As I was climbing the first hill I noticed that a lot of rocks had been moved, as if somebody had kicked them as they hiked. It was hard to believe that hikers had done it, though, because there were so many and there weren't any other signs that a lot of people had been up there. As I neared the top of the first hill, I think I saw what was moving the rocks. I startled a deer and it ran up and over the hill. It sounded like it was kicking a lot of rocks along the way.
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| 2009_02_28 |
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7 comments:
Pretty area. Never heard of Canyon Lake (reservoir i assume) or the Verde River. I like that first off center Agave macro shot.
For your HDRI what do you use. I use Photomatix, but i have also seen some good results from other HDRI software. It's difficult to walk the fine line between what looks natural and what grabs the eye.
Thanks! That was my wallpaper for a couple of days (I change it frequently).
I use Photomatix, also. I've gotten some interesting results with extreme (i.e., default) settings. I'm moving towards a more realistic look, though.
I thought you had to use something like Photomatix, but your pictures also look realistic. So many of them make my jaw drop. They are just stunning.
Thanks. Actually there aren't many HDR based images on my blog yet (but they are coming). The first image on the Racetrack post is from an HDRI, and about 5 of the first Buckner Building shots. Until this past Fall i got frustrated with outdoor HDR stuff, but i often do it "old style" by just using different sections of several exposures. Finally i began to have outdoor success about 6 months ago. Most recently i've started combining more than one HDRI render along with portions of individual exposures, like the sky, and i've gotten some really nice looking images that way.
I still get frustrated though. I've got two images i want to make large prints of right now but i just can't get the results i'm looking for. Hopefully camera sensors will move toward higher dynamic range now that everyones got all the megapixels they need.
I was thinking of your pictures on Panoramio. For example, "Angry Little Cloud", taken along the Dalton Highway, and several of your pictures of the Brooks Range. I seem to remember some indoor pictures on your blog that looked like they had to be HDRIs.
I don't know anything about combining pieces of different pictures. Sounds like a lot of work, or that it requires software that I don't have. Photomatix is the only photo editing software that I've paid for.
My pictures usually look pretty drab after Photomatix is done. I almost always increase the contrast using Picasa (free from Google).
Your standards are obviously much higher than mine (and it shows). I take pictures to document my travels, and hope that I get a good one now and then. I'm trying to think more about composition and making the pictures interesting. The agave picture you mentioned is something new for me. Part of me was saying, "No, that doesn't show the plant".
Yes it takes a lot more time (and a heck of a lot more money for the software) and is certainly not worth it for typical daily pictures. I occasionally make some money with my pics so for me it's worth the investment, or required.
The cool thing about photography is there is always a lot more to learn and discover, no matter how much you already know.
Theres a good variety of pictures in the album. Looks like a nice place.
I have not been able to find a spot near Canyon Lake that does not look nice, and I've done a lot of looking.
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