RG wrote:
Eisboch,
Thanks for the comment, and I too disagree with Harry about a photograph
should be limited to "You are there" or "Postcard" record of a scenic
view. If I limited myself to this kind of photography, I would get bored
very quickly. The best photos I have seen have been manipulated in some
fashion, either by perspective, a very unique angle, shutter speed (to
enrich the colors or blur all or part of the photo, using the aperture to
change the depth of field, deliberately blurring part or all of the scene
(by moving the camera or zooming the lens while using a slow shutter
speed, HDR or other post processing techniques. That was the reason I
found SWS comments so interesting and helpful. He didn't disagree with my
concept, but my execution of the concept. Since I am really a novice at
all of this, I am very interested in ideas that will help me move along in
my skills. I do have a problem with over sharping images, and that was my
first attempt at using Photomatrix to develop an HDR photo. I play on
redoing this photo using SWS suggestions. I actually processed this HDR
from one photo shot in RAW, and adjusted the exposure and brightness in
post processing, saving the photo in PSD and then combining them using
Photomatrix.


Reg-

I always enjoy viewing your photos. I've posted a few of my Photomatix HDR
experiments "over there" for your review.

RG



RG,
All I have to say is WOW, DAMN NICE. It is obvious I need to improve my
skills.

RG,
All I have to say is WOW, DAMN NICE. It is obvious I need to improve my
skills.


Thanks. Have you taken a look at Capture NX yet? I started using it a few
months ago, and it quickly became my raw converter and image editor of
choice. I now do all of my raw conversion and most of my editing in CNX,
only going to Photoshop when I need to use some specialized tools that are
unique to Photoshop. For someone who shoots Nikon raw files, CNX has a lot
to offer.

On Fri, 7 Dec 2007 15:03:46 -0500, "D.Duck" wrote:


"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote in message
...
The link below is a photo I took of a Sunset in Atlanta.

I am interested in any feedback.

Harry, since you really know photography I would like to hear your
feedback too.

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/276...92789669UfrTAB


Surreal....


That it is. The image is striking, no question about it, but has an
unnatural quality to it. I guess it depends on what kind of effect
you were trying to achieve.

RG wrote:
RG,
All I have to say is WOW, DAMN NICE. It is obvious I need to improve my
skills.


Thanks. Have you taken a look at Capture NX yet? I started using it a few
months ago, and it quickly became my raw converter and image editor of
choice. I now do all of my raw conversion and most of my editing in CNX,
only going to Photoshop when I need to use some specialized tools that are
unique to Photoshop. For someone who shoots Nikon raw files, CNX has a lot
to offer.



I am using Lightroom for Raw Conversations, do you know the difference
between Lightroom and Capture NX?

Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
RG wrote:
RG,
All I have to say is WOW, DAMN NICE. It is obvious I need to improve
my skills.


Thanks. Have you taken a look at Capture NX yet? I started using it
a few months ago, and it quickly became my raw converter and image
editor of choice. I now do all of my raw conversion and most of my
editing in CNX, only going to Photoshop when I need to use some
specialized tools that are unique to Photoshop. For someone who
shoots Nikon raw files, CNX has a lot to offer.


I am using Lightroom for Raw Conversations, do you know the difference
between Lightroom and Capture NX?


Hmmm. Many people prefer to have their "raw conversations" in a more
dimly lit room.

"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote in message
. ..
RG wrote:
RG,
All I have to say is WOW, DAMN NICE. It is obvious I need to improve my
skills.


Thanks. Have you taken a look at Capture NX yet? I started using it a
few months ago, and it quickly became my raw converter and image editor
of choice. I now do all of my raw conversion and most of my editing in
CNX, only going to Photoshop when I need to use some specialized tools
that are unique to Photoshop. For someone who shoots Nikon raw files,
CNX has a lot to offer.

I am using Lightroom for Raw Conversations, do you know the difference
between Lightroom and Capture NX?

The difference is night and day. A completely different paradigm in raw
conversion. Lightroom uses the Adobe Camera Raw engine, the same as
PhotoShop and Elements. The only in-camera setting that Adobe has direct
access to and can change is the white balance setting. In NX, since it is a
Nikon product, you can access and change any of the optimization settings
such as tone, sharpening and color space. This means that NX will at first
render the image using the settings that were in place in the camera at the
time of exposure, something that ACR can't do. From there, you can change
them ex post facto. For instance, I like to use in-camera sharpening to aid
in viewing shots on the camera's LCD for immediate review. But once I open
the image in NX, I turn off in-camera sharpening and do my sharpening in NX.

To me, the interface of the NX raw converter is much easier to deal with
than the ACR interface. I also get much better colors out of the NX
converter. But best of all, from the perspective of raw files, is how the
edits are handled within the NEF file. All conversion settings and further
edits are saved non-destructively right in the NEF file. At first glance,
it might not be obvious how huge this is, but trust me, it's big. In ACR
once you convert a NEF file, you import it into PS or LR, do your edits from
there, and then save the file in whatever format you choose. If you ever
want to revisit the NEF file again and process it differently, you have to
start completely from scratch. In NX, the conversion settings and further
edits are saved as a list of instructions inside the NEF file. The concept
is sort of like a combination of layers and the history palette in PS. Any
time you subsequently open the NEF file, all of your conversion settings and
edits are in place,and any of them can be altered or deleted as you see fit.
This means that you can pick right up where you left off and do a minor
modification or revert the file back to its original state and start over
from scratch, or anything in between. You can even save multiple versions
of a photo inside the original NEF file. Again, the actual pixel data is
never modified, only a set of instructions on how to manipulate and render
those pixels is added to the file. This means that inside the NEF file the
original pixel data is always there and immediately available, but in
addition, I might have a full-sized full resolution version as well as a
cropped version with a completely different size and DPI resolution saved
within the NEF file. All I am doing is saving different instruction sets
within the original file. Everything is non-destructive.

After the raw conversion is done, the other thing that is way cool is the
color control points, a technology created by Nik Software. Using this
technology, I can make local changes to a photo in a snap that would take
forever in PhotoShop. It's very difficult to explain how these control
points work, you almost need to see them in action. To that end, I direct
you to the NX web site and encourage you to download the 30-day free trial.
Make sure you watch the flash demo of the color control point on the sky.
The program is a fairly small download, and is fully functional for 30 days.
I was hooked almost right away. If you do this, I'll be happy to answer any
questions you might have.

http://www.capturenx.com/

Here's a link to a good eBook that is available for NX. Jason is an active
participant at Nikonians.

http://www.luminescentphoto.com/capturenx.html

RG

"RG" wrote in message
.. .

Eisboch,
Thanks for the comment, and I too disagree with Harry about a photograph
should be limited to "You are there" or "Postcard" record of a scenic
view. If I limited myself to this kind of photography, I would get
bored very quickly. The best photos I have seen have been manipulated
in some fashion, either by perspective, a very unique angle, shutter
speed (to enrich the colors or blur all or part of the photo, using the
aperture to change the depth of field, deliberately blurring part or all
of the scene (by moving the camera or zooming the lens while using a slow
shutter speed, HDR or other post processing techniques. That was the
reason I found SWS comments so interesting and helpful. He didn't
disagree with my concept, but my execution of the concept. Since I am
really a novice at all of this, I am very interested in ideas that will
help me move along in my skills. I do have a problem with over sharping
images, and that was my first attempt at using Photomatrix to develop an
HDR photo. I play on redoing this photo using SWS suggestions. I
actually processed this HDR from one photo shot in RAW, and adjusted the
exposure and brightness in post processing, saving the photo in PSD and
then combining them using Photomatrix.


Reg-

I always enjoy viewing your photos. I've posted a few of my Photomatix
HDR experiments "over there" for your review.

RG

Very nice....

RG wrote:
"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote in message
. ..
RG wrote:
RG,
All I have to say is WOW, DAMN NICE. It is obvious I need to improve my
skills.

Thanks. Have you taken a look at Capture NX yet? I started using it a
few months ago, and it quickly became my raw converter and image editor
of choice. I now do all of my raw conversion and most of my editing in
CNX, only going to Photoshop when I need to use some specialized tools
that are unique to Photoshop. For someone who shoots Nikon raw files,
CNX has a lot to offer.
I am using Lightroom for Raw Conversations, do you know the difference
between Lightroom and Capture NX?

The difference is night and day. A completely different paradigm in raw
conversion. Lightroom uses the Adobe Camera Raw engine, the same as
PhotoShop and Elements. The only in-camera setting that Adobe has direct
access to and can change is the white balance setting. In NX, since it is a
Nikon product, you can access and change any of the optimization settings
such as tone, sharpening and color space. This means that NX will at first
render the image using the settings that were in place in the camera at the
time of exposure, something that ACR can't do. From there, you can change
them ex post facto. For instance, I like to use in-camera sharpening to aid
in viewing shots on the camera's LCD for immediate review. But once I open
the image in NX, I turn off in-camera sharpening and do my sharpening in NX.

To me, the interface of the NX raw converter is much easier to deal with
than the ACR interface. I also get much better colors out of the NX
converter. But best of all, from the perspective of raw files, is how the
edits are handled within the NEF file. All conversion settings and further
edits are saved non-destructively right in the NEF file. At first glance,
it might not be obvious how huge this is, but trust me, it's big. In ACR
once you convert a NEF file, you import it into PS or LR, do your edits from
there, and then save the file in whatever format you choose. If you ever
want to revisit the NEF file again and process it differently, you have to
start completely from scratch. In NX, the conversion settings and further
edits are saved as a list of instructions inside the NEF file. The concept
is sort of like a combination of layers and the history palette in PS. Any
time you subsequently open the NEF file, all of your conversion settings and
edits are in place,and any of them can be altered or deleted as you see fit.
This means that you can pick right up where you left off and do a minor
modification or revert the file back to its original state and start over
from scratch, or anything in between. You can even save multiple versions
of a photo inside the original NEF file. Again, the actual pixel data is
never modified, only a set of instructions on how to manipulate and render
those pixels is added to the file. This means that inside the NEF file the
original pixel data is always there and immediately available, but in
addition, I might have a full-sized full resolution version as well as a
cropped version with a completely different size and DPI resolution saved
within the NEF file. All I am doing is saving different instruction sets
within the original file. Everything is non-destructive.

After the raw conversion is done, the other thing that is way cool is the
color control points, a technology created by Nik Software. Using this
technology, I can make local changes to a photo in a snap that would take
forever in PhotoShop. It's very difficult to explain how these control
points work, you almost need to see them in action. To that end, I direct
you to the NX web site and encourage you to download the 30-day free trial.
Make sure you watch the flash demo of the color control point on the sky.
The program is a fairly small download, and is fully functional for 30 days.
I was hooked almost right away. If you do this, I'll be happy to answer any
questions you might have.

http://www.capturenx.com/

Here's a link to a good eBook that is available for NX. Jason is an active
participant at Nikonians.

http://www.luminescentphoto.com/capturenx.html

RG



Thanks, I will do that.

On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 16:41:34 GMT, "RG" wrote:


"Reginald P. Smithers III" wrote in message
...
RG wrote:
RG,
All I have to say is WOW, DAMN NICE. It is obvious I need to improve my
skills.


Thanks. Have you taken a look at Capture NX yet? I started using it a
few months ago, and it quickly became my raw converter and image editor
of choice. I now do all of my raw conversion and most of my editing in
CNX, only going to Photoshop when I need to use some specialized tools
that are unique to Photoshop. For someone who shoots Nikon raw files,
CNX has a lot to offer.

I am using Lightroom for Raw Conversations, do you know the difference
between Lightroom and Capture NX?

The difference is night and day. A completely different paradigm in raw
conversion. Lightroom uses the Adobe Camera Raw engine, the same as
PhotoShop and Elements. The only in-camera setting that Adobe has direct
access to and can change is the white balance setting. In NX, since it is a
Nikon product, you can access and change any of the optimization settings
such as tone, sharpening and color space. This means that NX will at first
render the image using the settings that were in place in the camera at the
time of exposure, something that ACR can't do. From there, you can change
them ex post facto. For instance, I like to use in-camera sharpening to aid
in viewing shots on the camera's LCD for immediate review. But once I open
the image in NX, I turn off in-camera sharpening and do my sharpening in NX.

To me, the interface of the NX raw converter is much easier to deal with
than the ACR interface. I also get much better colors out of the NX
converter. But best of all, from the perspective of raw files, is how the
edits are handled within the NEF file. All conversion settings and further
edits are saved non-destructively right in the NEF file. At first glance,
it might not be obvious how huge this is, but trust me, it's big. In ACR
once you convert a NEF file, you import it into PS or LR, do your edits from
there, and then save the file in whatever format you choose. If you ever
want to revisit the NEF file again and process it differently, you have to
start completely from scratch. In NX, the conversion settings and further
edits are saved as a list of instructions inside the NEF file. The concept
is sort of like a combination of layers and the history palette in PS. Any
time you subsequently open the NEF file, all of your conversion settings and
edits are in place,and any of them can be altered or deleted as you see fit.
This means that you can pick right up where you left off and do a minor
modification or revert the file back to its original state and start over
from scratch, or anything in between. You can even save multiple versions
of a photo inside the original NEF file. Again, the actual pixel data is
never modified, only a set of instructions on how to manipulate and render
those pixels is added to the file. This means that inside the NEF file the
original pixel data is always there and immediately available, but in
addition, I might have a full-sized full resolution version as well as a
cropped version with a completely different size and DPI resolution saved
within the NEF file. All I am doing is saving different instruction sets
within the original file. Everything is non-destructive.

After the raw conversion is done, the other thing that is way cool is the
color control points, a technology created by Nik Software. Using this
technology, I can make local changes to a photo in a snap that would take
forever in PhotoShop. It's very difficult to explain how these control
points work, you almost need to see them in action. To that end, I direct
you to the NX web site and encourage you to download the 30-day free trial.
Make sure you watch the flash demo of the color control point on the sky.
The program is a fairly small download, and is fully functional for 30 days.
I was hooked almost right away. If you do this, I'll be happy to answer any
questions you might have.

http://www.capturenx.com/

Here's a link to a good eBook that is available for NX. Jason is an active
participant at Nikonians.

http://www.luminescentphoto.com/capturenx.html

RG


Very nice shots 'over there'!
--
John H

On Sat, 08 Dec 2007 06:15:26 -0500, "Reginald P. Smithers III"
wrote:

The best photos I have seen have been manipulated
in some fashion, either by perspective, a very unique angle, shutter
speed (to enrich the colors or blur all or part of the photo, using the
aperture to change the depth of field, deliberately blurring part or all
of the scene (by moving the camera or zooming the lens while using a
slow shutter speed, HDR or other post processing techniques.

All photos are "manipulated" in some way by the very fact of being
taken in the first place.