Chromatic Aberrations - Subtle Photo Killer

Chromatic Aberrations are the pesky colors that border objects in your photo.

Technically, what is it?  Chromatic Aberration is a common optical problem that occurs when a lens is either unable to bring all wavelengths of color to the same focal plane, and/or when wavelengths of color are focused at different positions in the focal plane. Chromatic aberration is caused by lens dispersion, with different colors of light travelling at different speeds while passing through a lens.  More technical explanations can be found here.

So what to do?  Google of course.  In the upper end edit programs there are options to reduce the effects of CA.  I found a nice little program as an alternative for low cost that worked as advertised.  The program is PTLens.  There is a trial time for 10 images.  I picked my barn picture which had a lot of distortion between the building and sky - and I didn't notice but a lot of red in the foliage on both the right and left.  I followed the directions and it worked great!  I now have another tool for the tool box.

The before and afters:
With the Chromatic  Aberration.

With the Chromatic Aberration removed.

Since the CA is caused at the time the image is taken, early removal would probably be best.  In my barn photo, the CA on the barn didn't show up until I put it on a monitor as a screen saver.  The it was painful.  If that photo is going to go into a competition, I can't take that chance.  One of those things that if it is not there, you'll never know, but leave it in there and .......

Rockland Breakwater Light - 2015 Edition

In the high school graduation time of year, 2010, I had the chance to explore the Maine coast and some of the light houses.  This is the Rockland Breakwater Light.  The light sits at the end of a long jetty.  When I was there, it was a crappy, cold, windy and rainy day.  But even in those conditions, it had a beauty of its own.  

I liked playing with this photograph because with a little effort, the sky will not be flat and the water has some definition.

The original post can be found here: Previous Post.

The Original Post Image:

Generally, overall I like what was done with the image.  I like everything except the halo in the sky between the house structure and the sky.  So in 2015, I should be able to come up with something where the halo is non-existent.

The original base of this image is a combination of two photographs.  In each of the two photographs, there is an imperfection (unwanted human) that I didn't want in the final product.  The two photographs were fairly similar with respect to the position of the structure and took just a small amount of adjusting to line up.  The two original images are:

 I've circled the objects that need to be removed.  I used the top image as the primary image.  I put the bottom image underneath the top image.  After I lined the two up, I used a masking brush to remove the unwanted object at the top of the stairs.  Everything around that area lined up perfectly.  I now had my base image to work with.

My plan was to put this through Photomatix and concentrate on everything but the sky.  Experience tells me that the sky is where most of the halo caused by tone compression will occur.  I'd like to keep the sky, but it doesn't do the day justice.  It was much darker.  This is what Nikon think the image should look like - and why you should take Nikon out of the equation by shooting in RAW.  Here is what I have after tone mapping with Photomatix.

I didn't have to do too much with this, but I did get great colors on the water, jetty and the building.  There is still too much halo in the sky - and it is too light for what I want.  The sky must go!  The sky colors are fairly consistent making for easy removal.  The removal between the railings and the fence around the light were tricky and just took some time.  I found a bolder, darker sky from my stock photos and added it in.  

I should be able to get some great definition out of this.  I did some gradient work on the sky, with it starting dark overhead and getting lighter toward the horizon.  I also tried to gradient blur it as well, so the clouds in the distance aren't quite as sharp as those overhead.  I did some selective lighting, either bringing up or removing light on the building.  The overall image is darker, but yet not.  It's a little clearer and sharper.  Here is the final product.

The sky and the water match.  Little bit of light from the clouds and little bit of light on the water.  (That's why I can't go with a nice blue sky, the water would be a dead giveaway.)  I'd go with this version on personal preference.  The image appears much cleaner.

B-17 Cockpit - Part III

In the previous two B-17 Cockpit photos, I haven't been totally happy with either one.  The first one (http://kurtpankopfphotography.blogspot.com/2015/09/b17-cockpit.html) was a bit soft and and the second one (http://kurtpankopfphotography.blogspot.com/2015/09/b17-cockpit-part-ii.html) the sky just wasn't 'right'.
I think the second shot is right for the interior - but the sky looks too 'even' for a close to horizontal shot.  My idea was to have a gradient applied to the sky only - from a darker top to a lighter bottom.

I think it worked!

Route 381 in Fall - Revisit

One of the first photos I've taken that interested me in making photography a hobby - and dumping more $$$s into equipment and software - is a photo of Route 381 running through Rolling Rock Farms in Pennsylvania.  The original image was taken in October of 2009.  At that time, I knew about the science of taking photos - but didn't know how to use it.  So I have a good subject photo - with a blown sky.  The all around image is good, but there are two elements of the photo that keep it from being great.

The original image:

1/60   f/5.6
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal Length 32mm
Focal Length (35 mm) 48 mm

At least the trees are relatively straight.

There are two issues with this photo, that is the sky is flat as can be and on the left side there is a layer of blown sky leaking to a row of trees.

In 2009, I started post-processing with HDR.  I favored the grunge look.  With that amount of alteration, the sky would look OK - or at least passable.  This is the image I favored.

Heavy on the grunge and it did something to the sky.  And so at the time, I liked it.  I didn't know any better.

Times change.  These days I'm favoring less of the grunge - but still the detail enhancement.  And the software is getting so much better I should be able to do something with the sky.

So in the 2015 version of this image using Photomatix, instead of going grunge I went with one of the Painterly selections.  To start with I am looking for help on everything but the sky.  In order for this to work as I have envisioned - the sky will have to go.  All of it.

This is what I now have after HDR to start with.

I still have the detail in the trees - but a little less saturation in the foliage.  I usually like it a bit more detailed all around, but I can add it at the end.

I needed to find a sky - just a stock photo.  Anything too blue wouldn't look right to me.  so I was looking for a nice diffused sunrise or sunset.  Not only was the sky important, but I have to sell the left row of trees.  And this is what I found.

This helps on many levels.  Not only does it have a nice dark gradient from top to bottom, but also right to left.  It should sell the trees on the left.  Adding this to the trees, this is what I get.

And finally I'll add back in some detail work.  And I also darkend the road a bit, call that personal preference.  So the final product will look like this:

I think the trees are a bit more color realistic than in the grunge version.  The leaves lack a little saturation and I'm OK with that change.  The sky is a big improvement and fits quite well.

A little history of where I started - taking something straight out of the HDR process pre-sets to actually trying to improve on it a bit.

C5 - 90014 Project

This is the C5 aircraft currently on display at the Air Mobility Command Museum in Dover, DE.  While I don't know for sure I ever flew on this aircraft, being I have over 3,000 flight hours out of Dover it is a safe assumption I flew on it at least once.

A little history about 69-0014:  In October of 1974, this aircraft dropped a 86,000 lb Minuteman ICBM rocket as a test - over the Pacific ocean.  The rocket dropped, fired and flew.  Not saying that the test brought about the SALT implementation - but not saying it didn't either.

As far as learning from the photography I take this away.  This is the first time I've used a stitch to shoot for real size and not just to take out the camera distortion of a wide angle shot.  Next time I have the opportunity to shoot something this big again, I will move parallel to the subject while shooting.  The software is good at this, but I think I can help it out a bit.

This photo is my next 'project'.  This is a stitch of 13 photographs using Elements.  This is the largest object I've tried to blend into one image.  There are multiple options for stitching and I ran each of the six possibilities.  I have chosen to go with the Cylindrical option.  The aircraft does have a design illusion from behind the wing to the tail.  From this angle, it is not straight and that would be correct.  The nose from the wing forward does appear to droop a bit.  I can live with it.

But with this proof test, at least I know it will stitch will work.

Next step - stitch the RAW images together and see what happens.

Barn Art on Rt 30

I had the chance to drive Rt 30 from Breezewood to Ligonier in Pennsylvania.  Along the way, I passed this barn with some fantastic art painted on the sides.  Just another reason to not take the turnpike.
The day was really crappy.  Low Clouds.  Flat Light.  Photographer's dream.
First I really liked the scene, not your normal Mail Pouch Tobacco barn art.  
So here is the original image:

1/640   f/5.6
EV -1.0
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal Length 18mm
Focal Length (35 mm) 27 mm

First, I wanted to get ride of the eye distractions, most notably the power line, the light on the side of the barn and the lightning rod on the top of the structure.  Usually small objects cause problems with tone compression which is amplified by a halo.  I used simple erasers to remove the objects.  
Image with the objects removed:

I put this image through Photomatix to work on the tone mapping.  Added my favorite touches, and this was the image:

OK - so now I have the base of what I see in this.  At this point, I could be finished but I like a little more detail and sharpness in my photos.  The barn wood and stone really have some potential to be unique.  And the sky really needs some help.   I will use On One's products to really pull out those details.  
This is starting to come around and I like what I see.

Before I'm done, I'm not real happy with some of the angles.  I used Elements to correct level the barn beam between the stone and wood.  I also corrected a bit for camera distortion but straightening the left and right edges of the barn.  It won't be perfect, but it will be better.

And put my backing and signature block on it - and final product.

Grass Snowmobile Races - In September

A local organization sponsored a grass snowmobile race in my local area.  I know a number of people who enjoy being out doors, going 70 mph in sub-zero weather who do just fine without my company.  But this looked like fun for them as well, although to be sure, there wasn't much 2-stroke gas exhaust odor.  Smelled a bit more high octane,

But this event was great from a photographic exercise as well.  As noted in a precious post, I tried many different settings.  I was trying to picture how the photos would look.  After taking some at very high speed to get clear images.  But those images didn't show the speed that was involved.   So - I slowed the image down as much as I could.  (With a little more time, I would have sped it up just a bit - but this was a good learning experience.)

Here is the original photo.

1/60   f/20
EV -0.7
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal Length 62mm
Focal Length (35 mm) 93 mm

I've seen other images with this 'colder' look and it is interesting.  There are a lot if issues with the treeline I might try to clean up if this shot were to go to any competition.  It has possibilities.

RAW Shooting

I shoot my photographs RAW.  End of story.
Yea, sounds cool.  Yea - usually requires some extra work.  But I shoot RAW and will not change.
Truth be known, everyone shoots RAW.  Even my phone shoots RAW. 
The photographic process goes something like this.  The image is seen through the lens and hits a sensor.  Information from that sensor is put in a file, either physical or some form of RAM for further processing.  The information that is put in the physical file is RAW.  That's the information I want.  The light information that hits the sensor is unaltered.  When the light image is processed further and the output is generally a JPEG file what you are seeing is your RAW image with further 'clean-up' that your camera manufacturer has developed.
I want to take control of my photos - and not necessarily see what Nikon wants me to see.
So, if I'm going to take that much control - what can I do to help my camera get the best possible image?
The biggest image killer I come across is the 'blown' colors.  It is usually the form of a blown sky - that flat - no definitions.  
This is how I get around this issue.
When I get to a location that has the possibility of a dull sky, I shoot some 'test' photographs.  I'm looking for blown areas.  My camera has a 'highlights' feature when will show overexposed areas.  Simple, quick.  I also use the histogram feature on the camera.  All one has to know is that any part that is blown on the original image is non-recoverable.  Software can't recover what isn't there.
I use the EV setting to compensate the image.  The more highlights I see, the higher the setting.  After some time, I can generally look at the environment and know what EV setting I need to use.
This is one of the test shots I used for an outdoor event.

This is the histogram:

Not a bad looking histogram - but the information on the right shows the sky information - and some of that information is lost.  No matter what I do, it is un-recoverable.  The EV on this is already -0.7, so I'm getting closer.

A EV setting of -0.7 is a comfortable setting for me.  If I was doing shots where there was more sky, I'd probably go to -1.0 or -1.3.  But in this case, I'm just looking to recover any sky I do capture.

In the worst case scenario with this setting, where I'm not getting any sky this is the result.

Here is the original image as shot.

This is a EV of -1.    The histogram looks something like this:

This histogram shows that although dark - all the color information is there.  This is something that I can work with.

I use Photomatix to set my color levels.  I've also used Elements RAW editor and auto levels to do the same.

This is what you get with one pass through Photomatix.

And the histogram is:

So even with a darker image, I can get the light levels correct.

Stitching - Way to save that photo!

One of the benefits of joining a photo club is that you get to see how others solve simple problems.  I am fortunate to have a friend/mentor through my local club in how to do simple 'touch ups' that will make a photo stand out from the others. 

One such photo that really sparked ides to me was that of a replica early Wright brothers airplane.  The subject was in a museum.  As with most museums, space between large objects was at a minimum.  I don't know if he would have taken the shot with a wide angle lens if the whole aircraft would have fit in the frame.  But what he did was to take multiple shots at 50 mm (considered normal focal length) and 'stitch' the images together.  The result was absolutely fascinating.  It was a good photo, technically.  Even he'd admit - it was going to win anything.  But that photo will stick with me for as long as I'm with photography.  The most interesting feature of that shot was that all the lines were straight.  There was no distortion due to being shot with a wide angle focal length.  Since I've adopted this hobby, that was one of the two to three most influential images I've seen.

Stitching is a process of combining multiple images into one image.  Sounds complicated, but software does all the heavy lifting.

What I've discovered about stitching is all the work goes up front.  Here goes:
1.  I usually shoot photos in Aperture Mode.  This is a must.  Usually the scene is uniformly lit and if Aperture Mode is used, the speed of the shot will usually be consistent.  The lighting has to be consistent.
2.  An overlay of 33% will usually get the trick done.  I usually try to go in the area of 50% to 60%.  This gets a good coverage and, not that it happens often, will cover if one photo doesn't turn out as expected.  Digital images are cheap.  The more, the better.
3.  The best images are shot portrait.  What I'm showing in this example is landscape - only to show it can be done.  But what ever orientation you use, make sure the focal length is 50mm.
4.  If you look up how to shoot a panorama, you will find all sorts of equipment to purchase.  I hand hold my camera.  Yea, sometimes the edges are a bit out of alignment, but you are going to lose the edges anyways.
5.  If you are going to make image corrections, make them on the originals.  Also be very careful not to make corrections in the middle of the project.  In the third photo below, there is a plant that is taking away from the entire picture.  That had to be removed on the original, prior to stitching.

So here is my example.  This is a local park pond on a sunny day.  In order to get as much of the scene as possible, I could take a wide angle shot.  If I had done that, the trees and other vertical object would have a distortion.  Or - I could stitch the shot.

These are the four shots used:

Using Elements 13, I used the Photomerge Panoramic function, the resulting image is:

At this point, depending on the format used other post processing actions can be taken.  I usually save to a TIFF file and send it to Photomatix.

Follow me by Email

I've added a widget to allow a 'follow by email' option.  It is unrealistic to expect everyone to look once a day - and to be honest I do take vacations both literally and figuratively.  

All that is required is a valid email address.  You'll get a notification at the email address entered that will require a reply to register.  Simple standard stuff.

Thanks!

B-17 Engine (Workflow from Here to There)

This was an interesting project - and by far the most time I've ever put into any photo.  For the most part, I generally go with what comes out of Photomatix.  Call me lazy, but the software is getting so good, that the halos that are generally associated with HDR are almost non-existent.  But they are still there to the somewhat trained eye.  In this close up of a B-17 engine, the contrast between the sky and the engine cowling was great enough to halo a bit when applying effects of HDR.  It just didn't look right.  So what to do?

I liked the sky off of the original enough - with a little darkening.  The engine needed a lot of work.  The cylinders were not so visible.  The propellers and the propeller hub are also a bit washed out.  Last and least, the light tower is a bit distracting, that had to go.

I am using Photomatix and On One's Perfect Suite 9.5.

Here is the original photo.  (The original format is RAW - that explains the washed out colors.)  

The first step was to remove the sky from the photo.  I did this with PS Layers.  

Once the sky was removed, I sent this image through Photomatix.  My main goal was to bring out the cylinders, and to add a little jazz that suits me.  I would up choosing the preset VIBRANT.

When pushing this through Photomtix, it doesn't treat the transparent space that used to be the sky well.  Photomatix adds back the space as part of the image as almost white space.  Not a big issue, but it is removing that part of the image for a second time.  I hate double work!  So, after pulling the image back into PS into the original file with layers, I used some enhancement tricks to darken the propellers.  

From here, I worked on the original image as a whole - I needed to get the sky correct.  I used a clone tool to remove the light.

So I have the sky where I want it.  So I added the engine back into the original, and this is the final Image.

There is the final image.  Before I put out here on the web, I crop to a 5x7 format.  I have a layer with borders and and my signature block.  

1/500   f/9
Aperture Priority
ISO 400
Focal Length 18mm
Focal Length (35 mm) 27 mm

B-17 Engine (Close Up)

I was fascinated by the radial engines on the B17.  The thought of getting 9 cylinders to fire when they are supposed to and run for hours on end and not look like a conventional block engine baffles me.  I'm also fascinated by the variable pitch propeller system.  I (used to) know a little bit about how all that works from a prior life.  But the props on a C-130 are driven by a jet engine and not cylinders.
Some of the categories in my photo club deal with machinery, so I took a number of close up shots.  This could also be a self portrait and somehow I managed to get myself in the lower left - along with shadow.

1/500   f/9
Aperture Priority
ISO 400
Focal Length 18mm
Focal Length (35 mm) 27 mm

B17 Cockpit - Part II

This could be my training photo.  There is a lot going on.  Lots of contrast and colors.  In this one, I tried to darken the photo pretty much all around.  I think I get a better black.  
The sky still presented an issue, but I think this one works better.  There is a reflection in the center hubs of the sky that is blue and has some clouding.  Matches a little anyway.

B17 Cockpit

This project was fun.  
This is a photo of the B-17G cockpit.  As with most shots with very high contrast, either the low light or the high light comes in - but not both.  This is a blend of the interior and a stock sky photo.
Many firsts went into this photo.  
One first was I used the Pen and Tablet for about 50% of the entire process.  I used it for all the detail work.  Still used the mouse to do a lot of the navigation work.
Another first is I used On One's perfect Suite 9.5 for all of the intermediary work.  I don't want to say that laying in the sky was easy - but it was however time consuming.
I like the way it turned out - however it is not contest worthy at this point.  The daylight washing the interior doesn't really mesh up with the area around the windows.  Not sure if I would either wash out the sky or darken the area around the windows.  Something for another day.

1/100   f/9
Aperture Priority
ISO 400
Focal Length 18mm
Focal Length (27mm) 123 mm

Wacom Intuos Pro Pen and Touch Medium Tablet

When searching for tips and tricks - usually involving YouTube - much of what I found came from people who use pent and tablets.  One of the members in my photo club used the equipment during a presentation.  I did some research and came up with the Wacom Intuos Pro Pen and Touch Medium Tablet.  So I got it.
There are some videos on how to set it up and most of the capabilities.  (How did the caveman ever advance with out internet?)
The set up was easy - once I disabled my anti-virus package.  Getting to that point was a bit frustrating - but that's in the past.
I played about 30 minutes of Spider Solitaire to get used to the position and movements.  Sounds funny, but that is why solitaire is there.  Pointer skills.
On the unexpected side, when people are talking on how they use the P&T most seem to gravitate toward the use of layers - which was never my strong point.  With the P&T demonstrations, the whole concept became much clearer to me. 
The first project will be trying to create something really nice of the interior of the B-17 cockpit.  The photos are a challenge because of the contrast of light between the interior and the bright flat sky.  We'll see what happens.

Shells - Not so much by the Sea Shore

I do have a like for photos that fill up a frame.  That being said, I don't have many - or any at all.  A few years ago, 2012, I spent some time with family and friends in Hilton Head, SC.  I'm not much of a beach person, but I manage to spend some time close to the salt water.  Next to a restaurant, I found this pile of shells.  Food?  Perhaps.  I pictured this as being a screen saver or background.  Next time, I'll look for a crab or other wildlife to be in this.

1/1250   f/8
Aperture Priority
ISO 200
Focal Length 82mm

Focal Length (35mm) 123 mm

P51-C Mustang

As I have viewed many aircraft photos and drawings, I've always had an admiration for those shots in which I couldn't really tell if was photographed or drawn.  In flight shots, I've always like something other than straight and level images.
This shot also has two action points for me in the propeller and the gear not extended or retracted - but somewhere in between.  If I could draw a fighter - this would be the one.
This shot probably won't win any competitions.  Not that it is out of focus, but it certainly isn't all that sharp.  I was at least a mile away for this one.  

1/2000   f/9
Aperture Priority
ISO 400
Focal Length 200mm
Focal Length (35mm) 300 mm

B-17 Nose from the front

More from the Flint WWII aircraft show.  This is the B-17G from the outside.  I've always liked nose shots.  The way the colors showed up - the sky blues and the aircraft greens really make this pop for me.

1/500   f/9
Aperture Priority
ISO 400
Focal Length 18mm
Focal Length (35mm) 27 mm

B-17 Nose Section which housed the Bombardier and Navigator

This past weekend, three WWII aircraft as part of a tour stopped at the local airport.  One of the aircraft was a B-17G.  I have always been fascinated by this aircraft and the role it played in both theaters of WWII.

At this event, the B-17 and the B-24J were open to the public for touring.  I went through multiple times to get some really good shots - without little gremlins trying to photo bomb me.

Most of my shots were point and shoot - that is with no view finder.  Just hoping for the best.

This is one of the first I have played with.  The is the Nose Section of the B-17, where the Bombardier and Navigator did their thing.

For me, already a classic.

1/640   f/9
Aperture Priority
ISO 400
Focal Length 18mm
Focal Length (35mm) 27 mm