Amplify | Amplifying Photography

HDR portraits by Gavin Seim

I started on my quest for HDR portraits in 2007 and keep refining my process. I do them using the 3 image auto bracket method and usually render with Photomatix, then Photoshop for final tweaks and to add a few of my effects.For more in depth, see my HDR tips on Pro Photo Show. I also have an HDR workshop in WA coming fall 2009.

Basics for non HDR buffs. A regular camera captures a far smaller range of light than our eyes. That amazing sunset, with a green tree in the foreground, may look great to your eye, but in the photo. that foreground might be nothing but a black hole.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) is a method of taking multiple images of the same scene at various exposure levels and combining them, bringing out the light and dark details from each and working them for the right look. For more HDR See my Nature Gallery.

My Other Websites…

Read more at seimphotography.com

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Tags: hdr, photography, portrait

Posted by Cliff Plumlee 4 months ago

Introduction To High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography

Cliff Plumlee says:

Lots of good information on HDR photography. At the site you can also hover over the images to see the before shots.

Amplify’d from www.diyphotography.net

High Dynamic Range Photography (HDR) is a creative technique in which you combine 3, 5 or 7 images shot at different exposures, which are then merged into a single image.

Taking an HDR image

You need at least 3-shots to create an HDR image. With three shots you would have 1 shot regularly exposed, 1-shot 2-stops overexposed and 1- shot 2 stops underexposed.

Bracketing

With bracketing, you can set-up sets of shots to be taken at different exposure levels automatically

JPG or RAW?

It’s preferable to shoot RAW

Merging your images with Photomatix

Photomatix Work flow

General Slider Settings

Problem Areas-Halos

Photographing people with HDR

Avoiding over saturation or surreal HDR

There is a place for going in a different direction creatively with certain images. But you do not want all your images processed this way.

Finishing Touches in Photoshop

Creative Freedom

Gavin Phillips is a professional photographer who specializes in ‘High Dynamic Range Imaging’, which is often referred to as HDR.
Read more at www.diyphotography.net

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Tags: hdr, photography

Posted by Cliff Plumlee 4 months ago

A World in HDR by Trey Ratcliff

One of my favorite photographers covered by one of my favorite sites for artistic inspiration. What’s not to like? I didn’t clip them all, and there are even more at Trey’s site, so be sure to check them out.

Amplify’d from abduzeedo.com

Owner of the number #1 Travel Photography Blog on the internet, Trey Ratcliff also know as Stuck in Customs travels the world taking the most stunning hdr photos one has ever seen, and also shares all his photo travel experiences on his personal blog.

His work has been featured on national television a couple times and it has been nominated for numerous awards. Represented by Getty, Trey lives the life a lot of photographers dreamed about. With a non-stoppable traveling schedule his collection of hdr photos is an enormous font of inspiration.

The post-processing work used to transform his photos into hdr is what make his work very unique and famous. Here you can see a great collection of over 30 photos of The World in HDR.

For more visit StuckinCustoms.com

Also check out the HDR Tutorial Created by Trey that has helped thousands of people to learn how to use this effect like him.

The Book

A World in HDR by Trey Ratcliff

Pre-Order Available

See more at abduzeedo.com

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Tags: abduzeedo, art, hdr, photography, trey ratcliff

Posted by Cliff Plumlee 4 months ago

Stuck In Customs by Trey Ratcliff: Newsletter

Cliff Plumlee says:

Sign up for his newsletter and get goodies like these in your e-mail. Check out his website too. Trey is a great photographer and does wonders with HDR.

Amplify’d from www.stuckincustoms.com

A Collection of Shots from the Recent Past

As always, if you want to know more about the descriptions, circumstances, and little stories, feel free to jump over to the main blog at StuckInCustoms.com and read your heart out!

My Youngest Daughter, Scarlett

A view with my coffee (another shot using the new textures)

The Milky White Geothermal Occurrence

Hanging Out of the Chopper

Connecting in Hong Kong

The Old Wild Stampede

The Glassy Lake Near Antarctica

Umbrellas at the Shoppes at the Palazzo

Circumnavigating the Lake

The Pillars of God

The Skeletons at Sunrise

The hallway to the bar after a bad night in Vegas

A Sunset on a Texas Farm

Welcome! We hope the third newsletter brings great things to your life! As always, we welcome your feedback at the Newsletter page! Did you miss the first or the second newsletter? Just follow those links and you’ll be in good shape.

Signup to the Newsletter for free!Read more at www.stuckincustoms.com

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Tags: art, hdr, newsletter, photography, trey ratcliff

Posted by Cliff Plumlee 5 months ago

20 Amazing Examples of HDR Portraits

Cliff Plumlee says:

Be sure to check out the rest of the article for tips and tricks on how to make better HDR images.

Amplify’d from www.webdesignerdepot.com

High Dynamic Range (HDR) images can really take your photography to the next level.

But creating compelling HDR images, whether through fake HDR techniques in Photoshop or multiple exposures and tone-mapping, can be tricky.

Creating portraits can be even trickier, because human subjects are often less forgiving in HDR photos.

But you can do a few different things to get better results with your HDR portraits every time.

Below are 20 examples of excellent portraits representing a variety of HDR techniques.

See more at www.webdesignerdepot.com

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Tags: hdr, photography, portraits

Posted by Cliff Plumlee 7 months ago

Trey Ratcliff’s Wonderful HDR Images #2

Cliff Plumlee says:

Trey Ratcliff on Abduzeedo, can’t ask for more than that.

Amplify’d from abduzeedo.com

A while ago we featured a post about Trey Ratcliff’s Wonderful HDR Images. Since our readers really liked the first post and Trey has a lot of incredible new photos at his website, Stuck in Customs, I decided to make a “sequence” of it. I have to say that his work continuous to amaze me… so here is a new selection of Trey Ratcliff’s work that I’m pretty sure you will like!!

I liked so much this whole HDR universe that I even tried Trey’s HDR tutorial, but as for the result I got, I really need a lot of reading and practicing around the subject to try it again. Another great thing that I just read on Trey’s blog is that he announced a book,A World in HDR, which has pieces of his work with extended descriptions, more information about the photos and also some tutorials to help you with your HDR creations.

Thanks again for Trey and all his kindness!! So now, go ahead and enjoy the images!

See more at abduzeedo.com

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Tags: abduzeedo, art, hdr, photography, trey ratcliff

Posted by Cliff Plumlee 7 months ago

10 Easy Steps To Advanced Photography Skills

Cliff Plumlee says:

Trey is a great photographer and does HDR like no one else. He is also full of good advice and shares it in an entertaining way. This article is well worth the read.

Amplify’d from www.smashingmagazine.com

A camera does not work like an eye; film does not work like memory.

1. Think About The Brain

2. Engage In The New Global Salon

In the 1860s, all art roads led to the Salon in Paris

Today the same thing is happening, although perhaps not everyone really realizes it in a grand historical sense. It’s called Flickr.

3. Get Rid Of Your Toy Camera

Oh, look at that camera you have! It’s so tiny and slim and techno-looking.

It’s a toy: give it to your kids or the nearest gradeschooler (for whom it was designed) and get serious.

Get yourself a DSLR

4. Carry A Tripod For Those Beautiful Sunsets And Sunrises

Do you think pros carry around tripods because they like the extra weight?

Unless you have the steady hand of a T-1000

then you are going to need a tripod

5. Admire Impressionism

6. Practice With HDR

7. Take Your Camera Everywhere

8. Understand The Fantasy/Reality Membrane

9. Learn To Draw

10. Make Mistakes

Make a lot of mistakes. Throw yourself and your art out there and see what works and what doesn’t.Read more at www.smashingmagazine.com

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Tags: hdr, photography, tips, trey ratcliff

Posted by Cliff Plumlee 7 months ago

Amazing HDR Photos of New York City

Cliff Plumlee says:

I only clipped a few, be sure to check out the rest.

Amplify’d from abduzeedo.com

Following our series of HDR images of famous city we have an incredible set of photos from New York City, the city that never sleeps. The photos are from sites like Flickr and DeviantArt and we hope you enjoy it. You can check out the other posts of: Berlin, Rome, and Paris. Also let us know if you have nice HDR photos from your town.

See more at abduzeedo.com

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Tags: abduzeedo, art, hdr, photography

Posted by Cliff Plumlee 9 months ago

Incredible HDR Photos of Rome

Cliff Plumlee says:

Another great one from abduzeedo.com. As always, I didn’t clip them all so go check out the rest.

Amplify’d from abduzeedo.com

Rome is one of most beautiful cities in the world, it is full of great monuments, ruins from them the Roman Empire, plazas with amazing fountains and of course churches and cathedral. Because of this huge variety of photo spots and sort of mystery, Rome is perfect for HDR photos and in this post we will list some simply awesome ones. Enjoy!