N. David King

The Digital Landscape Using Digital Photography & PhotoShop™ in Landscape Photography N. David King

Digital Landscape Photography Inevitable Film vs. Digital issues. Camera & Lens Issues (Equipment) Workflow Output We’ll take a look at each in more detail… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes

Digital Landscape Photography Inevitable Film vs. Digital issues. –The Major Issues for Landscape Shooters are: Longevity Dynamic Range Resolution This is important: let’s quickly examine each… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes

Digital Landscape Photography IMAGE TYPE Est. LIFE SPAN (MUSEUM CONDITIONS) Type “C” Color Print years B&W RC Print years (improving w/ new materials) Fuji Crystal Archive Color years B&W Archival Fiber years Normal Inkjet Dyes 5-10 years (Typical non-photo printer) Photo Quality Dyes years Hybrid/Pigmented Dyes years Pigment Color inks years Carbon Pigment B&W inks years. © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Image Longevity

Digital Landscape Photography MEDIA STOPSGAMMA Film: Color Pos /- Film: B&W Neg /- B&W Paper P&S Digital Sensor 8-11 < DSLR* Digital Sensor /- High End InkJet Print * High end sensors in Digital Backs are better © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Dynamic Range

Digital Landscape Photography Film resolution is effected by the lenses and developers. It can theoretically capture finer detail than virtually any lens can resolve because of its microscopic grain. A single grain of VERY FINE GRAINED FILM averages about 2 microns (1 micron (micrometre) is 1/1,000,000 of a meter) … However… film clumping severely cuts back on this theoretical potential since it takes grains to clump to reveal increments of tonality or single element of resolution... High end digital cameras can also capture more than most lenses resolve though not as much more as film’s potential. A Common 6 Mp DSLR’s photosites are about 6 microns. In practice it can resolve finer detail than many films’ grain clumps however because each pixel can create any tone. (More pixels on same sensor size means smaller photosites.) … continued © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Film vs Digital Resolution

Digital Landscape Photography Of course with larger film formats the grain to image size relationship changes but it does so with larger format digital backs as well. So how do formats of film compare? It is commonly felt in the professional world that you can easily match…( 2006 technology) –35mm with a 6 Mp DSLR –645/6x6 MF with an 8-10 Mp DSLR –6x7 MF with a Mp DSLR –4x5 LF with a Mp DSLR –8x10 LF with a MF multi-shot Back of 22+ Mp © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Film vs Digital Resolution

Digital Landscape Photography Camera & Lens Issues –Camera Pixel Count Realities (Actual v. Effective) Durability Functions –Lens Resolution… (llpm, contrast, and MTF curves) Zoom vs Prime lenses… (The “Sweet Spot”) Optical issues for Digital… Continued © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Equipment

Digital Landscape Photography Lens Issues, Continued –Optical issues new to Digital Angle of projected light on photo sites Circles of Confusion size re photo sites Internal Light reflections from sensor surface: Asymetrical lenses © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Equipment

Digital Landscape Photography Camera & Lens Accessories –Tripod Why Digital Photographers need them Sturdiness and weight Heads and adapters Pads for legs or Shoulder Straps –Lens Shades/Hoods Digital is VERY vulnerable to stray light. ANY light striking the objective is captured © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Equipment

Digital Landscape Photography Camera & Lens Issues –Lens Shades and Hoods –Here is NO hood: Notice light on Dust on lens surface © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Equipment

Digital Landscape Photography Camera & Lens Issues –Lens Shades and Hoods –With Hood no light can strike the lens © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Equipment

Digital Landscape Photography Camera Accessories (Continued) –Filters Why most Professional Digital Photographers do not use them. –Diffusion of image –Light flare –Ease of simulation in post editing Protection from Dust and Moisture –Lens caps and hoods/shades © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Equipment

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Capture Issues –Camera Settings: Like different film for each shot ISO White Balance & Color Space Contrast Saturation Sharpening (Canons vs Others) Exposure –The Sensor is not digital film –The Histogram and Monitor –Calibrating Digital Cameras –Light Meters Focus © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Conversion Issues –RAW vs. JPEG –Shooting it Right / Exposure Latitude –Shooting TO the Right: myth or reality? –Various RAW Converters –Modifications/Editing to do in the converter –Output as… Tiff or PSD 16 bit sRGB vs Adobe RGB vs ProPhoto RGB © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Editing Issues –PhotoShop approach Paradigms Graphic Arts / Arts CREATION Photography / Photo-Arts EDITING Finishing vs Fixing Non-Destructive Editing: Pros and Cons Color Management Why does Workflow Matter? –Commutative and Non-Commutative Processes Continued… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Editing Issues (Continued) –PhotoShop Photo-Editing Workflow (Optional) Crop if Desired GLOBAL TONALITIES 1.Use Levels to set White and Black Points 1.WB on neutral target if not done in converter 2.Input and Output settings for specific printers 2.Use Curves to adjust contrast and mid tones (Treat like Zone System increments) Continued… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Editing Issues (Continued) –PhotoShop Photo-Editing Workflow (Cont.) GLOBAL COLOR 1.Photo Filter (Overall Cast correction) 2.Hue-Saturation (Correction based on color) 3.Color Balance (Correction based on tonal range) Continued… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Editing Issues (Continued) –PhotoShop Photo-Editing Workflow SELECTED AREA EDITING –Using Layers and Layer Masking SELECTED AREA TONALITIES –Levels to set White and Black Points –Curves to adjust contrast and mid tones (Treat like Zone System increments) Continued… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Editing Issues (Continued) –PhotoShop Photo-Editing Workflow (Cont.) SELECTED AREA COLOR –Photo filter (Overall Cast correction) –Hue-Saturation (Correction based on color) –Color Balance (Correction based on tonal range) Continued… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Editing Issues (Continued) –PhotoShop and Beyond Thinking Digitally –HDR/Tonemapping –Layering to Expand Options Depth of Field extension and contraction Exposure extensions (Astro) –Stitching Panoramas Mosaics (Multi-Row Panoramas) Plan print in advance (previsualization) Continued… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Editing Issues (Continued) –PhotoShop Photo-Editing Workflow (Continued) But What if I want it in B&W??? –Camera processing vs. Photoshop –Start with BEST Color then enhance for effect –Proper conversion (CS3 and earlier) Grayscale, de-saturation, Channel Mixer, B&W –Using “False Color” to set up for conversion –RGB vs Grayscale file For Web/ For Printing –Multi-Black printers and profiling issues Continued… © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography Workflow: Organizing/Archiving –Backing Up and Archiving Camera Originals Working Files Edited Masters Printing Files –Software Solutions © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Workflow

Digital Landscape Photography © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes: Materials and Follow-up You can download this PowerPoint Presentation from my website: Then follow the links to SDFair materials low on the page. And check out the Photo Program at San Diego City College

Digital Landscape Photography © N. David King Issues for Digital Photographers shooting landscapes