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12
Mar 2013

Temples In The Distance | Bagan

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As the sun set over the ancient temples of Bagan, the warm dusty light created a visual playground of interesting perspectives and shadows. Each day, I’d find a new temple to climb and a new vantage point to enjoy.

I spent the better part of a week exploring and photographing the ancient temple complexes of Bagan Myanmar and by the end, I came to know the arrangement of the temples quite well. With so many unique compositions to chose from, I honestly can’t remember the last time I’ve had so much fun as a photographer.

Technical Mumbo Jumbo

Nikon D800 | 250mm | f/11 | ISO 100 | 1/80

Location: Shot in Bagan, Myanmar – January 2013, and post-processed in Tampa, Florida – March 2013.

Hardware: 15” 2013 Macbook Pro Retina, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet

Software: Lightroom 4.3, Photoshop CS6

Now that I’ve switched over to a Retina Macbook Pro, I’m finding that I can process contrast sensitive shots much more efficiently than my previous “anti-glare” Macbook Pro. It’s an extraordinary difference that made the upgrade worth every penny.

This photo is processed from a single RAW exported from Lightroom into Photoshop for some light enhancement using adjustment layers. My lens was also quite dusty so many spots needed removal since I shot at f/11. On the other hand, shooting at f/11 also left me with razor sharp edges and detail.

Espresso: Lavazza Rossa

 

A beautiful and dusty sunset over the ancient temples of Bagan Myanmar.

Filed Under: Architecture, Sunrise and Sunset, Travel
30
Jan 2013

Tip Of The World | New Zealand

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Along the paved walk to the Nugget Point lighthouse in New Zealand (you can see it on the left), there are several good viewpoints, great for the conservative traveler. But if you look a little harder and steer away from the paved path, you can traverse the ridge and climb up the mountain, finding a higher and more astounding view near the top. I wouldn’t recommend bringing your grandmother up here or anything but in my opinion, the view makes it well worth the effort. So much so, that I climbed up here three times to wait for the right sky and the golden light – with a flashlight in tow for the dark climb down.

Upcoming Post-processing Workshops

In my upcoming workshops, I’ll be sharing my complete digital workflow from start to finish, focusing on manual blending techniques and how to maintain complete control over your images. From color correction to complex masking, if you’re curious how I carefully craft my photography, this is your chance to find out.

February 10th – Sydney, Australia
March 23rd – San Diego, California

Technical Mumbo Jumbo

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 24-70 f/2.8 (Shot at 30 mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100 at f/11
3 Exposure Brackets (-1, 0, +1)

Location: Shot in Nugget Point, New Zealand - December 2012, and post-processed in Bagan, Myanmar - January 2013 (with frequent power outages).

Hardware: 15” 2011 Macbook Pro, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet

Software: Lightroom, Photoshop, NIK Color Efex Pro 4

Technique and Details: Digital Blending and Luminance Masking

All 3 exposures were blended together using luminance masking techniques in Photoshop. After that, simple color, contrast, and texture adjustments were applied.

Espresso: Lavazza Rossa

Filed Under: Landscape, New Zealand, Sunrise and Sunset, Travel
11
Dec 2012

Angkor Twilight | Siem Reap – Cambodia

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In Siem Reap, Cambodia there is nothing more famous or iconic than the ancient Temple compound of Angkor Wat. True to it’s reputation, it’s become the most popular sunrise spots in all of Cambodia. With the main entrance facing the west, sunrises have the potential to produce vivid and beautiful light directly behind the temple spires. So on one early morning, I marked my spot at the waters edge and watched as the purple light danced above, brilliantly illuminating the sky as well as the blooming water lilies on the pond below.

Now, while I could talk this moment up some more and make it sound totally romantic, let’s get real instead. :D

An iPhone snap of the scene to my right.

The truth is that this place is slammed with people in the morning—to a ridiculous degree. There are literally hundreds of people trying to push and cram into the lineup to get the shot using, iPhones, Androids, iPads – whatever they have with them. Those of us on the frontline arrived at least 1.5 hours early to secure the spot. And for every one of us up front, there are a dozens of people behind, trying to push through anyway they can. As a photographer, you have to draw the line in the sand and protect the valuable real estate, while trying to manage random arms and hands pushing through every possible hole in your defenses. People’s cameras over your shoulder, by your face, around the side, underneath, and everywhere else they can go… Getting felt up by cameras? Now how’s that for romantic? ;p

It’s important to point out that this is pretty common with famous locations and as photographers, it’s also a great example of why we get up so early in the morning. If the shot is important to you, then do whatever it takes to get it, even if it means a 4am wake up call. Personally, I’d rather be the guy up front than the one stuck in the back of the crowd, especially with a such a beautiful sunrise.

Technical Mumbo Jumbo

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 24-70 f/2.8 (Shot at 35 mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100 at f/4.5
1 Exposure at 30 seconds.

Location: Shot in Siem Reap, Cambodia – December 2012, and post-processed in Phuket, Thailand – December 2012.

Hardware: 15” 2011 Macbook Pro, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet

Software: Lightroom, Photoshop, NIK Color Efex Pro 4, NIK Define

Technique and Details: RAW Processing / Photoshop Editing

First, there was absolutely no color added to this photo. The sky was really that beautiful. Using curves in Photoshop, I only made some minor tweaks to the overall brightness and contrast, making sure to bring out the natural pink and purple tones.

After balancing the brightness and contrast, I also recovered about 5% of the of the temple structure luminance to make it a bit more than just a silhouette.

Espresso: Lavazza Oro (I’m down to the last of my coffee supply. Oh no!)

As the sun rises over Angkor Wat Temple, the skies light up with beautiful red and purple light.

Filed Under: Architecture, Camboida, Siem Reap, Sunrise and Sunset, Travel
29
Nov 2012

Amalfi Dreams | Italy

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It’s no wonder why The Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy is such a famous tourist destination. It’s simply breathtaking and it’s one of those rare places in the world that deserves every bit of praise and admiration it receives. From the high mountain village of Ravello to the pebbled beaches of Positano, each portion of the coast is an entire experience in itself.

Pictured here is the town of Amalfi which shares it’s name with the entire coastline. As I watched the sunrise on this particular morning, the mountains became engulfed in strong golden light. As the tide rapidly came in, it brought with it beautiful streaks of white water. Save for a few noisy seagulls, I seemed to be all alone here, enjoying the beauty of this special moment in time.

Technical Mumbo Jumbo

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 14-24 f/2.8 (Shot at 16 mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-24 / BH-40 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100 at f/8 / 50 at f/22
4 Exposure Brackets at f/8 (-2, -1, 0,+1) / 1 Manual (0.6 second) exposure at f/22

Location: Shot in Amalfi, Italy – August 2012, and post-processed in Chiang Mai, Thailand – November 2012.

Hardware: 15” 2011 Macbook Pro, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet

Software: Lightroom, Photoshop, NIK Color Efex Pro 4

Technique and Details: Manual Exposure Blending and Luminance Masking

In Adobe Photoshop, I manually blended the 4 exposure brackets together using a combination of hand painted masks and luminance masks. The water is made up of a single .6 second exposure shot at f/22. Since the scene was naturally vibrant, very little color correction was applied.

Espresso: Pellini (which I’m not too fond of but wanted to give another chance)

 

Filed Under: Amalfi Coast, Italy, Sunrise and Sunset, Travel
15
Nov 2012

La Bella Vita | Atrani And The Amalfi Coast

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One of my very favorite destinations of 2012 was Atrani, a small town on the Amalfi Coast in Southern Italy. We spent 10 days exploring and photographing La Costiera Amalfitana while using the beautiful town of Atrani as our home base. It really is a little slice of paradise.

Early one morning, while I was walking to the town of Amalfi to catch the first bus to Positano, I glanced over my shoulder and witnessed this lovely scene unfolding. It was one of the most beautiful mornings of the trip and thankfully, I had just enough time to grab the shot without missing the bus. It also helps that I’ve become quite accustomed to sprinting with my camera gear. ;)

Technical Mumbo Jumbo

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 14-24 f/2.8 (Shot at 15 mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-24 / BH-40 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100 at f/8
5 Exposure Brackets ( -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 )

Hardware: 15” 2011 Macbook Pro, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet

Software: Lightroom, Photoshop, NIK HDR Efex Pro

Technique and Details: Digital Blending combined with NIK HDR Efex Pro

First, using NIK HDR Efex Pro, I combined the 5 exposure brackets into an HDR image. Then using Photoshop and hand painted masks, I blended in parts of the original exposures to soften the HDR effect and bring back some of the natural tones.

Espresso: Lavazza Oro (aka: Rocket Fuel)

Filed Under: Amalfi Coast, Architecture, Italy, Sunrise and Sunset, Travel
08
Nov 2012

Radiant Flow | Seljalandsfoss Iceland

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So there we were, driving around the south of Iceland inside of a campervan we affectionately named Truck Norris, fully stocked up on pre-brewed espresso, and eager for the photographic discoveries to come. Seljalandsfoss — one of the most famous waterfalls in Iceland — was one of our first destinations on what turned out to be an extraordinary 6 day “on the road” adventure, as we toured the stellar Icelandic Countryside.

One of the most extraordinary things about Seljalandsfoss is that you can walk all the way around the waterfall, finding many great vantage points along the way. The only tricky part is finding spots that aren’t being saturated by the swirling mist in the wind. I spent an entire hour back there waiting for the right light and when I was done, I was completely soaked and chilled to the bone. Thankfully Truck Norris was waiting in the parking lot to help warm me up. ;)

Technical Mumbo Jumbo || Before And After Comparison

Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 14-24 f/2.8 (Shot at 14 mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 50 at f/22
5 Exposure Brackets ( -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 )

Hardware: 15” 2011 Macbook Pro, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet

Software: Lightroom, Photoshop, NIK

Technique and Details: Digital Blending using 5 Bracketed Exposures at f/22. ISO 50 was used to extend the exposure times and create the soft water effect.

In photoshop—using Hand Painted Masks—I blended all 5 exposure brackets together. Exposure 0 made up the base with a blend of +1 and +2 for the landscape elements, followed by -1 and -2 for the sky and waterfall. The green and gold tones were natural vibrant so aside from a bit of touch up, very little color correction was applied. I did however have to paint out a lot of dust and water spots. f/22 is a great tool but it really shows how dirty your camera sensor is.

Espresso: Cafe Bustelo (Since I was processing this in South Florida)

Filed Under: Before & After, Iceland, Landscape, Sunrise and Sunset, Travel