# Butterflies 9 shots HDR



## Provo (Jul 5, 2010)

*#1 Mothra*






*#2*





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*#7*





*#8*





*#9 The only Butterfly I've seen that Prays*






*I dont have a Macro Lens so I used what I had on hand. I hope you all like them.*


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## SrBiscuit (Jul 13, 2010)

they didnt move at all between exposures?


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## eric-holmes (Jul 13, 2010)

SrBiscuit said:


> they didnt move at all between exposures?



   :scratch:


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## Provo (Jul 13, 2010)

SrBiscuit said:


> they didnt move at all between exposures?


 
Nope I use continious shutter release so all three shots come down.
LOL it's funny everyone always ask me the same thing. Also this is in a controlled sealed enviroment it's a butterfly farm so they mostly fly around and then sit down for a few steady seconds the they fly off again. 
Look at this video there are some points in the video where you see them stay steady

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lvVpMTVegw[/ame]



eric-holmes said:


> :scratch:


 
 *I am now laughing as well it's a nice video isn't it.*


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## Fragomeni (Jul 15, 2010)

This is interesting. The part about them staying perfectly still I mean. What settings are you using on your camera to capture the bracketed shots? Even if you are using the cameras auto bracketing function I would think there would still be enough movement to distort the final image but I could be wrong. I haven't used the auto bracketing function on my camera yet put you just gave me the motivation to do so. Either way, the shots look fantastic. Beautiful job!


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## Provo (Jul 15, 2010)

Fragomeni said:


> This is interesting. The part about them staying perfectly still I mean. What settings are you using on your camera to capture the bracketed shots? Even if you are using the cameras auto bracketing function I would think there would still be enough movement to distort the final image but I could be wrong. I haven't used the auto bracketing function on my camera yet put you just gave me the motivation to do so. Either way, the shots look fantastic. Beautiful job!


 
*The only difference was the iso I had it set higher for a sharper shot*
*I also used after processing Noiseware pluggin to remove noise from the image.*
*I use noiseware for almost all shot's I take. Now get shooting!*


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## Fragomeni (Jul 15, 2010)

Thanks for the diagram in explaining this. So just to make sure I get what you did, you just set the camera to AEB with continuous shutter and then manually set the ISO to your desired sensitivity and then threw in a little post-processing to remove any noise. That sound about right for your work flow? Sounds like what I normally do when bracketing except I haven't played with the AEB or continuous shutter much yet. Soon as my arm is back in working order (just had shoulder surgery) I'll start messing around with similar setting on my camera.

Thanks for walking me through your workflow.


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## Provo (Jul 15, 2010)

Fragomeni said:


> Thanks for the diagram in explaining this. So just to make sure I get what you did, you just set the camera to AEB with continuous shutter and then manually set the ISO to your desired sensitivity and then threw in a little post-processing to remove any noise. That sound about right for your work flow? Sounds like what I normally do when bracketing except I haven't played with the AEB or continuous shutter much yet. Soon as my arm is back in working order (just had shoulder surgery) I'll start messing around with similar setting on my camera.
> 
> Thanks for walking me through your workflow.


 

Your welcome anytime that's how it should be all the time helping each other out.

For a great HDR tutorial follow this guide
HDR Tutorial | High Dynamic Range Tutorial
He's one of the best HDR photographers around Trey Ratcliff


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## Fragomeni (Jul 15, 2010)

Provo said:


> Fragomeni said:
> 
> 
> > Thanks for the diagram in explaining this. So just to make sure I get what you did, you just set the camera to AEB with continuous shutter and then manually set the ISO to your desired sensitivity and then threw in a little post-processing to remove any noise. That sound about right for your work flow? Sounds like what I normally do when bracketing except I haven't played with the AEB or continuous shutter much yet. Soon as my arm is back in working order (just had shoulder surgery) I'll start messing around with similar setting on my camera.
> ...



Agreed!


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## pugnacious33 (Jul 15, 2010)

I'm not sure I understand the point of shooting these in HDR. The color is nice, but IMO, these are lacking in composition. Perhaps some cropping could help. There is too much space around the insects, and too much going on in the background.


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## Fragomeni (Jul 15, 2010)

pugnacious33 said:


> I'm not sure I understand the point of shooting these in HDR. The color is nice, but IMO, these are lacking in composition. Perhaps some cropping could help. There is too much space around the insects, and too much going on in the background.



People question why to shoot anything in HDR just like they questioned why to shoot in color (yes people actually questioned color), why to shoot 35mm in the days of the larger film sizes, why to shoot moving pictures rather then go to the theater (maybe not directly relevant to photography but it illustrates the point), and people still question why to shoot digital instead of film and vice versa. There are both fact-based and philosophical answers to all of those question but the simple answer is that it is a creative tool. Simple as that. Photography is a creative art and if all we had were the people who asked what the point was Im sure we'd all be very disappointed with what we would have left in regard to creative, beautiful, intriguing, and inspiring work. Art is about learning and experimentation and lets not forget that sometimes the things which prove to be most significant and which we learn most from are often the vary things that people didn't see the point of.

Im not trying to be a smarta** but my point is just that the conversation was about an experimentation in HDR technique so lets all try our best to not turn it into another pointless debate over the merits of HDR or why we'd shoot anything in HDR. Shoot what you want to shoot how you want to shoot it and let it be.


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## pugnacious33 (Jul 16, 2010)

Fragomeni said:


> pugnacious33 said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not sure I understand the point of shooting these in HDR. The color is nice, but IMO, these are lacking in composition. Perhaps some cropping could help. There is too much space around the insects, and too much going on in the background.
> ...


 
I understand that, and I apologize if my post came off as overly critical. HDR was obviously applied very well to these photos. My point was simply that HDR is merely a technique to improve a photo, not a replacement for other important elements of a photo.


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## Bynx (Jul 16, 2010)

HDR is a technique to produce an image which cant be duplicated EXACTLY any other way. Even when you might think its not needed, it is. And if it werent, so what? The effort was put forth by the OP. When that effort is questioned it makes me wonder who is asking and why. Not anyone interested in learning thats for sure. Try shooting an HDR sometime where you think its absolutely not needed. You will see an improvement over every one of your shots. While you may complain about the composition here you cant dispute the clarity and vibrance of all the images. And that is the benefit of HDR treatment.


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## pugnacious33 (Jul 16, 2010)

I totally disagree.


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## Fragomeni (Jul 16, 2010)

Both sides of the argument have been stated (and this certainly isn't the first time) so lets all be the intelligent adults I know most people on this forum are and leave a dead horse alone. We all know that photography comes out of a composite of any number of techniques, none of which outright replaces any other but instead each gives us creative options to do with whatever we creatively see fit in order to both create and learn. I think we can all agree with that.

I'm nipping this in the bud now. Thanks everyone eacesign:


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## Arkanjel Imaging (Jul 16, 2010)

The HDR treatment does nothing to improve these shots IMO.  Not bashing the pics.  They are average as far as butterfly shots go.  Im just saying that all of these could have been attained with one (good) exposure. 

The problem with HDR is that ist waaay over-used.  Fact is that unless what your shooting has a tonal range greater than what your sensor can provide then you are wasting your time.  Time that could be better spent improving on comp and exposure.


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## Fragomeni (Jul 16, 2010)

The horse has been beaten to death...and yet people still don't stop. Blindingly ridiculous. Officially unsubscribed from this thread.

Good day all.


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## Bynx (Jul 16, 2010)

Arkanjel Imaging said:


> The HDR treatment does nothing to improve these shots IMO.  Not bashing the pics.  They are average as far as butterfly shots go.  Im just saying that all of these could have been attained with one (good) exposure.
> 
> The problem with HDR is that ist waaay over-used.  Fact is that unless what your shooting has a tonal range greater than what your sensor can provide then you are wasting your time.  Time that could be better spent improving on comp and exposure.



"Not bashing the pics" and "They are average as far as butterfly shots go" is what is expected in a critique. Criticizing the OP for wasting his time puzzles me. Why are so many people concerned about the time wasted by the OP when doing HDR? Its your opinion he wasted his time. And its my opinion you are dead wrong.


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## Provo (Jul 16, 2010)

What I notice is that when someone posts anything decent to look at in this site, it seems to me the jealous over ego parasites come out and they cling on. Funny thing is that the only one&#8217;s contributing to the HDR forum are the few of us that are plagued by these clowns. Instead of worrying about what other people are doing with their time and talking **** out of your ass how about you contribute and show us your better aspects of what it takes to be in the presence of such greatness as the so called photographer you are making yourself out to be in this place. Show us your great composition and spectacular HDR shooting and processing techniques. Till then you will be just another tick lynched onto my balls and I am about to scratch you off. And if this reply gets me banned then so be it there is no order in these forums this is supposed to be a friendly place to share ideas, help each other out, but lately it&#8217;s been a bashing forum and post anything to get your post count up. Now that&#8217;s wasting time no contribution to the forums at all but bs reply post.


"Haters throw salt like rice on a wedding" UGK


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## pugnacious33 (Jul 16, 2010)

I was just offering what I thought was constructive critique, didn't mean to offend you or invoke such an angry reaction. I apologize. I thought that was the purpose of this site. For us all to help each other get better.

If you don't think i'm qualified to offer such advice, check my work for yourself.


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## Bynx (Jul 16, 2010)

Its not what you said pugnacious its the remarks of others. Dont sweat it.


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## Arkanjel Imaging (Jul 16, 2010)

Bynx said:


> "Not bashing the pics" and "They are average as far as butterfly shots go" is what is expected in a critique. Criticizing the OP for wasting his time puzzles me. Why are so many people concerned about the time wasted by the OP when doing HDR? Its your opinion he wasted his time. And its my opinion you are dead wrong.


 


Because *most* of the people working on HDR are below average photographers trying to fancy-up boring pics. 

Time is a commodity. And , in the beginning, time spent learning how to take good photographs is much more well spent than time learning how to (usually) overprocess mediocrity. Photoshop wont make you a good photographer. 

Edit: and he's so well spoken too. Tick on balls. And quoted UGK? :er:


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## Provo (Jul 17, 2010)

Arkanjel Imaging said:


> Bynx said:
> 
> 
> > "Not bashing the pics" and "They are average as far as butterfly shots go" is what is expected in a critique. Criticizing the OP for wasting his time puzzles me. Why are so many people concerned about the time wasted by the OP when doing HDR? Its your opinion he wasted his time. And its my opinion you are dead wrong.
> ...


 
The best part of this is "time spent learning how to take good photographs is much more well spent than time learning how to (usually) over process mediocrity" Well hell I looked at your flickr photo stream just to see what the hell this expert talking about. I can say the same thing about your shots I am honest some are good but you have like 5 pictures of just rocks??? And some other pictures of massive empty space in your composition??? This surely must be the great composition you are talking about. Not to mention you tell me I am wasting my time well what do you have to say for yourself when you where just shooting a rock nothing else but a rock? I mean where you talking to the rock or just staring at the rock?
What I really need to do is not waste my time debating on these forums just post a shot welcome the positive and ignore the negative I am taking this to personal, but that is because we have some people here that just like to troll around bashing images but yet again they present themselves as masters and have the nerve to tell me I am wasting my time when their own creativity is mediocre. 

And with that said I am now done on this topic.


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## Arkanjel Imaging (Jul 17, 2010)

You are a tool. I never said anything about being an expert/master did I? Or even good for that matter? No. *You *did. So stop assuming things. And yeah, pics of *glaciers. *Are they all the same? Uh, no. You only take one pic of each subject? Damn, you are good..... Dur. I was working on comp and exposure because I know everyone (especially myself) can improve and I dont get to see a lot of ice here in Florida.

You obviously are not humble enough to take the criticism for what it is. If you ignore the negative you will never improve or grow sir. Im not trolling. I was trying to convey that if you worked on improving your exposure and comp your pics would be much better. And then, maybe, think about HDR when it suits a particular image.

But hey, dont take my word. Look back on this thread in a couple years (if youre still shooting) and I bet dollars to donuts that you go " damn, he was right..."

Edit: where do you think you fall on this graph? Note where the "quality of photos" is in relation to the "HDR hole". The truth can be a harsh mistress. Thats why people usually get so defensive when it rears its ugly head.....


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## Bynx (Jul 17, 2010)

Arkanjel Imaging said:


> The HDR treatment does nothing to improve these shots IMO.  Not bashing the pics.  They are average as far as butterfly shots go.  Im just saying that all of these could have been attained with one (good) exposure.
> 
> The problem with HDR is that ist waaay over-used.  Fact is that unless what your shooting has a tonal range greater than what your sensor can provide then you are wasting your time.  Time that could be better spent improving on comp and exposure.



This is the HDR Thread. If you expect to see something else then your S.O.L. If you see too much bad HDR then if you stay out of here then you will see a less. Your kind of criticism we dont need.


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## Arkanjel Imaging (Jul 17, 2010)

Bynx said:


> This is the HDR Thread. If you expect to see something else then your S.O.L. If you see too much bad HDR then if you stay out of here then you will see a less. Your kind of criticism we dont need.


 

Of course I expected to see HDR. I also never said anything about HDR sucking. If its done well, on a good photo, then its a great process. 

My criticism may have sounded harsh. But sugar-coating and coddling are for children. Anyways, I didnt come here to jack your thread.  Its all just my opinoin right?


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## Bynx (Jul 17, 2010)

We arent talking anything about sugar-coating or coddling. We are talking about comments which dont fall into critiquing. Cut a shot up if it deserves it. That includes comments on composition, color, focus, cropping, etc. It does not include the time the OP spent or the methods he used. Those are just none of your business. If you feel HDR wasnt called for, think about it. This is the HDR thread and maybe the OP might even feel the same way but tried out HDR anyways. Just to see what would happen. If you like it say so, and if you dont say so. But thats about it. The kind of comments you make are more personal to the OP than to his photo. And finally suggesting that most people who submit HDR photos are lousy photographers tells me lots about you. Its a fairly new game and Im in favor of anyone learning it. You have to think HDR when you are taking pics now. Not just a simple single shot but you have to also think the Hi's and Lo's. What you see here, whether you like them or not are usually the end product of a lot of hard work. How boring to just go out, point your camera, click and post. Like a lot of things those days are gone.


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## Provo (Jul 18, 2010)

Arkanjel voice his personal opinion which he and others are entitled to but Bynx you are right if he didn't like it thats all he would've had to say, but the way he came out and said im wasting my time etc.. that **** don't fly with me. But hey it's the internet im over it I can't get bent out of shape due to someones rude commenting.

They are my own images that I processed it might not appeal to likings of everyone which is understood. But what really matters is what I think and I like my results.
I made the decision to share it here so I have to understand the comments wether they are good or harsh that come with it so I to am at fault for blowing up but I have my reasons for defending myself especially when being insulted.


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