The Tougher Side

In a previously written post, I had mentioned having had a computer melt down. Literally, thats how it went down. There are certain, how shall I say it, not so positive, very un-condusive problems that can arise from needing to replace your entire computer network. Basically the system I had, need to be completely replaced. Which is fine, totally wanted a new and much faster mode of post-production, but when it is sudden and comes with a detrimental force, it can cause a ripple in your work flow. It did just that. Having rebounded from the backed up work, I am still left without a blogging software comparable to what I was using to write for Lenshare and Holyokeinphotos Windows Live Writer allowed me to do things that no other software has thus far. Granted, if I was using Wordpress, this article would not exist. But, I am to suffer till I find the happy medium I once had.

Here are a few shots from the shoots I've done over the past few weeks.

HDR Portrait

HDR portraits can be very simple or they can be very complicated. By simple I mean using one image, photoshop, and a few techniques to do a pseudo-HDR process. You can take one image and run it through an HDR action or you can run it through some of the filters and plug ins that are available. In Lightroom, there are presets that mimic what HDR is. But as well all know mimicking is not the same as the real thing. Or you have the option to  make the person you are photographing stand, sit, or lay very still while you make the needed bracketed exposures. 

I have two examples of HDR portraits. 1. the person asked if they could be photographed for HDR. Gladly I said yes, and stand very still, do not move at all. Which he did not. He essentially held his breath, posture, and stood motionless for 3 exposures to be made. What I was left with was my first HDR portrait.

Example 1 The image on the left does not have as much shadow on the face as you can see in the example on the right. Both are HDR portraits that were made by having him stand still. The one on the right was the first image made. He stood comfortably leaning against the wall.

Example 2 The portrait was made before I started integrating HDR into a part of my regular image making. I photographed him in passing while on a trip to Provincetown, MA, Cape Cod. This photograph was made using a pseudo technique that I created.

There are, like I mentioned, a few different ways in which you can create an HDR portrait. Lighroom and Adobe Bridge, as well as Adobe Camera Raw all have the ability to create them. My technique more closely matches what you would get if you were to shoot for HDR. (bracketed exposures)