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How to Create Silky Split Toned Black and White Photos Using Luminosity Masks

22 Mar

Have you ever found it hard to choose between processing an image in color or black and white? It can be a tough decision. Enriching colors that instantly captivate your attention versus a timeless black and white photograph full of texture and complex shadows.

There’s every chance you’ll process both versions because you can’t have the best of both worlds, right? Well, with split toning, maybe you can – sort of.

1 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Split Toning 101

At its core, split toning is a pretty simple editing technique. You can create a split tone effect by simply introducing color into the highlights and/or shadows of your photograph.

It’s often used by photographers (and extensively by film makers) to recreate a film look and to create a consistent style across a series of images. In recent years, it’s become renowned for creating the ever so popular “orange and teal” look.

These days, the mere thought of split toning your photograph is greeted with groans of “not another Insta-image”. But for all of its popularity on social media platforms, perhaps split toning is most effective when applied to black and white photographs. This is where its subtle tones combine with texture and luminance to create sumptuous results.

2 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Black and White Versus Color

Colors are powerful. Not only do they add excitement and interest, but they also set the tone for your images. By default, colors come with a little extra baggage – they’re moody, symbolic and represent a preconceived tone.

3 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Tones such as reds, yellows, and oranges are usually associated with warm, gooey feelings of love and comfort.

4 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Whereas the cooler tones such as blue, cyan and magenta are typically associated with melancholic feelings of calmness and reflection.

You could almost think of color as a way of spoon-feeding the viewer with the tone, style, and mood of your images. Essentially, colors can make your job of storytelling a lot easier.

With this in mind, you’d be forgiven for wanting to enhance the emotion of your photographs by pumping up the saturation of your colors. But there’s a consequence. They’re too powerful.

Color Can be a Distraction

For all of their excitement and emotional qualities, colors have the potential to be overly dominant and cause major distractions. I’m not going to pretend I know the science behind why this is, but have you ever noticed that black and white photographs appear to offer a little more oomph? A particular grittiness.

It’s almost like they have a 3-dimensional quality that seduces your eyes and encourages them to roll around in the graduating tones. Okay, maybe it’s just me.

The theory goes that the presence of strong color can make it more difficult for your eyes to detect luminance, perceive depth, and absorb the finer detail in your images. A problem black and white photographs need not worry about.

5 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

You may notice that your primary focus flickers from color to color instead of exploring the shapes and textures of the building in this image.

6 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Removing the color helps your eyes to journey through the maze-like building to explore the textures, lines, and shapes.

Enter Split Toning

Without color, your eyes turn into luminance seeking missiles as they journey deep into your image to revel in silky graduating tones, land on interesting shapes, and explore complex textures.

So how do you combine the moody nature of color with the textural qualities of a black and white image?

This is where split toning makes its grand entrance. Applying a subtle color to the highlights and shadows of your black and white photographs gives you a slice of the emotional qualities that color can offer, without disguising the depth and texture of your black and white photograph.
Who said you can’t have the best of both worlds?

7 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Basic Color Theory 101

Before you dive in and start splashing color around as if you’re celebrating the Holi festival, it’s a good idea to have a basic understanding of color theory. Then you’ll know exactly what colors to combine when you split tone your black and white photographs.

The Adobe color wheel is a great tool that represents the relationship between primary, secondary, and tertiary colors. Photographers, designers, and artists often apply basic color theory to the color wheel to create visually appealing color palettes for their work.

8 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Here are three common color schemes you can use to develop a subtle, harmonious, or contrasting color palette for your split toned black and white photographs.

Analogous Color Scheme

An easy way to understand the analogous color scheme, which also avoids you having to pronounce it, is to think of it as a really good set of next-door neighbors.

9 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Analogous color schemes use colors that are directly next to one another on the color wheel. They are naturally harmonious and can often be found in nature.

Triadic Color Scheme

10 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Triadic color schemes use colors that are evenly distributed around the color wheel. This type of color scheme is typically more vibrant and interesting than an analogous one.

Complementary Color Scheme

11 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Colors that are directly opposite one another on the color wheel are known as complementary colors.

If you have watched almost any movie in the last 10 years or scrolled through your Instagram feed in the last 10 minutes, it’s highly likely you would have noticed a strong presence of orange and teal colors. This is a perfect example of a complementary color scheme.

Brief Recap

So far I have briefly covered the advantages of color and black and white photographs and how, in theory, it’s somewhat possible to combine their qualities to get the best of both worlds using a split toning technique. I’ve also introduced a basic level of color theory, so you will know how to create visually attractive color combinations in your split toned images.

At this point, you might be wondering how to apply all this wonderful information and actually split tone your photographs. So, let’s dive in and bring it all together.

How to Create a Silky Split Tone Effect

A common and very easy way to split tone your images would be to use the Lightroom Split Toning tab in the Develop Module.

12 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

This allows you to select a specific hue for the highlights and shadows, adjust the saturation, and the balance of the effect.

13 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

While this method is extremely fast and produces acceptable results, it lacks the ability to infuse your images with a triadic or analogous color scheme. More importantly, it doesn’t allow you to control how the split toning effect is applied to the different tones in your image.

Using Luminosity Masks in Photoshop

Having more control can help you to create a silky split toned black and white photograph that makes you want to instantly hit print and proudly publish it for all to see. To gain this level of control you’ll need to take a deep breath and join me as we take a big brave step into Photoshop.

Step 1: Creating Luminosity Masks

To get started you’ll need to open up Photoshop and load a series of luminosity masks.

If you’ve just exhaled that deep breath with a, “Huh!? What is that!?” there’s no need to run a “What’s a luminosity mask?” Google search. All the basic information you need (and a free action that does all the work for you) is available right here.

Originally developed and thoroughly documented by Tony Kuyper, luminosity masking is regarded as one of the most effective techniques to control your images in Photoshop.

Despite its complex sounding name, luminosity masking is a relatively easy technique you can use to apply subtle adjustments to your images in a clean and effective way.

14 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Several tonal adjustments were applied to this image using luminosity masks to gradually build contrast and depth in this image.

Luminosity masks are commonly used among landscape and architecture photographers to seamlessly blend bracketed exposures, gradually build contrast, and create silky black and white photographs. They work by creating a series of selections that isolate the highlights, mid-tones, and shadows on a granular level, which allows you to target specific tones based on their luminance (brightness) value.

Sadly, the process of creating luminosity masks is nowhere near as fun as using them. So, to save you (and me) from:

  • Death by 100 confusing screenshots detailing how they are created
  • Spending 15 minutes creating luminosity masks every time you want to split tone an image in Photoshop

Here’s a link to download a Photoshop Action that includes all the information you need to install and create luminosity masks in a just a few clicks.

15 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Luminosity masks in Photoshop.

Essentially, having a selection of luminosity masks at your disposal gives you ultimate control over your photographs. It means you’re able to work with the highlights, mid-tones, and shadows independently of one another. Which, if you’re partial to the odd black and white photograph, provides you with the perfect system to create a beautiful split toning effect.

Step 2: Create a Color Palette

With your luminosity masks created, head over to the Adobe color wheel to create a visually attractive color palette. Note down the hex value of your desired colors, as you will need these in the next step. For this example, we’ll create a complementary color scheme.

16 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Step 3: Apply your Shadow Color

Create a Solid Color Adjustment Layer and enter the hex code of the color you’d like to introduce into your shadows.

17 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Step 4: Color Blending

Change the blend mode of the Solid Color Adjustment Layer to “Color”. As you do so, you’ll notice that your entire image will be colorized with the hue you selected. Now select the default white layer mask and delete it by dragging it to the trash can icon.

18 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Step 5: Select a Luminosity Mask

Navigate to the Channels tab and locate the luminosity masks you created using the Photoshop action in step one. You’ll notice that seven luminosity masks with varying degrees of intensity have been created for your highlights, likewise for your shadows, and two luminosity masks will target the mid-tones of your image.

15 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Luminosity masks are stored in the Channels tab.

The aim here is to apply one of these luminosity masks to the Solid Color Adjustment Layer you just created. This will restrict the effect of the adjustment layer to only appear in specific areas of your image.

Clicking on each of the luminosity masks allows you to preview the target areas of your image.

Luminosity masks work much in the same way as regular masks. The white areas of the mask will reveal the effect and the black areas of the mask will conceal it. The grey areas of a luminosity mask will partially reveal the effect which helps to create a subtle and clean finish.

19 1 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Clicking on a luminosity mask allow you to preview what areas of your image it targets.

The general aim is to select a luminosity mask with just enough white (and gray) in the areas where you’d like the color to be visible. As a rule of thumb, when choosing a luminosity mask to add color into your highlights, selecting the “Lights 2” or “Lights 3” mask usually works well.

If you intend to introduce a color into the shadows of your image (like in this example), then you may find that using the “Darks 2”, “Darks 3” or “Darks 4” luminosity masks will provide you with a silky-smooth finish.

19 2 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

The white areas represent where the blue tone will be revealed.

Step 6: Load Luminosity Selection

With your chosen Luminosity Mask selected click on the “Load mask as selection” button at the bottom of the Channels panel. Upon doing so, you’ll notice that the marching ants appear to indicate the selection.

20 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Step 7: Create a Layer Mask

Navigate back to your layers tab, select your solid color layer and click the “Add Layer Mask” button. This will create a layer mask using the luminosity selection which will restrict the Solid Color Adjustment Layer to only be visible in the white areas of the mask.

In the example, you can see that the blue color tone is now only visible in the darker areas of the image.

21 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Loading the “Darks 4” luminosity mask helps to restrict the effect to the shadow areas only.

Step 8: Refine Your Color

At this stage, there’s every chance the effect will look a little too strong and not very subtle. This is where working with adjustment layers and masks gives you complete control.

To refine the effect, double-click on the Solid Color Adjustment Layer to reduce the saturation and brightness. If need be, you can also adjust the overall opacity of the Solid Color Adjustment Layer to soften the effect.

22 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Reducing the saturation and brightness helps to create silky smooth shadows.

If your effect is still too strong then you may want to consider deleting the layer mask and repeating steps 5 and 6 to select a luminosity mask with a softer selection.

Step 9: Housekeeping

To help keep your layers neat and tidy, you can rename the Solid Color Adjustment Layer to “Shadows”.

23 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Step 10: Mid-tones

Repeat steps 3-8 to apply your desired color to the mid-tones. Only this time, when you get to step 5, you’ll need to select the “Midtones 1” luminosity mask.

25 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Note: When you load the “Midtones 1” luminosity mask as a selection, Photoshop will display a warning which states “No pixels are more than 50% selected. The selection edges will not be visible.”

24 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

You can safely ignore this warning. Your mid-tones will still be selected, this message is just Photoshop’s way of saying, “Woah there! You are making a selection so subtle that the marching ants can’t show you where it will apply.”

Step 11: Highlights

Finally, you can now introduce a color into your highlights.

26 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

To do this, you’ll need to repeat steps 3-8, modifying step 5 to select a “Light” luminosity mask. Often the “Lights 2” or “Lights 3” masks will create subtle results.

27 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Here’s an example of the shadow, mid-tone, and highlight layers combining to split tone the image.

28 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Before and After

14 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Here is the image prior to applying the split toned effect.

1 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Here is the image after applying a complementary split toned effect.

As you can see, the subtle toning helps to add a little emotion to the cityscape without losing the sense of depth of the original black and white image. And because the toning has been applied with luminosity masks and layers, you’re able to tweak and control the precise tone until it has a silky quality that makes you want to jump inside the image and roll around in its graduating tones.

Examples

Here are a few examples of different color schemes applied to the cityscape using the exact same process.

Warm Analogous Color Scheme

29 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Warm analogous color palette created with the Adobe color wheel.

30 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

A Cool Analogous color scheme

31 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Cool analogous color palette created with the Adobe color wheel.

32 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Triadic color scheme

33 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

A vibrant Triadic color palette created with the Adobe color wheel.

34 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

Conclusion

Whether you are looking for a way to add a little more emotion into your black and white photographs or simply trying to work out if you prefer an image in color or monochrome, you may find that split toning a black and white image can often give you the best of both worlds.

35 How to split tone black and white images using luminosity masks

And besides, in a world full of heavy saturation, smartphone filters, and HDR, it can be refreshing to strip away excess color and produce a sumptuous split toned black and white photograph.

I hope this encourages you to play with the color wheel and experiment with split toning effects. If you decide to give it a try, I’d be delighted to see your photographs in the comments below.

The post How to Create Silky Split Toned Black and White Photos Using Luminosity Masks by William Palfrey appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology

09 Mar

Photographic typologies are a unique and interesting form of photography. Have you ever made a collection of something? Stamps, buttons, figurines? If so, then you’ve made a typology, without even knowing it!

Here’s how to translate your collecting skills into creating a mini photographic typology. It’s a fascinating way of comparing and contrasting almost anything visually!

How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology

This series is made up of broken cameras I’ve accumulated over time. With a strong concept, a plain background and simple subject matter, the differences between each camera are more pronounced.

What is a Photographic Typology?

A photographic typology is a study of “types”. That is, a photographic series that prioritizes “collecting” rather than stand-alone images.

It’s a powerful method of photography that can be used to reshape the way we perceive the world around us. In fact, I’ve often heard viewers exclaim that they hadn’t looked at a subject that way before viewing it in a typology.

By extracting visual elements and presenting them in a similarly consistent series, we can create a visual analysis of objects and the larger environment and its inhabitants – often without featuring the occupants themselves.

How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology

This is a typological series I created of microwaved Polaroid paper.

The History

Photographic typologies are believed to have originated from August Sander’s 1929 series of portraits titled “Face of Our Time.” His work depicted portraits of Germans between World War I and II. Sander used typology to record social groupings and classes and the relationship between the different human experiences within. He photographed a wide selection of people including farmers, children, factory workers, upperclassmen, and actors to create a comprehensive example of German society. In fact, his work had such an impact that it was seized and the photographic plates destroyed by the Nazis in 1936.

Sander recognized that displaying his portraits together as a collection revealed much more than stand-alone photographs. His work emphasized the similarities and differences between subjects by maintaining consistency in his overall theme, with all his subjects looking directly into the camera.

Typology of guitar picks.

Typology of guitar picks.

The term “typology” was first used in 1959 when Bernd and Hilla Becher began documenting their architectural photographic series. Depicting decaying urban landscapes, each photograph was taken at exactly the same angle, from the same distance, with the same exposure settings. With the aim of recording a landscape in flux, the Becher couple described their subjects as “buildings where anonymity is accepted to be the style”.

Their work influenced generations of photographic typologists. Jeff Brouws, a well-known photographer uses typology to explore “historical, contemporary [and] everyday aspects of the American cultural landscape”. And  John Cyr’s series depicting the developer trays of famous photographers has become a prime example of photographic typology.

How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology

This typology highlights the different effects polarization has upon various plastic materials.

Getting Started

Concept

Each typology begins with a single photograph. But deciding on a subject is easier said than done. To get started, pick a simple subject that will be easy to find in numbers. It’s funny how things become scarce once you begin looking for them. Some good ideas might include:

  • A rock collection or any collection with a similar concept or subject isolated on a white background.
  • Urban details like cracks in the sidewalk or drain-covers.
  • A variety of doors and windows.
  • Scenes or objects of a particular color.

Of course, going for a walk and selecting a subject you encounter is a great way to get started too. Typologists go to great lengths to seek out subjects for a series. Focusing on simple details and objects that are often taken for granted is an effective way to get into the mindset of a typologist.

How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology

A typology of aircraft flying overhead that I made by laying under the flight path of various airports.

Shooting a Typology

Typological studies can span over years and include hundreds of photographs. Creating a miniature typology of nine photos makes the task both easier, and more difficult. Because you are creating a mini typology, you want a project that clearly outlines the comparisons and contrasts within your subject of choice. Try to look for bold designs, sharp lines, or unusual subject matter.

One of the golden rules in typological photography is consistency. Not only do you need to photograph a certain type of subject, you need to create a body of work that clearly points to the differences and similarities between each one.

To eliminate distractions, try and maintain the same camera angle, lighting, and background. I find that for photographing objects, a clean white background works best. Try photographing at the same time of the day to maintain the same color temperature and lighting conditions.

How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology

For my aviation series, I positioned myself directly under the aircraft for consistent results.

Displaying a Typology

Once you have collated a consistent body of work, it’s time to arrange your typology. Open a Photoshop document and begin dragging your photos onto the page. You want to adjust them so they are exactly the same size as all your other images. To help maintain even spaces between the images I use the New Guide tool.

How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology

To help maintain even spaces between the images I use the  New Guide tool.

How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology

Divide your image up into equal portions with the Guide tool so that you can spread your typology out nice and evenly.

Once evenly spaced, your mini typology is done!

Conclusion

Photographic typologies are a distinctive and unusual genre of photography. By classifying and combining images of similar subject matter, you can highlight the building blocks that form a cohesive image.

Why not complement your collections with some photography? Or head out into the world and visually process an environment into types? I would love to see the results in the comments below.

The post How to Create a Mini Photographic Typology by Megan Kennedy appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Ben Von Wong used 4,100 pounds of E-waste to create these futuristic portraits

07 Mar

Photographer Benjamin Von Wong recently teamed up with computer maker Dell to try and make recycling “cool.” Together, they took 4,100 pounds of electronic waste and used it to build three futuristic scenes that show how e-waste can be used to power the future of tech instead of languishing in some landfill—in other words: how e-waste can serve as a bridge between the past to the future.

For the past several years, Von Wong has taken his talent for capturing and creating incredible scenes in-camera, and used it to help push for various causes in the world of conservation. That’s how he wound up photographing this model in shark infested waters, or capturing these images of ‘mermaids’ swimming in 10,000 plastic water bottles.

His latest project finds him continuing his quest for conservation and social responsibility, this time alongside computer company Dell.

As Ben explains in his blog post about the project, he got in touch with Dell after finding out that the company has the world’s largest global recycling program. But for all of their cool recycling tech—like, for example, ‘Closed Loop Recycling’ that reuses metals and plastic from old computers to build new ones—the company struggles to get people to recycle.

“After all, how do you convince people that recycling e-waste can be cool?” ask Von Wong. These photos, this project, is supposed to be the answer to that question… or at least the beginnings of a conversation.

Wistron GreenTech gave Ben 4,100 pounds of e-waste to use on this project—the approximate amount a single person will generate over the course of their lifetime—and together with 50 volunteers over the course of 10 days, they build three ‘epic’ sets using simple tools, glue, paint, and wood.

Using keyboards, laptops, and circuit boards, Ben worked together with David Jeter and used forced perspective to try and make the sets look larger than life.

Here are a few behind the scenes photos of the build process:

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And here is what all of that hard work produced. Ten days of building and shooting for just three epic hero shots:

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In Ben’s mind, however, the whole process was definitely worth it.

“It took only 4 hours to clean up 10 days of hard work,” he laments, “but the images will hopefully live on forever and empower every individual to tell their friends and family to Rethink electronic waste, Recycle them responsibly, so that responsible companies like Dell can Revive them as brand new computer parts.”

To read the whole story and see many more behind the scenes photos and details about things like lighting and set design, head over to Ben’s blog by clicking here.

All photographs by Benjamin Von Wong and used with permission.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Long Exposure Photography 101 – How to Create the Shot

01 Mar

It’s easy to get caught up in the fast nature of photography, technology, instant results, presets, etc. But what happens when you slow your photography right down?

This tutorial will introduce you to the 101s of daytime long exposure photography and share the exact steps you can follow to create your very own long exposure photographs.

01 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Long exposure seascape.

What is long exposure photography?

long exposure photography can be defined in two ways. A traditional description would class it as taking photographs with the intent to deliberately capture the effect of time and display moving objects in a different way to how our eyes are used to seeing them.

But for those of a more literal-mindset, long exposure photography is a brilliant way of photographing atmospheric landscapes, whilst being able to enjoy a cup of tea and a biscuit – all at the same time.

Now, if that sounds like your type of photography, I encourage you to settle in and read on.

02 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Slow down

The very nature of long exposure photography is pretty slow paced. It forces you to take your time, which is excellent practice for your framing and compositional skills. And because you literally can’t rush the shot, it makes you think about the light, your subject, and your compositional techniques before you invest several minutes of your time capturing the image.

It’s worth noting that there is no specific shutter speed that defines the crossover from “typical photography” to long exposure photography. It’s not the duration of your shutter speed that defines your image as a long exposure photograph. Instead, it’s your intention to capture moving objects using longer exposure times than necessary that makes it a long exposure photograph.

03 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Generally speaking, long exposure photographs will use shutter speeds that can be measured in seconds or minutes instead of fractions of seconds.

Embrace the blur – add a sense of motion

“So, why should I take a photo using a slow shutter speed? Won’t that make it blurry?”

Yes, precisely. Using a long exposure technique is typically reserved for times when you want to selectively blur objects in your images. Common examples would be to capture flowing water, like the ocean or a waterfall. It’s also used to capture the movement of clouds or stars in the night sky.

04 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Long exposures are great for capturing motion and stillness in a single frame.

A long exposure photograph reveals the passing of time and conveys motion in a way that your eyes are simply unable to see at the time. Long exposures turn clouds into whispers, water into silky-looking glass, and people into otherworldly ghost-like beings.

Long exposure photography allows you to capture stillness and a sense of motion in a single frame. The contrast between these elements creates a sense of mystery and adds a surreal atmosphere to your images. It’s precisely this playful mix of the fluid and the still that makes long exposure photography beautiful, strong, and mildly addictive – or maybe that’s just the cup of tea.

Anyway, here’s what you need to know to take a long exposure photograph.

05 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Blocking out light with Neutral Density (ND) Filters

To capture those ethereal tones and silky motions in your images, you need to use a slow shutter speed. The trouble with using a slow shutter speed during the day is that it lets in a lot of light. So much light in fact, that it will inevitably overexpose your image.

To counter this, you will need to use a Neutral Density (ND) filter to make long exposure photographs during the day.

ND filters essentially sit in front of your lens and block out the light. Think of them as a fashionable set of sunglasses for your lens. And because the ND filters reduce the amount of light that hits your camera sensor, you can use shutter speeds up to several minutes long without overexposing your images – even in bright conditions.

06 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Rectangular ND Filters – otherwise known as “rectangular dark glass to block out the light”.

Using an ND Filter

The exact length of your exposure will depend on the lighting conditions and the strength of the ND filter you use. ND filters are typically measured by the stops of light they are able to block out and are usually available in increments of 3, 6, 10, or 16-stops.

Nisi, Lee Filters, and Formatt-Hitech are among the popular brands of ND filters, although there are many others available for a variety of budgets. ND filters come in either a circular format (these screw onto the front your lens) or a rectangular format, which requires the use of an additional filter holder to mount them to your lens.

As a general rule, the more light your ND filter is able to block out, the longer your exposure will need to be to achieve a balanced exposure. And the longer your exposure, the more dramatic the effect will be in your final image.

07 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Rectangular ND Filters attached to camera lens using a filter holder.

Don’t Move

You may be aware that when you use slow shutter speeds, the smallest bit of camera movement can throw your image out of focus and cause it to look a little blurry. This is especially true in long exposure photography.

Given that your camera will be taking several seconds or several minutes (if you’re using a 10 or 16 stop ND filter) to complete a single shot, it’s crucial to ensure it doesn’t move a millimeter during the exposure.

It would be nearly impossible to achieve this by hand. Therefore, it’s a good idea to get your hands on a sturdy tripod. This not only ensures your camera will remain still throughout the entire exposure but more importantly, it frees up your hands, so you can have a sip of your tea whilst your camera is hard at work.

In addition to your ND filters and tripod, here’s a checklist of essential equipment you’ll need for long exposure photography.

Essential Long Exposure Photography Equipment Checklist

08 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Essential long exposure photography gear – particularly #10.

  1. Your ND filters.
  2. A sturdy tripod.
  3. Camera with bulb mode function – bulb mode allows you to take exposures longer than the camera’s default 30 seconds.
  4. Fully charged batteries – try to avoid the heart-breaking moment when your battery cuts out in the middle of an exposure.
  5. Lens – wide-angle lenses work very well with landscapes, seascapes, and architecture photography. If you’re just getting started, any lens that is compatible with your ND filters will work just fine.
  6. A shutter release cable with a locking functionality. Using a shutter release cable (remote trigger) allows you to lock the shutter open without having to touch the camera body. This reduces camera movement during your exposure.
  7. A viewfinder cover – during long exposures, light has a habit of finding its way into your camera through your viewfinder and ruining your images. You can prevent this from happening by using a viewfinder cover, some sticky-tac or even duct-tape.
  8. A dark cloth or hat – perhaps the most peculiar item on this list, however, it’s arguably one of the most important. Believe it or not, light doesn’t just find its way into your camera via the viewfinder. It also leaks in via the lens/body connection and also from the connection points on the side of your camera. Placing a dark cloth or hat over your camera works well to prevent light leaks.
  9. Smartphone – this will serve two purposes. First, it will help you to calculate your long exposure times via a handy long exposure calculator app that I’ll introduce you to shortly. Its second function will be to keep track of your exposure time using a simple timer.
  10. A flask of tea and a selection of biscuits – and you thought I was joking! By far my favorite item on the list. long exposure photography will typically have you sitting in a beautiful spot for several minutes, taking your time and soaking up your surroundings. It’s good for the soul and a creates the perfect opportunity to enjoy a well-deserved treat, particularly on cold mornings!
  11. Chargers, USB cables, and lens wipes. Ideal if you need to recharge your gear or remove your fingerprints from your ND filters when you’re out and about.

Every item on this list plays an important role in capturing a long exposure photograph. Now here’s precisely how you can capture one.

Step 1: Prepare at Home

Unlike a typical day of photography, long exposures don’t afford you the luxury of being able to rattle off 1,200 images in a few hours. Instead, you’re likely to return home with only a handful of good photographs after a day of long exposure photography.

So, before you grab your gear and set off in search of ethereal landscapes and mind-bending architecture, it’s well worth investing your time. Research the location and environment so you can make the most of your time in the field.

Weather Conditions

If you’re planning on shooting a landscape, cityscape, or architecture, take a look at your local weather forecast to see what the cloud cover will be like. Anything over 40% cloud cover should give you ideal conditions to capture a silky sky.

04 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

The low clouds help to create a surreal atmosphere.

Creating a long exposure seascape, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily need a lot of cloud coverage (although, cloudy conditions over water often produce great results). It’s worth researching the water conditions because – like the clouds – the greater the movement of the water, the greater the effect of your long exposure photographs.

10 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Cloudy and stormy conditions create dramatic long exposure photographs.

Location Scouting

Use Google Maps and street view to go for a “virtual walk” around your location. Doing so helps you to familiarize yourself with the area and scout out potential compositions for your images. Essentially, you should know precisely where you are going, how you will get there, where you will park, how much daylight you will have and in which direction you need to walk to ensure you take full advantage of your time and the conditions.

11 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Using Google Maps and Street View can help you with composition ideas before leaving your house.

Prepare Your Equipment

There is nothing more heart-breaking than spending the time to scout out the perfect location and setting up your camera only to realize that you have left your ND filters at home or your camera battery is at 27%. Be sure to charge up all of your batteries (including your smartphone) and pack your camera bag using the equipment checklist above.

Shoot RAW

Set your camera to shoot in RAW format. Long exposures tend to have a blue or magenta color cast caused by the ND filters. Shooting in RAW allows you to easily correct the white balance in post-processing.

12 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Ensure that your camera is set to record your images as RAW files.

Install Long Exposure Calculator Smartphone App

Spending your time trying to calculate what your exposure length should be with a 16-stop ND filter might not sound like much fun to you. Long exposure photography is all about taking time out to soak up your environment and enjoying the views – not solving algorithms.

Installing a “Long Exposure Calculator” app on your smartphone will save you time and make calculating your shutter speed much easier when you’re out in the field. Here are a couple of popular suggestions for IOS and Android users.

  • Exposure Calculator – Android
  • Long Exposure Calculator – IOS

It’s a good idea to install the app on your smartphone at home before heading out – just in case you later find yourself in an area with no mobile coverage to download the app.

Step 2: Work the Scene

By the time you’ve prepared your gear, researched the area, and arrived at your location, you’d be forgiven for wanting to unpack and get shooting straight away. Instead, you’ll find that holding off for just a few minutes and allowing yourself to explore the scene often produces more favorable results.

Pick up your camera (without the tripod) and work the shot. Take note of the weather, light, and direction of the water, clouds, lights, or traffic. What are the characteristics of the scene? How does the mood feel? What angle best captures all of this? What are you going to include in your frame?

Step 3: Compose the Shot

Once you have decided on the perfect angle, it’s time to set up your tripod and mount your camera (without the ND filter) to compose and frame the shot. Ensure your tripod is locked in place and your camera is tightly secured. Now is also a good time to attach your remote shutter release cable to your camera.

13 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Secure your camera to your tripod and attach the shutter release cable.

Step 4: Aperture, ISO, and Focus

Switch your camera into Aperture Priority mode and set your aperture to somewhere between f/7.1 and f/11. As a rule of thumb, this range will fall close to your lens’s sweet spot and provide you with a deep depth of field to ensure your image is sharp throughout.

As I’ve mentioned, noise and camera shake can be problematic in long exposure photography. Therefore, adjust your ISO to 100 to minimize the amount of noise and turn off Image Stabilization on your lens to reduce the amount of internal camera shake.

14 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Aperture Priority mode, ISO 100, f/8.0

Focus your lens, ensuring your subject is sharp from back to front. When you are happy with your focus point, switch your lens over to manual focus. This essentially safeguards your focus point and prevents accidental re-focusing when you trigger the shutter.

15 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Switch your lens over to manual focus when you’re happy with your focus point.

Step 5: Test Shot

Use your viewfinder cover (duct-tape or sticky-tac will work) to cover up your viewfinder. This will prevent light from leaking into your camera and ensure that your camera gives you an accurate metering.

16 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Use a Viewfinder cover, duct-tape, sticky-tac or even some cardboard block out light leaks.

With your viewfinder covered and your camera still in Aperture Priority mode, take a test shot to obtain the base shutter speed. It’s the shutter speed from this test shot that will form the basis of your long exposure calculations.

It’s a good idea to review the test shot to ensure the exposure looks good and everything is perfectly in focus. When you’re happy with your test shot, check the metadata and make a mental note of the shutter speed.

17 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Aperture Priority test shot – In this case, the camera’s light metering used a shutter speed of 1/60th. This shutter speed will form the basis of the long exposure calculations.

Step 6: Bulb Mode

Switch your camera mode from Aperture Priority to Bulb Mode and set your ISO and aperture to mirror the exact same settings as your test shot.

18 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Bulb Mode – Set the ISO and aperture to match your test shot.

Bulb Mode allows you to keep your shutter open as long as you hold down your camera’s shutter button. However, standing next to your camera and keeping the shutter button held down with your finger isn’t ideal. Not only would this cause lots of camera shake, it would also make it nearly impossible to enjoy a cup of tea on the job (it’s clear where my priorities lie).

This is precisely why you’ll need a shutter release cable with a locking function. The lock plays the role of your finger and keeps the shutter button held down until you decide to release the lock, thus minimizing the possibility of camera shake.

Step 7: Calculate Your Long Exposure

Enter the shutter speed from your test shot into the long exposure calculator app you installed on your smartphone in step 1.

19 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Enter the shutter speed from your test shot into your Long Exposure Calculator mobile phone app.

You will then need to set the filter density to match your ND filter. For example, if you’re planning to use a 16-stop filter, you would enter 16-stops into the app.

The app will then calculate the length of your long exposure. It’s worth noting here that this time is approximate. It doesn’t account for a change in weather conditions during the exposure or the quality of your ND filters. I use Lee Filters and from experience, I find adding approximately 25% to the app’s suggested exposure time works well.

Step 8: Set a Timer

Load your long exposure time into your smartphone’s timer. You will trigger this at the same time you commence the long exposure to keep track of timing.

20 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

With a 16-stop ND filter and a base shutter speed of 1/60th, The Long Exposure Calculator suggested that I will need an exposure time of 18 minutes. I added approximately 25% to allow for the changing light conditions and created a timer on my phone.

Step 9: ND Filters

Mount your ND filters to your camera. Be careful not to adjust the focus or zoom rings of your lens in the process. It’s a good idea to double check your lens is still set to manual focus.

21 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Mount your ND filters to the camera.

Step 10: Mirror Lock-up

If you’re using a DSLR, enable Live View or the mirror lock-up function. These features lock your camera’s mirror in the up position, which reduces internal camera vibrations when you trigger the shutter.

22 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Live View or the mirror lockup function will prevent camera vibration when you trigger the shutter.

Step 11: Cover the Camera

Carefully cover your camera with a dark cloth or a hat, being careful not to adjust the zoom or focus rings on your lens. This will help to prevent light from leaking into your camera during the exposure.

23 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

Perhaps the most crucial step – use a dark cloth, hat, or an old pair of trousers to wrap around your camera to prevent light leaks.

Step 12: Trigger the Shutter

Now it’s time to create your ethereal masterpiece. The aim here is to simultaneously trigger your smartphone’s timer with one hand (this will keep track of your exposure time) and with your other hand, lock the shutter release cable to hold open your camera’s shutter. If you’re like me, and the mere thought of doing two things at once confuses you, you can simply trigger them one at a time.

All that’s left for you to do at this point is make yourself comfortable and enjoy that cup of tea! Finally! And because you set a countdown timer on your smartphone, its delightful little chime will alert you when it’s time to get up to release the lock on your shutter release cable. Thereby closing the shutter and completing your long exposure photograph.

The Result

So, what do you get after spending a leisurely afternoon in front of a beautiful scene sipping from your thermos and nibbling on a cookie? Well, it’s likely you’ll return home with an image that looks something like this.

24 Long Exposure Photography 101 How to create the shot

23-minute long exposure – processed in Lightroom and Photoshop.

Recap

The very nature of creating long exposure photographs is to slow down. It encourages you to step away from the rapid-fire approach and have fun creating something that you wouldn’t ordinarily be able to see. That’s what long exposure photography is all about.

By now, I’m hoping this article has you reaching for your ND filters and checking the weather forecast – I’m sure you’ll love giving it a try. In case you need a short reminder whilst you’re out in the field, here’s a snapshot of everything we’ve covered.

  1. Research your location, charge your gear and install the long exposure calculator app on your smartphone.
  2. Work the scene to find the best angle.
  3. Set up your tripod and compose your shot without the ND filters.
  4. Switch your camera to Aperture Priority mode. Set your aperture between f/7.1 – f/11.0 and your ISO to 100. Focus in on your subject and set your lens to manual focus.
  5. Cover your viewfinder and take a test shot.
  6. Switch your camera into Bulb Mode and set your aperture and ISO to match your test shot.
  7. Use the long exposure calculator app to calculate your exposure time.
  8. Set a timer on your smartphone.
  9. Mount your ND filters.
  10. Enable live view or your camera’s mirror lock-up feature.
  11. Cover the camera with a dark cloth or hat.
  12. Lock open the camera shutter and trigger your smartphone timer.

If you have any questions, please ask. And it would be great to see your long exposure photographs, so please share them in the comments below.

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How to Create Colorful Artistic Images Using Oil and Water

28 Feb

Colors are the smiles of nature. We see colors all around us and it makes us feel happy and alive. Just imagine a life without color, where everything is simply in black, white and in between, how dull and boring it would be. Luckily, our beautiful world is full of colors.

In this article, you’ll learn how to create some colorful images using just water and oil to make your world even more beautiful.

Oil in Water 17

I am sure you have seen oil and water images on the internet before and may have even tried to photograph it. But this is your lucky day, as you are going to learn a very easy technique where you don’t need any flashes or artificial lights and your pictures will come out beautiful and vivid.

Are you ready for this? Okay, let’s move on.

What you need

Like any other kind of photography, first, you need a camera. You can use any DSLR or compact camera or even your mobile phone. There is no restriction on lens choice as well.

Second, you need a glass dish. Just look in your kitchen and you will find one. If it’s square, that will work great otherwise, a round dish will work too.

I took some photos using a glass bowl but found a little problem. Bowls usually have a smaller bottom compared to the top and this shape affects the picture. Also, bowls may not be 100% transparent, so I went to a local aquarium shop and had them make an 8×12 inch glass tray with one-inch depth. You can also get the same for yourself.

How to Create Colorful Artistic Images Using Oil and Water

Background

Next, you need background images and there is a super simple trick. Go to Google and search for “colorful wallpaper” images. You’ll find lots of wallpapers that you can download and use. Download whichever ones you like, just make sure they have lots of colors and patterns.

Now send these photos to your iPad or tablet (or Google directly on the iPad and save). You will use these pictures as a background instead of a printed one, so you don’t need any lights and the colors will be very bright. If you don’t have a tablet, you may lay your computer monitor or laptop down and use it.

NOTE: If you do this, please do so at your own risk and take all safety precautions.

Other than this, you’ll need water, vegetable oil, dish soap, a plastic sheet to cover your tablet and two boxes about six inches high.

Setup and camera settings

Okay, place the two boxes about 8 inches apart so you can place your tablet between them. Now put your glass tray on top of the boxes. If you are using a glass bowl and it’s small in size, put two metal rulers on the boxes and place the bowl on them.

Now pour some water in the tray and add 4-5 tablespoon vegetable oil to it. When it’s ready, set up your camera. You may fix it on a tripod or you can shoot handheld, but it’s always better to use a tripod and get your hands free to do other tasks.

Set the ISO to 200, aperture to f/5.6, and your shutter speed will be around 1/25th (depending on the brightness of your screen). If you have a wide aperture lens like a 50mm f/1.8, it’s better to use that (you don’t need a lot of depth of field for this type of shot).

Since the water and oil bubbles are on the same focal plane, even if you use an aperture of f/1.8, the entire picture will be in focus. The background will be more blurred which is actually a good thing. So, just go with the widest aperture your lens allows and change the other settings on the camera accordingly.

Now place your tablet below the glass tray. It should be around six inches below the tray. Make sure you wrap it in plastic so if you accidentally drop some water or oil on it, it will be safe.

How to Create Colorful Artistic Images Using Oil and Water

Workflow

Now relax because the hardest part is already done and all you have to do now is change the image on the tablet and take some pictures. When you shoot one image, use a spoon to stir the water gently, let it settle down and take another shot. After four or five shots, change the image on the tablet and repeat the process.

You’ll find that oil drops are very big in size. Don’t worry about it and take some shots. When it’s complete, put a few drops of dish soap or any other liquid soap into the water, mix it well and voila, the oil drops have now become smaller. Don’t try to understand the science behind this, just change pictures on the tablet and shoot three or four pictures, change the photo again, and repeat the process.

Large oil droplets.

Smaller droplets created by adding soap.

Even smaller yet.

Post-processing and finishing up

There is no need for heavy post-processing, just levels, sharpening, and cropping is enough.

Okay, call your friends and tell them that you’ll be busy next Sunday because you’re creating some extraordinary beautiful images. Just do it, share with them and don’t forget to share in the comments below too.

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How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

25 Feb

Do you want to make sure you get the most details out of your shot? How about making sure none of your post-processing is destructive? It sounds like a really smart way to set up your workflow right?

A workflow is a process that goes from initiation to completion. In the case of photography, that implies from the time of shooting to post-processing. So the first thing you need to do is to ALWAYS shoot in RAW mode. This is a format that changes file extension with every manufacturer but they all share one common thing: raw files store all the un-processed and un-compressed data received on the sensor of your camera when you make a picture.

Intro before after - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

Why shoot RAW?

What is the point of that? Well this means that your file can tolerate more post-processing adjustments and that you can alter some of the settings from the image in a non-destructive way.

As I mentioned before, RAW files have different file extensions and therefore need special software to process them. Your camera surely came with a software that handles your files. However, in this article, I am going to show you how to get the most out of them in Photoshop which supports most raw formats either by default or by using a plug-in.

When you open a RAW file in Photoshop you will see that you can adjust the image with the sliders on the tool palette on the right. Start moving those around to recover the most detail you can from both the highlights and the shadows so you can even out the exposure as much as possible. You can also control the tone of the white balance, the saturation and vibrancy of the colors, and so on.

Raw Window - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

Tweak the image using the sliders and local adjustments in ACR

Once you have the overall settings adjusted, you can start working the settings in different areas to fine-tune your image.

Use the Adjustment Brush that you’ll find in the Menu bar on the top; you can change its settings like size and hardness on the right. Whatever adjustments you make to contrast or exposure will be applied only to the part where you paint with the brush. This is very useful when you are processing images with a lot of contrast. You can keep going with the other tools like the gradient for other local adjustments.

Raw Brush - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

Open as a Smart Object

If you are already familiar with processing RAW files, these are likely your normal post-processing steps, after which you would click the Open Image button so that the photo opens in Photoshop with the applied adjustments. However, there is one more step you can add to your process to really make your images pop. You can open your photo as a Smart Object.

Open Object - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

Here’s how to do it. Instead of clicking Open Image, just press the Shift key and that same button will become Open Object, now you can click it. Having done this, the image will open in Photoshop as a Layer. Now right-click the layer thumbnail and choose New Smart Object via Copy and a second layer, containing a second smart object will be created.

IMPORTANT: Don’t just duplicate the layer or you won’t be able to process them independently; every adjustment would be applied to both smart objects!

You can now rename the layers to identify which adjustments you are going to do in each one. For example, I’m doing Highlights and Shadows for my image but maybe for another image, it’s better to call the layers Background and Foreground, it depends on your image and what it needs.

Double processing

Double processing - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

The cool part about Smart Objects is that when you double-click the layer, it will open again in the RAW editor, which means that you are back to all the data to keep processing without loss. You can make the adjustments that you need for a specific part of the image.

Finishing up

Now that you have done the best post-processing for each part is time to integrate it all into one amazing picture! Add a mask to the top layer by clicking the Layer Mask button on the bottom of the Layers Palette. With the layer mask selected you can start hiding the parts you don’t need. Remember that whatever appears in black on the mask means that you will see the layer underneath; whatever is white will show the top layer. I’ll turn off the bottom layer so that you can see what I mean below.

Layer Mask - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

If you find it necessary, you can keep going with your adjustments, as you would normally do in Photoshop. You can add a filter or adjustment layer by clicking on the buttons at the bottom of the Layers Palette. Have a look at these before and after examples!

Before- How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

Before

After - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

After

Before2 - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

Before

After2 - How to Create with a Good Workflow Using Smart Objects in Photoshop

After

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How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

13 Feb

Over the past few months, I’ve been testing out the features of Luminar. I’ve looked at the time-saving features that can help reduce your editing headaches. I’ve also played around with the AI filter to see how it holds up in quickly editing holiday photos and now it’s time to check Luminar’s capabilities when it comes to creating a retro look for your photos.

I wanted to know if Luminar would be quick, easy to use and create a look that tastefully gave my photos the look and feel of shooting with film.

Retro Look #1

To embark on this experiment, I studied some famous older photographs. My goal was to shoot a few images that paid tribute to the look and feel of old-school Hollywood. I saw this first image of Sophia Loren from the 1960’s and knew it was perfect. I love the style of dress from past eras and thought this would be a suitable project.

Sophia Loren Image

The goal was to create an image with a similar look and feel. I borrowed my friend Nahleen, she has some similar features to Sophia Loren. Once she agreed we set out to capture an image and then process for that 1960’s film look. Here’s the original image we took.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

This is the original unedited photo.

It was shot outdoors on a cold and frosty December afternoon. Nahleen has some similar features to Sophia Loren but is by no means a carbon copy. Instead, I was more interested in attaining a photo in which the fur hood framed her face.

So now that we had captured the image, it was time to bring it into Luminar. I tried to make to make the conversion as simple and quick to complete as possible. I will admit that I tried several times with different settings, etc. until I found a look that I felt was similar to the Sophia Loren image.

The AI Filter was used to bring out some contrast in the image. The photo of Sophia Loren was quite sharp and also had a fairly contrasty look, so my first goal was to pull out the dark tones and brighten my lighter tones to match more closely.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

The Accent slider made adjustments quickly and easily.

The B&W Workspace

I then used the B&W Workspace to guide my editing of the photo. I adjusted several sliders. The intention was to increase the contrast and create some fairly strong blacks.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

The B&W Workspace comes equipped with a variety of filters all designed to help with black and white conversions.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Here are the settings I used.

Adding Film Grain

My final step was to add film grain. At first, I cranked up the amount of film grain. In this screenshot, you can see how strongly I adjusted it. I always like to adjust a setting by purposely using too much. Then I back off the amount until I find a nice balance.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Here you can see that I’ve adjusted the grain to a fairly heavy amount. For the final image, I backed off a bit.

The whole process was pretty quick. Once I found the right settings it didn’t take too long to recreate this retro look. The final photograph is dark and contrasty but also a little different from the original Sophia Loren shot.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

The final image is cropped in closer. My use of film grain is also heavier than in the original Sophia Loren shot.

Retro Look #2

In this second shot, I used a photo from a recent photo shoot in which I was working with a young lady to create a portfolio of modeling images. The 10-hour photo session was created using a very basic budget, but we made sure to utilize a retro outfit for this article.

The bell bottoms and the fur jacket were both found at the thrift store, as was the backdrop. We were working a tight space with limited materials.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Here’s the original unedited file. It was shot in my living room. We used a very basic DIY type of set up.

Free Presets

For this shot, I decided to take advantage of Luminar’s free presets. There are lots of free presets available for download, and I was lucky enough to find a set of free analog-film looks.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Here’s a look at all the free presets available on the Luminar website.

Quick Clicks and Some Cloning

The look of this image was very easy to create with just a few simple adjustments. I chose a cross-processing look and then tweaked it to my liking. The accompanying texture was applied pretty heavily. I found that it was overwhelming the image. So I chose to back off the strength of the texture.

I also cropped the image slightly and applied the Orton Effect filter. It quickly smoothed the model’s skin, and I didn’t need to go in and do any retouching on her face. This saved me quite a lot of time.

Finally, I took the image into Photoshop, where I cloned and added a layer to fill in the areas around the outside where you could see my living room in the original shot.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

The preset applied without any adjustments to the original settings.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

I started to make some minor adjustment to the original settings found in the preset which included adjusting the saturation in cross-processing.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Here’s the split screen of the before and after views. I completed some cropping and clone stamping.

Plug in for Photoshop

Luminar also has the capability to clone and add layers, but I’ll be honest there’s a part of me that will forever remain loyal to Photoshop for completing these parts of the editing process. This is partly why I really like Luminar  – it works as a plug-in for Photoshop as well. I can move back and forth between the two programs pretty seamlessly.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Here’s the final edited image.

Retro look #3

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

This is the original unedited file.

For this final shot, I decided to edit the image fully in Luminar. I started from scratch with a RAW file. The goal was to experiment with the full editing capabilities of Luminar. The intention was to create a sepia look image that felt like an older faded photograph.

To start, I opened the B&W Workspace. It contains all the tools I needed for this conversion. That means I didn’t have to search through the list of filters to find anything.

Next, I applied the orange filter, cropped the image and adjusted contrast. I also adjusted the black and white sliders and played around with the strength of this first filter. I did consider creating a color image with a faded look but decided to go with full black and white.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Here’s a look at the faded film style.

Split Toning

After making these adjustments, I started to experiment with the Split Toning sliders. I gave the image a more brownish tone. This step took some experimentation with saturation and various colors.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

These are the sliders and colors I experimented with during editing.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

After adding the split toning, it was time to add a vignette and film grain. Again I adjusted the grain so it was very heavy and then backed it off to a more suitable amount. The longest part of this whole process was finding a texture that I liked which I felt fit with the feel of the image I wanted to create. I tried several. Luminar comes with lots of free textures you can download. They all seemed to work quite nicely.

In the end, I chose a weathered-looking texture and used the brush tool to apply it to the image in varying amounts. I didn’t want a lot of heavy texture over her face. Here are the final results of my editing and experimentation. The image has a heavier texture application along with film grain and a stronger vignette. The B&W Workspace worked perfectly. It placed all the necessary tools right at my fingertips.

Experimenting with Different Textures

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

I tend to adjust the image quite strongly then slowly back off the effect until I find the treatment I like.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

I played around with several different textures to create the old damaged photograph type of look.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Overlay option number two.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Overlay option number three.

The Finished Image

The final image includes the texture you see in the image above, but I backed it off quite a bit. Here are the results of the experiment. The application of the texture was reduced down to about 14. I didn’t want the effect to be as heavy-handed as in the image above.

In this final finished image, you can see the texture is most obvious around the edges. It’s a subtle texture called tattered that was available in the free downloads section of the Luminar webpage.

How to Create a Retro Look for Your Images with Luminar

Your turn

Luminar comes equipped with a full array of filters that can help you to create a retro look for your images in both black and white and color. Give it a try, they have a 14-day free trial.

Disclaimer: Macphun, soon to be Skylum, is a dPS advertising partner.

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Cascable iOS app lets you create complex shutter ‘recipes’ for any scenario

25 Jan

The Cascable app—an iOS app that can lets you control just about every Wi-Fi enabled camera on the market from your Apple device—first came on the scene in 2015. Since then, it’s received several major updates, but last week’s release of Cascable 3.2 is arguably the most important update yet. The update introduced Cascable Recipes, and turned the app into “the most powerful photography automation tool available on mobile platforms.”

Recipes—an extension of Cascable’s built-in Shutter Robot intervalometer feature—allow you to automate your photo sequences in incredibly minute detail. Forget setting a basic interval, exposure value and number of shots, Recipes go way beyond that.

As you can see from the screenshot below, you can create as complex a ‘recipe’ as you want for your time-lapses or exposure brackets.

You could change your shutter speed, aperture, ISO, or exposure compensation between every single shot if you’d like; you can even add advanced ‘Variables,’ values that can be changed while the recipe is running. In the example below, the bulb length is being multiplied by 2, and 30 seconds is being added to the interval, between each shot:

And finally, you don’t have to worry about wasted time and memory card space when you’re building complex recipes. Cascable includes a built-in camera simulator that will let you check your multi-hour time-lapse recipe in seconds, in the comfort of your own home. The system runs your recipe, cutting the wait times, and spits out a log so you can see exactly what will happened when you’re on location.

The latest version of Cascable is available for free on the iTunes App store, and you can create and test Recipes in the free version. If you want more advanced features like Variables, you can upgrade to the Pro version, which will cost you either $ 2 per month on subscription, or a one-time purchase of $ 30.

One More Thing

For the developers out there, Cascable did make one other announcement alongside its Recipes update. In addition to Cascable 3.2, the company also released CascableCore, a Software Development Kit (SDK) for iOS and macOS that gives developers access to Cascable’s camera connectivity tech, so they can bake it into their own apps.

“The CascableCore SDK allows you to concentrate on building great applications,” reads the release, “while we handle interfacing with well over 100 supported cameras.”

Cascable Core is available on a 30-day evaluation period for “products and companies that meet our partnership criteria.” For more information on CascableCore, click here.

Press Release

Industry-leading photography automation tools and a modern camera SDK, available now

STOCKHOLM — January 18th, 2018 — Cascable AB is happy to announce the release of two new products that will revolutionise the automation of complex photography tasks, from building custom time-lapse routines to building entire custom photography applications.

Shutter Robot Recipes is the most powerful photography automation tool available on mobile platforms, providing complete freedom and creativity when building that perfect time-lapse, exposure bracket sequence, or any other series of shots you can think of. Alongside a powerful and intuitive recipe editor, Cascable provides tools to ensure your recipe works exactly as intended, including a built-in camera simulator—perfect for checking your multi-hour time-lapse recipe before you hike up that mountain!

Cascable is available to get started with for free from the iOS App Store. Cascable’s Pro features come with a free trial when subscribing from $ 2 per month, or can be unlocked with a one-time $ 29.99 purchase. Please visit http://cascable.se for more information on Cascable, including screenshots, photographs, and detailed user guides.

CascableCore is a Software Development Kit (SDK) for iOS and macOS that provides the power and flexibility of Cascable’s industry-leading camera connectivity to your public or internal applications. Using one set of unified and modern APIs, the CascableCore SDK allows you to concentrate on building great applications while we handle interfacing with well over 100 supported cameras.

CascableCore is available with a 30-day evaluation for products and companies that meet our partnership criteria, with pricing depending on the application. Please visit http://developer.cascable.se for more information on CascableCore.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

16 Jan

Grunge. It’s a great look for gritty, edgy, photos, and you couldn’t have it simpler than doing it in Luminar 2018. In this article, you’ll see how to examine Presets and use elements from those Presets to create your own custom Grunge look. Presets are fantastic, but the best way to improve your processing is through your own creative process. So let’s get started.

Grunge look.

Find the right image for a grunge look

Open the photo you want to process. I have a winter woods scene here. It’s already moody, and you’ll find that using a photo that will benefit from a grunge look is a good place to start. No point starting with happy sunny day shots as it really doesn’t fit the style.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Presets

As Luminar has a huge number of Presets, you should begin there. If you don’t see the Presets at the bottom, click the Presets panel icon, it’s the third one in from the right on the top toolbar. From the Categories, choose Dramatic. Two of these look appealing for a grunge look; Dramatic Grungy and Dramatic Look.

Dramatic Grungy opens a custom Workspace with three filters: Dramatic, Clarity and Structure.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

You’ll notice that Dramatic Look also uses three Filters. Dramatic is there, but the others are Raw Develop and Vignette.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

The Dramatic Filter is common to both presets, and there are other filters that are in one and not the other, so perhaps a good start is to combine the five filters from both presets into your own custom workspace.

Custom Workspace

You can reset the image by going to Filters panel, clicking on “Custom Workspace” and choosing “Clear Workspace”. This gives you a fresh start to create your own grunge workspace.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Click Add Filters. You can find some of the filters immediately. Raw Develop, Structure and Vignette are in the Essentials section, Clarity is in Issue Fixers and Dramatic is in Creative. If you don’t see a filter immediately, just type a few letters in the Search box at the top of Filters Catalog to restrict the view to match.

You’ve probably noticed that there’s a Clarity slider in Raw Develop, so you could choose to leave out the Clarity filter. But you might want even more Clarity and this allows you to double up the effect, and mask it to only apply to certain parts of the image.

Finally, add one more filter to this set; Cross Processing. This will allow you to color tone the final look.

Raw Develop

The Raw Develop filter is where you use Luminar’s processing to bring out the most from your Raw file. This Raw file (as per most) is a bit flat to start, so needs some tweaking. Reducing Highlights and increasing Shadows will open up the photo a bit more, while decreasing Blacks and increasing Whites will add to the contrast of your photo. At some point, you may want to decrease the saturation of the photo, but for now, use Raw Develop to get the most out of your photo.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

The Photo is still a little cool toned so a bump in Temperature to 6000k will fix that and sit better with the tones in the photo.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

You can leave Clarity at zero here and come back later if you want to add more.

Structure

What makes a photo grungy? Think of the things and feelings grunge evokes; dark, moody, edgy, and gritty. The Structure filter can definitely do the Edgy bit. Your Amount slider can go from really soft at -100, to really nasty at +100. 60 seems to look good for this photo.

Softness changes your internal contrast in the photo. A setting of 30 keeps the skin from getting too blown out. Of course, if you want more of the effect in the background you could erase the effect a little on the subject using the masking tools.

The final slider is Boost, which does indeed boost the effect. 60 looks great here. We’re already well on the way to making a grungy photo.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Vignette

Vignette darkens or lightens the corners of the photo via the Amount slider. To draw attention to the center of your photo, you should darken the edges. Your first step should do is click Place Center, then click on your subject. That will target the area for the middle of the vignette to keep lighter.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

To see your Vignette edge easier, set the Feather to 0, with Amount turned way down.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Using Size and Place Center, get the best position and radius for your vignette. Use Roundness to get the best shape; to the left, it’s more rectangular, to the right it’s rounder.

Don’t worry if it looks too obvious, this is just for getting the placement and size right as it’s easier to see this way.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Finally, set the Feather to soften the edge of the vignette, and set Amount to the final darkness you want.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Edge vignette applied.

Clarity

Contrast darkens shadows and lightens highlights. Clarity tends to work away from these areas and work more in the mid tones. It’s a grit filter, so add your grit here. 100 is way too much, and 40 looks better here.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Dramatic

You’ve already gotten quite a bit of drama to the image, so only a hint of this contrast-based filter is needed. The Dramatic Filter is one to play with for this.

If you want to retain color, set Saturation up to full. Adding Contrast and Local Contrast will increase both the darker and lighter aspects of the photo, so Brightness is there to compensate for whichever is stronger. In this photo, you’ll find reducing it is necessary.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Cross Processing

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

While this was originally a way of changing colors by processing film in the wrong chemicals, Cross Processing is now more associated with color toning a photo. Luminar uses city names to define their various toning options.

You should try each one with the Amount slider up high to find one you like. After looking at all the cities, I came back to Tokyo, which I’d found pleasing immediately. Then you can dial the effect back using the Amount slider until you find the look you want.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Reprocess

The image is now suitably dark and gritty, but probably a little too dark. A quick trip back to Raw Develop to bump the Exposure slider will fix this.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Saving Presets or Workspaces

Now is the time to save what you’ve set up. If you like your work, you should consider creating either a Preset to repeat the exact look you have here or set up a Workspace to have all the filters open for you to begin working from scratch (or both).

To save your Preset, click Save Filters Preset at the very bottom right corner of the screen. A dialog appears allowing you to name and create your new preset. This will allow you to apply all the same filters and settings to any image with one click. Of course, you can always adjust any of them to suit the image or dial it back using the amount slider on the preset.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

To save your new Workspace, go to the top of Filters, then click on Custom Workspace. From the drop-down menu and choose “Save as New Workspace”.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

Name the Workspace and create it.

How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018

The new Workspace will now appear in the Workspaces list and will be selected (check mark next to it). Now it is available for you to use with any image. Clicking it will open those same five filters but not apply any of the settings.

Other options

Here is the before and after to show the full grunge effect.

Before.

Grunge look.

With the look solidified, you could potentially add a texture to add even more grit to your photo. So, check out how to do this in our article How to Apply Creativity to Your Images with Texture Overlays Using Luminar.

As you’ve seen, Luminar 2018 has great tools that you can use to achieve your processing goals quickly and repeatedly. Now, go out and grunge!

Disclaimer: Macphun, soon to be Skylum, is a dPS advertising partner.

The post How to Create a Grunge Look with Luminar 2018 by Sean McCormack appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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How to Create Dynamic Photos of Car Light Trails

09 Jan

Nothing says futuristic, dynamic, and dramatic like a well-done traffic light trail photo. This is a genre of photography that almost all landscape photographers will have dipped into, it’s like a right of passage. The kind of images you can create make others want to go out and buy their first tripod.

Indeed getting a good photo of light trails will justify carrying around that heavy tripod perhaps all day long. There are lots of things to consider when taking this type of photo, and in this article, you’ll learn straight away what it takes.

How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

This photo was taken from a residential building overlooking this amazing traffic intersection in Shanghai.

Choosing the right location

The most important thing to creating light trail photos is to go to a place where there will be lots of moving lights! This should be obvious, but some places are better than others. In all cases, the light trails will be part of the frame and either the main subject or the leading lines that direct the viewer to your main subject. In most cases your location is going to be urban, so let’s look at the options.

How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

This light trail photo of the Colosseum in Rome uses light from a passing bus.

1 – Down on the street

A busy main road can be a good place to take light trail photos. The chances are you’ll be photographing a famous landmark from your locale, and using light trails will give the photo a more dynamic feel.

  • Position yourself so the light trails either lead up to your landmark or disappear off into the distance beside it.
  • When a safe traffic island is available, experiment with photographing from the middle of the street. This will give you both white headlights, and red rear lights.
  • It’s easier to control the intensity of the light from rear lights. So it’s often best to position yourself to photograph light trails as the traffic is moving away from the camera.
  • Photograph during blue hour as much as possible, this should be the case for all cityscape photos.
  • The best light trails are produced when buses drive past. They have lights that will fill your frame, as these vehicles are taller and lit up more.
  • The height at which you have your tripod set can dramatically affect your results when photographing at street level. The lower the tripod, the “higher” the lights will appear in your frame.
  • If you don’t want the lights to paint across the entire photo, experiment with an external shutter release, and the bulb function on your camera. Bulb allows you to open and close the shutter when you choose, so you can close it and end the exposure before the moving vehicle completely moves through your photo.
How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

In this case, the Bulb function was used so that the light didn’t paint over the building on the right.

2 – Get up high, and photograph from above

Taking photos from a high vantage point is often a sure fire way of getting good results. This is especially true when it comes to taking light trail photos. There are two choices when it comes to this, you can go to the public area, or try for the trickier private access.

  • Public area – The easiest and safest option, though this likely means 1000’s of other people will also visit the same spot. This will commonly be a pedestrian footbridge over a road, a viewpoint from a mountain, or perhaps a viewing gallery in a tall building.
  • Private property – The best policy here is to ask permission. The other approach is riskier, more clandestine, and more in keeping with a genre of photography called urbex. At this time access to private rooftops is becoming increasingly difficult, in no small part because some people enjoy filming daredevil stunts from such locations. So do your research on a location you would like to photograph, and be respectful if you are lucky enough to get access. In some cities, rooftop bars can offer great views, but if you wish to bring a tripod in then emailing the business ahead of time is advised.
How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

This high vantage point was achieved by contacting a rooftop bar in advance and getting permission to photograph from their location.

3 – Embrace the great outdoors

Of course, anywhere there’s a road can be a good location for light trail photography. Roads that wind their way up a mountainside will look great in a photo, you just need a good vantage point. Even photos from a lower position can look nice with a single stream of light, which can create a nice minimalist feel to your photo.

Photos taken in these locations may require very long exposures to allow the vehicle to drive through the frame. The best solution here is to take a series of 30-second exposures, and then stack the results later in Photoshop (or use an ND filter to cut the light and get longer exposure times).

How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

This location is in Taiwan. To reach the viewpoint there were several bits of rope I had to climb up, as the side of the mountain was steep.

How to take long exposures of car light trails

Once you have settled on your location it’s time for the fun to begin! Taking these photos well does require some technical knowledge, let’s break this down here.

  • Compose your photo, and ensure the light trails complement the frame you wish to produce.
  • Arrive around 30-minutes prior to sunset. This will give you time to plan your photo and to take additional photos for digital blending if needed.
  • Ensure the camera is steady, this is challenging in strong winds. To achieve this use a heavy tripod, and where possible hook your camera bag under the center column. The heavier the tripod, the less likely it will be moved by the wind. Avoid putting up the middle extension tube on the tripod, as this introduces more instability and movement.

  • You can focus the camera using Live View. In Live View, zoom (using the magnify view button + not zooming your lens) into an area of the frame such as a sign. Now set your lens to manual focus. Choose an object to focus on that is towards the back of the mid-ground in your photo. Keep the camera in manual focus, so that the camera doesn’t change focus when you press the shutter button.
  • An additional option is to use digital blending to balance the light throughout the scene. Digital blending is a post-processing technique that requires a set of bracketed photos at -1, 0 and +1 exposure (or -2, 0, and +2).
  • Using an aperture of f/11 or smaller will create a starburst effect on any street lights that are in your frame. But the larger the aperture the brighter the light trails will be, so a balance is needed.
  • Now everything is set for you to take your photo. The light trail photo needs to show continuous light moving along the road. Make sure your exposure is long enough for this to happen, usually this is at least 15 seconds. To avoid camera shake use an external shutter release, or the camera’s self timer. If the camera isn’t in Live View, use the mirror lockup, this prevents shake on dSLR cameras when they expose.
How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

This frame required several stacked images to enhance the amount of traffic in the photo.

Enhancing your light trail photo in post-processing

As with all photography, you can enhance your image in post-processing to get an even better result. There are two principal techniques that can be used to achieve this.

  • Digital blending – In order to use this technique you will need a set of bracketed images to work with. This technique will allow you to balance the level of light throughout the scene.
  • Photo stacking – The next option, usually done in conjunction with digital blending, is photo stacking. You can use this to intensify the light trails within your photo. The concept is to take photos of multiple traffic light streams and overlay the images on top of each other.
How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

There aren’t many better places to photograph light streams on boats than Venice!

Other types of light trail photos

There are lots of other ways to use light trails in your photography. Here are a few other ideas you can try, that will complement your other light trail photos.

  • Boat lights – Boats on the water produce beautiful light trails, with the added bonus of reflections. The speed of boats is much slower though. This means an exposure of around two minutes or stacking several photos together to complete the light trail.
  • Create your own – You don’t need cars to create light trails, in fact, you can just use a light source and make your own. To have the most fun with this purchasing a Pixelstick is a great idea.
  • Kinetic light painting – Static lights can be turned into light trails, you just have to move your camera! Try out zoom bursts, or camera rotation to see some amazing results.
How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

The u-bein bridge in Myanmar is a classic photograph. You won’t see light trails here unless you make your own!

Time to hit the road, and get some light trails

Now it’s time to get out there and try this amazing style of photography. I’m sure many of you have taken car light trail photos, so share your best work with the community in the comments below.

What style of photo do you like best? Are there any further tips that you use for your photos that you’d like to share? As always share your thoughts, ideas, and work below and let’s talk about car light trail photography.

How to Create Dynamic Car Light Trail Photos

Time to get on your bike, and out there taking light trail photos!

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