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Author Topic: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works  (Read 283429 times)

JoeKitchen

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #80 on: April 23, 2015, 06:40:44 am »



I have to agree with you about lighting, and I can't see myself doing without it. That said, I admire the work of Scott Frances, who claims he no longer uses supplementary lighting (through heavy compositing, rather than HDR).

As for Enfuse, it seems to me to be about the same thing as Photomatix fusion, without all the controls of the latter. However, when I use Photomatix fusion, I tend leave the controls pretty flat and do all the tonemapping and other post stuff in Lightroom and Photoshop.

I love Scott Francis work too, however I have heard that he still uses lighting, even though he (apparently) says he does not.  (I am not sure if that is a rumor or if did actually say that.)  Brad Feinknopf, on the ASMP Forum, a few months back mentioned that one of Scott Francis's former assistants now assists for him and that Scott Francis does use lights when he thinks he needs them.  Sometimes as many as 30, sometime less, and sometime no lights. 
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ACH DIGITAL

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #81 on: April 23, 2015, 10:23:55 am »

Yes this side of the forum is getting very interesting.

Needless to say showing fantastic pieces of work.

Talking about HDR, yesterday I was checking out the new HDR feature in Lightroom CC (6). This adds to the whole set of techniques one could use for rendering and layering architectural and landscape images.

It is far different than those of Photomatrix, very easy to use and has a natural rendering.

Also have the option to turn off auto toning.

Check out this link:
http://www.photocascadia.com/blog/new-hdr-and-panorama-photo-merge-in-lightroom-cc-2015/#.VTj6is5hMfl
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gazwas

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #82 on: April 23, 2015, 10:52:06 am »

Talking about HDR, yesterday I was checking out the new HDR feature in Lightroom CC (6). This adds to the whole set of techniques one could use for rendering and layering architectural and landscape images.

+1

I'm a Capture One user but have just signed up for the CC Photography plan and as Lightroom is "thrown in" I've downloaded LR CC for a play and was very surprised by the HDR feature, very nice indeed and very subtle.
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Chris Barrett

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #83 on: April 23, 2015, 11:07:07 am »

I'm retouching a new job today.  Just updated my Lightroom and tried the merge to HDR function on an image I was almost half done with.  I'm totally blow away.  SO much better than anything I've used yet.

LR on the left P'Matix on the right



EDIT:  Further explorations show my previous workflow was limited by using Tifs versus Raws.  Hmm...  I just may have to switch from C1Pro to LR
« Last Edit: April 23, 2015, 11:15:02 am by Chris Barrett »
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gazwas

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #84 on: April 23, 2015, 11:17:56 am »

Some of the product work I do for a ceramics manufacturer.

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gazwas

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #85 on: April 23, 2015, 11:19:09 am »

I just may have to switch from C1Pro to LR

Was thinking exactly the same......

I also noticed WB seem so much more neutral in the new LR CC than C1Pro?
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alatreille

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #86 on: April 23, 2015, 11:41:16 am »

C1 seems to be chasing LR at the moment...

They keep coming out with new features that LR has has for ages - photoshop round trip etc...

Wish LR raw processing was on a par with C1!
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David Eichler

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #87 on: April 23, 2015, 12:07:12 pm »

I'm retouching a new job today.  Just updated my Lightroom and tried the merge to HDR function on an image I was almost half done with.  I'm totally blow away.  SO much better than anything I've used yet.

LR on the left P'Matix on the right



EDIT:  Further explorations show my previous workflow was limited by using Tifs versus Raws.  Hmm...  I just may have to switch from C1Pro to LR

An impressive result. LR "pulls" the window here without compromising midtone separation, relative to the Photomatix result.
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David Eichler

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #88 on: April 23, 2015, 12:08:36 pm »

Some of the product work I do for a ceramics manufacturer.



Warm and inviting. Particularly like how you handled the shallow DOF here.
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haefnerphoto

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #89 on: April 23, 2015, 03:17:01 pm »

I'm retouching a new job today.  Just updated my Lightroom and tried the merge to HDR function on an image I was almost half done with.  I'm totally blow away.  SO much better than anything I've used yet.

LR on the left P'Matix on the right



EDIT:  Further explorations show my previous workflow was limited by using Tifs versus Raws.  Hmm...  I just may have to switch from C1Pro to LR

Chris, Are these from tifs or raw files.  I always found that the Photomatix output from C1 raws was less sharp than tifs.  I'm impressed with the results you've achieved.  Jim
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ACH DIGITAL

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #90 on: April 23, 2015, 04:15:58 pm »

I'm retouching a new job today.  Just updated my Lightroom and tried the merge to HDR function on an image I was almost half done with.  I'm totally blow away.  SO much better than anything I've used yet.

LR on the left P'Matix on the right



EDIT:  Further explorations show my previous workflow was limited by using Tifs versus Raws.  Hmm...  I just may have to switch from C1Pro to LR

Chris, I use C1 for products and Lightroom and ACR for other jobs. In general, Sony behaves better with Lightroom or ACR. The one thing I notice about the new Lightroom, and not sure if it is my 2010 (old) mac pro, is that it renders kind of slow. Provably they have to update some parts of it.
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ACH DIGITAL

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #91 on: April 23, 2015, 04:22:14 pm »

This are the values that I use for HSL.

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gazwas

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #92 on: April 23, 2015, 04:53:08 pm »

This are the values that I use for HSL.

Sorry, last time I used LR was very briefly on version 2 but what do you use those values for - camera profile?
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Chris Barrett

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #93 on: April 23, 2015, 05:20:38 pm »

Jim, my typical workflow is shoot into C1 Pro, process out Tifs, organize in Bridge, generate HDRs in Photomatix, then drop that on top of my good "normal" exposure in Photoshop with blending.  So, Photomatix only has access to the Tif's.  In Lightroom I used the Raws, so I'm sure it had more info available to it.  What I was so surprised with was that it created a decent, full tonal image without my typical blending.

The old process example included dropping the Photomatix HDR on top of my straight exposure... so we're basically comparing a LR HDR blend to a layered and blended file.

I've always worked with Tifs because of the need to produce files with LCCs applied.  This throws a wrench into the Raw LR workflow (as I can not get their flat field plugin to work).  My next thought is to swap out all my Schneiders for retrofocus lenses... maybe even Hasselblads.

This stuff never ends!

At least I feel like I'm on the road to breakthrough in image quality that I've ben hunting a while.

haefnerphoto

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #94 on: April 23, 2015, 10:24:12 pm »

Jim, my typical workflow is shoot into C1 Pro, process out Tifs, organize in Bridge, generate HDRs in Photomatix, then drop that on top of my good "normal" exposure in Photoshop with blending.  So, Photomatix only has access to the Tif's.  In Lightroom I used the Raws, so I'm sure it had more info available to it.  What I was so surprised with was that it created a decent, full tonal image without my typical blending.

The old process example included dropping the Photomatix HDR on top of my straight exposure... so we're basically comparing a LR HDR blend to a layered and blended file.

I've always worked with Tifs because of the need to produce files with LCCs applied.  This throws a wrench into the Raw LR workflow (as I can not get their flat field plugin to work).  My next thought is to swap out all my Schneiders for retrofocus lenses... maybe even Hasselblads.

This stuff never ends!

At least I feel like I'm on the road to breakthrough in image quality that I've ben hunting a while.

Chris, You can run your C1 raws through Photomatix as well but as I mentioned before there is a sharpness issue (don't know why).  It's my understanding that you can run your tifs through the HDR program in Lightroom, as well as raws.  Perhaps you can run the same captures as tifs through Lightroom and see how they look.  I don't think a raw file contains significantly more data than a 16bit tif, hopefully it will look the same or maybe even better.  In your test is the Photomatix image blended with an on exposure?  I'm surprised the sky is still so burned out.   I'll have to download the Lightroom software and give it a try, I would love to simplify my workflow!  By the way, to simplify your life even more you won't need the Schneiders when the new higher mp bodies arrive.
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Chris Barrett

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #95 on: April 24, 2015, 09:01:10 am »

Well, I couldn't really run my RAWs through HDR software, because I needed the LCC applied.  Once upon a time, maybe in Capture 1 Pro 3.0, the software could output .DNGs WITH LCCs applied, but they quickly removed the feature.

I've just ordered a Hasselblad CF lens adapter board for my Arca and I think I may dump all my Roden-Schneiders for CFe glass.  If the glass holds up, this should eliminate the need for LCCs altogether.

A view camera with 'Blad lenses on the front and a toy A7r on the back.  I must be out of my frackin' mind.

haefnerphoto

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #96 on: April 24, 2015, 01:56:43 pm »

I liked what I saw in Chris's test and decided to download the program.  I'm happy with the results, here's the approach:  In LR import C1 raws and merge to HDR, then export as a full res tif.  With Photomatix I worked with 16bit tifs and merged in Photomatix using the Exposure Fusion mode and did not try to optimize the image and used default/generic settings.  What I liked about the LR result is a more accurate color balance, especially in the shadows (I've attached reference) and a more "normal" contrast range.  Before I start using this workflow I'll need to understand a lot more about LR and what it's actually doing and I hope it won't create additional steps but the results seem favorable.  Jim



« Last Edit: April 24, 2015, 01:58:30 pm by haefnerphoto »
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Chris Barrett

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #97 on: April 24, 2015, 02:10:41 pm »

Heh, I jut started playing with Topaz Adjust, which I think I heard about from you.

David Eichler

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #98 on: April 24, 2015, 02:12:41 pm »

I liked what I saw in Chris's test and decided to download the program.  I'm happy with the results, here's the approach:  In LR import C1 raws and merge to HDR, then export as a full res tif.  With Photomatix I worked with 16bit tifs and merged in Photomatix using the Exposure Fusion mode and did not try to optimize the image and used default/generic settings.  What I liked about the LR result is a more accurate color balance, especially in the shadows (I've attached reference) and a more "normal" contrast range.  Before I start using this workflow I'll need to understand a lot more about LR and what it's actually doing and I hope it won't create additional steps but the results seem favorable.  Jim





I am not sure what you mean by C1 RAWs. I am guessing that you are using small format digital files here, in which case they most likely would either be Canon, Nikon or Sony RAWs. Also, hardly an expert on the mechanics of the HDR, but I am guessing that, under the hood, LR is converting each component image to an intermediate Tiff and then discarding these when producing the finished HDR file. I believe that is what Photomatix is doing when you use it with the LR plugin.
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Chris Barrett

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Re: Recent Format Agnostic Professional Works
« Reply #99 on: April 24, 2015, 02:21:39 pm »

Also, Jim, once LR creates the HDR, trying adjusting it's settings there in LR.  By playing with curves and different areas of tonality, you can get a really good looking file.  What I do then, instead of exporting a Tif, is just go right-click >EditIn > Photoshop.
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