

Adjustment Through The Painted Mask

In the next example I created a more precise but non-feathered selection of the sky using the quick selection tool and then created a Levels Adjustment Layer with the selection active. The Levels Adjustment Layer is generated with a mask that automatically reflects my sky selection. This mask constrains the adjustment to the sky like the first mask, but with a very abrupt edge.

Sky Selection Mask

Sky Quick Selection Mask

Depending on how detailed the edges are and how much feathering is needed to make transition zones look natural, this may or may not be the right technique.

Adjustment Through the Quick Selection Mask

Adjustment Through the Quick Selection Mask

There are many instances when a hand painted mask, or simple selection mask, or any number of other types of masks might be the right tool for guiding an adjustment. But as seen in the previous examples they can leave light or dark halos across boundaries or the abruptness of the transition zone does not look natural.

While they aren’t the perfect and single answer to all masking situations, Luminosity Masks can often do a much better job of guiding adjustments in a way that is perfectly feathered into the image and natural in appearance. The example below shows what a Luminosity Mask targeted toward the luminosity values of the sky looks like. Because it is created from the actual luminosity values of each pixel in the image it matches the image pixel for pixel and allows the adjustment to feather itself within the image seamlessly.

Luminosity Mask

Luminosity Mask

Adjustment Through the Luminosity Mask

Adjustment Through the Luminosity Mask

So, where do Luminosity Masks come from? The luminosity values of the color channels in the Channels Panel in Photoshop are used to create luminosity based selections, and these selections can in turn be used to generate Luminosity Masks. In this way Luminosity Masks are just like other methods of creating selections and masks, which means they can be used to guide any type of adjustment or filter, not just Levels or Curves adjustments. Luminosity Masks are simply far more detailed than other masking options. They are also completely self feathering and they allow the user to target different regions of an image based on luminosity or tonal values. Learning to make and use Luminosity Masks takes time and practice. The written tutorials on Tony Kuyper’s website go into great detail on how how to make and use them. Tony has also developed Photoshop actions that streamline the process of mask creation to just a few simple clicks. This video demonstrates how (make sure to view at 720pHD).

Since Tony first published his Luminosity Mask techniques back in 2006 he regularly receives requests for video instruction to support his written tutorials and actions. After he and I discussed the idea for a year or more, we decided to collaborate on a video series, with me writing, recording and producing videos to directly support Tony’s techniques and actions and with Tony consulting and contributing his vast knowledge.

The video segments from The Complete Guide to Luminosity Masks below offer more of an introduction to Luminosity Masks and how I teach them in the video series   Both Tony and I are also happy to answer questions. You can leave me a comment in the comments section below or email me at [email protected]. Tony can be reached through his website, www.Goodlight.us.




 

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Posted in Image Processing, Photography Techniques, Video | 11 Comments »

New Images-Southern Oregon Coast-by Chip Phillips

by Chip Phillips
April 8th, 2013

Pistol River Sunrise

Technical Specs:
Camera: Canon 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon 70-200MM F4 L
Aperture: F13
Focal Length: 70mm
Speed: 112 seconds for the light streaks, and about 3-4 sec. for the sky
ISO: 160
Gitzo tripod, Markins ball head
cable release
B+W circular polarizer

This is an image shot from a high vantage point in Pistol River on the Southern Oregon Coast. I set up well before sunrise because I wanted to capture the light streaks from passing traffic, which takes a very long exposure. With an exposure of a little under 2 minutes, I was able to capture enough lights from passing cars without over exposing the foreground. From there, I exposed a few more images for the dynamic range in the sky. By looking at my highlight clipping warning (shown in the LCD by blinking where the highlights are blown), I am able to quickly expose only the needed exposures until I have captured all of the dynamic range. In post processing, I combined these exposures by hand using my luminosity masking technique for blending exposures.

Southern Oregon Coast Sea Arch

Technical Specs:
Camera: Canon 5D Mark III
Lens: Canon 16-35mm f2.8L II
Aperture: F22
Focal Length: 16mm
Speed: .5 seconds for the foreground water streaks, and 1/8 second for the sky.
ISO: 100
Gitzo tripod
Markins ball head
cable release
B+W circular polarizer

I found this neat little arch on a remote section of the Southern Oregon Coast. The arch was pretty cool on its own, but I wanted to capture it with some leading lines created by the receding sea, some nice clouds, and a sunstar. The trick was to shoot this location when the tide was right for the waves, and the sun was in the right position to shine through the arch. As you would expect, these conditions don’t come together more than just a couple times each year. I shot many exposures for the waves as they came in and out of the arch. I liked the ones where the water was receding the most. They created nice long leading lines that are an important element of the composition. When I was happy with these, I shot a few more exposures for the sky. I used a very small aperture (F22) to maximize the sunstar, and paid close attention to my highlight warning on my LCD. I blended these exposures together by hand in Photoshop using my luminositly masking technique.

Misty Redwoods

Technical Specs:
Camera Canon 5D Mark III
Lens: Canon 24-105mm F4L
Aperture: F11
Focal Length: 35mm
Speed: 1.3 seconds
ISO: 100
Gitzo tripod
Markins ball head
cable release
B+W circular polarizer

The California coastal Redwoods have always been a location that I look forward to photographing. During every visit I seem to get the same mysterious feeling while walking amongst these giant trees. I was happy to have some mist during this afternoon, which I feel helps portray this mysterious feeling. This is a single exposure, with some pretty basic editing. I used a bit of soft focus, selectively, to amplify the feeling I was experiencing while I was there. I also was careful to keep the mist somewhat cool while keeping the foliage that was lit up by the filtered sunlight a warmer cast. These techniques were easy to do with the use of various masks and painting techniques.

Many techniques used on these images are demonstrated in my recently released set of videos: Image Editing Volume 1
Check out my website for more of my images: Chip Phillips Photography

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

Tumalo Mountain – Winter Backpacking Trip

by Adrian Klein
April 1st, 2013

By Adrian Klein

Zack did a post on his successful trip in this same area earlier this winter yet I thought I would share mine since it was a little different experience and imagery. I had been a handful of times over the last half dozen years with little success. The snow never stopped or overcast texture-less skies or little to no fresh snow. They were fun day or overnight trips yet little I was excited about photography wise. Seeing that my fellow Photo Cascadia team members Zack and Sean had success in this region I figured maybe I was due this year too. With a few days open and conditions looking promising a good friend of mine and I headed to Central Oregon.

You certainly can stay in warm cozy lodging in Bend to make a day trip out of it yet can mean a morning earlier than the baker at the local doughnut shop to drive and then snowshoe in for sunrise. We wanted more time up there; we opted for snow camping. Driving up to the bottom of the mountain the weather was storming away with a good dose of blowing snow and temps in the low 20’s without the wind chill (forecast said overnight low -3 for wind-chill). Fortunately for us the wind ceased during the night, more on that later.

We loaded up our packs, bundled up and snowshoed up 1000 ft and about 1.5 miles. It was not very far but always feels farther than it is in bad weather, uphill and full pack. After getting pretty close to the top of Tumalo Mountain we came down a little lower where the snow was not blowing as intensely (I learned that lesson on prior overnight trip in the area). After finding a nice spot to call home for the night we dropped the packs and started digging out a flat spot for our tent.

If you have never done this it’s akin to making mini crop circles with the circle stomping to get the ground as flat as possible. With this much fresh snow, warm sleeping bag and shelter from the wind it’s about as comfy as sleeping on my bed at home. Those that have never snow camped assume you must be cold. I certainly do my best to avoid that. It reminds me of one of my favorite quotes:

“There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”  - Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Our sheltered camping spot for the night.

Our sheltered camping spot for the night.

After we had camp all setup and plenty of daylight to burn we decided to make a jaunt for the top in hopes the weather would break. Before we even got to the top we turned around. The wind was relentless. Mix that with the occasional falling snow and it was damn near whiteout conditions. On the way back to camp I saw the scene below. I was really drawn to it with the open empty minimalist feeling in this white abyss. I gave it a slight blue tint to reflect the ice cold windy conditions.

Into The White - Snow blows past me and quickly fills our tracks as I take a moment to capture this scene.

Snow blows past and quickly fills our tracks as I take a moment to capture this scene.

After arriving back at camp we made dinner our gourmet meal, a la freeze dried food in a bag and called it a night early since we would be rising by 5:00 am as it was. As a side note the late sunrise is one thing I love about winter. If it was summer and a hike to be somewhere for sunrise, sleeping until 5am is something you can only dream. Anyway, in the middle of the night I woke up to the sound of nothing, it was tranquil to say the least. I decided to get out for a peek and of course Mother Nature was calling. The wind had died to a gentle breeze that could hardly be felt, the cloud filled sky now had peep holes to the stars and the almost full moon was making occasional appearances as well. These trees towering over me felt like giant gentle friendly ghosts. It was an amazing feeling and reminder of the payoff being right where I was standing after a large storm was heading for the exit.

We woke up shortly before 5, strapped on our gear and headed for the top of Tumalo Mountain. Still cold as could be yet the wind was close to dead and the skies mostly clear. We could see the first glimpse of daylight as we made our way laying fresh tracks through at times fairly deep snow. Just before sunrise we arrived at the top. I expected the wind to be howling yet much to our delight it was light breezes with periods of calm. Fresh snow, calm winds and a luxury view for sunrise. Does it get much better? I doubt it.

We spent about an hour and a half on the summit capturing the following the scenes.

 

The sunrise alpenglow lights up the top of Mount Bachelor on a cold winter morning.

The sunrise alpenglow lights up the top of Mount Bachelor on a cold winter morning.

The sun making it's presence known to the the summit snow encrusted trees.

The sun making it’s presence known to the the summit snow encrusted trees.

The trees caked thick with snow and ice as the sun rises and beams right through.

The trees caked thick with snow and ice on the summit as the sun rises and beams through the branches for an amazingly surreal scene.

Looking out into Three Sisters Wilderness South Sister and Broken top peaks floating in and out of the clouds never fully appearing until much later in the morning. I chose B&W for this scene because of the drama wit the lights and clouds.

Looking out into Three Sisters Wilderness South Sister and Broken top peaks floating in and out of the clouds never fully appearing until much later in the morning.
I chose B&W for this scene because of the drama with the shadows/highlights, night cloud layers and lack of color in the scene.

If you plan to hike and camp into Tumalo Mountain or other near by wilderness in winter double check the snow removal days before you go. I believe there are one or two nights during the week that you cannot park your car overnight at Dutchman Flats parking lot because they need it open for snow removal. Should this be on your short list of upcoming destinations a quick Google search and you should find many plenty of info how to get to Tumalo Mountain in either winter or summer.

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Posted in Color, Image Processing, Locations, Photo Travel | 1 Comment »

Photographing the Klamath Basin by David Cobb

by photocascadia
March 25th, 2013

Photographing the Klamath Basin

By David Cobb

 

One of the West’s great photographic treats is visiting the Klamath Basin on the Oregon and California border during the fall or spring bird migration. I’m not a birder, but the site of so much wildlife surrounded by a beautiful stark landscape always makes me excited to take photographs.  My recent spring trip with Sean Bagshaw was brief, but the birds were ample, the light fantastic, and we were able to break in his new camper on its maiden voyage.

 

Sean browses information.

Sean Bagshaw at an information booth.

I’ve photographed here during the fall and spring migrations, and I find the success rate as a photographer better in the spring than the fall due to fall hunting. When the hunters are out the birds are more wary and skittish, and who can blame them? I also find the water reflections more abundant and interesting during the spring migration, which helps with landscape photo opportunities. Fall light offers nice rust tones in the trees and fields for colorful background, but I still prefer photographing here during spring.

During my fall visit a few years ago, I paid for a permit to the wildlife refuge which allowed me to reserve time in different photo blinds. There is a raptor blind, a cramped songbird blind, a water fowl blind, and a wading-bird blind. Some are better at sunset or sunrise, and some are better in spring than fall, so choose your blind accordingly. (For example, the wading-bird blind is better in the spring, since the area can dry out by fall and then wading birds are elsewhere.) If you schedule a blind for the morning expect to be there before sunrise to escape the watchful eyes of your subjects. You may also apply for an afternoon session, but there are limits on how long you can stay in any one blind.

Photographed from the raptor bird blind.

Prairie Falcon

For this spring season visit, Sean and I drove the back roads of the refuge looking for flocks. We traded information with other photographers and locals, and then relocated as necessary to find the next flock. Usually a drive along Stateline Road is a good starting strategy. Local etiquette asks that you keep your distance from the birds, so bring a lens with enough power that you’re not chasing the birds away. And remember to be respectful of the other people who are there to observe.

Flock of Snow Geese

Flock of Snow Geese

Snow Geese Reflection

Snow Geese Reflection

During sunset we found some ponds which offered opportunity for reflected light, and for morning we chose to photograph a flooded field with Mount Shasta standing sentinel in the distance. At the southern end of Tule Lake, you’ll find Captain Jack’s Stronghold where the Modocs defended themselves for a year against soldiers and settlers until surrendering in 1873.

Mount Shasta and Klamath Basin

Mount Shasta stands sentinel over the Klamath Basin.

Reflective pond at sunset.

Sunset over the Klamath Basin

I haven’t been here for the winter raptor photo opportunities, but I’ve heard it’s a regular smorgasbord of birds. If you’re interested in photographing raptors feasting on waterfowl, the best time to arrive is February. The “Winter Wings” festival is usually held mid-February, so around this time you’ll be there near peak.

If you’re planning a trip here, there are neighboring camping opportunities and the nearby town of Klamath Falls, Oregon offers ample lodging.  Also note that many of the parking areas require permits, which can be picked up from most of the surrounding markets.

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Posted in Fall Color, Locations, Photo Travel, Uncategorized | 5 Comments »

Previsualization, Possibly the Most Important Thing I do in Photography

by photocascadia
March 15th, 2013

by Zack Schnepf

Previsualization is one of, if not the most important thing I do in photography and in art in general.  It’s also one of the hardest things to teach.  I use previsualization in the field and in post processing to envision what I want the final image to look like.  This is extremely important and something that you learn over time.  Previsualization is an abstract concept, it can be hard to grasp, and takes time to develop.   So what is previsualization and how do you use it to improve your photography?

When I’m in the field looking at the scene, light, atmospheric conditions, and trying to come up with a visually striking composition; I’m previsualizing and building an idea of an image in my head.  This process can be painstaking, or it can be unconscious.  Most of the time it takes a lot of mental energy.  If I’m doing it well, it’s kind of a Zen consciousness, I’m thinking like a painter imagining what I want the final image to look like.  This allows me to adjust my composition and helps me figure out if I need to use multiple exposures or an advanced capture technique to create a certain look.

For example, when I was capturing Second Beach Sunset I was with David Cobb.  Both of us were previsualizing, trying to figure out where the sun would go down and how best to use it with the other compositional elements to compliment the conditions.  We found this pool and I constructed a mental image of what I wanted the final image to look like.  This is an ever evolving process and as the sun was setting I moved a bit to help capture my previsualized mental image.  I also knew it was a very dynamic scene so I adjusted how many individual exposures I would need to get all the raw data I needed in Photoshop.  This is an important part of the process I try to teach students in the field.  When I’m in the field, I’m thinking many steps ahead, I’m already imagining what I will need in Photoshop to create the vision I have in my head.  That can be how many exposures I need, as well as how each exposure should look to make my job easier when I get into Lightroom and Photoshop.  Sometimes it means removing distracting objects in the frame, or increasing my shutter speed for a particular exposure to freeze motion of a foreground element.  All of this is part of the previsualization process for me.

Second Beach Sunset

Second Beach Sunset

I also use previsualization when I’m processing.  When I’m in Lightroom evaluating the raw data I have.  I’m previsualizing what I want the final image to look like.  This gives me a direction to move toward.  From there, I figure out which techniques I’ll use in Lightroom and Photoshop to create my final image.  Previsualization is what drives my creative process.  It holds the entire workflow together for me and provides direction from capture, through processing, to print.

I go into detail on how I use this mental technique in my Tonality Control Video, it’s available here: www.zschnepf.com

To see a list of field workshops I’m offering this year click here: 2013 Workshops

Posted in Image Processing, Philosophy | 3 Comments »

How To Remove Noise In Camera Raw 7.0 by Kevin McNeal

by photocascadia
March 6th, 2013

 

Mount Rundle Sunrise After Noise Removal In Camera Raw 7.0

Mount Rundle Sunrise After Noise Removal In Camera Raw 7.0

 

Recently I revisited some older images from the past few years. I am sure we all have some images in our past that we wish we could have done something different. For me, many of my images were underexposed to get detail in the sky we no regard for the foreground. Things have changed significantly with my post processing and advancements in Photoshop and Camera RAW. So much has happened behind the scenes in terms of the engine and workings in Camera Raw in the last few years. In this article I am going to try to explain how I now go about removing noise from my images.

To begin with I am using Adobe Photoshop CS6 and Camera Raw 7.0. To find out what version of Camera Raw you are using check the top of the Camera Raw box where it tells you as well as the camera model. To apply the best results in the noise removal sliders you must be using the latest version 7.0. As previously mentioned, with every new Camera Raw and Photoshop comes a remarkably improved feature that makes rescuing older images possible. Without a doubt one of those features that has changes my post processing methods is the noise removal within the actual Camera Raw. Let me start off my mentioning the fact that I never throw away my images and keep the original raw images in a separate folder. I name this folder so I never lost the originals. With so much happening in terms of digital processing it is smart to keep the original files to revisit later. We have no idea of the potential of where digital processing might lead to in the future. For the very reason it is critical to me to keep everything I shoot. Many photographers have different methods and will disagree with this but this is what works for me. There are as many right and wrong answers in how to do thing. It has to be very confusing for someone just beginning digital photography. I have always encouraged my students to do what works best for them and to stay consistent with the process.

The biggest improvement in Camera Raw for me is the improved features of Noise Removal. Previous to the latest Camera Raw I used different third party noise removal programs like Noise Ninja, Neat Image, and Topaz just to name a few. They all have done a good job in the past with certain images but others not so much. So with latest Camera Raw I was curious to see the changes in the new and improved Noise Removal. When opening up older files in the new version of Camera Raw, there is a highlighted exclamation point in the bottom right corner.

                             Important click on the image to see the full image

 

The exclamation point is highlighted with a red box

The exclamation point is highlighted with a red box

 

 

If you look to the right at the sliders before updating the image you will see different options. These are the older sliders that did not do such a good job of noise removal as seen in the image. The image is especially evident in the sky.

 

 

Noise In Image Before Updating Image To Camera Raw 7.0

Noise In Image Before Updating Image To Camera Raw 7.0

 

 

This is Camera Raw asking you whether you would like to update the older file with the new advancements. Right away after clicking on this update button you will see a huge improvement. The noise in the sky has almost been all removed by just updating the image.

 

 

Noise After Image Is Updated In Camera Raw 7.0

Noise After Image Is Updated In Camera Raw 7.0

 

 

Without having to do any adjustments you will see an immediate result in tonal contrast, better colors, and most importantly a massive improvement in the noise removal before even having to do any adjustments. I will start with the process of how I implemented these changes into my post processing workflow.

 

The Red Box Is Where The Noise Reduction Sliders Can Be Accessed

The Red Box Is Where The Noise Reduction Sliders Can Be Accessed

 

 

 

A Closer Look At The Red Box To Locate The Noise Reduction Slider

A Closer Look At The Red Box To Locate The Noise Reduction Slider

 

The Details Tab That Includes The New Improvement of Noise Removal and Sharpening

The Details Tab That Includes The New Improvement
of Noise Removal and Sharpening

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see from the Details Tab in the previous example the Noise Reduction works in conjunction with the Sharpening. These two are meant to work together and should be applied by adjusting both to get the best results. I always start with the Noise Reduction Sliders and get a good baseline of minimal noise before adjusting the sharpening sliders. I will talk how I go about sharpening images in a future blog. Each image is different when it comes to noise so there are no default settings that I could tell you to do, as each image would have to be evaluated separately.
Taking a closer look at the noise removal sliders we have two main categories; Luminance Noise and Color Noise. Luminance Noise is the digital equivalent of film grain. In the example below you can see the noise in the sky where the pixels of variation in the sky are evident. The image below that shows an example of color noise where this is most apparent in the most underexposed areas of the image. This is especially evident in the dark trees and water.

 

 

An Example Of Luminance Noise

An Example Of Luminance Noise

 

An Example Of Color Noise

An Example Of Color Noise

 

 

 

Once you can better identify the difference between the two then it becomes easier to use the sliders to your benefit. In most cases you will find both types of noise in the image and must be dealt with according to the appropriate slider. Before I adjust the sliders I always zoom in to 100% magnification or more to really zoom in on the noise. I always look at the shadows within the image and this is where you find most of your noise especially with underexposed images. Never adjust the sliders at less than 100% magnification. Start moving the sliders around until noise is reduced but the quality of the image is not degraded. I have found in most examples it is important to be conservative with adjustments and to leave a slight amount of noise rather then overdoing it and getting soft or blurry results. The reason you want to be careful of using too much noise removal is that image can become texture less and take on painterly characteristics. This gets away from the image looking like a photographic image. The following example shows how the water and trees have taken on a blurry look and almost distorted look. The results don’t look natural.

 

 

 

An Image With Too Much Noise Removed - The Water And Trees Are Blurred

An Image With Too Much Noise Removed – The Water And Trees Are Blurred

 

In the example above restraint has been shown so that a small amount of noise remains but the details in the trees and especially the water have are still intact. Remember that textures are an important aspect of a good photograph and really enhance impact and depth in the image. The noise removal tools in Camera Raw do a great job of removing noise even in higher settings. The important elements of an image such as saturation, sharpness, and hue variety are not harmed.

 

 

 

The image here has detail still in the water and trees

The image here has detail still in the water and trees

 

Once you are happy with the results of the noise removal zoom back out to reevaluate the results. This is an important step in the process. In previous version of Camera Raw with the noise removal sliders there was only the option of a luminance and color slider, which in most cases really flattened the image due to the lost detail in the image.

 

With Adobe Photoshop and more specifically Camera Raw 7.0 the addition of the sliders that reintroduce detail and contrast have been added. Now with the Luminance Detail and Luminance Contrast sliders as well as the Color detail slider we get excellent results.

 

 

 

Luminance Detail And Contrast Sliders

Luminance Detail And Contrast Sliders

 

Color Detail Sliders

Color Detail Sliders

 

 

This is the reason why I now use the noise removal sliders in Camera Raw 7.0 as my main tool for removing noise. I start with the Luminance slider and remove the noise to a satisfactory level then use the Luminance Detail and Luminance Contrast to bring back details into the image. I then deal with the color slider separately and then use the color detail slider to bring back detail in the areas lost to the color slider. As you can see in the example below the before image has the tree outline morphed and blurry almost like a painting. The after image brings back all the details to the edges of the tree while still keeping the noise removed from the sky.

 

 

 

 

Before- Luminance And Color Detail Sliders Were Added

Before- Luminance And Color Detail Sliders Were Added

 

 

After-Luminance And Color Detail Sliders Added

After-Luminance And Color Detail Sliders Added

 

Noise is always most visible in the shadows so make sure to really zoom in to take a closer look at the shadows. Once I am satisfied with the noise removal in the image I will move onto my Sharpening Details to really bring back some of the lost edges due to the removal of noise. I will talk about sharpening in a future article.

The most important aspect of the noise removal in Camera Raw is that it is non destructive versus third party noise removal applications which are destructive.

 

Can the new Camera Raw save every image? The answer to that is no but it does do a great job on most images.
It is still critical to get the exposure right in camera and apply the basic principles of photography exposure. Can you use Camera Raw in combination with third party noise removal programs like Noise Ninja? I find that some images are completely removed of noise in Camera Raw and other images need more help.  The addition of third party applications like Noise Ninja can help an image with certain areas of noise that Camera Raw is unable to. Using both applications would ideally be your best bet in my opinion. Just like anything in photography there are many ways to achieve the same results.

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Posted in Camera Raw, Image Processing, Noise Removal, Photography Techniques, Uncategorized | 9 Comments »

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