I consider myself a serious amateur photographer.

 

My current camera is a Canon PowerShot S5 IS.

 

I use the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK) to enhance the capability of my camera. There is a version of CHDK for most modern Canon point and shoot cameras (not DSLR). For more info, see chdk.wikia.com/wiki/CHDK.

 

Not too long ago, I was introduced to High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography. The technique involves taking several exposures of the same picture, varying the shutter speed. At least one exposure should capture all of the bright parts of the image at the expense of the dark parts, and at least one should capture all the darkest parts of the image at the expense of the brighter parts. Between these two extremes, additional exposures may be necessary to capture the mid tones.

 

HDR is used when there is a very large range of light levels in the image to be captured, more than could be captured with a single exposure. For example, my "Fort Collins at Night" photo (below) was made from seven exposures with shutter speeds ranging from 2.5 seconds to 160 seconds. (CHDK allowed me to take exposures longer that 15 seconds, the limit my camera would allow before.)

 

 

The images are combined into one image using software. I use Photomatix to render an HDR image. I then use PaintShop Pro to clean up the image.

 

Most of my photos, and all of my HDRs are taken with the camera on a tripod, using a homemade USB remote shutter release. CHDK has a feature which makes this possible.

 

I also shoot many of my photos in RAW format, converted in camera to Adobe Digital Negative (DNG) format. (CHDK) I use RawTherapee to "develop" the RAW images.

 

Portfolio

 

As you can probably tell from my photostream, I really like reflections, and I do a lot of landscapes. Recently, I have been experimenting with HDR.

 

MY WORK HAS VALUE!

Photographers' Rights Group.

 

States I have lived in or visited.

 

Dark blue - States I have lived in.

Medium blue - States I have spent significant time in.

Light blue - States I have been to, but only briefly.

Grey - States I have not yet been to.

 

 

Countries I have been to