Here’s a tough question I received recently.  Once again, I went back to Nat Coalson for the answer.  Nat’s one of the most well-informed color management experts I’ve worked with and he’s an excellent teacher on the topic.  Here is the question and his response.

The Question:

Hi Brett,

I was wondering if you or a reader may be able to help me. I have a macbookpro and also a Mac Pro with an Eizo Coloredge monitor. I use a Eye One Display to calibrate both and the Eizo is wonderful (as you would expect) however, my macbookpro display shows severe magenta shifts when trying to display blue colours (the sorts of blue you get in the shadows on a blue sky day – see here http://www.flickr.com/photos/timparkin/4251366239/).

However I try to calibrate my macbookpro using the Eye One product, I always end up with these areas coming out a vivid magenta (a bit like the magenta you get from old velvia film). I’ve tried changing the colour temperature and brightness but to no avail – I can’t get close.

I have heard other people have a similar issue and was wondering if anybody had any comments about this?

Nat Responds:

I haven’t seen or heard of this problem. It’s most likely due to incorrect settings. A couple of ideas:

First, make sure that the Eye One software is up to date and the sensor is clean.

Second, make sure the settings used for performing the calibration are correct. I seem to recall there is a “Laptop” mode (but I could be confusing it with another app).  After calibration and profiling is done, go into the Displays control panel and make sure the correct profile is loaded. Also make sure the Mac’s built-in “calibration” isn’t interfering.

Finally, confirm the settings in your ColorSync utility are correct; they should be left at their defaults.

I’ve successfully calibrated a number of macbooks and macbook pros without a problem. Understand that a laptop will never calibrate as well as a standalone, desktop display, so you won’t ever see your macbook and Eizo looking the same. That said, you shouldn’t expect a magenta color cast, either.  I suppose it is possible that for some reason the macbook’s display driver doesn’t like the profile being generated by the Eye One. In this case, you’ll need to Google a bit to see if other people have the same problem, and what the fix is.

I know this isn’t a definite answer but hope it helps point you in the right direction.

As you may recall I posted 17 of my favorite photos from 2009 on my Facebook page and asked you all to pick your favorite five images from the group.  Your response was overwhelming!  I am so thankful to each and every person who took the time to vote and comment on the images.  The votes have been counted and, without further ado, the winning images are…

I received a question that was generated during discussion of “The iMac Calibration Conundrum” about using the Pantone Huey Pro for monitor calibration.  Read on…

The Question:

Have you heard anything about the Huey Pro system? I am seriously considering getting that after it was highly recommended.  Curious to hear your thoughts.

Nat Coalson Responds:

The Huey system has long been plagued with poor performance and 
questionable results. It’s nowhere near “professional”. I’ve 
personally worked with several clients who had one, and determined 
that not only did the Huey not correct the colors on the display, but 
in many cases actually made things worse by introducing strange and 
undesirable color casts.

That said, I would expect that now that Pantone (and the Huey systems) 
are now under X-Rite’s wing, they might improve.

But you really do get what you pay for. If you’re really looking for 
accurate, predictable color, you need to be looking at around the $200 
range for a calibration kit with hardware and software.

For now, I’d avoid the Huey in all its flavors and go for the i1; 
either the LE or the Display 2 will give you significantly better 
results.

One of my favorite clients emailed me yesterday to ask for my advice on photographing at Bosque del Apache.  He doesn’t have a ginormous telephoto lens and was curious about whether his current gear would still allow for a fruitful trip.  I’ve never been to Bosque del Apache and the only bird I shoot is the one you’ll get for cutting me off in traffic.  So, I consulted the experts and emailed him their responses as well as an esoteric one from me.  Here’s what we came up with:

The Question

Hi Bret,

Looks like I have a weather window to spend this weekend shooting at Bosque del Apache. Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese. Research tells me I do not have lens to do this perfectly, but wonder what potential I have shooting with 28-300 on my Nikon D300?

Since this is a 700-800 mile round trip I’d like to have some idea of what to expect before I invest the time and effort.  I’m not so much into extreme close-up work on the birds, but more into the water, horizon, sunrise or sunset background image. Trip is as much to discover if I want to work this subject more in the future so I’m thinking my equipment may be adequate.

Any advice you might have would be very welcomed.

The Experts Respond

Nat Coalson said: 

I think your equipment will be adequate for a lot of different kinds of shots at Bosque.  If you decide you really want more length, a couple of things you could consider: 

1. Rent a lens. It’s cheap. I can give you a promo code for BorrowLenses.com, which I highly recommend. Renting a lens is also a great way to try out new equipment before buying. 

2. See if there’s a tele-extender that works with your current lens. A 1.5 or 2x extender is a really handy gadget in your bag. 

Hope you have a great trip!

Andy Biggs said:

My hunch is that 500mm would be a good focal length. 

Scott Bacon said: 

Ditto what Andy said.

And finally, my response:

I’m going to get a little more esoteric.  From a practical standpoint I think the gear you have will be fine for just about everything you’ll find there.  If you do find a bird to photograph you may well wish you had a longer lens but as you said, you’re going more for landscapes and less for birds. 

Here’s where I get esoteric – with the right attitude whatever gear you have is the right gear for the moment.  Huh?  What I mean is that regardless of your gear, the weather, the light and the subjects available you can almost always find something to photograph if you keep an open mind and let your creativity take over.

Been to Bosque del Apache and have some advice that might be helpful?  Please leave a comment.  You never know when someone else will stumble across this thread and find great value in your response.  You can never have too much good karma.

Superstition Mountains and Wildflowers

I was digging through my hard drive when I came across this image of the wildflower bloom in Lost Dutchman State Park outside Phoenix, Arizona.  Those imposing peaks are the Superstition Mountains.  This was photographed on Velvia 50 film waaaaaay back in 2000 or 2001.  Jack Dykinga was about 15′ to my right with a big wooden contraption called a large format camera mounted on a tripod.  When I replay the moment in my head I imagine that Jack and I were good friends out for an evening shoot.  In reality I was just an annoying, star struck kid who wouldn’t shut the hell up.  Still, Jack was very gracious and never once made me feel stupid for gabbing on and on about whatever random crap came out of my mouth.  I should probably confess here and now that despite the title Jack Dykinga does not play a large part in this story.  In fact, his part of the story ends here.  Sorry for suckering you in like that.  Actually, I’m not sorry at all.  Now that you’re here you might as well keep reading, right?

This was one of the first images I made that wasn’t an utter disappointment on the light table.  I remember being thrilled when I picked up my slides from the lab and saw this among the collection.  Finally, I was ready to go pro!

Sitting here now, almost ten years later, I look at the image and see at least half a dozen things wrong.  I see all the things I would do different.  I see featureless black shadows, giant chunks of grain and a poorly executed attempt at hyperfocal focus.  What I see hurts my eyes.  And then I sit back in my chair and I see this image for what it is – an image created by an eager new photographer using the best equipment he could afford in a spectacular environment with his good buddy Jack Dykinga standing next to him.  Okay, that last part isn’t true at all but you get the idea.

Cameras evolve, lenses evolve, Photoshop evolves and we evolve.  Our styles and tastes change.  Images that made us squeal with excitement 10 years ago make us cringe today.  But those images are still valuable and they have earned a rightful place in our photo collections.  We may not post them for sale on our sites or include them in a magazine submission but they are part of who we are.  Those images helped shape us into the photographers we’ve become.  Just like the mullet we wore in high school, these images may not be a part of our past we want everyone to know about but they are still in our DNA.  I say, let’s celebrate them!

Got an old photo that once made you proud but now makes you the opposite of proud, whatever that is?  Post a comment with a link to it!  Or feel free to post a comment about how I misled you with the title and you thought this was going to be a casual interview full of insight from The Man himself, Jack Dykinga.  All thoughts and comments are welcome!

I’m a Mac.  I was a PC.  I switched about a year ago because I finally succumbed to all the marketing hype that Mac’s are just…better.  Now that I’ve been using my iMac for a year for all my digital darkroom needs I can say that I am genuinely pleased with the machine.  But I’m not one of those weird Mac freaks who wears all black and wells up with anger at the mere suggestion that PC’s deliver daily beatdowns to dainty Macs.  Nope.  I like my iMac, I like my MacBook and I love my iPhone.  I’m also rational enough to realize that you might just prefer a PC and that’s perfectly fine with me.  If that’s you this article isn’t for you.  Not because I don’t like you.  You just won’t learn anything since today we’re discussing how to properly calibrate the monitor on an iMac.  Check back tomorrow and all this Mac stuff will be in the past.

First, A Bold Statement

Post-processing your images on an uncalibrated monitor is a complete waste of time.  To put it simply, just don’t be that guy.  Spend a little extra dough for monitor calibration hardware/software, learn how to use it and then keep your monitor calibrated.

The iMac Calibration Conundrum

I’ve operated on a calibrated monitor for the better part of a decade.  I bought my 24″ iMac in March, 2009 and didn’t bother to research potential monitor issues prior to swiping the Visa.  Why would I do such a stupid thing?  I listened to the hype.  “Oh, Macs are made for image editing.  All the best pro’s are using them.”  That’s pretty much what the MacVangelists will tell you.  To their credit, they’re not that far off-base.  What they don’t tell you is that the super glossy and radioactively bright iMac screen is not easily calibrated using standard calibration hardware.

After much research, a lot of trial and error and more than my fair share of temper tantrums I finally got it all figured out.  I am now happily working on a perfectly calibrated iMac monitor.  The glossy screen is still annoying in all but the perfect conditions but at least I know the color I see on-screen is the color I will see in print.

How I Found My Happy Place

I learned early on in my research that iMac monitors can not be dimmed to an acceptable level using the dimmer switch.  They’re simply too bright.   I also learned that Spyder 3 Pro doesn’t work worth a crap on a Mac.  For that matter, not one color geek I spoke to had a single positive thing to say about the Spyder 3 Pro regardless of what system you’re on.  Your mileage with it may vary.

For hardware I selected the X-Rite i1 Display 2.  Reasonably priced, good reviews and several color geeks I know and trust personally recommended it.  If it’s good enough for them it’s good enough for me.  I was told that the i1 Display 2 would get my machine most of the way there.  I’m a bit OCD and “most of the way” wasn’t good enough. 

I was told that to finish the job properly would require software that controlled monitor brightness by highjacking the video card.  That software, ColorEyes Display Pro, works in conjunction with the calibration hardware to create the most accurate profiles.  And if you’re leary of shelling out $175 for the software you can download a fully-functioning free 10 day trial.

How Does It Work In The Real, Non Color Geek World?

I’m a geek, but I’m not a color geek.  I calibrate my monitor and I use the printer profiles provided by the print makers I work with.  That’s it.  I’m actually color blind so anything more than what I’m doing now is probably worthless to me.  What I’m trying to say is that I’m not a color management pro and if this solution works for me, it can also work for you.

I installed the ColorEyes Display Pro after receiving the i1 Display 2 hardware.  The download process ran smoothly as did installation of the i1Display 2 software.  So far, so good.

I quickly became a little confused trying to figure out how to run the ColorEyes Display Pro software.  In no more than 5 minutes I had it worked out.  Once up and running the software isn’t entirely intuitive.  It took a little bit of fumbling before I finally figured out how to begin the business of profiling the monitor.  Don’t be like me - read the directions first.

Once operational the rest was a piece of cake.  Place the i1 Display 2 puck in the spot indicated on-screen and the ColorEyes software does the rest.  It takes a few minutes for the magic to happen, you save the profile and the next thing you know, you’re running on a fully calibrated iMac monitor.  It really is that easy.

Yeah, But What About The Results?

The result: a perfectly calibrated monitor.  Prints that match what you saw on-screen.  Photos on your website that look just like they should.  Seriously, the results speak for themselves.  This system works flawlessly.  As with any monitor you should re-calibrate frequently to ensure that you are always working in a properly profiled environment.  On average I re-calibrate once every two weeks.

Since I started using this system in May, 2009 I’ve not had a single color management issue.  Color fidelity exists in my prints, on my website and in the various forums to which I post images.  This system works as advertised, folks.

Final Thought

If you’re an iMac user or looking to become one, and you need to work in a color accurate environment, I highly recommend the X-Rite i1 Display 2 and ColorEyes Display Pro software.

Update: Carl Donohue brought this to my attention.  Apparently some of the new iMacs have an issue with a yellow tinge visible at the edges of the monitor. 

This is all fine and dandy but I want to hear your experiences with color management on an iMac or Apple Cinema Display.  I’m sure others can learn from your trials and tribulations, too.  Share a comment!

All text and images are provided courtesy of Younes Bounhar and are protected under copyright laws.  I invite you to link to this article but please do not re-post the content without prior approval from Younes.  A huge “thanks” goes out to Younes for writing this article and allowing me to publish it on my blog.

In this article, I would like to discuss an alternative method that can not only replace GNDs in some circumstances, but offers significant advantages over both GNDs and the automated HDR options. This technique involves blending multiple exposures using masks and layers in Photoshop. Now, I don’t mean to re-open the debate of “getting right in-camera vs. take it and fix it later approach”. Neither do I pretend that this option is the end all be all, mother all of all options. If you dislike spending time on your computer, this is probably not for you. If on the other hand you believe that you should use every tool you have at your disposal to make the best image you can, then buckle up and jump on board!

Enter Exposure Blending

Let me first start with a disclaimer: as I indicated above, this is not a panacea, or some miracle recipe. Exposure blending is very useful but does have some limitations: it simply does not work with scenes containing moving objects. Also, when dealing with trees or grasses blowing in the wind, it can get tricky and sometimes even unworkable. That said, I find that exposure blending beats HDR programs by a long shot because the results are more realistic looking (personal choice here) and it avoids the muddy toned images that HDR programs often result in.

The Setup

So, what is exposure blending exactly? As its name suggests, it involves taking several exposures of the same subject and “mixing” them in Photoshop using layers and masks.  It is imperative that the framing be identical for each exposure, so it is important you use of a tripod, and ideally a remote release to minimize vibration and motion. The exact bracketing required varies from scene to scene and depends in great part on the dynamic range of your camera. Using my Nikon D700, I simply set it on “matrix metering” and take 3 exposures: 0, -1 and -2 stops. If you are just trying your hand at this, I would definitely recommend trying at least +2 to -2 brackets (5 images total), then adjust accordingly once you get more comfortable. Ultimately, however, only two exposures are usually necessary (0 and -2). I will sometimes blend in parts of a third one if I need more details in the shadows, but that is rarely required.

Blending Exposures

Now on to the blending.

1)  Once the images are uploaded on the computer, process each exposure separately in RAW then open both exposures in Photoshop (here 0 and -2 stops).

2)  Go to the darker exposure, select all (command+A), copy (command+C) and paste it on top of the lighter image (command+V).

3)  Select the top layer (dark) and while pressing the alt button, click on the “add layer mask” button.  This will create a “see-through” mask that will come in handy later to “paint-in” details from the dark exposure onto the lighter one.

4)  In the layers panel, select the channels tab.  Photoshop allows you to create a selection based on the luminosity values in the image. In essence, at the click of a button you can select all the “light” pixels. You can do so by pressing the command button and simultaneously clicking on the RGB channel icon.

5)  You should now see a set of “marching ants”, indicating a selection appear on your image. While this can be used as your mask, I find that going one step further will provide an even better selection. To do so, press shift+option+command and click on the RGB channel icon one more time. This will intersect the previous selection with itself and select a narrower set of light values. You can repeat this as many times as you want, but I find that two selections (step 4+5 combined) are sufficient.

6)  Now move back to the “layers” tab and make sure to select the dark mask we created earlier in step 3, by clicking on it.

7)  Select the eraser (press E), select a large brush (400 px) with 0% hardness and ensure the opacity and flow are set at 100% (top panel). Make sure that black is your foreground colour (you can toggle between foreground and background colours by pressing X, if black is not already one of your colours, press D to revert to default colours, then press X to select black).

8)  Here is where the magic happens: simply start erasing over the overexposed portion of the image (sky and/or reflections for example). You will now see that the darker layer is literally being painted over the lighter one. Because the selection is completely self-feathering, you need not worry too much about being very precise with your painting. I usually find that a few passes with the eraser are necessary to bring all the colours out. Notice that while the sky is being uncovered, the areas in the shadows (e.g. buildings or foreground) are hardly touched.

9)  That is it. Once the result satisfies you, you can merge your two layers and continue on with your usual post processing routine.

10)  If you feel that you are still lacking a bit of detail in some of the shadow areas, you could use an overexposed frame (+1 or +2) to paint in the necessary detail. To do so, simply copy the overexposed frame on top of your other layers. Then, create a “see-through” mask as done in step 3. Select the Eraser, set the opacity between 25 and 40% and flow at about 50%, make sure your foreground colour is black. Then select the mask and start painting over your image in the areas where you would like to reveal more detail. Since the opacity of your eraser is low, multiple passes may be required to achieve the desired result.

The process may sound a bit daunting at first if you are not familiar with masks and layers but once you give it a go you will see that it is fairly straightforward and the results will surely speak for themselves!

About Younes:

Younes Bounhar is a ridiculously talented photographer and super nice guy from Canada.  He offers group workshops and fine art prints, and is a frequent contributor to Photolife magazine.  I encourage you to visit his website for inspiration and check out his blog for a steady stream of helpful information.

I’m starting a cool new interactive feature on my blog called “Ask An Expert”.  The concept is pretty simple: you send me a question related to photography and I round up an expert to answer it for you.  I’ll post your question on the blog along with the expert’s answer.  I’ll accept questions on just about any photography topic including technique, business & marketing, digital darkroom, equipment, etc.  Just try to keep it relevant to nature, landscape and/or adventure photography.

Questions we can’t answer:

• Which is better, Canon or Nikon? (Everybody knows Canon is best.)
• Is Photoshop cheating? (No.  I mean yes.  No, I mean no.)
• Should I get up for sunrise if it’s cloudy outside? (No.  Stay in bed so those of us who do wake up for it don’t have to fight with so many photographers.)
• Is it acceptable to yell at the Griswolds for standing under Delicate Arch for a family portrait just as the sky turns pink and the arch begins to glow? (Absolutely not!  While annoying, they have just as much right to be there as you do.)
• And finally my favorite…If I had a nice camera and lens like yours I could take really good pictures, too. (Okay, so that’s not a question but seriously, do people really believe it’s all about the gear?  Ugh!)

Now that we’ve got all that out of the way, let’s hear some great questions!  Please email your questions to me at bret (at) bretedge (dot) com.  If you’re wondering why I typed my email like that it’s because if I don’t, the spambots will launch a massive attack on my inbox.  I’d hate to miss any of your awesome questions.

I was recently contacted by a new photographer who really wants to improve her skills and learn more about all those crazy buttons and dials on her camera, but can’t fit a workshop into her schedule right now.  What’s a girl to do?  Read a book.  Or five.  And guys, this applies to you, too.

I’m a voracious reader.  I read magazines, books, web articles, blogs and even news on my iPhone.  When my interest in photography started to take off I didn’t even know about workshops.  I knew about books.  So, I bought a few, I read a few and I used the knowledge to make hundreds, if not thousands, of bad photos.  Then one day I picked up my film from the lab and much to my surprise, there on the light table, was a slide that didn’t suck.  And it was mine.

Apparently, reading all those books and making all those bad images was finally starting to pay off.  You may never see your slide on a light table.  You may not even know what a slide or a light table is.  But, you can still glean loads of useful knowledge from reading a good book.

Here are the books I found most helpful and one…not so much.

Books by Art Wolfe

The Art of Photographing Nature

Photography Outdoors: A Field Guide for Travel and Adventure Photographers (Both of these books are your classic “how-to” guides filled with lots of stunning Art Wolfe images from around the world.  He offers tips on composition, exposure, using filters, traveling with your gear and explains how to use different camera settings for creative effect.) 

A Book by Galen Rowell

The Inner Game of Outdoor Photography (I would not start with this one.  Galen was a world-class adventure athlete, a photographer, a writer and a philosopher.  This book is not your standard how-to book.  There are few discussions of gear and technique.  Galen is at his absolute best here, discussing the quieter and more philosophical side of outdoor photography.  It’s a book that will make you stop and ponder why you want to make pretty pictures, and that’s a good thing.)

Books by John Shaw

Nature Photography Field Guide

Landscape Photography (Both of these books are among the best of the best.  John has a very easy, informal way of writing and teaching.  His ability to explain difficult and technical topics such that a moron like me can understand is unsurpassed.  Both of these two books are “how-to” guides that cover the same topics as Art’s, but with a different voice.  Some things may click with you when you read them in Art’s book while others may resonate more when read from John’s books.)

Business of Nature Photography: A Professional’s Guide to Marketing and Managing a Successful Nature Photography Business (Do you want to be wealthy beyond your wildest dreams and travel the world making photographs?  Okay, I concede – you may not become wealthy as a pro photographer but you sure can have lots of fun.  And you can certainly make a living at it if you don’t mind being a businessperson first and a photographer second.  This book covers all the basic stuff you’ll need to know as a working professional photographer.  It is a bit dated in today’s digital world as there are references to the filing of your slide pages and making film submissions to magazines.  Nonetheless, John divulges lots of valuable information about marketing, taxes, legal issues and more.  Well worth a read if you’re thinking of running a nature photography business.) 

Photoshop CS3 Guide (This is an e-book, available for purchase only at John’s website.  It is, in my humble opinion, the holy grail of Photoshop books.  I learned way more in one week after purchasing this book than I did in over a year of fumbling around in Photoshop on my own.  Almost all the techniques and workflow he discusses are applicable in CS4, too.  If you are mystified by Photoshop do yourself a favor and buy this book.) 

Books by Tim Fitzharris

National Audubon Society Guide to Landscape Photography (Another “how-to” guide, albeit very well written and chock full of amazing Tim Fitzharris images.)

National Park Photography (This one is a little different.  It’s a “how-to and where-to” guide.  Each chapter covers a popular national park and has useful tips for photographing the area.  Really a great book.)

A Book from Arizona Highways

Photography Guide: How & Where to Make Great Photographs (This is another “how-to and where-to” guide but it only covers Arizona.  This one is published by the good folks at Arizona Highways magazine, which is itself internationally recognized for the high quality photography within its pages.  Several frequent Arizona Highways contributors provided content for the book.  Great how-to information is provided and at the end of the book, you get some awesome advice on when and where to photograph popular areas of Arizona.

A Book by Nathaniel Coalson

Lightroom 2: Streamlining Your Digital Photography Process (Full disclosure: Nat and I run workshops together.  Even if we didn’t and Nat was a jackass, I’d still recommend his book.  No other Lightroom book I’ve read comes close to the depth and breadth with which this book covered Lightroom.  And, Nat does so with a writing style that is engaging and easy to follow.  John Shaw also offers a Lightroom e-book.  I have no doubt it is a great one although I can’t comment personally because I haven’t seen it.  By the way, Nat isn’t a jackass.  He’s actually a really nice guy, an amazing instructor and a good friend.)

And finally, the one and only photography book I’ve ever returned (drum roll please)…

A Book by John Fielder

Photographing the Landscape: The Art of Seeing (Suffice it to say that when an author starts comparing photography to pizza, I quickly lose interest.  Yeah, I get the whole analogy thing but I just found this one to be really, really bad.  I know others, friends even, who think it’s a great “how-to” book.  I try not to hold it against them.  You might find it useful.  I didn’t.)

There you have it!  My favorite books and a couple opinions you didn’t ask for.  I’ll close by saying this: You can read all the books in the world but if you don’t get out and photograph, you’re never going to improve.  Shoot often and seek honest, constructive critique on your images.  And most importantly, have fun.

Got a favorite how-to book?  How about a not-so-favorite one?  Or a thought on the books I’ve listed?  Be heard – leave a comment!

I was excited to receive the first mock-ups today for the new and improved iFotoGuide website launching later this month.  Problem is, I have a decision making disorder.  It takes half an hour for me to order a meal at the Cheesecake Factory because the menu is actually a book.  Literally.  If you’ve been there, you know what I mean.  Now I’m presented with four designs for our website and I’m paranoid I’ll choose the wrong one.  So, I’m counting on you to help us choose a design.  No pressure, though.  A website is only a company’s most important piece of marketing propaganda.  You know, the first contact most customers will have with us, where they’ll get all their information about our apps and the photographers we’re partnered with.  The website pretty much is iFotoGuide.  So yeah, no pressure.  Ugh!

Without further ado, here are the designs.  The elements are all interchangeable.  So, if you like the logo from one but the site design from another I am able to ask the designer to mix and match at will.  If you don’t like any of the logos and you have an idea for a better one, let’s hear it.  We really respect and appreciate your input.  I need to keep the project moving along so I can only accept your input until 9:00 PM on Thursday, Jan. 7.  There you have it folks.  Let ‘er rip!