tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58586730488633040252024-03-21T15:26:18.005-07:00Light Benders VisualsFollow along with my adventures. Learn photography and videography tips and tricks. Go behind the scenes to see what it takes to create and produce my images and videos. Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-87373698407195122332019-01-23T10:53:00.002-08:002019-01-23T11:01:23.367-08:00Photographing The 2019 Super Blood Wolf Moon Lunar Eclipse<div style="text-align: center;">
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(If you don't like reading, or want to see more, there's a vlog episode I did at the end of this)</div>
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Well that was definitely an interesting adventure. As per my usual, things did not go according to plans, lol. Mostly due to the fact that the weather, both outside, and on the radar, told us that it would be mostly cloudy all night. So we spent a long time trying to hunt down places that we thought might have some breaks in the clouds and finally settled on Rockhound State Park, just south of Deming, NM. It was pretty cloudy when we showed up, but we went ahead and hiked out to try and find a composition anyway. I would definitely have preferred to have more time when scouting for a composition, but work with what you got right. So after a short hike around the moonlit desert, we found this spot and a somewhat interesting foreground with the big cactus and then with the mountain in the background. Once we got set up and started taking some test images and figuring out exposures and compositions for where the moon was actually going to be in 2 hours, I realized it would be a bit harder than the previous times I've shot eclipses. This was to due the moon's altitude and azimuth being much higher than I had hoped. I was also bored with just straight close up telephoto shots, as I have done that for the past few times and it's pretty much the same shot every time. So this time I wanted to do a wider shot and include some landscape and a human element for a more compelling and interesting image. I found two spots to try this, the first with a big cactus, and then I put Brittany behind it, in the middle of the image, and the second on a trail that was leading up to the mountain and in the right direction of where the moon would be at full eclipse. For this one I put myself in there and held up a light right under the moon. All the while all of this was going on, I had another camera with a longer (but not too long) lens set up and was getting some slightly closer shots of the eclipse as it went through the first half. This was so that I could put those together for the composite to show the sequence and path of the eclipse over the wider landscape image I got. I had to do some exposure blending to get everything looking right, and I was going to do some focus stacking, but I forgot. Probably because my mind was too busy trying to vlog also, and just doing too many things at once. In the end though, I think it came out alright. I might like my images from last year a bit better, but I'm not sure yet. Either way, it was still a great experience to be lucky enough to watch and capture, and even if I didn't come home with anything I'm still stoked to have been out for it.</div>
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Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-14356746276110476102018-10-22T09:19:00.000-07:002018-10-22T09:19:24.902-07:00My Top 5 Favorite Features In The New Photoshop CC 2019 UpdateSo Adobe just released their new updates for the Creative Suite, and of course I jumped right in to Photoshop to see all the new features. There were a lot of them in this update, though some were quite minor, and overall there was nothing completely game changing; however there's still plenty of things to get excited about in the new update.<br />
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Here's the video I made about my top 5 favorite updates, and how I use them.<br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9m1WamiISM8/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9m1WamiISM8?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<br />Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-67982575524622149432018-08-02T15:35:00.000-07:002018-08-03T09:22:04.936-07:00How To Photograph Lightning!So it's monsoon season in the southwest, which means lightning!!! I recently shot a few timelapses and stills of lightning, and they went viral. Then of course, I got many requests for a lightning tutorial, so here it is!<br />
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And for those who don't want the video, here's a written version with the breakdown:<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 26.0pt; line-height: 115%;">How to photograph lightning: Cheat
Sheet<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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*Remember, this is NOT the perfect settings for every
lightning scenario, it’s meant as a starting point and general guideline!</div>
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Before you go:</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Check the weather, look for smaller storm cells
if possible</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Check the <a href="https://www.lightningmaps.org/">lightning strike map</a></div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Fill your gas tank</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Bring RAIN GEAR</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Water and snacks</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Extra batteries</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Try to stay 5 – 15 miles away from the cell</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Pay attention to direction the storm is moving.</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Staying BEHIND or to the side opposite cell
movement is good for your health</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If in front of cell, be prepared to move quickly</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Lens hoods can help keep some rain off,
especially if you don’t point the lens up at an angle (this only works with no
filters or round filters of the same diameter)</div>
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Camera settings</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Shoot in Manual mode</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Your ideal shutter starting place should usually
be between 1-10 sec (longer if super dark out).</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->If it’s daytime, use an ND Filter. Here are some
different options for both round and square filters, for all budgets:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>*Square filters require a filter holder; make
sure you get the right one for which ever system you choose! (I will have more
videos about square filters soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s
a very short <a href="https://youtu.be/salbNL7day0">video</a> I did about a
cheap square filter system</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GMXD9E8/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00GMXD9E8&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=cc5ce476ff0f81c764dd5513397316a5">Round
10 stop</a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004ZCIC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00004ZCIC&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=fe601ed9db6ab388f8645c2955fd22a3">Round
3 stop</a> (you can stack filters too if needed)</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JYFN9YG/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00JYFN9YG&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=af7d2a0055042e491e60b78607b7f7fa">Cheap
Square 10 stop</a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009A3I9KG?ie=UTF8&tag=lightbender06-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B009A3I9KG">Mid
Price Square 10 stop</a></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00XCHBPCK?ie=UTF8&tag=lightbender06-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B00XCHBPCK">High
End Square 10 Stop</a> (also comes in 6 and 15 stop versions)</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BF8GV1C/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B07BF8GV1C&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=7c65fa29a2c66522b9dff0a83d9e558c">10
Stop ND for Phones </a>, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GZJT9UQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01GZJT9UQ&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=6c0ae344af21afafc79bcccc04daab29">Phone
Filter Holder </a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Here’s a video about <a href="https://youtu.be/IUrRTXj27ss">ND and Polarizer Filters</a> I did a while
back </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l3 level2 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Here’s a video about <a href="https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=tZxxkypqNPI">How to use
filters with phones</a></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Aim for an exposure that’s a little UNDEREXPOSED
(1-2stops), especially in daytime conditions; this will help ensure the
lightning is not drowned out in the ambient light, and that the lightning will
not be overexposed if it’s dark out. </div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Start with a low ISO ~100</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Set your Aperture to whatever it needs to be to
accommodate the ideal shutter and ISO (and remember to err on the side of
slightly underexposed)</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set your
focus and then lock it down to manual focus (using live view and zooming in to
nail infinity is a great way to do this)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->The longer your focal length, the shorter you’ll
want your shutter speed, to help reduce camera shake, e.g., if using a big
telephoto, like 200+mm, then you’ll want to keep it around 1-2 seconds tops,
shorter if you’re greater than 200mm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The most I tried, with varying success was 300mm at 1 sec, and 400mm at
0.5 sec (400mm at 1 sec produced a couple of useable shots, but not many) Take
wind in to consideration too, especially for longer shutter speeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Have a solid, steady tripod</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "courier new"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Add weight to it by hanging your gear bag or a
bag of sand/rocks/anything with significant weight, or hold it down if
necessary</div>
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For timelapses:</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Get an intervalometer if your camera does not
have a built in one.</div>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Here are a few that I recommend:</div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003Q9RERY?ie=UTF8&tag=lightbender06-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B003Q9RERY">Cheap
Intervalometer</a> (make sure to get one that works with your camera)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level3 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077NGLSQ8?ie=UTF8&tag=lightbender06-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B077NGLSQ8">Alpine
Labs Spark</a> (my secondary choice)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level3 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0777SXJFC?ie=UTF8&tag=lightbender06-20&camp=1789&linkCode=xm2&creativeASIN=B0777SXJFC">Alpine
Labs Pulse</a> (My main controller)</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.5in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level3 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "wingdings"; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">§<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->There are many many others out there; these are
just what I use.</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->Set your intervals to 1-2 seconds LONGER than
your actual shutter time, e.g. if your shutter is 5 sec then set your interval
time to 6-7 seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is important!</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]-->For a solid timelapse you want at bare minimum
150-200 shots, I usually do 300 or more, but that’s just me…I love timelapses,
and they are my business. </div>
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BONUS: Editing multiple lightning images</div>
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Here is the link for my <a href="https://youtu.be/YFWgstm58Hs">tutorial</a> on this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s VERY EASY! </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s about it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
should be totally ready go chase Thor down and capture some EPIC lightning
images!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Be sure to follow me on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/lightbendersvisuals">Instagram</a> and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lightbendersvisuals">Facebook</a> to see more of
my lightning images, and everything else I’m up to!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And tag me on Instagram @lightbendersvisuals
if you get some awesome shots, I’d love to see them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thanks for making it this far, and good luck
shooting lightning…don’t get zapped…</div>
<br />Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-77386638075841920362018-04-27T08:30:00.002-07:002018-04-27T08:30:28.838-07:00Photographing The Stars With A Samsung Galaxy S9 PlusSo I've done a few videos on the cameras and photography abilities of the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 and S9 Plus on my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/twirlingeagle" target="_blank">YouTube</a> channel and I keep getting comments and requests to do a video about if they can shoot the night sky. Well I finally went out the other night to test it and made a little video about it.<br /><br />Here's the video if you'd rather watch than read:<br /><br />
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<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/aUEFmMrmUZc/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aUEFmMrmUZc?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
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So I went into it thinking that it would be pretty bad and that the phone image just wouldn't work out or hold up at all. Well, I was kind of wrong. First off, I didn't have good conditions for shooting stars, since the moon was out and 80% full, and the Milky Way wasn't scheduled to show above the horizon until after midnight, and I couldn't stay out that late that night. Barring those two issues, I was surprised at how well the phone did, despite its limitations. The biggest limitation I was bummed about is the fact that even in Pro Mode, the S9 Plus only has a max shutter speed of 10 sec. There's absolutely no reason for that. They could have easily set it to 30 sec, which would have made this a much more capable and desirable night shooting phone. The other limitation is the S9 Plus only has a max ISO of 800. I mean, you really wouldn't want to max out a phone's ISO anyways, the sensor is just so small and it would look absolutely horrible.<br /><br />So just for fun, I decided to compare my phone to my Canon 5D4 and 1DX2. I think we all know which came out on top for that one, but I'll post the images anyways. For the comparison, I set both cameras to roughly the same settings. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCz5A2SKPEbyued0sa8-ZV9iTTKWXX8vCq5v4Xc7-cfvP1HxjMVLmBRIPBdTEcR4k8C5X9PWbGQyAi4SsAqNAK6WRSXwXnVTYkXUfiX5mDrn8uXc0D4K3YhqKGenXd4gK6GNEYyar2_Q/s1600/20180425_220123+edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJCz5A2SKPEbyued0sa8-ZV9iTTKWXX8vCq5v4Xc7-cfvP1HxjMVLmBRIPBdTEcR4k8C5X9PWbGQyAi4SsAqNAK6WRSXwXnVTYkXUfiX5mDrn8uXc0D4K3YhqKGenXd4gK6GNEYyar2_Q/s320/20180425_220123+edited.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Galaxy S9 Plus image (above) settings: Pro Mode, f/1.5, 10 sec, ISO 200, manual white balance, and manual focus. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-a3YWW6RzuxUfJjGKJYPWJvBM8L-ySdF2PO6Z4YIWbDADdqit4n5JQkXO-SqCAz7BOZRpT6YafSFAvwXlQVtZ0LNr8KF1rYZGBcHatjfPzzKXI3fFPiYnxBMusu9VIixYEX_YFI7vDOo/s1600/_W7A7226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-a3YWW6RzuxUfJjGKJYPWJvBM8L-ySdF2PO6Z4YIWbDADdqit4n5JQkXO-SqCAz7BOZRpT6YafSFAvwXlQVtZ0LNr8KF1rYZGBcHatjfPzzKXI3fFPiYnxBMusu9VIixYEX_YFI7vDOo/s320/_W7A7226.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Canon 5D4 image (above) settings: f/4, 10 sec, ISO 200</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjB6IRwaM8cNiWXAegle07Z1-Q-MPnUtf7V3zxZCBRp-8NI2BsfXIUlJd8ZNRRqszl-J-J_THyeYEfmJx69Q0rHCK7jM-hXw4NADvawhXovP427bAabfBow4EhAoBZOO0kwddAH0NCOE/s1600/_A4I6963.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjB6IRwaM8cNiWXAegle07Z1-Q-MPnUtf7V3zxZCBRp-8NI2BsfXIUlJd8ZNRRqszl-J-J_THyeYEfmJx69Q0rHCK7jM-hXw4NADvawhXovP427bAabfBow4EhAoBZOO0kwddAH0NCOE/s320/_A4I6963.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Canon 1DX2 image (above) settings: f/2.8, 10 sec, ISO 200</span></div>
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Obviously, the DSLRs win on everything, but I was surprised the S9 Plus image didn't look too bad. Another thing to note here is the lenses, I didn't have the same lenses for the DSLRs, and obviously the phone's camera lens is much less quality than the real lenses. So this was in no way a scientific test at all, it was just for fun. So you can actually get some night shots with a smartphone. I plan on going back out and trying again during the new moon and when the milky way is up, so be on the lookout for that video and blog! Oh and if you like this kind of stuff and want to see more, then definitely go check out my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/twirlingeagle" target="_blank">YouTube</a> channel and subscribe there, because I post at least 2 videos every week and there's a lot more content. I try to keep the blog going and updated, but sometimes it falls behind. So go subscribe to my YouTube and follow me on <a href="http://www.instagram.com/lightbendersvisuals" target="_blank">Instagram</a> for more daily stuff! </div>
Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-208338569505178902017-12-06T14:59:00.000-08:002017-12-06T14:59:19.330-08:003 Easy Ways to Correct Color Casting From ND Filters<div class="MsoNormal">
There are a lot of optically decent ND filters out there
that still suffer from color cast (or shift), but there a few very quick and
easy ways to fix them in post. Here is a
video I tutorial I made to show you how to do it.</div>
<br />
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<br />Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-13560540929447332912017-12-03T12:42:00.003-08:002017-12-03T12:44:11.786-08:00My Favorite Photography Accessories<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Gear can be expensive
and overwhelming...and I often say that creativity and experiences are more
important than gear. This is totally true, but with that being said,
there are a few little things-photography accessories-that I always take with
me, and that help increase my efficacy, functionality, and creativity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">So let's get right to it: (I made a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAy2WlGvrc8" target="_blank">VIDEO</a> of this if you'd
rather watch than read. <b><u>It's also embedded at the end of this post</u></b>).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">1). The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019R36K86/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B019R36K86&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=0d2e1695d54beeb7b19950d91a70fc1e" target="_blank">Rocket Blower</a> - Living in New Mexico, and travelling
to and shooting in all kinds of intense places around the globe, I need
this. I mean, every photographer needs this...but I REALLY need it. Any
kind of air blower will do. There are a variety of types and brands out
there, but they all do the same thing: blow dust and debris off your gear.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">2). The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0043WKRCW/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0043WKRCW&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=fb638fa2cdd14d6fa942cf655804fd3e" target="_blank">Camera Strap</a> - This is not just a regular strap.
The best things about this strap is that it's way more comfortable and padded,
and it has clippy things that let you quickly and easily detach the strap for
those times when you need to put it on a tripod or other support equipment, or
for when you just don't want a strap. The other reason I like this one is
because it's plain. I travel a LOT, and often to or through some very
sketchy places where having a nice shiny Canon strap that has bright red and
white stripes and the name of my camera body on it is begging for a robbery in
some places. So the subtlety and lower profile of the strap is
nice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">3). The <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00P96TSRQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00P96TSRQ&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=34f244203bf6a444168ae0d4a299e566" target="_blank">PocketPod </a>- I always seem to find use for a little
tripod, whether it's because I'm travelling super light and don't want to carry
a big one, or I need to mount some lights, audio gear, phone, monitor, or
something else, or if I need a makeshift handle for a vlogging setup. I
use this Benro one a lot, but I also like the <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002FGTWOC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B002FGTWOC&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=c9af04e59ba7ad3953512d2bbb0dc59d" target="_blank">Joby Gorilla Pods</a> too. You never know when you'll find
an unexpected waterfall or awesome night scene or long exposure scenario where
you wish you had a tripod! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">4). <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K9O1OJC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B01K9O1OJC&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=09a389ca0e3cb0fb96f886024578ee14" target="_blank">ND Filters</a> for your Smartphone - These things are
super cheap, and very handy to have. Like I mentioned above, you never
know when you might stumble upon a cool waterfall or perfect long exposure
scene, and you might not have your big boy camera with you, but if you have
these little filters and a pocket tripod and your phone, then you're all set!
Mobile photography is getting better every year with all these new phones with
better and better cameras coming out, so why not use them! The best
camera is the one you have on you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">5). <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000BZLAC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B0000BZLAC&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=a44bd7aceebeaa55cce12694776ecf99" target="_blank">Circular Polarizer</a> - If you can only have one filter
for your dslr or mirror-less camera, make it a circular polarizer! These
things are super handy, and unlike other types of filters, a CP's effects can't
all be emulated in post editing. A CP will help cut through glare from
reflecting surfaces such as water and glass, and it will also help boost your
saturation a bit (this part can obviously be done in post, but the glare
reduction can't). If you can have 2 filters, then I definitely recommend a
proper <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00004ZCIC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00004ZCIC&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=fe601ed9db6ab388f8645c2955fd22a3" target="_blank">ND Filter</a>. These will help you get that silky smooth water
or clouds, as well as let you shoot wide open in bright light to get that
beautiful shallow depth of field. I suggest at least getting a 3 stop, which is
the one I listed, but if you want really long exposures, you'll need a <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R6D5VBC/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00R6D5VBC&linkCode=as2&tag=lightbender06-20&linkId=a6543d7e37dbf6580342d27829b91810" target="_blank">10 stop filter</a> or higher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">6). <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Lume-Cube-Dual-Pack-Black/dp/B01A0DH69E/ref=as_sl_pc_tf_til?tag=lightbender06-20&linkCode=w00&linkId=d08da5de2764cbdb663f086c229cbb3c&creativeASIN=B01A0DH69E" target="_blank">Lume Cubes</a> - These are probably the coolest little
lights I've ever had. I use them for so much more than photography.
They pack a whopping 1500 lumens, which given their size, is quite
impressive. They are waterproof, which opens up all kinds of creative
doors, and have a bunch of their own available accessories, such as filters,
diffusers, gels, magnetic cages, and more, and they're usb rechargeable! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">7). <a href="https://alpinelaboratories.com/pages/pulse" target="_blank">The Pulse
Camera Controller </a>- My most FAVORITE accessory of all time! This thing
is beyond fantastic. It is a Bluetooth controller, intervalometer, and
trigger. The app that controls it is great, and its features are
wonderful. With the Pulse, you can do timelapses, environmental selfies,
HDR, long exposures, and more. This will open up the possibilities for unleashing
your creativity to a whole new level! It also makes things a lot easier
when you want to do things like take a picture of yourself or a group photo
with you in it, and not have to find someone else to do it for you. It's just a
wonderful device to have all around. That being said, any remote trigger
and/or intervalometer will work, but they won't all do everything this does,
and not all wrapped in one device. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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Thanks for checking out my blog, and be sure to follow my on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/twirlingeagle">YouTube</a>, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/lightbendersvisuals">Instagram</a>, and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lightbendersvisuals">Facebook</a> for more! <o:p></o:p></div>
Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-88682335552818229762017-11-26T08:59:00.001-08:002018-04-23T09:47:41.275-07:00Alpine Labs Pulse Review: The Best Camera Controller For Canon and Nikon Cameras<div class="MsoNormal">
So I've had my Alpine Labs Pulse for about 9 months now, and
after using it with 4 different cameras, and in just about every timelapse and
adventure photo shoot I've done in that time, I have enough confidence to say
that this is the Best camera controller I've ever seen. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think most people will think of this as mainly an
intervalometer, which it is, but it also does a lot more than that. The Pulse
has some other great features that I've really enjoyed using, such as the HDR
mode, self-trigger, and especially the long exposure mode. So I finally went
out and did a proper review of it, where I go over all of its main features, a
couple of very small downsides, and show you how I use it to up my
creativity. Check out the video here,
and don't forget to like, comment, and SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel for more
reviews like this, tutorials, adventure vlogs, and more!</div>
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Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-28741740876746762282017-11-13T13:54:00.003-08:002017-11-13T14:16:09.448-08:003 Fundamental Tips To Improve Your Smartphone Photography<div class="MsoNormal">
The most common mistake I see people make concerning
photography these days is not treating their smartphone cameras like an ACTUAL
camera. They do this because it's built
into a phone, and it's easy to forget that it is a real camera, and now days
you can do much more with it than just take snapshots and selfies. Remember, the best camera is the one you have
on you, and lets be real, we all have phones on us pretty much ALL the
time. So best thing you can do is to
remember that you probably have a decent camera in your pocket, and treat it
like a real camera. That means think
about things for a second. Just take a
little extra time to make an image and not just take a picture.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are the 3 super,
ultra, most fundamental tips to help you get better images from your
smartphone! These tips/rules definitely
apply to more than just that though, they are the basics for any kind of visual
art, be it photography, videography, painting, drawing, etc. These will help
you improve no matter what visual art you're creating, but smartphone
photography is a great place to start!</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #052d49; font-family: "america" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; white-space: pre-line;"><br /></span>Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-82399894692690912022017-11-09T14:12:00.000-08:002017-11-09T14:12:15.773-08:00Shooting Lightning With a Smartphone! Plus I compare the Galaxy Note 8 to my Canon 1D X mk III am really enjoying the advancements of the smartphones and their camera capabilities lately, especially since getting my Samsung Galaxy Note 8. While it's not going to replace my DSLRs any time soon, it is impressive what this thing is capable of, especially now that you can shoot in RAW and have full manual controls over the camera. My favorite being the ability to do long exposures. So decided to test it out, and to compare it to my best dslr, just for fun. To do that I happened upon a conveniently located thunderstorm near my house and went out to try to capture some lightning. Here's the video, and the results, which I will say was not quite what I expected, and in some ways, exactly as I expected.<br />
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Thanks for checking out this post and the video, and make sure to like it and subscribe to my channel for more content like this. Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-17531396524780762412017-11-08T09:12:00.003-08:002017-11-08T09:16:46.105-08:00Shooting Waterfalls With a Smartphone!<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal;">
Yes, you CAN get those
beautifully smooth long exposure waterfall images with a smartphone!<o:p></o:p></div>
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The tools we have these
days are getting better and better. One
such tool that's often overlooked is the smartphone. They say the best camera is the one you have
on you, and I couldn't agree more. For a
long time it wasn't even possible to get shots like this with a phone, but now
it's finally becoming the norm to have phone cameras with manual controls, and
with that comes a whole new world of possibilities. In this video I show you how to get the most
out of those manual controls and how to get awesome, silky smooth waterfall
images, with just a little bit of thought, a small tripod, and some very
inexpensive filters. </div>
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Don't forget to head over to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/twirlingeagle" target="_blank">My YouTube Channel</a> and subscribe for more videos like this!</div>
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Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-66139930735405156792017-02-15T08:19:00.000-08:002017-02-15T08:19:42.532-08:00Photographing The Lunar Eclipse<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw0lCqT8JPEA4r5w8g360kOskQ3hE3mUsCKIoyCRIAnwTgipO1bHLFC5LyEPX0c-weyyMVC3T6A0yoDfgwF_L34wik6uuN2SAWUgk3UCLscNkrNzFpuuRqGilw2PohIdl_-X5M4dbw2k/s1600/_A4I4841wm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvw0lCqT8JPEA4r5w8g360kOskQ3hE3mUsCKIoyCRIAnwTgipO1bHLFC5LyEPX0c-weyyMVC3T6A0yoDfgwF_L34wik6uuN2SAWUgk3UCLscNkrNzFpuuRqGilw2PohIdl_-X5M4dbw2k/s320/_A4I4841wm.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I normally like to plan things in advance whenever possible, especially when it comes to photographing astronomical events; however, this one almost slipped by my radar completely. Thankfully I saw it online that afternoon and had just enough time to do some quick research about the details before heading out. Armed with some hastily acquired knowledge, I grabbed my gear and jumped in the car. Luckily I knew where the moon would be rising and that there was a great look-out spot on the southwest side of Silver City-the perfect moonrise-viewing point, and easily accessible, since I only had about 30 minutes before it was due to rise.<br />
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Once I got there and got the cameras and tripods all setup, I used my phone to double check where on the horizon the moon would be rising and then got the cameras in the right spot. For this I used a couple of apps. Sun Surveyor, and The Photographer's Ephemeris (TPE). These are both super handy apps for helping you plan your shoot, be it for the moon, sun, milky way, or just landscapes in general.<br />
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When shooting the moon, you typically have to use a pretty fast shutter speed to get the moon both exposed right and nice and sharp-since it is a moving object after all. But this being an eclipse, made it a little different. Since the eclipse made the moon a little less bright, it made it possible to include some foreground interest via the mountains over which it was rising. It also became possible to get this in one single expose, without the moon being over-exposed or the landscape being under-exposed. For the shot above, I was at 400mm at f/5.6, 1/50 sec, ISO 320. That is still a pretty slow shutter, especially at 400mm, but the tripod, mirror lockup, and a delayed timer helped in minimizing camera shake. Taking the hood off your lens when in these conditions helps a lot too, because if it's even just the slightest bit windy, the hood can act like a sail and start catching wind and causing the lens to move during shooting. <br />
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For this shot, I knew I wanted to include the feature on the right, which is called the Kneeling Nun, and is a local legend. So I wanted to show that with the moon. I had to shoot wider for this shot, and also since the moon was already completely up and the eclipse was starting to pass, the moon was now much brighter than before. So now I had to do multiple exposures, one for the landscape and one for the moon, and blend them together in Photoshop. The foreground image I shot at f/5.0, 1/13 sec, ISO 160, and the moon I shot at f/5.6, 1/500 sec, ISO 100.<br />
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I also did a timelapse of the moonrise, and put it in the vlog I did. So here's the link for that:<br />
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For the timelapse I shot it using the same settings as the first image I posted above. Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-44236114508158288512016-07-03T09:55:00.001-07:002016-10-02T15:55:16.994-07:00The Inauguration of the Hall Lot of Adventure 2016 Trip<br />
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After what some might consider a rough start, having the a/c compressor seize up and die in the 110 degree Las Vegas heat, followed by a rear tire being impaled by a shard of rhyolite from a flash flood in a thunderstorm in Death Valley forcing an unexpected stay in a small town hotel and subsequent tire shop visit, our trip has finally resumed normalcy. </div>
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Me changing a flat tire in Death Valley</div>
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Despite Brittany's insistence on universal thwarting of us ever making it to the big fluffy trees, we made it to the Redwoods in time to enjoy the last night of the 3 day reservation we had already secured. </div>
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Our time there was quite short, but magical and refreshing nonetheless. The next morning-yesterday-I awoke pre-dawn, as usual for me while on the road, and began filming some epic Ferngully-esque footage of the campsite and surrounding woods. (Video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OujMIwHFZ0g" target="_blank">here</a>)</div>
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The cold air was refreshing-to me-and instilled an invigorating sense of adventure. I was equally amazed by the fact that the whole night and following day was completely clear-not the normal weather for that region. Needless to say, I was afforded the perfect opportunity for a few astro shots at night, and some incredible sunrise-through-the-trees shots in the morning (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OujMIwHFZ0g" target="_blank">video</a>)</div>
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After a very slow drive north, with a long detour through the Jedediah Smith State Forest, a play in the most beautiful river I've ever encountered,</div>
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The Smith River</div>
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and a completely surreal and mind-blasting drive up to Stout Grove, we meandered up to the Crater Lake Resort, where we had made reservations for the next 4 days. </div>
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This resort is one of the nicest-nay I dare say-the nicest RV/camp parks I have ever visited (the WiFi itself is worth its weight in gold). So here, on the edge of some of the most stunning and pristine examples of volcanism and geologic history in the world- and in one of the most iconic natural structures in this country, we shall celebrate our great nation's independence by visualizing the explosive fireworks of the ancient Mt. Mazama and its crater lake forming event, spewing blankets of pyroclastic flows, pumice, and ash...and the Milky Way...tonight I shall capture it over the crater lake in all of its amazing glory and awesome (in the original sense of the word) splendor. Please take a moment to allow yourself to be visually enthralled by some crudely edited images from days 4 and 5 of the Hall Lot of Adventure journey, and stay tuned for more!</div>
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Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-9805447737907870872016-03-04T11:13:00.000-08:002016-10-02T12:24:21.450-07:00<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>A Hall Lot of
Adventure</b> – A 6000 Mile Summer 2016 Trip<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some very big things are in the works for me this summer—well—they
have been in the works for quite a while, but now everything is in order and
the stage is set! From June through August 2016 my wife, son, and I will be
embarking on a 6000 mile trip from New Mexico, Arizona, and California, up
through Oregon and Washington, into Canada, and back down through Idaho,
Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. I am going to label this adventure under the “Work-Cation”
category, as it is both a trip for our family and a trip for our business, and
I see no better way to enjoy our life than by the combination of our favorite
things: family, travelling, photography/videography, and adventure. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPj_iy-NLWTZ_C-4OI0YoGC5s4NKCo1KUhMLjiRN_YCgmvLqQZeKksdpB6nGeVY5HZjY7lUYtt0jRSjaw1bbKY2pec8l5kQZbQeruhXm596_-XqJw876B9QJ68oACeGaajzioyJXpUio/s1600/_MG_6984.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdPj_iy-NLWTZ_C-4OI0YoGC5s4NKCo1KUhMLjiRN_YCgmvLqQZeKksdpB6nGeVY5HZjY7lUYtt0jRSjaw1bbKY2pec8l5kQZbQeruhXm596_-XqJw876B9QJ68oACeGaajzioyJXpUio/s320/_MG_6984.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(My son, Tristan at Courthouse Mountain, Co)</div>
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<b>That sounds crazy!
Why are you doing this???!!!?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Our ultimate goal, outside of the intention to expose our
son to the natural world and to teach him natural sciences, anthropology,
psychology, general outdoors skills, and all things science and art via
firsthand experience, is to inspire, and help eliminate fear, as
well as to share our experiences and these teachings with everyone else. So
many people these days, especially people with families, or with large
financial obligations—which, let’s face it, is the majority of the populace—are
either too afraid to travel and explore, don’t know how, or most importantly,
don’t know or think that they can. This can partially be contributed to a lack
of easily accessible, well laid out information, which if provided, would help
eliminate the ignorance, reservations, and fears most might have when
considering exploring nature. An
additional objective is to capture as many beautiful places and natural wonders
as I possibly can—to the best of my ability—through both still photography and
video, utilizing my skills, gear, and knowledge as a professional
photographer/videographer, in order to share these places and experiences with
everyone. It is our hope that through sharing our experiences as a family, that
others like us—and anyone really—will be inspired and become educated in the
ways of adventuring and becoming more in touch with our planet. We will do this through a variety of mediums
and platforms, including—but not limited to: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzzT17GEeEPojZe7FT7skag">Youtube</a>
(arguably the largest and most effective platform), <a href="http://www.instagram.com/lightbendersvisuals">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lightbendersvisuals">Facebook</a>, websites,
blogging and vlogging. We will be creating a myriad of different information
and visuals to share, including travel vlogs, blogs, still images, travel
vignette videos and mini documentaries, video tutorials ranging from family
travel tips, location guides, outdoor skills, photo and video tutorials, gear
reviews, timelapses, and stock footage. All of this information will help
create not only the information people are seeking for travel and adventure of
this nature, but will also depict a “lead by example” and “if we can do it, you
can do it” mentality, which will inspire others to get out there as well.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCs3C95mLwV4Tg21HTSoLo92hhhSLfm5w416hUIPAZWfhkF133tq22aqvazrbz0MGjwtjLdZyN01EMu77WZKG9r5jy0vUBxnZXPrwiWil3xjwGolY80YxXNHjqBOkit0PiMI4aVJYU3M/s1600/12308061_970325553023614_5342465734552338211_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCs3C95mLwV4Tg21HTSoLo92hhhSLfm5w416hUIPAZWfhkF133tq22aqvazrbz0MGjwtjLdZyN01EMu77WZKG9r5jy0vUBxnZXPrwiWil3xjwGolY80YxXNHjqBOkit0PiMI4aVJYU3M/s320/12308061_970325553023614_5342465734552338211_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(My son, Tristan)</div>
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We are doing this for many reasons, though the biggest and
most motivating one is the way in which I have always tried to live my life,
inspired by a quote from William Blake, “Those who restrain their desire, do so
because theirs is weak enough to be restrained.” This quote, and the writings
of Blake, Thoreau, Tilman, and others have been with me since I was a boy, and
these sentiments have long resonated with me.
I have never wanted to live a typical 9-5 life, nor by someone else’s
expectations of me. This feeling was
exponentially strengthened after I got out of the Navy in 2006 and even further
instilled after the birth of my son Tristan in 2008. My wife and I are not normal people, with
normal lives, nor has our son grown to be, and we want to continue to instill
him (and ourselves) with the wanderlust, and to maintain our deep connections
with nature, the earth, and a full life. Going along with all of this, it is my
desire to share our adventures with the world; to let people know what is out
there and that anyone can experience it, especially those with families who think
they can’t do it, or whom are too scared to try. The style in which we will do
this will be through a 2 month trip in our Subaru. We will not be staying in any fancy hotels or
B & B’s, instead we will be camping (largely in national parks) the entire trip. This is for many reasons—first, we love
camping. Second, it is the cheapest way to get out there—and as a normal family
with bills and everything else, it’s really the only way we could afford to do
attempt such a big trip. Third, because
it’s so cheap (comparatively speaking) it will afford us the opportunities to
go farther, explore more, and stay out longer. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLA9hwBazP3GOKGDVtLUFg1mtA16mMApwYkZRQpRiHB5lDNa9BwYXyZxwTOGYg8VDiL-UbZ6-Z6dN03xUWsxa89vzuZ2RQEzNSMNeoZ7CdTaHJ2FC2uZMYQn4fkAjha_i90LiPHTUGdOI/s1600/1794567_650791998310306_1036282121_n+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLA9hwBazP3GOKGDVtLUFg1mtA16mMApwYkZRQpRiHB5lDNa9BwYXyZxwTOGYg8VDiL-UbZ6-Z6dN03xUWsxa89vzuZ2RQEzNSMNeoZ7CdTaHJ2FC2uZMYQn4fkAjha_i90LiPHTUGdOI/s320/1794567_650791998310306_1036282121_n+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Camping in our Subaru in New Mexico)</div>
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For this trip, we will be travelling very light, all things considered. Everything we will need, including gear,
food, clothing, etc. for the entire 2 months will fit in our small Subaru. We
wanted to maintain a light travelling style, and not be burdened by things we
don’t need, such as hotels, plane tickets, RVs, trailers, etc.. While these
things could have increased the quality of our travels in some respects, they
would greatly reduce it in others.
Mostly in cost, as we simply cannot afford to travel that way; nor do we
really desire to, as then we would not be able to see as much or get to some of
the places we want to explore. It also
leaves less room for things to go wrong; which always happens to some
degree. The lighter and more
independently we travel, the less things can go wrong. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Though millions of people have traveled our intended routes
and visited many of the places we are headed, I would wager few have done it in
the same capacity and style as we will—that is, as a family, and for two months
straight, and without planes and hotels and fancy lodging and restaurants, etc.. The US has been blessed with a copious amount of public lands, which of course
encompasses the national and state parks; however, most people either don’t
know or tend to forget about BLM and how much land is at our disposal for
exploration and adventuring. This trip will include visiting over 15 National
Parks plus state parks, and national and state monuments, as well as many areas
of accessible BLM land from New Mexico, Arizona, and California, up to Oregon,
Washington, and British Columbia, and back down through Montana, Wyoming, and
Colorado.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2ujw1G0AEPKYRO3Cfz6KJrPfSoiDmf2M5APVP9k43uIQCC8AbQwRvKDN_AsZjJZbDnLWGOodf9pcBEFtm5IUyCctj4PK6L-Ca0uXemSyEk61ePyc0bwWUlhgdmj75xZbfTC0ihsPwRk/s1600/2016+Summer+Trip+Map+With+Dates_1.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="197" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg2ujw1G0AEPKYRO3Cfz6KJrPfSoiDmf2M5APVP9k43uIQCC8AbQwRvKDN_AsZjJZbDnLWGOodf9pcBEFtm5IUyCctj4PK6L-Ca0uXemSyEk61ePyc0bwWUlhgdmj75xZbfTC0ihsPwRk/s320/2016+Summer+Trip+Map+With+Dates_1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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(Rough route outline, exact places and dates may be subject to slight changes)</div>
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I hope you will join us on our adventures by staying
connected with our various social media platforms, which will be updated
regularly with pictures, information, trip details, videos, writings, and more.
If you have suggestions or advice about any of the places we will be going—or should
be going—please don’t hesitate to share and leave comments, questions, and
thoughts here at the blog, or on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/lightbendersvisuals">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzzT17GEeEPojZe7FT7skag">Youtube</a>, <a href="http://www.instagram.com/lightbendersvisuals">Instagram</a>, <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/lightbendersvisuals.com" target="_blank">Vimeo</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/temp726" target="_blank">Twitter</a>, or wherever you
prefer to interact. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-43409416966295684912015-06-03T12:46:00.000-07:002017-01-16T13:28:09.776-08:00How To Add Depth To Flat Landscape Images<div class="MsoNormal">
Here's a quick tip for the day:</div>
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So I was driving out to L.A. from
Albuquerque, New Mexico the other day and I wanted my son to see the Meteor
crater-because he is fascinated with all things space-related, and because I am a geologist who also finds it fascinating. We get there in the middle of the afternoon,
the sun is high, and there is not a cloud in the sky...worst photography
situation possible. So what can you do
to make a decent photo from crappy conditions? Since the lighting was as flat
as possible, I shot the same-that is, I shot to capture as much dynamic range
as possible (leaving the image looking very flat and dull) in order to be able
to bring detail back in post. I then
concentrated on adding depth to the image.
I look for all of the shadow areas of the rocks and cliffs, and add some
adjustment layers to give them more depth.
Of course I did some other things as well, more general adjustments like
clarity, exposure, highlight reduction, shadow lift, luminance and saturation
shifts, etc., but these are normal, and minor.
The main focus is on bringing that sense of depth back. Because when you see the words Meteor Crater,
you have an image in your head, and the image that you make with your camera
should try to match that grandeur, even if you have less-than-desirable
lighting conditions as I had; Photoshop is a wonderful thing.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5tCJi21yORyHeUBiIQILib-XoZRK5jOKKNrfAWssiESIADBfVd6lvSUYAiYmujxn1qy_9w3rSUJ6ZDzL-0PD4-NnxwZJQkRsO5ykUthvMpnoZXdcCMpiJLZHqp6Ei-j05b9Wdm2SzF0/s1600/11415484_896297140416508_7679341595755674027_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5tCJi21yORyHeUBiIQILib-XoZRK5jOKKNrfAWssiESIADBfVd6lvSUYAiYmujxn1qy_9w3rSUJ6ZDzL-0PD4-NnxwZJQkRsO5ykUthvMpnoZXdcCMpiJLZHqp6Ei-j05b9Wdm2SzF0/s320/11415484_896297140416508_7679341595755674027_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcQN1hOdJJU97GE_EQ0TMsoXc9_ue8mCivdyn1lOTqhfSFdKPrX8-MlTJOClyaA6qQoj-2WzhjIuhu-IcMbrjzejTIuM_3EVuTLZiaiDoCgI2vaz-UrXNP8yG0lBQTFs88jd9aMcLdw4/s1600/11118609_896297153749840_7192490916282373726_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIcQN1hOdJJU97GE_EQ0TMsoXc9_ue8mCivdyn1lOTqhfSFdKPrX8-MlTJOClyaA6qQoj-2WzhjIuhu-IcMbrjzejTIuM_3EVuTLZiaiDoCgI2vaz-UrXNP8yG0lBQTFs88jd9aMcLdw4/s320/11118609_896297153749840_7192490916282373726_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Before and After</div>
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One more tip concerning situations like this. So I went to Meteor Crater...a seriously big
tourist destination. One bad thing about places
like this is that people most often will take the same pictures, from the same
places, at the same angles as everyone else.
Google images of meteor crater, and other popular places like half dome
in Yosemite, Grand Canyon, etc., and you will see many of the same-looking
images from the same places. This is
from a lack of thought concerning composition.
Try to find even just a slightly different angle, add a person
(landscapes with people for presence, emotion, and scale are always
better). Even a slight adjustment to
composition and framing can make a big difference in the overall feeling of the
image. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Here's the typical shot, from the typical spot at the top observation deck, from the typical angle, with minimal editing...quite boring and mundane.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxhV0bQHNhXNmg4RkTQV2KfvZvxIQY_OlWpUC9AMv-OPpTGjjGllBW1sV4v2GdlRKhmRN0zy5GnX752-h5hf9pINfiVpRb4zZFBSkDEiz7ZSZ7YNBq5ADJ0SfgqFAHjD_FRQyqIcAnxk/s1600/0C7K5971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggxhV0bQHNhXNmg4RkTQV2KfvZvxIQY_OlWpUC9AMv-OPpTGjjGllBW1sV4v2GdlRKhmRN0zy5GnX752-h5hf9pINfiVpRb4zZFBSkDEiz7ZSZ7YNBq5ADJ0SfgqFAHjD_FRQyqIcAnxk/s320/0C7K5971.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here's one from the same spot, but with a slightly different angle and with a person added for emotional feeling and scale.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnt8XCqp_H3cMTVj7M96QLxgcx00CE0IdU6wtGg9rOci4BKJRyDHmBUINLdZHL4UcLX2rgsI0JGmpOzz14X79wJz4Nsvynqbn6OfqI0Gfa3RrBwEIgFheKkEKl9T5pglQDEkHozZJvHw/s1600/0C7K5977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRnt8XCqp_H3cMTVj7M96QLxgcx00CE0IdU6wtGg9rOci4BKJRyDHmBUINLdZHL4UcLX2rgsI0JGmpOzz14X79wJz4Nsvynqbn6OfqI0Gfa3RrBwEIgFheKkEKl9T5pglQDEkHozZJvHw/s320/0C7K5977.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here is one from another popular spot near the lower observation deck, but again, from a slightly different angle with a different perspective:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyOFE_la1Opin4qnxRmhGf7-Fv9FbSCNZ1gSykeluxEZOuRfr3F-kb-NB2-ykkWzekO8evP5t1B2bOb2m32EA2Xm80SyWrYhG9WO707NJqBTg3-S2595b4XcuA7w5t5VyL_1yW9oOgQ8/s1600/0C7K5991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRyOFE_la1Opin4qnxRmhGf7-Fv9FbSCNZ1gSykeluxEZOuRfr3F-kb-NB2-ykkWzekO8evP5t1B2bOb2m32EA2Xm80SyWrYhG9WO707NJqBTg3-S2595b4XcuA7w5t5VyL_1yW9oOgQ8/s320/0C7K5991.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And here is a lizard for sheer randomness and enjoyment-I saw it as I was walking away from the lower observation deck:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAYkDeEFmPbRnsHnzgJG7IcR12GJhIuIRQeM4UIeThLY6eMeOkvaghW4VZ3EV6F0q6sLSWsc-wHRf0T0pUG7IfZ0ZK_CVIiS06yuerW9Efi_waiEOVnlaigYmTUcg17A2Yi8P9FfgvZQ/s1600/0C7K5982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAYkDeEFmPbRnsHnzgJG7IcR12GJhIuIRQeM4UIeThLY6eMeOkvaghW4VZ3EV6F0q6sLSWsc-wHRf0T0pUG7IfZ0ZK_CVIiS06yuerW9Efi_waiEOVnlaigYmTUcg17A2Yi8P9FfgvZQ/s320/0C7K5982.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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That quick tip ended up being not so quick, though hopefully
still informative and enjoyable. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Here is a link to the Facebook post I did on this with the images and descriptions:</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/lightbendersvisuals/posts/896297333749822?notif_t=like">Facebook Quick Tip</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJgHUGPl3Ag">Youtube video tutorial</a></div>
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Don't forget to follow me on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lightbendersvisuals?fref=photo">Facebook</a> and <a href="https://instagram.com/lightbendersvisuals/">Instagram</a> to see more of my daily adventures and get more awesome info and quick tips like this! </div>
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Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5858673048863304025.post-7412436654721384662015-02-12T10:59:00.001-08:002016-10-02T12:23:54.611-07:00How I Got the Shot: Telephoto Panoramas<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Since I am often on assignments where I am
primarily shooting with telephoto lenses, I have become very adept at using
them for what some might call "non-traditional" things, i.e. using
them for types of shots not typically associated with long lenses. In
this case, that would be landscapes. I have always maintained that
telephoto lenses can make great landscape images</span>—if you have good
technique and a keen eye for composition.
But don’t let that discourage you, because those things can be easily
taught and learned! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.lightbendersvisuals.com/Landscapes/Landscapes/i-cCxfDgT/A" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsxWrfDt2WidXD-Mej4I02djUSZ7K_PqIhemz8H_E8rV1Jd5INXwW29WuKUinSeNtSsLOID5UYQ5gXlHoj7-J9ZUn3Hdd9z9Gwh7Txwe204J6osSGn3_fOJ1nD8s2N_4gEgMzj9DyPWQs/s1600/Untitled_Panorama1_600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The shot above was created with a Canon 300mm
f/4L IS on a 5D3 body. It was a
compilation of 5 vertical shots that were stitched together in Photoshop. </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.lightbendersvisuals.com/Landscapes/Landscapes/i-ZLVSQ5j/A" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="105" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4yp5z13p-o4brf0EQe0PG34S-PXLwuSXpE2JyKaxkcEs1wn-LFVMB34rLnAPtd9hwTPr827jAQwuhJI_2WnH_QaNZSIcHBApUbMUY2HEaokDYyiUGtVsOhUrz0zr9zKWAsc-PS9FOPsg/s1600/Super+giant+11+shot+pano_800.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The image above was created with the </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 17.1200008392334px;">Canon 300mm f/4L IS on a 5D3 body. It was a compilation of 11 vertical shots that were stitched together in Photoshop. While it is wider than the first image, it is also more shots, and had I done fewer shots, but taken them horizontally, I would have lost most of the sky above the clouds.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> Most people will intuitively want to shoot a
panorama with the camera in the horizontal position, because the goal of a pano
is to get a wider image than you can with a single shot. This is fine, if that’s the specific look you
are going for, but there is a trick that most overlook or just don’t think
about: turn it vertical. The problem
arises when you start stitching multiple horizontal shots together you will drastically
increase the length to height ratio, which is not always pleasing—especially
when viewing the image on mobile or smaller screens, as many do these
days. That makes it harder to see the
detail you packed into the pano. To get
around this, turn the camera vertical to take the individual shots, then when
you stitch them in post, they will add up to a more normal width to height
ratio. This is especially helpful when
you are working with a longer focal length, such as I was here with the
300mm. Another benefit—if shot
correctly—is that the resulting image will have much more detail than if you
were to have just slapped a wider lens on to get the same shot; and I really
like detail in my landscapes!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I hope this tip helps you to remember that
next time you find yourself out and about with your telephoto and see an epic
landscape opportunity that you can still get that shot! Just remember to always think outside the traditional
frame. If you want to know more, or have
any questions regarding this post, feel free to leave a comment or email me any
time.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Video tutorial <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13kLcqkWhwA&list=PLfbXCRj_yeVrIRpDoGU4VsHpmcwiiY1NF&index=7" target="_blank">Here</a></span></div>
Brent Hallhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08607042843862621500noreply@blogger.com0