Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC Landscape Tutorial – Norris Geyser Basin

Welcome and thanks for checking out my latest tutorial! I haven’t put one together since using Apple’s now discontinued Aperture program, so obviously I’ve since switched to Adobe Lightroom.

These are arranged in writing format as opposed to video, so you can see the images at a larger size, and not need to pause the video to study the adjustments. You’ll be able to see the progress through the editing steps, and easily refer to previous adjustments for a before and after.

This image was taken on a winter trip to Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park in January 2016.

I used a Canon 6D with a Canon 17-40 ƒ/4L lens. This is a RAW image file, so minor adjustments do not affect the quality.

Settings: ISO 100 – ƒ/10 – 1/200s – 17mm

The first image is the untouched RAW file. Looking at the histogram, you can see the highlights in the sky are not clipping, and the blacks in the lower areas are not either. The full dynamic range is there to work with. I typically shoot with auto white balance, and it does a pretty good job. Most adjustments to white balance are done for a visual impact.

Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 11.35.37 AM

I use the white balance selector tool to pick a neutral area of gray to set the white balance. When photographing thermal features, I often choose a gray area somewhere in the steam. Doing that here gives me a slightly warmer image, which helps bring out the oranges in the water. You can also pick a point anywhere throughout the clouds. Picking a point in the darker areas of the clouds will make the image dramatically warmer, while picking a point closer to the brightest areas can give a more natural result.

Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 11.35.21 AM

Because the sky has a much brighter range of tones than the foreground, I use a graduated filter to adjust only this area first. I set the line just touching the tops of the trees, and angle it to almost match the tree line. I only use a short gradation, instead of expanding it to fade from top to bottom. I lower the exposure a half stop, as a physical graduated neutral density filter might do. I increase the contrast slightly, then lower highlights so they aren’t clipping. I add just a touch of clarity to give the clouds a bit more definition.

Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 11.38.24 AM

Next, I add another graduated filter, this time covering the bottom half of the image. I align it below the trees, covering everything below where the snow starts. I increase whites and highlights to brighten the snow, and lower blacks so all tonal ranges are represented. I slightly clip the blacks (lower left) so I know I’ve got a true black point.

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Using the brush tool and the shadows preset, I increase the shadows in the trees. I find this is a great slider to use to brighten up dark areas of trees.

Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 11.41.22 AMI‘ve already balanced out the contrast of the image areas using the two graduated filters, but I add just a little bit more global contrast to the overall image with a tone curve. I only go +10 with lights and -10 with darks, making the middle tones pop just a little more, without clipping anything on either end.

Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 11.42.10 AM

This image already has a natural orange/red color, where the heat of the thermal features melts the snow and allows colorful bacteria to grow.  I increase the saturation of red, orange, and yellow slightly to bring this out more. I also added +5 to the luminance of these same colors in the same adjust box.

Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 11.42.43 AM

Sharpening can be done before you export the image depending on where it’s going. I add just a little more to the amount and detail. I adjust masking so there’s not as much sharpening going on in the solid areas of snow. If there was noise here, that mask would reduce the noise in the large solid colored areas that don’t need sharpening.

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The lens correction tool corrects the vignetting and distortion caused by the lens. Upright adjustment should fix the leveling of the image. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn’t.

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The camera calibration tool helps match the image you see on your computer screen to the image profile you set on your camera. Lens correction and camera calibration are set to automatically apply when I import images.

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Now that I’ve made other adjustments, I went back and checked the graduated filter in the sky again. I angled it a little more to not affect the steam cloud on the left, and lowered the exposure and blacks again to darken the clouds.
Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 11.48.59 AM

I use a brush with the dodge (lighten) preset to brighten up the steam cloud on the left, reversing the darkening from the graduated filter in this area. Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 11.49.27 AM

Finally, I make another adjustment to the white balance, getting a slightly warmer settings. Just a little bit of warm color now shows up where the sun hits the clouds, but the darkest areas remain a natural blue/gray.

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If you have any questions or suggestions, please let me know in the comments.

If you enjoyed these tips, you can sign up for my weekly photography tips via email with the form below! If you are interested in photography instruction tailored to your own needs, please contact me at info@trentsizemore.com



The “Halo” Effect – Bad HDR

This is something that really bugs me, especially when I see people sharing work that is guilty of this terrible photography mistake. I am all for people using photography the way they want, but there is a point that it’s so unrealistic that it shouldn’t be seen as “good” photography. All I’m trying to do is educate on what “good” photography technique really is.

In my own photography, I try to process an image to make it as close to what I saw as possible. Dynamic range is a big limiter of achieving this, but proper RAW processing can help overcome MOST scenes. Some scenes will have highlights blown out or dark shadows and it’s unavoidable. In reality, most modern digital cameras can capture a huge dynamic range without artificial brightening.

HDR or high dynamic range imaging is what I would consider a “fad” or a “gimmick” in modern photography. Ansel Adams may have used BASIC darkroom techniques to darken or lighten areas of his image, but he had a vast knowledge of exposure and planned his exposure in camera knowing his limits in processing. An HDR image consists of multiple greatly different exposures that are processed in a program that combines the brightened shadows and darkened highlights into a single image.

In my own photography I ALWAYS use a single exposure that is processed in Aperture 3 using the Canon RAW file. The image below is a very extreme example of a huge dynamic range. There was barely enough detail in the shadows for me to be able to brighten them just a bit. Making the shadows any lighter would result in a really fake looking image. The human eye is able to see the full range of the bright sunset and shadows in the tree, but the camera just isn’t capable enough yet. I exposed the image in camera so that the only the highlights in the very brightest part of the sunset would be clipped (blown out).

IMG_2337

Here’s one example of a “bad” processing, using an HDR technique. This scene has NO need to use any HDR technique to capture the entire dynamic range. A polarizing filter would have probably made this image look great in camera. Now there is a terrible “halo” effect around the sky.

Source: HDR-photo.org
Source: HDR-photo.org

It is very easy to spot when someone has artificially brightened a scene to overcome dark areas caused by bad exposure IN the camera. If you’re shooting a person against a bright background, you need to expose for the subject to be the correct brightness. If your background is too bright for your taste, try a polarizing filter or turning the subject so they are front-lit.

I see this all too often in fishing photos, especially out on the deep sea, where lighting is harsh and unforgivable. It’s clear to see the artificial brightening of the shadows in this shot below. There is a nasty halo around anything that was dark, and the highlights are gray and muddy. This was probably processed in a cheap, gimmicky program that makes an image appear “cool” or good to an amateur.

source: Google
source: Google

Obviously, this photographer wasn’t trying to shoot a magazine cover, just a shot to remember his trip. There are, however, many pro fisherman that use this same technique and come out with terrible looking photos (at least to my eye).

What’s an easy fix to overcome dark shadows in your picture? Use the fill flash on your camera for a little more natural looking image straight out the camera. Light has a certain tonal curve to follow so that it looks correct, and the image below is just not natural looking.

Feel free to drop me an email at info@trentsizemore.com with any questions you may have about getting better lighting in your photos!

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Lowepro Photo Hatchback AW 22L Review

After getting the Lowepro Photo Hatchback 22L for Christmas, I took it on a couple of hiking trips and decided to write up a review. I use the pack for day hiking since I can carry most of the camera gear I need along with any other little things I may want on the hike. During the summer, I may try carrying just a light sleeping bag and hammock in the pack for overnight trips.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback AW 22L Straps

The straps are padded well and plenty comfortable for a full day hike. The waist strap could benefit from padding, but it is still helpful if the pack is on the heavy side.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback AW 22L front

The overall quality of the pack is excellent. I wouldn’t hesitate to place it on the ground to take a break.

Lowepro camera backpack

Lowepro seems to be a great brand, with many other quality camera products.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback AW 22L zippers

One thing I love about the pack is how smooth the zippers are. They will never get stuck and can be zipped with one hand.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback AW 22L iPad pouch

The front of the pack has a padded compartment to fit an iPad or Macbook Air.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback Water bottle pouch

Both sides of the pack have stretchy compartments to hold a decent sized water bottle. You may be able to put a water bladder in the iPad compartment as well.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback with ND Filter pouch

Inside the top compartment, I carry my ND filter pouch as well as a jacket or two.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback camera compartment

This pack is a “hatchback” because the camera is accessed on the backside of the pack. This keeps the camera safe from theft as well as placing it down on the ground. It also offers more protection in the rain.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback with Canon 7d and lenses

Inside the camera compartment, there is plenty of room for my Canon 7D and the two lenses I use most (18-55 IS and 70-300 IS USM). I use the one divider down the middle so everything will fit no matter which lens is on the camera. I also keep two batteries, some screw on filters, tripod mounts, caps, etc. in this compartment.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback memory card pouch

Inside the lid for the camera compartment is a stretchy holder for a memory card or two. This is an odd feature because one flap goes over the other so you have to separate them to put the card inside. It seems like there could be an easier compartment to use than this.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback keychain pouch

Also inside the top compartment is a keychain holder, useful for ensuring your keys don’t fall out on a hiking trip. This is actually inside another zippered pouch in the top.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback removable camera tray

The entire camera tray is removable and the pack can be opened up to become a full day pack without the dividers.

Lowepro Photo Hatchback removable camera tray AW cover

The tray includes an AW cover for a little protection and handles on the sides. There is also an AW cover that covers the entire pack to protect from the rain.

The Lowepro Photo Hatchback AW 22L is currently around $108 on Amazon. You can purchase it through the link and I will get a little commission at no cost to you!

Essential Camera Settings for Landscape Photography

Canon 7D highlight alert menu settings

Whether you’re a complete beginner or just looking for a few things to help you take better landscape images, you should find something useful here.

Many items in the menus of today’s newer cameras become unnecessary when you should in RAW. While these tips can be adapted to most modern cameras, my menu settings are based off the Canon 7D.

1. Shoot RAW+Small JPEG

Shooting in RAW allows much more latitude in post-processing. While it should be kept to a minimum, any changes you make will have nearly no effect on the overall image quality. You can adjust the white balance (important), exposure, black point, brightness, and others, all without adding much (if any) additional noise or quality reduction. Adding a small JPEG speeds up the processing and displaying on the computer. Aperture 3 can use the included JPEG to display a preview instead of having to create its own preview, which takes a lot of time.

2. Use a Neutral picture style

Although the picture style is not applied to the RAW image, it is applied to the JPEG preview that you see on the LCD. Choosing neutral will ensure the JPEG preview accurately depicts the RAW image captured.

This is important to landscape photographers because RAW captures more dynamic range than what you can see in the JPEG. In post-processing, you’ll have the ability to recover a lot of highlight detail and gain another stop or two (or more) of dynamic range latitude. Tip number 5 will talk about displaying the highlight alert. You can expose your image to have a little bit of highlight clipping and be able to get this back once you process the RAW image. Check out this YouTube video on doing this –

3. Set your white balance for each new scene

White balance is another setting that is only applicable to the JPEG preview. Setting the correct white balance instead of using auto allows a more accurate LCD preview image.

4. Use Dust Delete Data

Dust delete data is available on Canon cameras (and others) as a way to cancel out dust particles on each image so they won’t show up. You do this once and it’s applied to each image. You can also just get your sensor cleaned professionally.

5. Enable Highlight alert

Highlight alert shows a blinking black area on your LCD preview of what highlights are clipping to total white. This is useful when there is a large dynamic range and you want to capture as much detail as possible. You can have a relatively small amount of clipping (10-20%?) of the image and be able to recover it in post-processing. Of course, there may be times when having total white in your scene is useful.

6. Don’t set your LCD brightness too bright or too dim

The LCD should give you a good idea of what the image looks like. You want to make sure the brightness is set so you don’t think your image is over or under exposed when it really isnt.

7. Shoot at ISO 100

In any camera, ISO 100 has the optimal noise performance, dynamic range, and color quality when compared to high ISOs. Since you can use a tripod with landscape photography and use long shutter speeds, ISO 100 is a must.

8. USE A TRIPOD

A tripod is an absolute MUST for quality landscape photography. It allows slower shutter speeds so that you can shoot at ISO 100. Not only that, it is also essential for getting shots where you want to blur the water. Of course, if it’s so bright outside that you can shoot at ISO 100 or 200 and get a good shutter speed, then shooting handheld is fine.

If you do use a tripod, make sure you turn off image stabilization so it doesn’t over correct itself.

9. Don’t bracket shots or use HDR

Bracketing shots allows you to get multiple exposures of a scene. Basically this means you are unsure what the “correct” exposure should be. Over time I’ve learned how to expose for any scene, including those with a dynamic range that exceeds my cameras limitations. Within 3 shots, I can make sure my exposure is where it should be. I’ll keep the best after that so I don’t have a ton of images to go through again later.

Using HDR is just unnecessary in my opinion. The amount of latitude you have for processing a RAW file is more than enough for almost any scene. You can still have detail in the shadows without clipping too much in the highlights. Some scenes with a huge range of light may benefit from the use of Grad ND filters. This will ensure you’re getting right in camera without having to use HDR in editing.

10. Keep post-processing to a minimum

Why change what’s already beautiful? Getting everything right in camera to make sure you’re displaying the scene naturally will let you keep processing to a minimum. Some people’s photography is about creating a new piece of art, regardless of it being natural or not. My work is about showing the true beauty in nature, how it really is. The challenge is overcoming the limits of the camera to do this in a pleasing way.

Circular Polarizer Filter

The circular polarizer is one of the most important pieces of equipment you can own for outdoor photography. As important as polarized sunglasses are for fishing, a polarizer is not something to leave at home.

Not only does it cut glare  on water and other highly reflective surfaces, it cuts glare on leaves and the sky, making blues and greens more intense. This filter screws on the end of a lens and then freely rotates, allowing you to choose the power of the polarization.

The two photos below show the effects of a polarizing filter on water glare.

Some tips for using polarizers

  • Facing at a 90 degree angle to the sun lends the maximum amount of polarization
  • On some subjects, such as flowing water, you don’t always want to cut all the glare
  • More expensive filters have higher quality glass and coatings that lead to better quality
  • If you plan on using a Grad ND filter, you likely won’t need a polarizer

Recommended filters (Match the filter size to your lens thread size)

Landscape Edit in Aperture 3 – Clingman’s Dome

For this week’s behind the scenes, I’m posting a video of how I go through the process of editing an image in RAW format straight out of the camera. You’ll notice there’s not a lot of work that goes in to, just simple darkroom techniques like dodging and burning. I try to match the final edit to what my mind saw that day. For those in to photography, this could be helpful to see how someone else works. For those of you not in to photography, it is cool to see how a photograph changes from the camera to the final scene you see online.

Basics of Exposing with a Grad ND Filter

In simple terms, a neutral density (ND) filter cuts down on the light hitting your sensor. A full ND reduces exposure over the entire frame while a graduated (grad) ND reduces exposure over some of the scene. This post will go over how to set your exposure when using a grad ND filter.

If you haven’t already, check out the first post on Using Graduated ND Filters.

Exposure reduction of graduated ND4 square filter

In this soft-step grad ND, the transition between light and dark is spread out over a large area. There are also hard stop filters that have a quick transition from dark to light. Soft steps work well when there are things covering the horizon such as trees or mountains. A hard stop filter works when there is a clear horizon, like over the open ocean.

Choosing between an ND2, ND4, and ND8 filter depends on the dynamic range of the scene. In a cloudy scene where the sky isn’t much brighter than the foreground, you may only need a 1 stop reduction from an ND2 filter. On a bright, sunny day where the sky is much brighter than the foreground, you will need an ND8 to bring out details in the foreground shadows.

Of course this is just a quick, casual way of picking the right filter strength. If you’re more technical, you can meter in both the sky and the foreground and determine the number of stops between the two. Using center-weighted average metering mode works better than evaluative mode to accomplish this.

Preparing for the ArtWalk

This Friday is the monthly ArtWalk in Murphy, North Carolina, put on by the Valley River Arts Guild. I’ve had the opportunity to display my work for the past two months at two restaurants. Tonight, I’ll be displaying my work in the Appalachian Outfitters, an all around outdoor shop.

For each show I do, I’ll always have my portfolio. It’s sized 12×18″, so it’s large and makes an impression. There are 10-15 images in here.

Large frosted clear fine art nature photography portfolio

I also have small framed prints that are moderately priced.

Framed 8x10 fine art nature photography print.

Although I don’t have a picture yet, I’ll have a higher-priced 24×36″ framed print that is sure to be breathtaking.

Some of my lower priced products are pre-matted 8×10’s.

8x10" prints in an 11x14 black mat

Make sure you stop by if you’re in the Murphy area tonight from 5-8!

ND Filters

One of the newest additions to my ever-growing bag of gear is a set of Neutral Density (ND) filters. The graduated (grad) ND filters are used to darken bright areas of the scene, evening out the exposure. Full ND filters allow you to darken the entire frame to get a longer exposure when there is bright light.

Goja complete neutral density ND filter set with with ND2, ND4, ND8 grad and full square filters

The sensors in today’s digital cameras (and film as well) have a dynamic range that is nowhere near what we see with the human eye. This image shows the difference between a scene with and without the grad ND. The filter used is an ND8, or three stops of exposure reduction. The ND4 and ND2 can reduce the exposure by 2 and 1 stop, respectively.

Landscape scene with and without a graduated neutral density filter.

Notice how the lower parts of the image has a similar exposure, while the scene gradually darkens towards the top where it’s covered by the ND filter. This scene doesn’t show the true power of the filter because it was already evenly lit. The best use is when the sky is bright, but you still want detail in a dark foreground.

This image darkens the background and allows for a bright, flowery foreground. Without the filter to darken the sky, there would be almost no detail in the clouds and even the mountains would be much brighter. The placement of the filter here actually lowered the exposure slightly all the way down the to near the flowers.

Landscape photograph using graduated ND filter

The full ND can be used under bright light when you want a multi-second exposure, but can’t stop down the aperture or lower the ISO. The ND2, ND4, and ND8 darken the entire exposure by 1,2, and 3 stops, respectively. Below is an example of using the filter during bright, sunny conditions.

photograph of blurred water using full ND square filter

Here is an affiliate link to the filters I purchased. Goja Complete ND Filter Set on Amazon.

While they aren’t of the highest quality, they are still good for learning. In the future I plan to purchase a set of Singh-Ray filters.

Check out how to expose using your grad ND filter.

Ten Tricks to Optimize Your Camera’s Features

Format Your Memory Card

Here are ten tricks you can use to optimize your camera by using features you didn’t know about or didn’t know how they worked! These menu images apply to a Canon T2i, but any Canon or even Nikon DSLR will have similar options within its own menus.

RGB Histogram

1. Change your histogram to RGB

Setting your histogram to view as RGB allows you to see exactly which colors are clipping or are too dark. Sometimes, especially in landscape photography, only one or two colors are actually being blown out. If you are only using a brightness histogram, you wouldn’t know it!

 

 

Format Your Memory Card

2. Format Your Memory Card After Every Project

Formatting your card after every shoot, project, or whenever it gets full reduces the chance of corruption. Simply erasing files individually adds a small amount of left over data each time, leading to possible problems later.

 

 

Back Button AF

3. Set Auto Focus to the Back Button

Under the custom functions, you’ll find a screen similar to this one to change the functions of the shutter button and AE lock button on the back. Setting the AF button to the back button will allow you to focus once and keep that focus for every shot until you need to change.

 

 

LCD Brightness

4. Set LCD Brightness to 4 or 5

Under normal indoor conditions, the default LCD brightness should be 4 or 5. Outdoors, you may need to increase it so you can see it better. The scale on the right allows you to see the difference in values. You will want to be able to tell a difference between each one, so that the whitest value is not blown out. Trying to determine a picture’s exposure by the LCD is really not recommended. The histogram is a much more accurate representation.

 

My Menu Settings5. Add Your Most Used Functions to the Favorites Tab

Some of your favorite items may be deep in the menus and difficult to get to. Adding these to the “My Menu” favorites tab makes it easier to access them.

 

 

 

Release Shutter Without Card

6. Release Shutter Without Card

If you don’t have a memory card in the slot, you don’t want to start taking pictures! This option will prevent that from happening just in case you forgot to insert your card.

 

 

 

RAW + JPEG7. Shoot RAW or RAW + JPEG

If you have the space on your computer, you NEED to be shooting in RAW with your DSLR. This is basically an equivalent to a digital negative, allowing so much more manipulation after the picture is taken. Exposure, black point, brightness, white balance, and many more can be adjusted in post processing without any loss in quality (to a certain extent). You can also shoot in RAW + JPEG to make processing easier during editing. The JPEG will be used for previews which are much faster and smaller to view and share.

 

Image Review Off

8. Turn Image Review Off

This is more of a personal preference, but if you have confidence in the photos you are taking, you shouldn’t have to check each photo immediately after you take it.

 

 

 

sRGB Color Space9. Color Space

Unless you know a lot about color space, you should set yours to sRGB. You will also want to go in to your PC or Mac’s display settings to make sure it is also set to sRGB. Thirdly, you can go in to your editing program’s settings and do the same. This streamlines all the colors in every step of the photography process. Printing is also another consideration; you’ll want to look in to your printing company’s policies as to what your color space should be when you send them an image.

 

Neutral Picture Style

10. Use a Neutral Picture Style

Even though you shouldn’t be guessing exposure by the image on the LCD, using a neutral picture style allows you to see more dynamic range. The CineStyle preset is a very flat picture style that is also great for shooting video. The histogram will also display this extended dynamic range, so you can adjust exposure accordingly to get the most out of a RAW file. Mainly, this is done by reducing any contrast that is added to the RAW by the camera processing, keeping it as original as possible.

 

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