High Five (HDR)
Before-and -After
Special Features
Be sure to view the Before-and-After comparison, and watch the Making-of video. The Pics-to-play-with feature will follow soon for this image. So stay tuned! I will be posting it in the coming days.
The story of this photo
This is a 6-exposure HDR image from inside the Porta Nigra in Trier, Germany. This building was built by the Romans around 200 AD. Today, it is a World Heritage Site. In the post-processing, I gave this image back some of the colors that the original building must have had.
Making-of video
It has been quite a while since I uploaded my last image. I hope, I have not lost too many of you due to this. I have been busy lately creating new content and new formats. For example, I have started a video tutorial series called Hands-on Photo Tips. I am also in the process of releasing more in-depth content in yet another format. I will tell you more on that soon.
I promise, I will be creating images more regularly now. For now, let’s start with a 4-in-1 feature: Over the week, I will also be posting a Before-and-After comparison, a Making-of video, and a Pics-to-play-with feature for this image.
How it was shot
- Taken hand-held
- Six exposures (-3, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 ev) – semi-autobracketing [details]
- Camera: Nikon D7000
- Lens: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5G ED
High Five (HDR) – Dynamic Before-and-After – Blend the original photo and the final image using a simple slider
How it was tonemapped
- CA reduction and white balance correction on all source exposures in Adobe Camera Raw
- Saved the 6 images as TIFFs
- Created two additional exposures in ACR to get all the details in the highlights and in the shadows [details]
- Applied noise reduction (Topaz Denoise) to each of the source images [details]
- Resulting TIFF images were then used as input to Photomatix (Details Enhancer option)
How it was post-processed
- Post-processing was done in Photoshop
- Topaz Adjust to get back the details and the colors [details]
- Topaz Infocus (sharpening – not on the windows)
- Levels layer on the windows (more contrast)
- Photo filter layer on the floor to get back the original color (red)
- Levels layer on the floor (more contrast)
- Saturation layer on the floor (master)
- Levels layer on the bowl (more contrast)
- Saturation layer on the bowl (master)
- Saturation layers on the pillars/arches and the border (desaturation)
- Levels layer on the pillars/arches and the border (more contrast)
- Levels layer on the walls (more contrast)
- Saturation layer on the walls (yellows, master)
- Levels layer on some areas around the windows to reduce the glare
- Global Levels and Saturation layers for tuning the overall colors and contrast
- Some retouching to remove litter
- Slight vignetting [details]
- Watermarking [details]
very nice photography
Nice! Really appreciate the detailed explanations.
Beautiful!!! Lovely Post processing!!!
I visited the Porta Nigra two year ago, really impressive! I like what you did with the colors.
Thank you so much for sharing. I have been engrossed in learning DWeaver and panos at the same time that I forgot why I do this. It’s about the beauty and you have reminded me. Thank you.
My first post on a photography blog, but had to on this one…brilliant explanation and the bullet points make it so clear and efficient. Keep up the great work, and is your work anywhere else on the web and do you have any books or videos for sale?
Hi Billy,
I have a free eBook here, and one for sale here. Videos will be coming very soon. So, stay tuned.
Klaus