Birthday “Boy”
D-zai is going to turn 1 soon! Look what has daddy gave? :D :D
Yeah! Early birthday gift just in time for the vacation!
HDR Imaging: Attempt #1
I decided to use Photomatix Pro (trial version) for my first experiment. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range.
From wikipedia:
HDR imaging is a set of techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminances between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods
Where do I begin?
Before I can use Photomatix to produce a HDR photograph, I would need at least 3 photographs of the same scene. The 3 photographs will vary in their exposure settings. As such, I would need to produce one photograph with the highest exposure (very bright), normal exposure and lowest exposure (very dark). I can do this by setting the Auto-exposure Bracketing function on D-zai to capture +-2EV in 3 continuous shots. One would have to manually do this with a DSLR that does not have the Auto-exposure Bracketing function - set to 0EV, capture first shot; set to +2EV, capture second shot; set to -2EV, capture the last shot; and finally depend on the software to align the images.
The preparation:
Sample output (stamped with 'Photomatix' as I am using the trial version):
Not quite satisfied with both these resulting images. I'll need to fiddle with this more!
Oh, and while doing photo editing, I constantly find it a little difficult performing the task on a 15.4" monitor haha. I need a bigger, bigger screen :D
Obsessed with capturing Raw images
During the recent StanChart Marathon, I turned on the RAW + JPEG image capture setting on my D-zai. This was my first time capturing in RAW and actually started looking at post-processing them.
I could instantly see how flexible post-processing was with RAW files. I only chose to process selected images as it is quite time consuming - from editing to converting the RAW files to JPEG. By turning this setting on, my 8GB card can only store approximately 350 RAW + FINE JPEG images as opposed to 1000 FINE JPEG images.
Left: original image, right: post-processed image
Top: original image, bottom: post-processed image
I used to despise photographs post-processing. I used to think.. why can't photographers capture images with the same quality as after post-processing. I have come to understand myself that this is an alternative, to let you be more creative with your images. However, this cannot be done without the ability to capture at the right angle. I need to improve my composition skill in order to obtain more options during post-processing.
I guess I would want to capture images in RAW format during important events, during when I would not want to miss the opportunity to transform great captures to excellent photographs.
I am going to experiment on HDR photography next! However, it will be pretty limited because HDR imaging software doesn't come as freeware :(
Go! Go! Go!
I've finally got a faster, faster PC today! Yeah! It's time to work effectively and start showing some of my prowess! Haha, just kidding.
On the other hand, this is what I've got from a photography forum:
If one is on a budget one needs patience and needs to be happy with whatever gear one already owns. You can make excellent pictures with it (you already showed us some examples!)
加油!
The Deepavali Weekend
I travelled home for the second week this month. It was another three-day weekend. I got Monday as an off-day because Deepavali happened to fall on a Saturday. Yay!
I spent half of the time sleeping - so, so satisfying! I told Ling-cha that there will be no more spending spree but still, we went to Alamanda, Putrajaya on Sunday :-) It was supposed to be a window-shopping outing. The attendees were Ma-cha, Bit-cha, Ling-cha, Myself and D-zai.
Talking while eating is what she's good at!
Downloading more games to her mobile phone..
Munching her all-time favorite crispy popiah
I wandered off while they were having lunch.
Outside the food court
This is a 100% crop of one of the corner of the previous image
After lunch, it was shopping time. Bit-cha got a pair of sandals, Ling-cha bought her facial cleanser and I got myself a pair of shoes. Ah.. this reminds me that I had forgotten to take a picture of my dress for Miss Tan's viewing pleasure! Next, we took a break at Starbucks before shopping continued. While the Cha's were having their drink, I took the opportunity to shoot more pictures outside Starbucks. This place brought back lots of memories. Time flies..
Featured
Archives
Elsewhere
Recent Comments
- peiyee on Revisiting 2011
- Revisiting 2011 | Voices from within on 2011?
- fish on The Heart Says,..
- hoongmooi on The Heart Says,..
- fish on The Heart Says,..
- fish on My First Drum Lesson
- cpl on My First Drum Lesson
- promotie artikelen zwolle on #1: Historical Malacca
