At home [and at peace] with HDR Photography

When I saw Tony Remington's Photo set on high dynamic range (HDR), my attitude and perception towards HDR has completely changed.  Earlier in my photography, most of the HDRs I saw looks surreal and unreal.  As a beginner, I thought, this is not the kind of photography I would delve into.  It would go for more realistic photos--especially those astounding images of light and shadows. HDR was not just my cup of tea, so to say.

Lately, I saw a link on the stages of photography. Looking at this graphical representation, I thought my photography really sucks!  I am not even on a maturing stage and I am regressing.  I must admit, I ate my own words about HDR (uhmmm...not particularly those who are doing HDR).








But then, sometimes, I get frustrated with getting the appropriate exposure for both the foreground and the background in my landscape photography.  This is true when you see an amazing view and can only live with the available spot or location.  It was either the sky is appropriately exposed and the foreground is underexposed or the foreground is just right but the sky is overexposed.  I thought, in times like this, or when the sun is not at your back,  the only solution is HDR.  This also applies to the so-called "tunnel shots" like this. you cannot make a good exposure of the "tunnel" (which in this case is an arc bridgeway in Intramuros, Manila.


I tried this during my trip to Chocolate Hills in Bohol.  There is no way I could face a sunrise and get a good exposure of the Chocolate Hills, and it was the only time I would get to photograph it, since I have a workshop after breakfast.  Since I had no tripod during that time, I took a single RAW shot, and made three exposures in Olympus Master (the bundle post processing software of my Olympus E-510) -- these exposures are -1, 0, and +1.  Then I had my Photomatix 3.2 do the trick, and edited the colors and white balance in Lightroom 2.0.

So am I into HDR as a signature photography post processing?  The answer is both YES and NO.

YES, because I would love to use HDR only on my landscape and architectural shots.  I would still like to create HDR photos like that of Tony. 

NO, because I tried using it for street photography and still photography.  Sure, the photos look nice, but then HDR is not appropriate for them. If ever I would go into portraits using HDR, I should be as good as Chito Francisco, where most of his HDR post processing for portraits produce outstanding results.

In other words, HDR has its own purposes, and has some limitations, too.  HDR is good for landscape, and architectural shots, where you want to bring out the details and exphasize the architectural design elements like Tony's photos.  Also, if you want to create a surreal photo like the movie "The Lovely Bones", then you are on the go.  I would say, forget it when you are dealing with still photography.  Yes, you may use it to emphasize the "oldness" of the subject like dilapidated trucks and so on.  But sometimes, leaving them as they are makes it more realistic.  

In other words, HDR is not bad per se. HDR is nice to learn.  In fact it is a must for non-pro like me to learn HDR to learn more about shadow and light and exposure, which is the crux of photography.  But making it as your signature photography genre would be limiting you to explore the vast possibilities in photography.

HDR relies heavily on skill on post processing technique.  If you do not have basic photography principles on white balance, lighting and exposure control, and colors, then HDR is not for you either. HDR photography also relies heavily on technology.  Too much reliance on software like Photomatix, Lightroom and Photoshop,  also stunts your photographic learning curve.  Not everything can be solved by HDR.  Not every photo must be "HDR'd".  HDR has a purpose, and you need to discover that yourself.  On this last note, I would say that HDR offers many possibilities too and I might try HDR for portraits, like that of Chito Francisco.

Click here to see my HDR photos.

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By popular demand

Image via Wikipedia
I have been a Flickr user since March 2007 or 3 years and 7 months to be exact. My PRO account expires on November 5, 2010.

So far I have been satisfied with Flickr services, especially when it comes to protecting my photos from being stolen through its privacy and copyright options, and several features that allow me to see how my individual photos fared in the internet, and how they appealed to the viewers. I might renew it again when the time comes.

Compared to other flickr users, this statistics is nothing, but just the same, I just want to share with you several photos based on popularity. : (You may click the image to view the larger size).

Most Interesting:


Most Viewed: 3852 views


Most Favorited: 42 people favorited


Most commented: 101 comments.





Thanks to all those who patronize my photos!

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"I like it on my keyboard."

Last night, I was browsing through Facebook and saw a couple of statuses from two of my female friends.  One "I like it on my bed." and another likes it "in the closet."

Apparently, this is another creative way of spreading the awareness of and support to the fight against breast cancer.  Even if I am not a woman, but I have a wife, sisters, women friends and relatives, so I am joining all in spreading this campaign. It can be recalled that last year, 2009, it was all about the color of underwear. So, "I like it on my keyboard."

My late mom also had a stage 2 breast cancer.  That is why this issue is very important to me.  After all, I was nursed with her breasts when I was a baby.  She passed away two years ago due to some undiagnosed disease (but could be related to breast cancer). Initially, my mother received the "bad news" with a heavy heart.  Assurance from us, her children, telling her that breast cancer can now be treated, helped her understand and recover fast.  Indeed, she survived it and was declared cancer free until her untimely and unexpected death.

Hearing the words "breast cancer" doesn't always mean an end. Rather a woman can take it as the beginning of learning how to fight, getting the facts, and finding hope.

Some important lessons can be drawn from my mom's experience:

1. Knowing the real score.  It is important that the patient knows her condition.  It is her body and she has every right to every information on the illness she has.  Gone were those days when cancer was to be kept a secret.  It has to be out in the open so that one can openly wage a battle against it.
2. Know thy enemy. One needs to confirm (and re-confirm, if needed, by getting a second opinion) if, indeed, one has the big C.  Laboratory tests and diagnosis, and prognosis are very important information in waging a battle against it.  One needs to know her nemesis, so that she can attack its weaknesses as well as allow her to prepare and strategize for the "battle".
3. Gathering your ranks to support the patient, as well as in battling the disease.  Cancer is not easy--financially and physically speaking. The big C can drain both.  It can drain a patient morally and spiritually.  That is why, the family or even the entire clan (if possible) must be involved in giving moral support, offering prayers, and even financial support. Likewise one's circle of friends is equally important in every way.

In addition to the above lessons, every woman and man, must be fully aware of and learn about breast cancer.  For Filipino women, you can browse through the Philippine Foundation for BREAST Care, Inc. One can also learn more about breast cancer at Pink Ribbon Official Website.

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Announcing the Top 10 CNN Heroes 2010

Image via WikipediaPreviously, I blogged about CNN's announcement about its search for the CNN Heroes 2010.  Well, there is no Filipino nominee this time, but I am sure, there is no dearth of exemplary Filipinos, doing their heroic acts.
The Top 10 Nominees include:

1. Guadalupe Arizpe De La Vega
2. Susan Burton
3. Linda Fondren
4. Anuradha Noirala
5. Naryanan Krishnan
6. Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow
7. Harmon Parker
8. Aki Ra
9. Evans Wadongo
10. Dan Wallrath

Read more about their profiles, heroism, and vote HERE.

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Who will be the 2010 CNN Hero of the Year?

Image via WikipediaCNN has made an announcement that it will disclose its 2010 Top 10 CNN Heroes.  According to CNN, the announcement will be made on September 23, 2010, at 1PM at CNN.com., which will commence an online voting.

We recall that, in 2009, Efren Peñaflorida, a street educator from the province of Cavite was bagged the 2009 CNN Hero of the Year.  He also made the famous quote "We are the change that this world needs to be."

Will there be a Filipino nominee again this year?  Let us find out on Thursday, September 23. In the meantime, let us watch CNN's video on Efren:


Video Credit: CNN.com

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Video | Manila : Queen of the Pacific

Video credit: The Travel Film Archive

My late father always talked about his Escolta walks.  As a kid who grew in the province, I never had an inkling of how Manila looked like.  I only knew about it from my father's pictures, and later on when I had the chance to tag along with my parents.  He endlessly talked about how beautiful Escolta and Avenida Rizal was.

We know that Escolta was the center of business and trade, much like Ayala Avenue and the Entire Ayala Center, then we had Cubao, Greenhills, and now, we have Libis, Rockwell, and the latest to grow are Fort Bonifacio and Madrigal Business Center in Alabang.  Avenida Rizal, then, was the center for the culture and the arts, where movies were shown and stage plays were held--like London's West End or New York's Broadway.

Having the chance to work in Intramuros in the early 90s made me appreciate the ruins and architecture of Old Manila, and of course, Escolta and Avenida Rizal.  Intramuros, for its being a tourism destination is being preserved and reconstructed to its old glory. Escolta, since early 90s has not changed much.  Perhaps, there are only more traffic and people now.  Needless to say, Avenida Rizal is in shambles. This dingy and grimy place is now home to rotting buildings, peddlers, crooks, street people, and heavy traffic. It is ironic that this strip where Manila culturati has taken its roots, has become a place for lewd movies and sexy stage performances, and worst, a place for prostitution.
Under Mayor Lito Atienza, Avenida Rizal, which was even named after the country's national hero, was given a much-needed facelift.  It was cleared from traffic and was converted into a street mall.  Now, under the leadership of Mayor Lim, the place has gone back to its sham image.

In my photowalks to these places, it is just sad to witness Filipinos' lack of appreciation for history, culture and tradition--which must translate into preservation or restoration of historical places and architecture.  I could only marvel at the thought that Manila was once a pride in Southeast Asia or even the Pacific.

Well, it is not too late to bring back the lost glory of Manila. There are still buildings that can be salvaged from rotting and total destruction.  We only need to clean up these places and at least repaint their facades, and once and for all, get rid of those hanging cables and wires!  Bury them under!   In fact the El Hogar building in Binondo area is now undergoing a major renovation and restoration to be a future site for business and trade. I just hope the National Historical Institute and Manila's planner's would be more gungho about this. 

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