Hawaiian lava from above

Early morning takeoff

 

We just completed a 38-day stay in the beautiful state of Hawaii visiting 3-islands.  Oahu, Hawaii, and Kauai (we returned to Hawaii a second time).

In planning our shooting schedule the months prior all I heard from Don was lava.  Lava this and lava that.  It got to the point that Don was like a kid waiting for Santa Claus to come only he was waiting for his chance to capture lava.

First View

f/2.8 1/1000 ISO 4000 37mm

 

f/3.5 1/500 ISO 4000 70mm

 

f/2.8 1/640 ISO 1600 68mm

 

We chartered the helicopter from Paradise Helicopters in Hilo, HI for a one-hour flight over the lava fields of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.  Did I mention the helicopter was wide open as in no doors?  We were cautioned that we’d be traveling in excess of 120 mph and not to let anything past the door frame.  While it was pleasant on the ground it quickly became chilly as we made our way to the lava fields.  Once we began flying over the lava fields it became very warm and our pilot slowed down and began taking directions from Don who was sitting beside him; hover, turn left, right, backup etc. It took close to 10-minutes to reach the lava fields and taking in account the return flight we had at least 40-minutes to photograph.  We went to the furthest point first which is the area the lava flows into the ocean. 

f/3.2 1/640 ISO 1600 70mm

Both of these images were shot at the point the lava flow enters the ocean and we could not fly lower than around 1500 feet.  Notice the other ways to view the flow; boat and by hiking out over land.

I shot with my Sony A7rII and FE 24-70 GM lens.  I began shooting at an ISO of 4000 with a shutter speed as slow as 1/500 and higher.  The camera was set to shutter priority. 

f/4.5 1/640 ISO 800 48mm

In some places we flew lower than 1000 feet and caught very interesting formations of the lava flow.

Bird

f/2.8 1/640 ISO 500 70mm

 

Fish

f/2.8 1/640 ISO 320 70mm

 

And then there’s the smoldering wood about to catch fire….

f/2.8 1/640 ISO 320

 

And then there are patterns, waves and other beautiful sights to see.

 

f/2.8 1/500 ISO 200 70mm 

f/2.8 1/500 ISO 200 35mm

All the above lava images are full frame no cropping as it was shot from the Sony Ar7II.  The next is the only image we decided to crop to show the delicate features of what reminds me of a wing.

f/2.8 1/500 ISO 200

This was the first time I rode in a helicopter without doors as well as the first time I shot lava from the air.  Needless to say I was very excited and am now looking forward to my next air adventure.

Don thanking our pilot Pete for a great adventure. Both are veterans, Don from the Viet Nam War and Pete from the Gulf. 

 

I have more from our Hawaiian adventure so please stay tuned.

We'll be adding a Hawaii gallery to our on-line website shortly and offering sizes, printing methods etc.

 

Sandy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Capture One 10 Black & White Conversion

Bryce Canyon

Sony A7rII

 

Old Factory

Sony A7rII

 

100-megapixel Phase One

I’ve been in love with black and white images since I first saw one and long before I had ever heard the name “Ansel Adams”.  The majority of the film I shot was black and white; I still remember the thrill of working in a darkroom watching as the image appeared on the paper.  Then came digital.  All digital is captured in color and while the early stages of black and white conversion was good I felt it never match true black and white film.  I’ve used Photoshop since the 2nd version and slowly went away from black and white.  A friend of mine introduced me to Nik Software Silver Efex Pro and I began once again experimenting with black and white conversion. 

All this of course was with 35mm cameras and once I bought my first medium format camera (Phase One P30+ digital back) I was then introduced to Capture One. The downside to Capture One in 2005 was that it didn’t support running on a 64-bit computer which I had at the time.  Any real work in Capture One didn’t begin until several years later when Capture One (owned by Phase One) began supporting 64-bit computers. 

I’m now on my sixth Phase One digital back and felt it time to get better acquainted with Capture One.  The 10^th version of Capture One (C1) was released late 2016.  I waited until after the first of the year to upgrade as I wanted to make certain most if not all the bugs had been worked out as well as being a tax decision.  C1-10 has better engines supporting 100-megapixels digital backs as well more support for other camera manufactures; and it runs faster.

So how does all this tie into black and white conversion?  My first step in getting better acquainted was to visit the Phase One web site and watching videos addressing C1.  These videos gave me the idea that there just might be a better way to convert to black and white than the way I had been doing it. My normal workflow was to go to the top of the screen to Adjustments pulling down Styles, opening Built in Styles and using either BW or Landscape BW1 or BW2.

If you are still with me I’d like to walk you through the steps I’ve been using in C1. I use a dual monitor setup with the tools and thumbnails on the left and the preview on the right.  It goes without saying that both monitors are calibrated on a regular basis.

 

 

The workflow is time consuming however the end result is well worth it as you are in complete control of the process similar to a wet darkroom.

Several things are happening here.  The ICC Profile has been set, and a clone of the file made.  Black and white box checked and the various levels of Red, Yellow, Green, Cyan, Blue and Magenta set watching the image as you adjust them.  Finally, Color Balance using Shadow, Midtones and Highlight are adjusted using your preference.

 

 

The next screen shows changes in exposure, levels, curve, clarity and vignetting.  Each section is tested to see the change in the image and if satisfactory are kept or returned to a neutral setting.

 

 

The original file prior to conversion.

 

 

The finished image

 

 

While the above is a simplified view of a medium format image what follows is a sample of a Sony A7rII using an image taken in Bryce Canyon, November 2015.

 

 

 

 

 

The last screen shot shows the use local adjustments in one case bringing up shadows and the other helping in highlights.

 

 

After

 

 

Here are more examples of the conversion using the above workflow…

Old plastic factory

Sony A7rII

 

Bryce Canyon

28mm lens and an IQ180 digital back

 

Old Utah Cabin

28mm lens and an IQ180 digital back

 

Devil's Garden Arches National Park

100-megapixel IQ1-100

 

The workflow I’ve outlined works for me as I find it better than a “one size fits all” solution found in either the Styles section of C1 or anything I’ve tried using Photoshop, Nik Silver Efex Pro or Topaz Labs.  While each file should be worked separately I have found that I can apply the same setting to another file that was shot the same day using the same exact settings thus making it slightly faster. 

This barely skims the surface of what C1 can do and I highly recommend visiting Phase One to learn more about Capture One.  Please remember to use the AMBDON code at checkout to receive a 10% discount on either the full program (good for 3-computers) or an upgrade from a previous version.

Thank you once again for visiting and I hope you return throughout the coming year.  Please feel to comment or ask questions.

 

Don

 

 

Visiting Moab Utah

Walking into Devil's Garden

Sony A7rII FE16-35 (35mm) f/9 1/250 ISO 50

 

We live in the Tucson Arizona area and commute to work with our latest commute being to the beautiful area of Moab Utah.  The images presented here were captured using a combination of Sandys Sony A7rII and Dons Phase One XF body and IQ1-100 digital back.

The Sony A7rII for those who might not know is a 42.4 megapixel full frame 35mm camera body that accepts various lenses all in a small package.  The Phase One system comprises of a separate body and digital back that also accepts removaleable lenses. The major drawback of the Phase One XF when compared to the Sony is the size and weight while the major advantages are the much larger sensor (35x24 versus 53.7x40.4) as well as the ability to remove the digital back from the XF and replace it with another; which is exactly what Don did just recently when he upgraded from an 80-megapixell CCD sensor IQ180 to the 100-megapixel CMOS sensor IQ1-100.  Sandy and Don are now both using cameras with Sony CMOS sensors,  The major advantage to the CMOS senor in medium format is higher ISO (50-12800) and a much better live view both functions the A7rII has had from the outset (ISO 100-25600).

Green River Overlook

Sony A7rII FE 24-70 (70mm)

 

Anyone who has followed us knows we believe in showing photography as art more than duplication.  Anyone can snap an image and leave it at that; what we do is try to convey emotion.  We are more interested in sharing the feelings of the location; to that end we “listen” to the image as after we open it for initial processing.  We use multiple tools at our disposal to include filters on the camera lens, processing software that includes Capture One Pro, Photoshop, Nik Software and Topaz Labs.  While our “darkroom” is now 100% digital we now have the tools that make it easier to do what used to be extremely difficult to perform in a wet-darkroom (and in some cases impossible).

An example of turning a simple photographic image into something slightly more.  Processing was done using a combination of Capture One Pro and Nik Software.

Sony A7rII FE16-35 (35mm) f/5 1/100 ISO 50

 

Sandy standing at the edge near Canyonlands National Park

Phase One XF Schneider LS40-80 (80mm) IQ1-100

 

Turning photographs into art.  The top image is the original as shot which at the time looked good however once looking at the image on a larger screen we agreed it looks bland but worthy of at least seeing if it could be saved.  The bottom image reflects after processing in Capture One Pro and Topaz Labs.

 

Phase One XF, Schneider LS 35mm IQ1-100

f/11 1/200 ISO 200

And a slightly larger view of why we like this one. 

 

There’s always the threat when capturing landscape images that the weather won’t cooperate.  Too much light, not enough light or you missed the light while setting up. Add to that too hot, too cold, blowing snow and just freezing weather can turn a normally beautiful spot into something else.  You need to think outside the box.  This is another example of that thinking.  The color image was “nice” but not “great” so we ended up making this into a stylized image of the Green River Overlook. The color image that’s directly below was taken with 90-seconds and looks great in color.  Both were captured using a Phase One XF, Schneider LS 35mm and an IQ1-100 f/8 1/320 ISO 200. Go figure…

 

There are times you might want to add drama to an image.  The following images are an examples.  The pothole was captured because we could see a slight reflection of the sky in the water as well as the heavy overcast sky with the sun trying to peek through.  The finished image is more of what we “felt” than what we “saw”.

Likewise the image of Park Avenue in Arches National Park is the finished image after cropping from the bottom and adding a little drama to the sky. Both images were processed in Capture One Pro before Topaz Labs.

Phase One XF Schneider LS 40-80 (40mm) f/8 1/2500 ISO 400 Handheld

 

Phase One XF Schneider LS 35mm f/8 1/5 ISO 50

 

You need to watch out for the unexpected.  We found this tight space near Sand Dune Arch.  While it didn’t look all that photogenic it did have a certain appeal to Don.  The space itself is very tight and showed the two rocks wedged in-between.  Phase One XF, Schneider LS 35mm, handheld f/3.5 1/160 ISO 400.  Processed entirely in Capture One Pro.

Truthfully this was a very ugly spot however Don saw something here that he knew was worthy of at least trying.  Phase One XF, Schneider LS35, IQ1-100, f/3.5 1/250 ISO 400.  The image was processed initially in Capture One Pro as all our images are before sending to Photoshop.  Once in Photoshop he began working on the individual hue/saturation levels of the reds, yellows, greens, cyans, blues, and magentas experimenting raising and lowing the saturations until he arrived at the image below.

There are two parts to this story. There are times you just don’t have a wide enough lens to capture the scene.  Don’s widest lens he had at the time, a Schneider LS 35 wasn’t wide enough. Likewise Sandy’s 16-35 at 16mm wasn’t either.  This is a two shot handheld pano using the Sony A7rII, FE16-35 at 16mm. f/8 1/320 ISO 50.  Don tried the same thing with his 35mm and failed to get a usable file. 

The second part is the color.  The image was captured at almost high noon with the worse possible light.  The Colorado River was flat however is was extremely muddy and looked like, well crap. We processed the files and while we disliked the color we liked the overall image; thus we converted it to black and white saving an otherwise ugly image.

Gooseneck

Another example of turning an otherwise somewhat dull image into something else. Turret Arch was a very quick snap Sandy took using her Sony A7rII and FE90mm lens. We were in the middle of a light snow storm that made shooting conditions difficult. The area we were in offered a great observation spot and rather than risk not finding it again Sandy decided to experiment and take the shot.  The file looked “okay” however we both felt it need “something” else so we decided to try it in Topaz Labs getting the result you see below.

There are also times when we’re shooting we “see” the scene in black and white.  We compose the shot knowing that once we open and begin processing the file we’d do it as a black and white image.  Sometimes we fail however most of the times we win. Huge...

The image below was captured by Sandy using her Sony A7rII FE24-70 lens at 40mm f/8 1/200 ISO 50.  Processed entirely in Capture One Pro.

 

Don likes to focus-stack images in order to achieve what he calls focus from his toes to the sky.  The following are two examples of focus stacking using a 100-megapixel IQ1-100 medium format camera.  Both were captured using a Phase One XF camera body and a Schneider LS 35mm lens.  A steady tripod is a must in doing focus stacking; in doing both of these Don used a new Platypod Max in lieu of a tripod in order to get low enough.

Muddy

8-files f/8 1/160 ISO 50

 

Tracks

7-files f/11 1/125 ISO 50

 

Platypod Max at work.  Don has the waist level viewfinder attached to the XF to assist him in low level shooting conditions as well as using a remote shutter release for a hands off approach other than to change focus.

 

Broken Arch, Arches National Park.  Both images are full frame with no cropping done. 

Sony A7rII FE16-35 (16mm) f/7,1 1/100 ISO 50

 

Phase One XF Schneider LS 35mm f/5.6 1/200 ISO 50

 

This was the first visit to Moab since Don upgraded to the 100-megapixel IQ1-100 digital back and once again he’s very impressed.  The following images were captured on the fly in the Garden of Eden area of Arches National Park.  While he would have preferred a longer lens like the Schneider LS 240 (which was sitting at home in Tucson) he was able to try the resolution factor of the 75-150 at 150mm.

f/5.6 1/200 ISO 50

 

The above image was taken at 150mm handheld through the window of the truck in a slight snow storm.  Processed in Capture One Pro then sent to Photoshop in order to run the shake reduction filter which helped a little.

The following is a 100% crop.

Not bad...

 

The following is a side by side comparison of another image taken seconds after the one above. The image on the left is the full fame while the one on the right is a crop.  Having the extra resolution available is a great tool to have.

 

Our final image is the result of 4-images stitched together to make a panorama of Arches National Park with the LaSalle Mountain in the background. The files were processed in Capture One Pro prior to stitching them together in Photoshop.  This is not the final image as Don feels it still needs a little more work.

f/6.3 1/640 ISO 100 (handheld)

 

Once again we want to thank our dear friend Dave Gallagher of Capture Integration for the love and support he and his company provides us throughout the year.  A big shout out also goes to Ziv Argov, VP Marketing Phase One.

This is our last blog entry for 2016 as the year is quickly coming to a close.  Next year, 2017 has a lot of surprises in store with new travel that we are anxious to share so please stay tuned.   Until then however, we’d like to wish everyone a very safe holiday season and a happy new year.

 

Sandy & Don