Photomanipulation and other digital arts thread

[qedprigmosyno]

Just wondering can we start one up for those who are interested in photography and like to mess around with their photos?

 

[Andre]

Okay why not.

Until today I did not do any photo manipulation. Just used the tools in the standard programs, like Canons DPP and Picasa and such.

But I felt the need for using HDR techniques, so I started contemplating to buy a software package for that. However google is your friend and I downloaded a public domain program, gimp following a step by step instruction that I found in Dutch, which included the manual installation of a plug in. If anybody is interested I can translate that and assist.

Next you need three pix, from the scenery, identical albeit one over exposed and one underexposed. Many cameras have programs for that (AEB), including the canons.

So I put the camera on the tripod, took a corner in the living, including the window which gave way too much contrast and the AEB took three piX:

first the normal exposed pic. The problem should be clear, the window is strongly over exposed while the shadows lost most details.

The next shot is under exposed by two stops, resulting in only a correct exposure for the window

and the final one is over exposed two stops, resulting in correctly exposed shadows only

We load the three pix in the program, sprinkle some stardust and wave the magic wand, voila; the three pictures merged with all parts exposed correctly:

 

[GeorginaS]

Okay, that's an amazing tool, Andre.

 

[Andre]

Thanks, Georgina, I'll play with it some more later.

 

[Andre]

Tried it today on a bit more interesting scenery

Again, the normal exposed pic:

after merging with an under and over exposed frame (not shown) we get this:

 

[drizzle]

Interesting Andre!

 

[Andre]

Another trick I stumbled upon is depth of field enhancing. Especially when shooting macro the very shallow depth of field can be embarrashing like this:

Body crisp, wings blurry.

The Depth of Field enhancing works with multiple pictures too, focussed in different planes also merged together. Obviously taking multiple pix requires an absolute static situation, so you'd have to work with static objects too e.g. dead insects. Not my style.

Anyway I found some info and programs for that, maybe I give it a try:

http://www.microscopy-analysis.com/files/jwiley_microscopy/2008_May_Piper.pdf
http://www.janrik.net/ptools/ExtendedFocusPano12/index.html
http://www.saphicon.com/extended-depth-field.htm
http://hadleyweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/CZM/News.htm

 

[aprillove20]

Those are stunning photos, pictures merged with all parts exposed correctly. Good stuff!