Dark City #27, HDR

After some time away, I've returned to collecting candidate images for my Dark City series.  This picture started with three hand held 1-stop brackets processed in Nik HDR Efex.

This monochrome come from a virtual copy of the top picture with a blue/sepia split tone applied in Lightroom 3.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	Nikkor AF 24-85mm f/2.8-4 D IF
Exposure:	ISO 100, 52mm @f/8.0 @ 1/400s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Daylight
Support:	Handheld
Location:	Clayton, Missouri
Dates:	Capture - September 11, 2011, Processed - September 11, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3, Nik HDR Efex, Photoshop CS5

Staircase #3, HDR Variations

About a year ago I posted two pictures of this staircase at the St. Louis University Museum of Art that were single image HDR mappings.  Today I returned to to make bracketed shots from a different angle with a wider lens.  Processing steps include passes through Nik HDR Efex, Photoshop CS5, Nik Color Efex Pro and Nik Dfine.  Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 was the final step, applying a strong blue filter, blue/sepia split tone and the Agfapan 100 film preset.

In Nik Color Efex Pro's Glamour Glow preset, I've worked out setting I call Vintage Glamour, which applies a gentle glow and desaturates the color.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	Nikkor AF 24-85mm f/2.8-4 D IF
Exposure:	ISO 1600, f/5.6 @ 1/20s base, 3 1-stop brackets, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Mixed window and tungsten
Support:	Handheld
Location:	St. Louis University Museum of Art GPS
Dates:	Capture - July 30, 2011, Processed - July 30, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro

Calla Lilly #1 Variations

After several weeks of schedule conflicts, Susan and I finally made it to the studio to collaborate on a series of flower pictures.  Our first subject is this calla lily, actually a sickly plant we picked up at Trader Joe's, but we liked the bloom.  I noticed that Susan has been looking at a lot of Gustav Klimpt's paintings lately, so I thought I'd make a picture using technique that pays its respects to his work.

For the monochrome variant, I went with the Platinum process, which was new in Klimpt's day, with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 using my own Platinum preset and a K2 equivalent filter.

Going even older old school, a runner up for me is this antique print process, one of the new presets in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.  The defaults are too flat for my taste, but served as a starting point.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 D
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/22 @ 1/60s, 5 1-stop flash brackets, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Ringlight strobe, small Flashpoint 85 watt fluorescent bank
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Grand Center Artist Studio
Dates:	Capture - July 24, 2011, Processed - July 24, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro

Lotus Blossom #12, HDR

One last lotus blossom for the season, adjacent to the previous post.  Even though the angle in relation to the sun was only about 15 degrees different, the full back lit glow is missing.  Still, I liked the composition and clicked off the bracket series.

The monochrome generated by Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 is a platinum print preset I developed.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED "Leni Lens"
Exposure:	ISO 200, 3 brackets around f/8.0 @ 1/200s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Hazy sunlight
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod, Acratech GP-2 w/leveling base, RRS L-Bracket
Location:	Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis
Dates:	Capture - July 16, 2011, Processed July 17, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2

Lotus Seed Pod #2

Drying in the sun causes the lotus flower stalks to bend and curl as they slowly collapse.

The monochrome here is from my "Grainy Nude" preset in Lightroom 3.

And I had to try a solarization version in Nik Color Efex Pro 3.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 D
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/22 @ 1/30s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Hazy daylight, back lighted
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Missouri Botanical Gardens
Dates:	Capture - July 16, 2011, Processed - June 16, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro

Lotus Seed Pod #1

I was about a month late to catch the lotus blooms at Missouri Botanical Gardens, but I found some details I thought were interesting.  For instance, this lotus seed pod drying in the sun looks a little bit like damaged cherry pie.  Processing involved combining three 1-stop brackets in Nik HDR Efex, levels adjustment, lens correction and minor retouching in Photoshop CS5, local color adjustments for each corner in Nik Vivenza and finally focus vignetting in Nik Color Efex Pro 3.

This monochrome is courtesy Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, starting with the Fine Art preset and finished with a blue filter, lens 1 vignette and blue/sepia split tone.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 D
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/22 @ 1/30s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Daylight
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod and Acratech GP-2 ball head and leveling base
Location:	Missouri Botanical Gardens
Dates:	Capture - July 16, 2011, Processed - June 16, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Color Efex Pro

Sunflower #28, HDR Fresson Series

This second attempt at a Lens Baby/Fresson print leaves out a few processing steps from Sunflower #27, but is still fairly involved:

• Combine three one-stop brackets in Nik HDR Efex
• Apply lens correction and adjust levels in Photoshop CS5
• Simulate the Lens Baby in Nik Color Efex Pro using the Vignette Control
• Adjust brightness and structure in Nik Viveza
• Crop and add grain texture in Lightroom 3

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED "Leni Lens"
Exposure:	ISO 200, 2 brackets around f/2.8 @ 1s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Window Light
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod, Acratech GP-2, RRS L-Bracket
Location:	Home Studio GPS
Dates:	Capture - August 1, 2010, Processed May 28, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3, Photoshop CS5, Nik Suite Tools

Lunar Corona #1, HDR Variations

Even though the subject is a Lunar Corona, the story here are the surrounding clouds.  Here I used the color "Dark City" processing in Nik HDR Efex combining two exposures.  The second moon is lens flare.

The monochrome from Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 uses my "Toned Platinum" custom preset.

Finally, solarization in Nik Color Efex Pro creates a bas relief effect for the clouds.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED "Leni Lens"
Exposure:	ISO 400, 2 brackets around f/2.8 @ 1s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Moonlight
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod, Acratech GP-2, RRS L-Bracket
Location:	Ballwin, MO
Dates:	Capture - April 17, 2011, Processed May 18, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, OnOne PhotoFrame Free

Lunar Corona, HDR Variations

A Lunar corona is seen when the clouds are thin enough that each single corona light ray reaching the eye (or camera) is scattered or diffracted by only one droplet or ice crystal.  When I composed the moon off center, the corona vanished.  This first variation was processed in Nik HDR Efex for tone contour mapping, Photoshop for levels adjustment, Nik Color Efex Pro to create a Fresson print and finally Nik Dfine to reduce noise.

I wanted to see how well the image would hold up as a monochrome, so this is the result of processing in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 with a strong blue filter and Cyanotype toner.

I'm really on the fence with regard to purchasing OnOne PhotoFrame.  I love a number of the effects, but do I really need this one?  It is kind of creepy, so maybe I do...

Finally, a acid wash variation from OneOne PhotoFrame Free.  Nice grunge feel, I think.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED "Leni Lens"
Exposure:	ISO 400, 5x brackets around f/2.8 @ 1s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Moonlight
Support:	Gitzo Basalt Tripod, Acratech GP-2, RRS L-Bracket
Location:	Ballwin, MO
Dates:	Capture - April 17, 2011, Processed May 16, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, OnOne PhotoFrame Free

Arch and Old Courthouse in Dark City

This starting picture of the Gateway Arch and Old Courthouse, as seen from City Garden, is the result of an autochrome processing experiment.  I started by introducing noise with Nik RAW sharpener, then ran the file though Nik HDR Efex to emphasize the grain and map tones using my "Dark City" preset.

To add to the impressionistic effect, I added a Glamor Glow in Nik Color Efex Pro.  I think it now have a Steam Punk Autochrome.

The partial reversal was made using the solarization tool in Nik Color Efex Pro, followed by a blue/sepia split tone in Lightroom 3.

A cyanotype, from Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 makes a good day for night conversion.

Photoframe Free has a number of hand coated emulsion effects.  If finally realized that you can resize them!

To finish, a gum bichromate made with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/8.0 @ 1/400s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Morning daylight and shade
Support:	Handheld
Location:	City Garden, St. Louis GPS
Dates:	Capture - April 11, 2010, Processed - April 8, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro, Nik Color Efex Pro

Dark City: Door of Return

 The "Door of Return" by Kan Yasuda has entered Dark City, by way of Nik HDR Efex, Vivenza and Nik Color Efex Pro.

Monochrome courtesy Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 using the Yellow 1 preset and selective color tool.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/8.0 @ 1/400s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Morning daylight and shade
Support:	Handheld
Location:	City Garden, St. Louis GPS
Dates:	Capture - April 11, 2010, Processed - April 6, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro, Nik Color Efex Pro

Trisha Bradshaw - Bond Girl in Dark City Variations

 It took nearly a week to find the right balance of grunge, but I finally got 'round to processing Trisha Bradshaw's Bond girl into the Dark City series.  This picture is straight out of Nik HDR Efex Pro using a custom single image tone mapping I call "Dark Vintage".  Many thanks to Trisha, makeup artist Sarah Lynn and Susan Page.

This is the base image, color corrected in Lightroom 3 and level adjusted in Photoshop CS5.

So how could I resist the new "Film Noir 1" preset in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, with green filter and blue/sepia split tone.

Exploring the new selective color tool in Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, with dark blue toner and green filter, Trisha becomes something of a vamp.

Working the night shift for "CSI Miami" thanks to Nik Color Efex Pro.

And finally, a gritty Fresson from Nik Color Efex Pro.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/4 @ 1/60s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Ambient night plus on camera flash
Support:	Handheld
Location:	Grand Center Artists' Studios
Dates:	Capture - February 19, 2011, Processed - February 25, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro, Nik Color Efex Pro

Trisha Bradshaw - HDR Bond Girl Test

 This single image HDR test, starring model Trisha Bradshaw and makeup by Sarah Lynn, is an homage to the Connery-era Bond Girl.  Both Trisha and Sarah nailed the concept.  The picture got single image HDR tone mapping in Nik HDR Efex using a preset I named "Realistic Nude", followed by levels and curves adjustment in Photoshop CS5.

The first shot looked a little "catalog clean" to me, so I took it through processing in Nik Color Efex Pro to make it look like a Fresson print.  I think the grain makes the tie to the '60s stronger.

The monochrome was processed in Nik Silver Efex Pro using my "Grainy Nude" preset.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/13 @ 1/60s, Daylight WB, RAW
Lighting:	Single Broncolor head and small Chimera Super Pro bank
Support:	Gitzo Basalt tripod w/Acratech GP head and RRS L-bracket
Location:	Grand Center Artists' Studios
Dates:	Capture - February 19, 2011, Processed - February 19, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro, Nik Color Efex Pro

Trisha Bradshaw - Sin City Version

Many thanks to makeup artist Sarah Lynn and model Trisha Bradshaw, who lent their considerable talents to me today to make some pictures.  Trisha and Sarah did such a great job, I have about 100 picks to sift through.  I was eager to start processing, so I picked, almost at random, this very last shot of the day.  We shot this on the fire escape of the Grand Center Artist Studios.  Light is a mix of ambient and the D700 pop-up flash. I followed these processing steps:

1. Nik HDR Efex tone mapping using the "Granny's Attic" preset as a starting point.
2. Adjusted Levels in Photoshop CS5
3. Some localized color and brightness correction in Nik Vivenza
4. Add the "CSI Miami" glamor glow in Nik Color Efex Pro
5. Applied a "Color Isolate Red" develop preset in Lightroom 3, as well as some burning and dodging.
6. The sepia/blue split tone below was processed in Nik Silver Efex Pro.

The picture needs some refining before I make prints, but I was eager to share the work in progress.  I was not expecting to channel Helmut Newton, but apparently I can't help it :)  More to come...

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF-S Micro NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8G
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/4 @ 1/60s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Ambient night plus on camera flash
Support:	Handheld
Location:	Grand Center Artists' Studios
Dates:	Capture - February 19, 2011, Processed - February 19, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro, Nik Color Efex Pro

Sand Beach on the Meramec River, HDR Variations

For a project I'm tentatively calling "Dark City", I established a processing workflow.  So far I've been using it only on cityscapes, but I thought the muted jewel tone color transformation might work on some natural landscape.  This series is my first experiment.  The processing steps: single image tone mapping in Nik HDR Efex, levels adjustment in Photoshop CS5, tweak in Nik Vivenza, crop in Lightroom 3 and apply a small amount of glow in Nik Color Efex Pro.      

Monochrome with blue/sepia split tone created in Nik Silver Efex Pro.

Back in Nik Color Efex Pro to make a Polaroid Transfer, just for fun.  I like how it looks more painterly, sort of like a water color.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED "Leni Lens"
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/8.0 @ 1/500s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Morning daylight
Support:	Handheld
Location:	Castlewood State Park GPS
Dates:	Capture - April 11, 2010, Processed - January 23, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro, Nik Color Efex Pro

Urban Abstract #5 HDR Variations

This solarized version floated to the top because it is the strongest graphically.  The single image HDR tone mapped image below fed Nik Color Efex Pro for the conversion, then Lightroom 3 supplied the blue/sepia split tone effect.

Nik HDR Efex produced this single image tone maped version.  I think what happened with the color splashing around in the out of focus areas is quite interesting.

Out of curiosity, I tried a color isolate red filter.  It looks a little like a Dexter promo.

The monochrome from Nik Silver Efex Pro is very clean.  

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	Nikkor AF 24-85mm f2.8-4 IF
Exposure:	ISO 200, 85mm @ f/4.5 @ 1/500s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Morning daylight
Support:	Handheld
Location:	City Garden, St. Louis
Dates:	Capture - April 11, 2010, Processed - January 14, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro, Nik Color Efex Pro

Neo-Classical in Modern Variations

The idea of the neo-classical building "trapped" inside the modern building was impetus behind the shutter click.  My main concern was to make it read properly and be a stylistic fit with other pictures from City Garden.  I don't know which of these variations I prefer yet, so please comment.  Starting with a naturalistic single image tone mapping in Nik HDR Efex helped bring out structure and color, I added some "CSI Miami" glow to make it look less harsh.

  The naturalistic, minimal processing here is pleasant, but lacks the acid punch.

This is the single image tone mapped image straight out of Nik HDR Efex.

Another approach to soften the HDR grunge is to run the shot through the Polaroid Transfer preset in Nik Color Efex Pro.

This monochrome attempt made in Nik Silver Efex Pro using a green filter and blue/sepia split tone doesn't "read" as well as the color because the reflection and stone tones are too close.

Technical
Camera:	Nikon D700
Lens:	AF NIKKOR 180mm f/2.8D IF-ED "Leni Lens"
Exposure:	ISO 200, f/8.0 @ 1/400s, Auto WB, RAW
Lighting:	Morning daylight and shade
Support:	Handheld
Location:	City Garden, St. Louis GPS
Dates:	Capture - April 11, 2010, Processed - January 23, 2011
Processing:	Lightroom 3.3, Photoshop CS5, Nik HDR Efex, Nik Silver Efex Pro, Nik Color Efex Pro