Need advice for a picture

[Don Kuykendall_RIP]

You can see the EXIF on photos at Zenfolio by clicking on INFO

The waterfall there is

Camera model:NIKON D600
Focal length:28 mm
Exposure:1s at f/8
ISO speed:ISO 100

 

[Rick M]

I was just searching some photography sites and I came across this picture: RMills Photography | Favorites | Photo 35

I like the effect and I would like to know, if this effect of water in the picture is created by the camera / the way picture was taken or this is editing / Photoshop work ?


Also what about this picture ? RMills Photography | Trains and Heavy Equipment | Train 1

Hi Super! I have not been on as much lately or I would have responded sooner.

Train shot- This was 3 bracketed exposures (-2, 0, +2) shot in raw with either my D3100 or D5100 (D5100 has auto bracketing). Forget about the "HDR Mode" it is a gimmic for Jpeg only. I use the cheap version of Photomatix ($39) and finish in Lightroom. I do not have photoshop.

The waterfall was the same 3 exposure bracketing with my D600 (D5100 will work). I used a 3 stop ND filter and/or a circular polarizer. These are also longer exposures, but each was less that 1 second (The HDR blending enhances the smooth water effect so it does not have to be really long). Again merged in Photomatix and finished in Lightroom.

 

[DraganDL]

"The train" is, actually, a HDR-style rendered photo (kind of "surrealistic HDR" effect, with "glowing" and "vibrance" effects included)...

edit: I was wrong - it IS a "real HDR", after all...

 

[Moab Man]

I kept wondering when the creator was going to come along. Good to see you Rick.

 

[BackdoorArts]

The feel of the waterfall can be obtained simply by using a long exposure. I carry a 10 stop 77mm Neutral Density filter with me, with adapter rings that allow me to put it on all my lenses. Stick it on a tripod, get your exposure without the filter, put the filter on and add 10 stops of shutter speed and bam, you've got it. The HDR feel can be somewhat obtained through filters or tone-mapping, if you don't want to get into the HDR thing, but it's a neat thing to experiment with. I've found that since I moved to the D600 and D800 the dynamic range I get with those sensors allows me to get very natural looking HDR-like images from a single frame, but it's often easier with a 3-shot bracket provided everything that needs to remain still does so.

 

[Rick M]

Generally, if the subject isn't moving, I'll bracket three shots. Any significant motion and I'll work with a single frame. Leaves seem to be always moving so I look for that after I merge the series. In the case of the Locomotive, it was standing still so I bracketed. I sometimes find that 3 bracketed shots give me a better effect on clouds than a single image tonemapped. I don't know why, may have something to do with the reflected light off the clouds or a particular clouds composition? I believe the particles in clouds are always in motion, so the 3 shot burst may be catching different reflections?

 

[DraganDL]

@Rick M: "so the 3 shot burst may be catching different reflections"
Not only that - the clouds are often characterized by high LOCAL contrast, thus the exposure bracketing helps a lot in getting as many "shades" (details) recorded, as it's possible.