Danny Kern's Telltale Photo +Lr

11.03.09 Morning Lit Fall Colors

2009-11-04T14:35:00.001-08:00

11.01.09 Raincatcher Dreamcatcher

2009-11-04T14:34:00.001-08:00

Raindrops like Large Film Grain

2009-10-29T22:08:00.000-07:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

10.27.09 Dinner Grilling on the Patio

2009-10-27T22:37:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed a pumpkin spice eggnog latte while grilling some steaks on the back patio. Fall is in the air, and winter can't be far behind when eggnog is on the store shelves and best of all in our coffee.

10.26.09 Rainscape Over North Bend

2009-10-26T19:21:00.000-07:00

Lightroom Post-Processing

Vibrance: +50
Clarity: 36
Point Curve: Medium Contrast
Noise Reduction: Luminance 100%
Sharpening: 55 at 1.3 radius, 25 detail and 0 masking (Palm already sharpens drastically)
Temperature: -10 (jpeg adjusts by amount instead of temp)

10.25.09 Wildhorse Lookout Siskiyou Forest

2009-10-25T22:07:00.000-07:00

We were out hunting this weekend up near the Rogue River and Agness. I have a few more shots to post on my flickr. It was beautiful up in the national forest areas and we covered a lot of country in two days.

10.24.09 Mining Camp Art Remnants

2009-10-25T22:03:00.003-07:00

10.23.09 Coos Bay Tug & Barge

2009-10-25T22:03:00.001-07:00

Sunrise Magic Hour Above the Bay

2009-10-22T23:02:00.000-07:00

I don't normally leave enough time in the morning to take photographs, but I was dropping off coffee for my wife today and say this view. Another thing I noticed today was the public beta for Lightroom 3. The feature that stood out to me was the promise of better noise reduction. It may not matter for the full-frame shooters, but for someone like me who prefers the G9 style camera it would be very useful.

The Woodpile Revisited

2009-10-21T21:28:00.000-07:00

It's interesting to see the barge fully loaded versus the last time I photographed it. There's a much different mood to the atmosphere and weather. To me it speaks about the full harvest after braving the trials of Oregon's stormy weather.

Some Catching Up to Do

2009-10-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

Traveling to New Orleans and Baton Rouge was inspiring, but it also threw me out of my photo posting routine. I have to admit I had been losing steam on the project. Like most things I do, I can't follow through without a focus or a theme. So I will be looking for a way to continue my 365 project with new focus.

A Valuable Lesson

2009-10-16T16:55:00.000-07:00

Jason learns he doesn't have to build a mega-church. It's already been done. Thanks Joel Osteen!

Too Many Syllables

2009-10-15T21:09:00.001-07:00

Mall of Louisiana

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Deluge conference - Brandon Heath with Leland

2009-10-14T19:09:00.000-07:00

Made it from Nawlins to Baton Rouge. The Deluge worship conference is awesome so far.

Portland to New Orleans

2009-10-13T11:16:00.000-07:00

Missed posting last night because I was driving to Portland, and today we fly to New Orleans. Should get some good shots there.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Candlelit Pumkin

2009-10-11T21:25:00.001-07:00

Makes me crave candy corn and all things fall.

Hunting and Spider Webs

2009-10-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

When I got up this morning to go hunting I found the fog had left strings of dew on all the spider webs. Unfortunately by midday the drops had evaporated and the webs were much harder to see. Pretty to look at but not walk through. You should see the size of the spiders that were making these intricate patterns... or try brushing them off of you.

Night Lights Illuminate Me

2009-10-09T22:43:00.000-07:00

Strange you can see straight through me. It looks composite, but it is one 10 second capture. Flash fired 1st curtain sync, and I got up halfway through the shot. Can you tell where I ended up?

Dry season

2009-10-08T23:15:00.001-07:00

Wickless candles don't offer much inspiration for the muse.

Mmm Cookies (Gluten Free)

2009-10-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

I followed up my snoot project by making a grid from the leftover cereal box scraps. Meanwhile Marci baked some gluten free cookies. They actually look and taste better than the real thing.

Target Practice (forgot my camera)

2009-10-06T21:35:00.000-07:00

Went shooting tonight... the bang bang kind. It was a beautiful evening for target practice and photography, but I left my camera in another car. So here's to missed opportunity and never forgetting my camera again (or else).

Cereal Monger Snoot

2009-10-05T22:44:00.000-07:00

My wife likes to call me the cereal monger because all the granola disappears as soon as we get it. Don't worry, we recycle the boxes. But this time I opted for a little DIY project and made a snoot our of an empty Chex cereal box. I had lots of fun trying to aim the tight beam to where I could jump in the photo just in time.

Pillars and Shadows of Foliage

2009-10-04T20:16:00.000-07:00

Our church had a history/vision night, and I have been wanting to capture the projected shadows from the trees along the front. Next time I need to bring a tripod, because I was limited to the what the image stabilization could do at ISO 200. Any higher ISO on the G9 just looks too noisy. I can't wait for the G11 to be out long enough to find one at a reduced price because the high ISO performance is amazing in comparison. You have to see the example gallery to believe the difference. I could have shot this at ISO 1600 and probably had lower noise.

Before

After

Camera settings: 35mm 1/20, f/2.8 at ISO 200.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: +0.86
Noise Reduction: Color and Luminance +100
Black Clipping: 7
Temperature: -793 = 4.9K (Cool it off because WB was set to cloudy)
Tint: +14 (more red, less green)
Clarity: 25
Vibrance: 31
Sharpening: 102 at 1.6 radius, 39 detail with masking at 21
Point Curve: Strong Contrast

Daylight Parking Lot HDR Panorama

2009-10-03T22:38:00.000-07:00

For some reason parking lot shots have caught my attention. Maybe it is because they are the some of the most open areas near my house, or just because I take the time to stop and look around when I get out of the car. The sky was looking dramatic after a brief rain shower, so I put the camera on manual and snapped 5 shots to stitch together when I got home.

My post-processing in Lightroom was primarily to balance out the exposure and apply recovery on the brighter 2 of the 5 photos (right side) and to add saturation and sharpening throughout the 5 shots. After exporting the processed images as sRRG jpegs I made a new Panoramic Photo Merge in Photoshop Elements 6. Using the cylinder stiching method I was able to keep the horizon and parking lot lines relatively straight and still get most of the resolution out of the overlapping photos. Once the stich was complete I applied 2 adjustment layers with respective multiply/screen blending mode gradients to give the photo a slight HDR effect. I also applied a lighten shadow adjustment with a value of 12 to the base image.

Out of Parking Lot Experience

2009-10-02T21:15:00.000-07:00

I had to climb the bank behind Walmart to get this shot. Feeling the pressure now to take pictures during the day instead of waiting until the end of the day. It either means relying on my camera phone or carrying my G9 between jobs.

Back to post-processing: I found I was hoping to reproduce what I saw in my G9's screen more than I was initially able to post-process from my RAW images. So I stuck my memory card back in the camera to use my best shot as a reference. When I didn't find what I was looking for, I took another look at what the RAW image was showing with its "flat" appearance. For this shot I left more detail in the shadows instead of cranking up the contrast all the way.

Window to the Soul

2009-10-01T21:59:00.000-07:00

Looking at the paper scraps through my shredder window I found some interesting words and textures to play with. I was stuck at home sick today, so I am looking forward to tomorrow for a fresh perspective on work and the wellness I often take for granted.

Soothing Cup of Tea

2009-09-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

Nothing is better for a cold than a steaming cup of tea. Any ideas for capturing steam in a photograph? For the lighting setup I shot through a folded piece of paper and added bounced fill light with a paper towel roll and napkin holder on the counter.

Status Lights All Say Let Go

2009-09-29T21:20:00.000-07:00

I have to admit I haven't quite let go completely. Throwing your camera is a big commitment, but the creative results may just be worth it.

Sunset after the Rain

2009-09-28T20:33:00.000-07:00

Tried to stay inside during the wet part of the day, but still made it out to take this photo and grill some halibut for dinner. I have to remind myself not to wait for perfect weather to get out and make photographs. Colors are actually more vibrant in the rain.

Harvest Season

2009-09-27T21:27:00.000-07:00

Apple picking represents the beginning of fall and other harvest activities. I can't wait to go find a corn maze or hay bale maze to explore. Maybe we can even go look for an overpriced pumpkin before settling on one from Safeway.

Light Painting

2009-09-26T22:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, I tried to write some words initially but liked the squiggly lines better. Writing backwards in under 15 seconds turns out to be a challenge.

DIY Meets Paperclip Art

2009-09-25T22:36:00.000-07:00

I've always enjoyed bending paperclips into interesting shapes, and now I have a useful reason. For all the times a tripod has been too much but a flat surface is not quite right, I can see using something like this paperclip stand. My modification was to add gaffers tape to protect my LCD screen.

First Class Postage

2009-09-24T22:18:00.000-07:00

Self-portrait wandering after work. Reminds me of Peter Thompsen's self-portrait. My post fix was done zoomed in all the way on the mirror, and the rest of the image followed. Again focusing on a small area in the photo can bring the best overall result when post processing.

Before

After

Camera settings: 210mm 1/250, f/5.6 at ISO 100.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Highlight Recovery: 62
Black Clipping: 31
Fill Light: 18
Brightness: -7 (43)
Red Chromatic Aberration: -12 and Defringe: All Edges
Crop: Square
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 51
Sharpening: 62 at 1.6 radius, with 35 sharpen detail and 26 edge masking.

Green Bridge - Introducing Before & After

2009-09-23T23:43:00.000-07:00

Both jobs I have worked at since moving to Oregon have a nice view of the North Bend bridge, but my last workplace didn't allow cameras for security reasons. Tonight on the way out of the parking lot at my current workplace Marci stopped the car and rolled down the back window so I could take this shot. She has a good eye for lighting and composition, but she typically leaves the photographing to me. It looks better large, and I also posted a black & white version.

You may notice I have gone back over the last few posts and filled in the details with the before shots as a reference when there is a noticeable difference.

Before

After

Camera settings: 210mm 1/160, f/5.6 at ISO 100.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: +.76
Highlight Recovery: 12
Black Clipping: 18
Vibrance: 45
Temperature: +688 (7.2K)
Highlight Tones/Shadow Tones: +19/-14
Clarity: +44
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 68
Sharpening: 75 at 1.5 radius, with 25 sharpen detail and 19 edge masking.
Crop: 4x6
Brightness: -39 (11)

Tsunami Evacuation Zone

2009-09-22T20:55:00.000-07:00

I love living by the bay and all, but it still strikes me at times we are completely surrounded with water.

Feeling Blue

2009-09-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

There's nothing wrong with taking your inspiration from outside yourself when you need some new ideas. Resources like Photojojo's DIY newsletter exist to spark creativity. One of their more recent newsletters includes tips for making "refractographs". I think I could use a few more lights and some practice, but here is an early attempt.

Before

After

Camera settings: 35mm 1/2 sec, f/5.6 at ISO 100.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: +.57
Black Clipping: 18
Clarity: +48
Temperature: +355 (3.9K)
Fill Light: +25
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 57.
Sharpening: 82 at 1.7 radius, with 37 sharpen detail and 33 edge masking.
Vingette: -100 with 31 midpoint.
Highlight Hue/Saturation: 111/65
Shadow Hue/Saturation: 48/17

Constellations

2009-09-20T23:25:00.000-07:00

Recently we stood under a cloudless night sky with some friends and picked out the few constellations we knew. The summer constellations are still prominent and remind me of the many camping trips and night hikes I've been on. Some things like the starry sky hold meanings beyond a photograph's ability to capture, and their timeless images endure longer in our memories than any snapshot.

All Different Directions

2009-09-19T23:59:00.000-07:00

Today was one of those where I couldn't focus long enough to come up with a creative idea. But we did go biking after a long time of ignoring the call of the road. Road biking is always amazing once you are out on the ride. Here is a shot to remind myself to get out and actually do what we love.

Before

After

Camera settings: 80mm 1 sec, f/3.5 at ISO 200.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: +.95
Black Clipping: 11
Clarity: 100
Vibrance: +10
Convert to Grayscale
Brightness: +46
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 100.
Sharpening: 109 at 2.1 radius, with 48 sharpen detail and 30 edge masking.
Highlight Tones/Shadow Tones: +36/-33

Preserving Photo Imperfection

2009-09-18T22:05:00.000-07:00

No amount of sharpening an image will make up for it being completely out of focus, and that's a good thing. At some point you have to realize most of your decisions were made before you pressed the shutter button. Processing an image is about being true to your intentions at the moment you captured the photograph.

Before

After

Camera settings: 70mm 1/2 sec, f/3.2 at ISO 200.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: +.48
Black Clipping: 21
Vibrance: 50
Tint: +11 (7 on the red side)
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 100.
Dust Spot Correction
Vingette: -50 with midpoint of 100
Highlight Tones/Shadow Tones: +5/-5

Golden Shoot Through

2009-09-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it helps to focus on one aspect of a photo when post-processing to come up with the best overall result.

Before

After

Camera settings: 35mm 1/5, f/2.8 at ISO 200.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: -.95 (It was a bit overexposed for the gold)
Temperature: +338 (Warmed it up when it was already golden)
Black Clipping: 63 (for the black gold)
Highlight Recovery: 52 (More gold detail in the highlights)
Brightness: -25 (still kinda bright except for the gold)
Clarity: 52 (Clear up those golden details)
Highlight Tones/Shadow Tones: +10/-10 (More golden contrast)
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 61
Sharpening: 82 at 1.6 radius, with 25 sharpen detail and 0 edge masking. (Zoomed in on the gold flakes)
Defringe: All Edges
Crop: 8x10 (The golden rule of thirds)
Vingnette: -79 with a midpoint of 67 (bring the focus in on the...)
Dust Spot Correction: There was a big piece of non-gold dust.

Morning Magic Hour

2009-09-16T22:44:00.000-07:00

I usually sleep through the good lighting part of the morning (or we are fogged in), but this morning I rolled out of bed in time to see the tail end of a beautiful sunrise. When I peaked out the backdoor I could see two rainbows, and the second one was just visible as I made it outside with my camera. Maybe I should get up early more often and see what I am missing... nah.

Camera settings: 175mm 1/60, f/4.5 at ISO 200.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: -.19
Highlight Recovery: 45
Black Clipping: 6
Vibrance: 31
Saturation: +24
Crop Angle (Straighten): -1.26
Crop: Square
Clarity: 27
White-Balance: Custom off of the gray wall.
Highlight Tones/Shadow Tones: +5/-5
Hue Shift: Red -38
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 100.
Sharpening: 100 at 2 radius, with 45 sharpen detail and 30 edge masking.

Blenheim Shrine

2009-09-15T22:47:00.000-07:00

Well it's time to get creative with the ~~daily~~ nightly photo. I was inspired by a Kodak lighting book I saw on the clearance rack at the local library to light a glass from below. The closest thing I had on hand were two glass bottles. One a vintage coke bottle I dug up when I was a kid and another rare giner ale brand called Blenheim. You can visit the ginger ale shrine below.

Camera settings: 70mm 1/125, f/3.2 at ISO 200. Strobist: Off camera desk lamp snooted by hand.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Highlight Recovery: 44
Black Clipping: 19
Clarity: 65
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 49.
Sharpening: 93 at 1.7 radius, with 25 sharpen detail and 0 edge masking.
Crop Angle: +1.26

Grilling on the Patio

2009-09-14T21:47:00.000-07:00

Here we are enjoying the fall sunshine in Oregon. It won't be long before it starts raining non-stop.

Camera settings: 35mm 1/100, f/6.3 at ISO 200. On-camera flash.

Lightroom Post-Processing

White-Balance: Custom off of the gray sleeve.
Exposure: +.38
Highlight Recovery: 39
Black Clipping: 36
Clarity: 81 (Actually brought more detail in the blown out highlights than recovery)
Vibrance: 24
Hue Shift: Red +27 (towards orange), Orange +39 (towards yellow) to correct skin tones.
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 100.
Sharpening: 70 at 1.5 radius, with 25 sharpen detail and 18edge masking.

The Fisherman's Daughter

2009-09-13T21:38:00.000-07:00

Marci's dad took us fishing on the Coquille river for salmon this afternoon. She drove the boat while we fished. We didn't catch anything or else I might have a different photo of the day.

Camera settings: 35mm 1/100, f/5.6 at ISO 200.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Highlight Recovery: 19
Black Clipping: 25
Vibrance: 29
Exposure: -.76
Custom White Balance: Off of the gray GPS.
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 58.
Sharpening: 70 at 1.5 radius, with 36 sharpen detail and 21 edge masking.

In Camera Processing Vs. Raw Post-Processing

2009-09-12T23:17:00.000-07:00

Initially I was content to compose this image with the sepia mode on my camera while still capturing the image with a Raw file format. When I imported my images into Lightroom I realized the camera's custom color settings don't get imported with the metadata. Instead I was able to insert the memory card back into my Canon G9 and use the image I had originally composed as a guide for my conversion from full color to black & white and then use split toning to accomplish the sepia look. In the end I had the best of both worlds being able to compose in sepia and still have the full information of a Raw file for post-processing.

Camera settings: 90mm 1/2 second, f/3.5 at ISO 200.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Black Clipping: 20
Vibrance: 38
Point Curve: Medium Contrast, +5 Highlights, -5 Shadows.
Treatment: Grayscale
Split Toning: Highlight Hue of 30 with Saturation of 83.
Brightness: +21 (Total of 71)
Split Toning: Shadow Hue of 13 with Saturation of 30.

Back in Santa Cruz

2009-09-11T23:16:00.000-07:00

Never thought I would see this in Coos Bay, Oregon. Marci reminded me tonight to stop looking for the grand while missing the opportunity to make the ordinary grand. I am beginning to see why the commitment to taking/posting a photo every day is so hard after a while. But I am excited to learn from the challenge to make the most of the amazing things I take for granted.

Camera settings: 60mm 1/30, f/3.2 at ISO 400.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Temperature: +1.5K
Black Clipping: 13
Clarity: 60
Vibrance: 21
Point Curve: Medium Contrast
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 52
Sharpening: 80 with 1.7 radius, detail 36, masking 24

Long Exposure on the Corner

2009-09-10T21:39:00.000-07:00

Always wanted to take a long exposure shot next to some scenic highway like Robert Dawson's shot of Highway 280 at night near San Francisco. I don't have a Franciscan Monk pointing the way to go, but I do have Little Red Riding Hood on the corner by the crosswalk.

Camera settings: 144mm 20 seconds, f/11 at ISO 400.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Custom White Balance: Off the corner wall.
Exposure: +0.19
Black Clipping: 20
Clarity: 40
Vibrance: 14
Saturation: -12
Point Curve: Medium Contrast
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 58
Sharpening: 73 with 1.4 radius, detail 35, masking 37
Vignette Amount: -45
Vignette Midpoint: -55

The Best Camera is the One You Carry

2009-09-09T20:22:00.000-07:00

I need a pocket-sized 5D (or 7D for that matter). On the other hand I appreciate the clarity and sharpness of the Palm Pre.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Shooting After Dark and Other Hobbies

2009-09-08T20:36:00.000-07:00

After finishing up dinner and a few other household chores I realized the daylight was gone. But our most creative hours are not always during the day. When I was in high school I would play guitar each night before falling asleep. Music is a big theme in my creativity, and it reminds me how different artistic expressions can compliment each other.

Camera settings: 45mm 1/250, f/3.5 at ISO 200. Strobist: 580ex II at 1/2 power, zoomed at 105mm, bounced.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: +0.48
Highlight Recovery: 4
Black Clipping: 11
Clarity: 20
Vibrance: 14
Point Curve: Strong Contrast
Vignette Amount: -43
Vignette Midpoint: -50

My Favorite Subject

2009-09-08T00:00:00.000-07:00

Read an article by Chris Marquardt about what's allowed in post-processing http://tfttf.com/silkpurse
and took this image on the ride home from Portland. Processed the RAW image in Lightroom, cropped and exported.

Before:

After:

Post-Processing details to come...

Hecho en Mexico

2009-09-06T23:42:00.000-07:00

Mexican Coca-Cola at Montage

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Free Coffee

2009-09-05T23:06:00.000-07:00

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Testing the Mobile Option

2009-09-05T08:02:00.000-07:00

Won't be able to post-process for the next few days because we are heading to Portland, so I am switching to moblogging. Let's see how the 3mp camera holds up on the Pre.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

Civil War Game: Sports Photography without a Zoom Lens

2009-09-04T22:57:00.000-07:00

We attended the Coos Bay/North Bend civil war game tonight which ended at 20-13 in overtime. It was a first for me, and I experienced something that was important for Marci's family when her brother was in high school. Unfortunately we were sitting on the wrong side of the field to get the full home team experience, but the incoming storm clouds made for a dramatic sky and brooding finish for the game.

Camera settings: 60mm 1/40, f/4 at ISO 800.

Lightroom Post-Processing (in workflow order)

Black Clipping: 17 to increase contrast.

Highlight Recovery: 71 to reduce light flares.

Exposure: -.57 because slightly overexposed shot to reduce noise.

Temperature: -129 to shift towards blue (5.6K).

Vibrance: 38 for midtone saturation.

Green Hue Shift: 17 to make grass greener.

Highlight Recovery: 100 to increase cloud detail.

Clarity: 36 for detail around sidelines.

Noise Reduction: Luminance smoothing of 52.

Sharpening: Lowered Edge Masking -44 to 26, and left others at default levels.

Photographing What You Love

2009-09-03T19:11:00.000-07:00

Following the advice we hear everywhere I photographed what I love today. The Dodge Viper GTS is my favorite car of all time. Where the challenge came was following through and going back to take the picture. So many times my creativity is sparked by an opportunity, and I drive on by. I also approached the owner to ask if I could take the shot which I would typically avoid.

Camera settings: 1/40, f/8 at ISO 200.

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: -.29.
Highlight Recovery: 60.
Black Clipping: 23.
Brightness: +25.
Clarity: 44.
Vibrance: +36.
Point Curve: Strong Contrast.
Noise Reduction: Luminance Smoothing 69, Color 58.
Sharpening: 62, 1.4 radius, 33 detail, 20 masking.
Cropped: 4x6.
Chromatic Abboration: -33 (Red).
Vignetting: -19 with 82 midpoint.

Joining the Challenge

2009-09-02T22:53:00.000-07:00

In response to http://www.tasra365.com/ and Scott Bourne's invitation to become a better photographer I will attempt to take and post a daily photo. Additionally I am adding my own spin by sharing my post-processing steps in Lightroom.

Photo taken at 60mm, f/5.6, 15sec at ISO 100

Lightroom Post-Processing

Exposure: +.76
Black Clipping: 13
Clarity: 40
Vibrance: 14
Luminance Smoothing (noise reduction): 71
Sharpening: 89, 1.7 radius, 42 detail, 51 masking.
Tint: +11 (the Hotel is a light green color in daylight)
Highlight Recovery: 70 (bring back the moon)