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chossdog
Nov 6, 2004, 4:51 PM
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Like a alot of adventure photographers I use SLR's as opposed to digital cameras when its cold and nasty. So image manipulation occurs after I digitize the neg and start pushing pixals around on my PC. That said I have a question for the forum. Are any of you working your digital images using Photoshop Elements? Have you come across any 3rd party GND filter add-ons that you would recommend adding to the filter set? I have downloaded a product called Photographic Filter Suites distributed by ThePowerXChange -
http://www.thepowerxchange.com/photo_galaxy_1980_prd1.html
Anyone try this product before?
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melekzek
Nov 6, 2004, 8:09 PM
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i think graduated filters, or color filters could be easly simulated without any plugin at all.
just use layers and basic color correction tools
edit: sorry, i missed that you said photoshop elements and thought photoshop itself. PE does not have layers, does it? anyhow, you can check gimp, it has layers.
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chossdog
Nov 7, 2004, 1:37 AM
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I tried the plug in. It's not bad for 29 bucks. I'll give it a try this season and see how it works. I'm torn as to whether I should slip the Cokin filter into my summit bag or wait until post-production and play it that way. Either way I'll post some photos after the start of the ice season in CO this year and see what you guys think.
The Dog
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kalcario
Nov 7, 2004, 4:01 AM
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If you're sophisticated enough to ask this question, you should be running PhotoShop CS and not Elements, yes I know it's expensive but there are ways of getting around paying full price, like buying an older version of Photoshop off the internet for $40 then spending $180 on the upgrade, I am constantly getting junk mail spam offering PS 7.0 or whatever for $40. The GND thing, though, is a little tough to deal with in PS, if the sky is already over-exposed, there's not much you can do really...what you do nowadays is take one shot of the crag atwhatever the meter says, another of the sky/background at whatever the meter says for that, then stitch 'em together later, that's the PhotoShop version of a GND filter
and it works way better (and gives you a more realistic representation of what you really see when you're standing there) than using what is basically a tinted windshield to take pictures..
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benpullin
Nov 7, 2004, 8:05 PM
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Just went to a Nikon class yesterday and John Shaw (http://www.johnshawphoto.com) had an interesting stance about this.
Shaw has recently transitioned from being an almost 30-year film shooter to all-digital. He used to use GND filters heavily when shooting film, as a lot of the shots he took were nature landscape. Now, the only filter he carries is a circular polarizer. That's it.
In a nutshell, to get the effects of a GND filter, he takes two of the exact same shots in RAW (Nikon NEF) format. He then uses Nikon Capture to change the white balance and exposure settings on one to bring out the sky, the foreground on the other. Then, using PS CS, he layers the two and 'throws away' the info he doesn't want. The key to this process is shooting in RAW.
The only 'extra' equipment you need for this technique is a sturdy tripod, which you'd probably already be using. And, of course the RAW conversion and PS software. And a good computer.
This only works, of course, if you're shooting digital, rather than scanning slides.
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chossdog
Nov 8, 2004, 12:31 AM
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Agree with you Kalcario. That's the result unless the GND filter in PS is set for a very subtle effect. I'll try the cut-n-paste idea and see how that goes. Burning or dodging the sky is a pain in the ass even with PS CS.
Having just started a new consulting practice (Architectural Lighting Design) buying Photoshop CS may have to wait a bit. I have extensively used Photoshop CS on behalf of several past employers and I am familiar with how powerful a tool it is (sniff, sniff, hand me a hankie). As for digital cameras in a mountaineering context - my experience in the cold nasty places I’ve played in has not been very good on that count.
So I’ll keep the battered Pentax and the circular polarizer for a season or two more. As for printing I did recently buy a Canon i9900 for the practice. That puppy rocks! Ice season is almost upon us. I’ll post some pics for your comment sometime middle of next month.
Cheers
The Dog
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the_alpine
Nov 22, 2004, 5:09 AM
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(ctrl j, ctrl shift u, ctrl i) select overlay, adjust opacity to bring out sky or background. Use history brush to paint back the original background or sky.
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