Category Archives: Camera

HDR Cookbook by Klaus Herrmann (farbspiel)

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HDR Cookbook - Klaus Herrmann (farbspiel)

HDR Cookbook - Klaus Herrmann (farbspiel)

A couple of days ago, I found the link to “HDR Cookbook – Creating 32-bit HDRs the Right Way“, and basically, have NOT left the website since.

Klaus Herrmann (farbspiel) is a photographer out of Germany, who specializes in Interior HDR Photography.

On his main website, “HDR Cookbook“, you will find a wonderful collection of pages, that describe in vivid detail, the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of creating his beautiful images.

Topic include:

I have gone through many pages and videos on “How to do…” HDR, but this is the first site that I have found, that goes into ‘in-depth’ experiments explaining why certain steps are needed to achieve the final product.

Seeing the side-by-side effects of software and processing, has caused me to reconsider how I will view and process future images.

Recently, I have been revisiting some of my older captures, and processing them with new knowledge and techniques.

In reading Klaus’ suggested Workflow, which is highly recommended, he makes the following observation:

Let the finished file sit on your hard disk for a day or two. Don’t post it right away. I found that when you get back to it a day later, you will discover things that you might want to change, things that you did not discover while you were working on the details of the image very intensely. If you let you mind do other things and some time passes, you will look at the image more objectively, more like your viewers will. If you’re content with the image now, go ahead and post it.

Prior to finding this site, I had been going back into my collection of images, and have revisited and reprocessed some of my old captures with new knowledge, software and techniques, and reading this quote helped to affirm some of my recent tinkerings.

Needless to say, I highly recommend that if you are interested in HDR, Tone Mapping related photography, and are in search of some advanced tips, techniques and very qualified insights, then you should be rewarded with a visit to “HDR Cookbook“.

- Andrew
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Cold Weather and Your Camera

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As Chester County was getting it’s first real snow fall of the New Year on Thursday and Friday, I was very anxious about getting out and getting some photography in, but was thwarted with the regular activities of life: Clients, Family, Plowing, Roads, etc.

But I was finally able to get out late yesterday afternoon, to shoot the little stream along Norwood Road heading into Downingtown, which was fairly untouched, except for a single set of tracks left by a dog and it’s owner.

As I trudged through the snow with my camera bag and tripod, I was reminded of an earlier series of comments I made on “cold weather camera tips“, and I thought I would revisited the post to single the content and to add additional thoughts and information.

Heading Out – Things that can slow down

Most people when faced with shooting in cold conditions, generally only think about what cloths and boots their are going to wear to keep them warm during their photographic adventure, which is very important, but it does not stop there.

Your camera also has moving parts that need to be included in your thinking.

The Camera Body

Before the advent of Digital Cameras, Traditional Film based cameras had many more moving parts that one had to be concerned with when working in cold weather.

On Traditional Film Cameras, the Film Transport mechanism and Rollers where usually the most vulnerable as the lubricants became more viscous and in extreme case, freezing altogether.

One also had to be careful with the film itself, because it to could be brittle, and break when being thread into the camera body.

There was also the increase in static electrical charges, that could cause little lighting patterns on the film, especially during the rewinding process.

With Digital Cameras, obviously there is no need to move film, so issues associated with the moving and winding film became less relevant.

In both Film and Digital cameras, the mirror mechanism that allows one to look in to the eyepiece and then see through the lens also has the potential of slowing down as the temperature falls.

Lens

The blades that make up the iris diaphragm or aperture of the lens and the mechanics uses for auto focusing can also be sensitive to the cold. These features may slow down, stick together or freeze, there by not allowing the correct exposure or focus quality.

Batteries

As the temperature falls, the chemicals inside the batteries used to produce a current, will begin to diminish, and at some point, the camera will stop working at all. Ever have problems starting your Car in the winter?

What to do?

The most obvious answer is to keep your camera gear warm by simply keep it near your body for warm the, but do NOT breath heavily on the camera in an attempt to warm it up! This can cause condensation which is the biggest evil!

Condensation

As mentioned earlier, condensation, which is caused by the sudden changes in temperature can damage your camera’s electronics. This usually is a cumulative issue, meaning, it might not happen on the first time, but after many sessions.

There does seem to be a debate about keeping the camera inside your coat.

Personally, I am against this, because: 1) You body heat is going to make for a larger extreme when you take it out; 2) Your body still sweats, adding moisture to the situation. If you have to keep your camera next to you body, use caution and common sense.

When traveling to your destination, keep your gear in the coldest section of your car, like the back and maybe even the truck. That way, the camera can slowly cool down. Use the reverse when heading home.

Keeping your camera inside a plastic bag, but keeping it warm, but not too warm, by occasionally exposing the camera to the colder weather.

When coming from the Outside in, put the camera in a Plastic bag while still Outside, and then slowly introduce the camera to the Indoors.

In our house, we have a “mud room” area, that is not as warm as the rest of the house, but it is where I can acclimate the camera before it reaches my office (which also happens to be a colder area!)

Other Cold Weather Tips

  • Carry an Extra Set of Batteries
  • Remove the Batteries until needed
  • Turn off the LCD screen until needed
  • Turn off the Auto Focus feature until needed

I hope you have found this posting useful, so go out an enjoy the cold weather with you camera!

- Andrew

References

- Andrew
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Hard time focusing… Replacement Focus Screens for your Digital Camera

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I have been meaning to write this blog entry for some time now, but as I am waiting for my bread’s second to rise…

As many of you know, I have been involved with Photography for over 35 years now, and I started with a simple Canon Canonet rangefinder from my dad, which Canon introduced in early 1961.

At some point in the late 1970′s, my Dad purchased a Canon AE-1, which was the family’s first Single-Lens Reflex (SLR) camera, and slowly, I was allowed to use the camera, which opened up new avenues in terms of different lens, the elimination of parallax errors and easier and more accurate focusing.

The summer after graduating high school (St. Andrew’s School, Middletown, DE), I worked as a Life Guard, and used the money that I earned, to finally purchase my first Camera, a Canon A-1!

I had allot of fun with that camera! It went every where with me, including Ithaca college.

In the Fall of 1983, during a Photography Field Trip to Watkins Glen, I was jumping around the base of one of the Falls, when the neck strap broke, and I watched my camera slowly sink to the bottom of the river.

I was heart broken…

Fast forward to early 1984, I had left Ithaca, and was working a Freelance Photography Assistant in the Philadelphia area, and during this time, I got to work with allot of different camera, and learned what I liked and did not like, and finally earned enough money to buy a replacement.

So what did I buy?

This time, I went for the top, and got a Canon F-1!

Now I was able to really play!

Lens, Motor drives and even drop-in replaceable Focus screens!

Needless to say, I was VERY happy!

Some more fast forwarding…

One of my first jobs after college, I worked for Kodak, and during this time, I was introduced to one of the first digital cameras, which was still a prototype, and a major issue, was the “Depth of Field” when using a flash, or should I say there was none!

In the fall of 2003, just before the birth of my daughter, Madison, we bought our first digital camera, a Canon PowerShoot A70, which was mostly used to capture the first moments of Parenthood, but quickly lead to the desire for something closer to a traditional film based camera.

Finally, in the Fall of 2007, I purchased a Canon EOS Rebel XTi!

Once again I was very happy, and was burning through allot of “film”!

As I used the camera more and more, one of the first things that was beginning to drive me nuts, was the Auto Focus.

In a majority of the times, it was fine, but as I got into certain situations, the Auto Focus could easily be fooled.

One can switch to Manual Focus, but without the “split screen” focus, it is nearly impossible to really be sure that your subject is actually in focus.

This past summer, I was involved with a Flickr Forum discussion on the lack of being able to really use the manual focus on today’s camera, when a fellow Forum Member, asked if I was aware of KatzEye Optics’ replaceable focus screens.

After reading their website, I am very intrigued, but at the same time, very cautious.

These screens are nothing like the drop-ins that I have on my F-1, but are ‘semi-permanent’ replacements for your camera, which one can do themselves, but personally, when I do decide to make the switch, I am going to pay the extra cost to have them do it for me.

The bottom line is, there is an alternative to what is available, and I just wanted to let other folks know about the possibilities.

If have already make the conversion, I would really like to hear what you have to say, so please post a comment or send me an email with your experience!

- Andrew
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