Archive for the 'tools & techniques' Category

I have just read an article with this title: So You Think You Know What An F-number Is. Brian Auer gives a detailed description of the relationship between F-number and aperture in his post with some scary mathematical background.

As I wrote just a few posts ago I had discovered Qtpfsgui - an open source High Dynamic Range (HDR) image processing software that runs on Linux - and on Windows and MacOS too.

Now I had the chance to give it a try. Here it is how it went.

First of all I installed a fresh Ubuntu 7.04 (Feisty Fawn) replacing my oldish Debian Sarge on my Dell Latitude C400. I had no joy with the normal desktop install CD because the video controller of this old laptop requires some extra care but the alternate install CD was working fine running the installation in text mode. Don´t worry the installed operating system is fully graphical.

I needed Ubuntu because I wanted an easy ride with installing Qtpfsgui, and after reading it´s Website I learnt that Cyril Lavier has packaged Qtpfsgui for Ubuntu and installing the package is easy like a pie. And it was indeed…

The HDR work-flow in Qtpfsgui is quite similar to the one of Photomatix meaning that it has two major steps:

• creating the HDR image
• tone mapping the HDR image to LDR

Read the rest of this entry »

I gave a try to LucisArt Photoshop filter plug-in with some of my pictures. There are quite a few effects in LucisArt.

For this image I used the Exposure effect.

And these are the results of the watercolor like Winslow effect.

Related posts:
A bit of LucisArt again
Isn’t it more interesting? (LucisArt)

Being an open source advocate I was very glad to read on Digg that there is an HDR software for Linux. Well, it is available for Mac OS X and Windows as well, but the point is GNU/Linux here.
The tool is called Qtpfsgui and it already has a group pool on Flickr.

The GUI of Qtpfsgui seems to be somewhat different from the Photomatix’s one:

The results are quite convincing:

by Malex.org

by Safetyfreak

The pictures above were not made by me - unfortunately - but I’ll try the software soon.

Updated
Read my Qtpfsgui experiment here: Qtpfsgui - The Open Source HDR Solution

Digital Photography School lists 11 surefire tips on improving landscape photography.

Their tips are:

1. Maximize your Depth of Field
2. Use a Tripod
3. Look for a Focal Point
4. Think Foregrounds
5. Consider the Sky
6. Lines
7. Capture Movement
8. Work with the Weather
9. Work the Golden Hours
10. Think about Horizons
11. Change your Point of View

Check it out for the great illustrations and detailed suggestions.

I’ve just found two great lighting tutorials or rather werk slideshows with photos and lighting set up drawings on www.sitbonzo.com. David Berman - professional photographer and author of the blog - is using Nikon remote flash lights for his works.

Different lighting scenarios
Lighting a meeting