Ennerdale Reprise

[StuartRae]

I bought my first digital camera - a Canon G5 - in 2003. I always shot in raw, but at the time the only raw converter available was Canon's own Zoombrowser, so the results were hardly better than shooting JPEG. I stored the raw files away in the hope that something better would come along................

Now, six years later, are some shots from a walk round Ennerdale Water in October 2003.


Zooming in on Anglers Crag across the lake. The path can be seen crossing the base of the crag before climbing above the rock-face on the RH corner.

Looking back to the head of the lake, with Angler's Crag behind us.

My son crossing the 'tricky' bit above the rock-face. Not a great shot as he was wobbling and so was I.

Looking up the lake from the outlet, with Anglers Crag in shadow on the right and Great Gable and Pillar in the distance.

Regards,

Stuart

 

[Andrew Stannard]

Hi Stuart,

Some beautiful shots there!

The 2nd shot in particular I think is really lovely - composition and colours both pleasing to my eye.

Ennerdale is such a peaceful and unspoilt valley, your pictures are making me want to go back as soon as I can!


Thanks for posting,
Andy.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Stuart,

I haven't ever visited Ennerdale and am about to look it up. What did you use to process the RAW files this time? I'd love to see todays and 2003 processed images side by side so we can realize how far we have progressed on the promise of ever improving images if we shoot in RAW.

What was the 35mm equivalent of the focal lengths used. I wish you had also taken adjacent images as these would be amazing as panoramas. As it is they show us the beauty of Annondale and put me in a good mood for my labors of processing many images myself.

Asher

 

[StuartRae]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for looking. And thanks for being polite enough to not point out my mistake. As I'm sure you know, the distant fells are Pillar and Scoat Fell with the pointy little summit of Steeple sticking up.

It was a great relief to eventually be able to produce an image with some detail in the shadows without the clouds and sky being blown. I went for a conversion with rich Autumn colours and a deep blue sky. A bit OTT perhaps, but that's how I like to remember it.

Regards,

Stuart

 

[janet Smith]

Hi Stuart

Love the second one, fabulous colours!....... Makes me want to go to the Lakes!

 

[Ron Morse]

I like them all but the second one is beautiful.

 

[StuartRae]

Jan and Ron,

Thanks for the comments. #2 is my favourite as well. I guess that the moral of the story is "save your raw files".

Makes me want to go to the Lakes!

Jan, you've been saying that for over two years

Regards,

Stuart

 

[StuartRae]

Asher,

My apologies for not replying to your post - for some reason I missed it.

I used RSP to convert the images. IMO it's still the best as long as your camera is supported. I made the conversions biased towards getting a good sky (lower EC, raise Shadow Contrast, lower Highlight Contrast, adjust Hue to get a purer blue and apply a touch of Vibrance), and then used (for #2) the Photomatix Tone Mapping plugin to lift the shadows.

Here's the raw file converted with Breeze Browser (it uses the Canon DLLs, so is just about the same as Zoom Browser). It's not really that bad, but RSP extracts more detail and allows separate shadow and highlight contrast.

The focal length for #2 was 7.2mm which is equivalent to 35mm.

I do have a set of images taken with a panorama in mind. I'm not sure how far it goes round to the right; I'll have a look and post if it turns out OK. BTW, I now use PTGui for panos, a vast improvement on my previous software.

Regards,

Stuart

 

[Winston Mitchell]

Here's the raw file converted with Breeze Browser (it uses the Canon DLLs, so is just about the same as Zoom Browser). It's not really that bad, but RSP extracts more detail and allows separate shadow and highlight contrast.

Honestly, even though, to me, this version looks a little flat, I much prefer it to the first one.

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Hi Stuart

Sorry I hadn't commented before. I do like the shots, but 2 is especially pleasing. I also think that the first version is a bit more saturated than my taste, although the simple version below does look a bit flat. Probably somewhere between would be my preference.

You are right though that keeping raw files is wise - you never know when you will be able to extract more or simply reprocess as your vision changes. I too liked Raw Shooter in it's day. These days I tend to use Lightroom, DXo and DPP - the latter consistently surprises me in spite of the limited controls and poor interface...

Mike

 

[Cem_Usakligil]

...Sorry I hadn't commented before. I do like the shots, but 2 is especially pleasing. I also think that the first version is a bit more saturated than my taste, although the simple version below does look a bit flat. Probably somewhere between would be my preference.

Likewise, the same remarks from me too

Thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

 

[StuartRae]

Winston, Mike and Cem,

Thanks for commenting.

Yes, the plain vanilla version is probably more true to life, and as I mentioned earlier the later conversions are probably a bit OTT, but that's how I wanted to remember the day.

Mike,

These days I tend to use Lightroom, DXo and DPP - the latter consistently surprises me in spite of the limited controls and poor interface...

I think that DPP probably gives the most accurate colours. I just can't bring myself to use LR - it's too ugly.


Anyway, here's the panorama I promised. Constructed from 8 landscape images with PTGui using a circular projection.

Click on the image to see a larger version.



Regards,

Stuart

 

[Winston Mitchell]

I just can't bring myself to use LR - it's too ugly.

Stuart,

Could you comment further on this? Do you mean the user interface? The results? Both?

Thanks for sharing the pano.

 

[StuartRae]

Hi Winston,

After spending 34 yrs as a software developer I can see beauty in a piece of software just as others can see beauty in a painting. RSP was beautiful; LR is ugly and clumsy.
The results are fine, very good in fact, but I just can't come to terms with the import module. If I could have the develop module on its own with a simple import and export either side of it I might like it better. Just my personal opinion

Regards,

Stuart

 

[Mike Shimwell]

Hi Stuart,

You can of course have just the developmodule - ACR is included with photoshop and a bridge, ACR, CSx workflow is equally viable. I think that the ACR develop code improved dramatically when Adobe bought, and presumably inteegrated, the RSP technology.

Things I like about the DPP and DXo conversions are also the rendering of fine detail compared to LR/ACR which can feel a bit clumsy in some circumstances. The colour has improved significnanty since LR2 introduce the new camera presets.

Mike

 

[Winston Mitchell]

Hi Winston,

After spending 34 yrs as a software developer I can see beauty in a piece of software just as others can see beauty in a painting. RSP was beautiful; LR is ugly and clumsy.
The results are fine, very good in fact, but I just can't come to terms with the import module. If I could have the develop module on its own with a simple import and export either side of it I might like it better. Just my personal opinion

Regards,

Stuart

Hmmm...

There's a lot of things I strongly dislike about LR but importing/exporting isn't one of them. I do use Downloader Pro. Here's how it works. When I put a card in the reader, DL-P starts up and downloads my raw files, taking care of folder creation and file renaming. In LR, I synchronize the target folder and click import when the dialog opens up.

Exporting is simpler. I select the files, choose "Export with Preset...", and click a preset. Done.

 

[Asher Kelman]

....... Anyway, here's the panorama I promised. Constructed from 8 landscape images with PTGui using a circular projection.

.

StuartRae Ennerdale RepriseClick on the image to see a larger version

This, my friend, is what I've been waiting for and you don't disappoint. Even without clicking through to the larger version we get the presence and majesty of this magnificent ancient water. Design-wise, the hook of land coming from the right is helpful in anchoring the picture and giving up better perception of depth. I would have liked a little more on teach side, but I'm so greedy for the experience!

Thanks!

Asher

 

[StuartRae]

Hi Asher,

This, my friend, is what I've been waiting for and you don't disappoint.

Thanks. Our aim is to please........


Hi Mike,

ACR is included with photoshop and a bridge, ACR, CSx workflow is equally viable

This of course presupposes that I wish to climb aboard the roundabout of expensive CS upgrades. For many years I've managed with PSE3, which opens 16-bit images, runs all my plugins and does basic editing such as resizing, cropping, cloning, etc. After all, I am a poor pensioner


Hi Winston,

When I put a card in the reader, DL-P starts up and downloads my raw files, taking care of folder creation and file renaming. In LR, I synchronize the target folder and click import when the dialog opens up.

Exporting is simpler. I select the files, choose "Export with Preset...", and click a preset. Done.

I suppose I could force myself to get used to it, but then I could probably get used to eating raw fish if I really had to.
RSP also downloads and renames, although I usually just use a card reader and Windows Explorer for d/l. Point RSP at a folder of raw files, thumbnails created, select one, do adjustments, press insert key and while the image is processed in the background I can select and adjust another one.

Regards,

Stuart