A few from my trip to Scotland

[janet Smith]

Here are just a few from the 100's I've come back with, had a great time, with weather ranging from storms to perfect sunshine......

This is the house we rented at Ardaneaskan.

Lochcarron, from Slumbay Island

Loch Torridon and the Torridon mountain range

My absolute favourite place, Arnisdale

All taken with Canon 5D and 50mm 1.4 lens. I have taken all of these on a tripod, and have taken others, to the right and left of these images to create panoramas, is Photomerge in CS2 the best way to do this or do I need any other software? Advice please........

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi Janet,

Very nice pictures, thanks for sharing <Smile>.

Personally, I use the Photomerge in PS CS2 a lot, the version in CS3 is even better. If you have the CS2 already, you don't need to buy any other stitching s/w, it is that good IMO.

I am having some mixed feelings with the picture re. the composition and the lighting. I cannot put my finger on it just yet, maybe I'll take a look again later and try to be more specific.
Generally speaking, I'd opt for different crops. Also, it seems that all the pictures were taken during the daytime. Don't you have ones taken at dawn or dusk? Or during storms or perfect sunshine moments?

Cheers,

 

[Ray West]

Hi Janet,

I'm agreeing with Cem re lighting. I think it is too even, and that combined with the overall sharpness/blur of the images, make these look very much 2d. The third image seems not to suffer so much, due to the shadows on the mountains, and the foreground detail. Also, each image detracts from the other image, as presented here, that is why Georg and others put a frame around many of the images they post. I think to be able to give a fair comment, I would have to cut them out and mount them ;-)

I expect the panoramas will bring back the 3d'ness. There was a thread somewhere, a few months ago, where 'Huggin', was recommended. That works great, but I think it may be for pc only.

Best wishes,

Ray

 

[janet Smith]

Hello Cem

Thank you for your comments, perhaps the reason you're struggling with the composition/crop of some of them is that they're waiting for their other sections stitching on, perhaps I should have made this clear, sorry, No's 2, 3 & 4 were taken with the intention of creating panoramas.

Yes, I have loads more, I'm still going through them, the light during the day was often very harsh, I have some taken when a storm was approaching, and some at sunset, but we slept late every day and missed dawn. I have never had so many midge bites as when I was out at dusk, and also got a sheep tick on my leg! Luckily I managed to remove this successfully and have had no ill effects!

Back to Photomerge...... I have just made my first attempts, and the results had very apparent "bands" where the skys of the two photographs met, I used advanced blending and have managed to clone it out, any other suggestions for solving this "banding" problem?

 

[janet Smith]

Hello Ray

Thank you very much for your comments, I agree with you, the frame around them is also a good idea.

I'll continue working on the rest of the shots I came back with, I have some that are much better, where the light was not as harsh, I'll try stitching and working on them a bit more. Thank you for your input....

 

[Ray West]

Hi Janet,

I came back to correct my previous post - it's 'Hugin'

I started a thread in July- http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3514&highlight=hugin

But Bart and others know far more about it than I. (there is a pc 'gui' version)

Best wishes,

Ray

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Thank you for your comments, perhaps the reason you're struggling with the composition/crop of some of them is that they're waiting for their other sections stitching on, perhaps I should have made this clear, sorry, No's 2, 3 & 4 were taken with the intention of creating panoramas. ...

Ah, that indeed explains it .

...Back to Photomerge...... I have just made my first attempts, and the results had very apparent "bands" where the skys of the two photographs met, I used advanced blending and have managed to clone it out, any other suggestions for solving this "banding" problem?

Did you set your cameras exposure to manual (as you should have) or did you shoot using shutter priority or program mode? If the camera is on (semi)automatic, it will change the exposure drastically between shoots when you pan from shadow areas to sunny parts. That then causes the banding. If you used the manual mode, then the problems must lie elsewhere, we'll think this through .

Cheers,

 

[janet Smith]

Ah, that indeed explains it .


Did you set your cameras exposure to manual (as you should have) or did you shoot using shutter priority or program mode? If the camera is on (semi)automatic, it will change the exposure drastically between shoots when you pan from shadow areas to sunny parts. That then causes the banding. If you used the manual mode, then the problems must lie elsewhere, we'll think this through .

Cheers,

Hi Cem

Yes, camera was manual, but the light was very strong and some areas were shaded by the mountains, the problem seems to be due to the strong light/shade of the subject, I'll keep wading through them I've over 500 to go through, it may be that I need to find some where there is less difference in the light/shade to make it work successfully..... Once again, thanks for your help.

 

[janet Smith]

Hi Janet,

I came back to correct my previous post - it's 'Hugin'

I started a thread in July- http://www.openphotographyforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3514&highlight=hugin

Hi Ray

Very helpful of you, thank you, I'll have a good read......

 

[janet Smith]

Ah, that indeed explains it .


Did you set your cameras exposure to manual (as you should have) or did you shoot using shutter priority or program mode? If the camera is on (semi)automatic, it will change the exposure drastically between shoots when you pan from shadow areas to sunny parts. That then causes the banding. If you used the manual mode, then the problems must lie elsewhere, we'll think this through .

Cem

My first real attemt at merging - what do you think? I've spent far too long working on this this afternoon, but I've learned a lot..... but I'm not sure if the image is just too contrasty to work, I'm giving up now, going goggle eyed!!! But will carry on working on them on Monday, let me know what you think please......

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

...My first real attemt at merging - what do you think? I've spent far too long working on this this afternoon, but I've learned a lot..... but I'm not sure if the image is just too contrasty to work, I'm giving up now, going goggle eyed!!! But will carry on working on them on Monday, let me know what you think please......

Hi Jan,

This is really great, believe me! For a first attempt at stitching, you've done a great job. I like it, you should be proud of yourself. Now I hope you don't mind that I did a bit of an exploration. Corrected the (IMO) skewed horizon (not by much) and added some LCE and punch, played with color balance, etc. You don't have to like my version at all, but to me this is an indication of the fact that this image rightfully deserves the attention paid to it. Good going, show us more pls.

Have a nice weekend!

Cheers,

 

[janet Smith]

Hello Cem

Thank you very much for your version and your kind words. Yes, I'd noticed it needed straightening a bit more, but I'd reached saturation point, so thank you for that too, it looks lovely, I'm delighted.....

Now to the questions! (sorry) what do you mean by LCE? and do you know by how much you corrected the colour, or was it just one of those "tweek it and see" things??

Thank you & Ray once again, I always really appreciate the advice and help I've received, and I will definately post more as I work my way through the rest of my photos next week, I've a feeling I'm going to be looking very red eyed by the end of next week! But it's worth it! Thank you.......

 

[janet Smith]

Good going, show us more pls

Hello Cem & Ray

I've spent a ridiculous amount of time in CS2 working on this, but as I'd started as I was determined to finish, I have done some shadow/highlight correction, a little more contrast, a bit more saturation, straightened etc etc....!! This is the result - I think I'm happy with it, but there again maybe I'm not!! I'm off to do Aerobics & Pilates now, see if I can come back to it with a fresh mind afterwards, will continue later in the week working on some more of them, but may take a break for a couple of days and do some photography instead, behind the camera is where I'm happiest, instead of at the computer. Thanks for all your help.

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Hi Jan,

Looks quite good to me. You could have spent a bit less time on the colour corrections if you'd throw the Lightroom into the equation <wink>. Now go and enjoy your sports or whatever you do when you are not wasting your precious time in front of your monitor (like I am doing right now).

Cheers,

 

[janet Smith]

Hi Cem

Just put my trainers on and about to dash out the door!! No doubt I'll be feeling ready to tackle some more when I come back - the best way to look at this is a lesson learned, and I feel I've learned a lot that I needed to know - which has to be good - doesn't it!

Thanks for your help and Cem - get out from behind that monitor and go for a walk or something, fill those lungs with fresh air!..... Have a great day!

 

[Barry Johnston]

Nice Pano Jan....

Hi Jan,
I think your first attempts are magnificent. Remember as well as manual exposure, you must also set your white balance to manual as well. It's far easier to adjust this in camera than afterwards.

I have two versions of 'Panorama Maker', 3 & 4, both very easy to use. I bought an SD card for my daughter, and it came with a 'Panorama Maker 4' disc free. I haven't honestly used any others, but these are so easy. If you are serious about pano's, find yourself a panorama tripod and head. I have a manfrotto setup which I use with very impressive results. Your Aerobics and Pilates will keep you in good shape to carry it around as well Jan, you'll need it, or at the very least a 4X4 and trailer !! .....well almost.

I do prefer your version as well Jan; I feel Cem's result is too contrasty for my liking and has too much cyan which tends to lose the detail (no hard feelings Cem)....

Lets see some more....

Regards,
Barry.

 

[Asher Kelman]

First Janet,

I'm so jealous of your presence in these Scottish treasures. When I grew up in Londoin, we thought the Tower of London and the Eiffel Tower represented the U.K. and France, LOL! On the more advanced level we addedd coventary Cathedral, Stratford on Avon, the Houses of Parliament, the Wueens Palaces and a little more. How sad! I wonder how many people really explore their own countires? We were not sufficiently introduced to the heritage you have photographed for us and the scenes in the Lake District made by Stuart Rae! So thanks. I won't add right now to the composition points mentioned.

Asher

 

[Asher Kelman]

Cem,

I tend to agree that your version as it appears on my screen is over contrasty, but that's not the point! You demonstrating that the image can be perhaps expressed in some various ways that might bring out more impact. Your version does have more impact, but, IMHO, may be wrong for this Scottish scene.

To me, it's unlikely that any landscape will have all the light distribution to reproduce and transmit the sensations of beauty, the water protected by the hills and the feeling of Scotland's wind and smell of flowers. Of course, no artist can put one in that landscape. However, no camera film or silicon chip has any way of recognizing what's important in the scene. Our eyes do that and look up a library of values coming from our own life!!!

So the work of a photography is no where near done in most cases with simply recording the light reflections from a scene! Somehow we have to convey what is important and clear and what is not! What colors seem to be redder than what we record. What colors seem to have richer blues. These are all cultural and psycho-sensory based feelings.

So, I think you are saying, "O.K. Janet, you have the picture file, it looks magnificent but is it presented as best as possible for what you want to show?" (Not for what it is or was, since we will never know!)

Asher

 

[janet Smith]

Hello Barry

Thank you for the tips, I didn't know about setting the white balance to manual too, will do this next time I'm shooting panos, I may be going back up to Scotland again during the winter but not certain at the moment, but I'll certainly shoot some more nearer to home in the Yorkshire Dales, and yes it's amazing how a good work out sorts out the mind as well as the body, all this sitting at a computer is seriously bad for the back so a really good stretch in Pilates is fantastic!

Thanks also for the tips about 'Panorama Maker' - I think a weakness in myself is that I can sometimes be impatient with my own skill levels (or lack of them!) in Photoshop, I think I am going to have to sit down and spend some serious time learning a bit more, but I'm always busy with other things and photographing everything in sight!! Probably going to cook Georg Baumann's "Drunken Piggy" recipe (from another thread) and photograph it today (will post the results in the next few days), which will mean several more hours aerobics working it off (LOL) oh well, have a great day!

 

[janet Smith]

Hello Asher

Don't be jealous! When I live in the Highlands you and your wife would be very welcome to come and visit, I would be delighted to show you both some of my favourite places, and yes for me you have made a very important point about the reasons I love the Highlands so much, that sadly cannot be captured on film, what a shame you didn't come north when you lived in the UK!

No 1 the smell!!! so fragrant, fresh and incredibly pure and clean. No 2 The silence in the Highlands is deafening!! except in rutting season the hills echo with bellowing stags, the wind - I have stood on an exposed beach in a gale, in minus 8 degrees in Applecross and absolutely loved the experience (I'm a a bit mad really) the rain, the sun (occassionally!), in fact I love everything about it (except the damned midges and sheep tics!!) I have been going to the Highlands since I was 3 years old, and can't wait to live there!!!!!!! I think I should get a job with The Highlands and Islands Tourist Board (LOL)!!!

And yes - I think my photos do show what I wanted to show, which is a gentle magnificent landscape, with muted hues - that I adore.

Have a lovely day!

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

...I do prefer your version as well Jan; I feel Cem's result is too contrasty for my liking and has too much cyan which tends to lose the detail (no hard feelings Cem)....

No offence taken Barry <smile>
I did the processing of that image on my laptop which is not calibrated. Afterwards, I have realized that it was indeed a bit too much cyan. I was actually trying to make the shadow part of the mountains look blue, which to me is what they ideally should look like at such distances.

Cheers,

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

Cem,

I tend to agree that your version as it appears on my screen is over contrasty, but that's not the point! You demonstrating that the image can be perhaps expressed in some various ways that might bring out more impact. Your version does have more impact, but, IMHO, may be wrong for this Scottish scene. ..

Precisely, my dear Asher! It was indeed my intention to demonstrate the possibilities. I, too, like the final version of Jan better than mine <smile>

Cheers,

 

[janet Smith]

It was indeed my intention to demonstrate the possibilities

Hello Cem

The point of your version was to point me in the right direction, which you did very well, I think between us we've reached a good place - Thank you!