Playing with PTGui (Lake Panorama)

On Jan 24, 9:47 pm, Father McKenzie <father_mcken... DeleteThis @yahoo.com.au>
wrote:
> As you all know I have enjoyed playing with HDR but I love pano's.
> Tonight I was grabbing some shots for HDR and decided to get a pano.
>
> I took 4 shots and stitched them with PTGui.
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216562812&size=l
>
> I also got this HDR from the same location
>
> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216538672&context=photostrea...
>
> Thank you all for your comments on my posts over the last few weeks.
>
> Only new (just on a year) to photography and loving the learning of it all.

Great images! You ability to use HDR to get excellently exposed
sunsets is a lesson to us all - maybe a few more details of your
methodology (esp. how many shots, how you decide on your exposure
choices) might be in order..? (O;

Two tiny nitpicks - I think a bit of straightening of the boat masts
would help (PTGUI should be able to help do this, or alternatively
make sure you shoot with camera level, not pointing up*.. -maybe use a
wider angle if you need lots of sky), and in the second one I'm just
not quite sure about your decision to put that guy smack bang in the
highlight - he just looks a little odd... (O;


* I suspect you know this, but someone reading this might not... So
apologies if it sounds like I'm lecturing! (O;
 >> Stay informed about: Playing with PTGui (Lake Panorama) 

On Jan 25, 9:45 am, That Rich <that_r....RemoveThis@wrongaddress.net> wrote:
> >>> I took 4 shots and stitched them with PTGui.
>
> >>>http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216562812&size=l
>
> Perhaps I'm wrong but it seems one could get essentially the same
> image using a 20mm lens.

Well perhaps he doesn't *have* a 20mm lens... At some point, every
photographer is gunna run out of lens width, and then what technique
should they use...?

(And stitching is often done simply to increase pixel count, and
therefore enlargability.)

> >>> I also got this HDR from the same location
>
> >>>http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216538672&context=photostrea...
>
> Again, seems the same can be accomplished either with patience or a
> grad ND.

Patience? How does that get the same effect? (O;

Does a typical gND give you a six stop range? That's what Fr M was
using. HDR has:
- essentially no limit to the dynamic range (other than that of the
camera, your patience and how fast the scene may change..)
- no limitation on where/how the effect is applied

With gNDs you are stuck with whatever f-stop range the gND(s) have.
With gND's you cannot selectively apply the effect to individual areas
With gND's you are (pretty much) stuck with the available gradient
width and position

I've seen some awful gND shots, where the gradient was so obvious it
hurt. I concede there are far more bad examples of HDR around (even
done some myself, but I don't display them!), but that comes with any
new technology. There are now far more bad pictures around, too,
because they are so easy to take and display. But that doesn't mean
that new techniques are not valuable.


> Digital has made a lot of *photographers* computer *experts*.
The glass is half empty?

(O:
 >> Stay informed about: Playing with PTGui (Lake Panorama) 

mark.thomas.7 DeleteThis @gmail.com wrote:
> On Jan 24, 9:47 pm, Father McKenzie <father_mcken... DeleteThis @yahoo.com.au>
> wrote:
>> As you all know I have enjoyed playing with HDR but I love pano's.
>> Tonight I was grabbing some shots for HDR and decided to get a pano.
>>
>> I took 4 shots and stitched them with PTGui.
>>
>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216562812&size=l
>>
>> I also got this HDR from the same location
>>
>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216538672&context=photostrea...
>>
>> Thank you all for your comments on my posts over the last few weeks.
>>
>> Only new (just on a year) to photography and loving the learning of it all.
>
> Great images! You ability to use HDR to get excellently exposed
> sunsets is a lesson to us all - maybe a few more details of your
> methodology (esp. how many shots, how you decide on your exposure
> choices) might be in order..? (O;

Thanks Mark, A lot of people don't like HDR but I am really enjoying it.
At first I was like everyone else and made spooky looking HDR but
recently I have been playing around to make it look 'natural' or as
natural as can be.

All my HDR are 3 shots using the 400d bracketing tool and I naromally go
3 stops up and down. I then play around in photomatrix, i look at it's
auto setting then move the slide to the far end then back till it is how
i like it. I do this on each setting then send it through to photoshop
to straighten or trim.

>
> Two tiny nitpicks - I think a bit of straightening of the boat masts
> would help (PTGUI should be able to help do this, or alternatively
> make sure you shoot with camera level, not pointing up*..

This one was 3 shots down and 3 shots up. To be honest by the time did
this it was about bed time so it was a bit of a rush job. As I stated
a while back I am new to PTG so I will try out the additional settings
on this one tonight to try and straighten the masts.


-maybe use a
> wider angle if you need lots of sky), and in the second one I'm just
> not quite sure about your decision to put that guy smack bang in the
> highlight - he just looks a little odd... (O;
>

I took a few shots along the foreshore and I actually liked the
silhouette. I will post one from a bit further down.

>
> * I suspect you know this, but someone reading this might not... So
> apologies if it sounds like I'm lecturing! (O;

No not at all, I will take any help on board.
 >> Stay informed about: Playing with PTGui (Lake Panorama) 

* Father McKenzie is quoted & my replies are inline below :
> mark.thomas.7.RemoveThis@gmail.com wrote:
>> On Jan 24, 9:47 pm, Father McKenzie <father_mcken....RemoveThis@yahoo.com.au>
>> wrote:
>>> As you all know I have enjoyed playing with HDR but I love pano's.
>>> Tonight I was grabbing some shots for HDR and decided to get a pano.
>>>
>>> I took 4 shots and stitched them with PTGui.
>>>
>>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216562812&size=l
>>>
>>> I also got this HDR from the same location
>>>
>>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216538672&context=photostrea...
>>>
>>> Thank you all for your comments on my posts over the last few weeks.
>>>
>>> Only new (just on a year) to photography and loving the learning of it all.
>>
>> Great images! You ability to use HDR to get excellently exposed
>> sunsets is a lesson to us all - maybe a few more details of your
>> methodology (esp. how many shots, how you decide on your exposure
>> choices) might be in order..? (O;
>
> Thanks Mark, A lot of people don't like HDR but I am really enjoying it.
> At first I was like everyone else and made spooky looking HDR but
> recently I have been playing around to make it look 'natural' or as
> natural as can be.
<snip />

I think what people don't like is the really over the top
tonemapping. Yours are quite natural and not over the top.

--
Troy Piggins
Please feel free to provide constructive criticism on any photos I post. I'm
always learning and appreciate feedback.
 >> Stay informed about: Playing with PTGui (Lake Panorama) 

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That Rich wrote:
>>>> I took 4 shots and stitched them with PTGui.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216562812&size=l
>
> Perhaps I'm wrong but it seems one could get essentially the same
> image using a 20mm lens.
>

Maybe, but I don't own a 20mm lens but I own PTGui


>
>>>> I also got this HDR from the same location
>>>>
>>>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216538672&context=photostrea...
>
> Again, seems the same can be accomplished either with patience or a
> grad ND.

Another 2 things I don't have

>
> Digital has made a lot of *photographers* computer *experts*.

You must also hate modern movies. We don't move forward with
technology to live in the dark ages.

One of my HDR photos made the final 5 in a National (Australian) amateur
photo comp so someone out there must like it. And I will be honest the
image they selected I wasn't that fussed on. It has a nasty halo in the
centre of it.

http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=1567167421&size=l



>
> Nice photos.

Thanks

>
> Cheers,
>
> RP©
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Father McKenzie wrote:

> We don't move forward with technology to live in the dark ages.

Unless technology is going in the direction I want to go, it ain't
moving "forward".

I'm not against technology, but if the old way does what I want and it's
easier for me to use than the "new technology", why should I change just
for change's sake?

I only use new stuff when it benefits me.
 >> Stay informed about: Playing with PTGui (Lake Panorama) 

"Troy Piggins" <usenet-0801 RemoveThis @piggo.com> wrote in message
news:20080125094053@usenet.piggo.com...

>
> I think what people don't like is the really over the top
> tonemapping. Yours are quite natural and not over the top.
>

It's like a lot of other things. I used to do solarizations and
posterizations, in the darkroom, just because I could. Over 90% of these
wound up in my POC. (you can guess what that stands for.) When I first went
digital PS made these things quite easy so the Gee Whiz effect no longer
existed. Similarly, HDR when used judiciously can be a valuable tool. Few
will argue that PS shouldn't be used, because it is too easy to abuse. I
don't think we should criticize HDR just because some carry its potential to
extreme, any more than we should denigrate saturation or sharpening, because
those tools are abused.
Just my 2 cents.

--
Peter
 >> Stay informed about: Playing with PTGui (Lake Panorama) 

Troy Piggins wrote:
> * Father McKenzie is quoted & my replies are inline below :
>> mark.thomas.7 DeleteThis @gmail.com wrote:
>>> On Jan 24, 9:47 pm, Father McKenzie <father_mcken... DeleteThis @yahoo.com.au>
>>> wrote:
>>>> As you all know I have enjoyed playing with HDR but I love pano's.
>>>> Tonight I was grabbing some shots for HDR and decided to get a pano.
>>>>
>>>> I took 4 shots and stitched them with PTGui.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216562812&size=l
>>>>
>>>> I also got this HDR from the same location
>>>>
>>>> http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=2216538672&context=photostrea...
>>>>
>>>> Thank you all for your comments on my posts over the last few weeks.
>>>>
>>>> Only new (just on a year) to photography and loving the learning of it all.
>>> Great images! You ability to use HDR to get excellently exposed
>>> sunsets is a lesson to us all - maybe a few more details of your
>>> methodology (esp. how many shots, how you decide on your exposure
>>> choices) might be in order..? (O;
>> Thanks Mark, A lot of people don't like HDR but I am really enjoying it.
>> At first I was like everyone else and made spooky looking HDR but
>> recently I have been playing around to make it look 'natural' or as
>> natural as can be.
> <snip />
>
> I think what people don't like is the really over the top
> tonemapping. Yours are quite natural and not over the top.
>


Except for this 'beauty' on my first go.
http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=465005152&context=set-72157594...371512&

I did think the halo's around the boat looked cool.
 >> Stay informed about: Playing with PTGui (Lake Panorama)