Comments on: 3 Minutes with Photographer Trey Ratcliff http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff Discover how to use your digital camera with our Digital Photography Tips. We are a community of photographers of all experience levels who come together to learn, share and grow in our understanding of photography. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 08:32:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: mrsrobinson http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-51073 mrsrobinson Sat, 16 May 2009 04:14:25 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-51073 The thing that struck me the most from Trey's site was when he talked about your photos never doing your memory justice. I feel like his work portrays the emotions you feel when you are actually there. Life as you're living it is full-blown colour in high contrast and this is one way to make your photos show that. I think you have to like high contrast and colour saturation to appreciate what he's doing, but it is of course, art. It comes from inside him and inspires so many others. And a bunch of people think it's crap. If that's not art, then what is? The thing that struck me the most from Trey’s site was when he talked about your photos never doing your memory justice. I feel like his work portrays the emotions you feel when you are actually there. Life as you’re living it is full-blown colour in high contrast and this is one way to make your photos show that. I think you have to like high contrast and colour saturation to appreciate what he’s doing, but it is of course, art. It comes from inside him and inspires so many others. And a bunch of people think it’s crap. If that’s not art, then what is?

]]> By: steven http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-48542 steven Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:22:59 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-48542 Where did you take the top picture of the mountains? and how much did you edit it? I think i have the original at home. haha Where did you take the top picture of the mountains? and how much did you edit it? I think i have the original at home. haha

]]> By: Matt http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-48204 Matt Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:52:24 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-48204 I should clarify my comments on this: Bigmouth - First I want to apologize for making an assumption regarding your definition of "true" "HDR". In many "less informed" circles, folks refer to "HDR's" made with 3 or more actual exposures as "true" "HDR" and tone mapping a single RAW is ...well NOT true or fake "HDR." I completely understand your definition and have for some time, I just gave up on semantic arguments long ago.... You are correct that these are technically LDR images.....Thanks for the great read about "the real HDR". A very good explanation indeed. Unfortunately I think this is lost on many people as I believe most folks are not purist's like yourself, and care mostly for results. I also disagree firmly with two of his major points... " High dynamic range imaging is NOT a creative process." " Tone reproduction is NOT a creative process." I believe that using any tool, to <strong>create</strong><strong> anything, is a creative process. That's the definition no? Even though I agree with you that way to many "HDR/LDR" images are poorly done and result in images that in my opinion are less interesting than the original would have been, I still think that its the artists discretion and its part of a creative process, which results in art. Like it or not. To each their own. One mans trash is another mans treasure. And I still stand behind my recommendation of Trey's work as I believe he's got it right and I enjoy his images. No matter what you want to call them. And isn't it the "unreal" quality of these images that draw people in? That's what I like about them.... BTW, Dave Wilson has some great images as well. Nice site Dave.</strong> I should clarify my comments on this:

Bigmouth – First I want to apologize for making an assumption regarding your definition of “true” “HDR”. In many “less informed” circles, folks refer to “HDR’s” made with 3 or more actual exposures as “true” “HDR” and tone mapping a single RAW is …well NOT true or fake “HDR.” I completely understand your definition and have for some time, I just gave up on semantic arguments long ago…. You are correct that these are technically LDR images…..Thanks for the great read about “the real HDR”. A very good explanation indeed.

Unfortunately I think this is lost on many people as I believe most folks are not purist’s like yourself, and care mostly for results. I also disagree firmly with two of his major points…

” High dynamic range imaging is NOT a creative process.”
” Tone reproduction is NOT a creative process.”

I believe that using any tool, to create anything, is a creative process. That’s the definition no? Even though I agree with you that way to many “HDR/LDR” images are poorly done and result in images that in my opinion are less interesting than the original would have been, I still think that its the artists discretion and its part of a creative process, which results in art. Like it or not. To each their own. One mans trash is another mans treasure. And I still stand behind my recommendation of Trey’s work as I believe he’s got it right and I enjoy his images. No matter what you want to call them. And isn’t it the “unreal” quality of these images that draw people in? That’s what I like about them….

BTW, Dave Wilson has some great images as well. Nice site Dave.

]]> By: Dave Wilson http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-48197 Dave Wilson Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:09:44 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-48197 I'm a big fan of HDR but I agree with @bigmouth in some of his points. What you see in ANY HDR image here, on Flickr or elsewhere on the web is not an HDR but an 8 bit (low dynamic range) reduction of a high dynamic range image. The operation that derives an LDR output image from an HDR source image is called "tone mapping" and this is where most perceived problems lie since there are many, many variables that can be tweaked in this mapping resulting in a huge diversity of different output images. If you are a believer that photography should be used purely to record a scene and reproduce it as faithfully as a single exposure and your equipment will allow, you may find some mappings not to your taste since they can change the overall tonality of an image to a point where it looks unreal. On the other hand, if you view photography as an art where what matters is the final output and whether or not it creates a pleasing effect (regardless of how "realistic" it may be), then tone mapping is a very flexible tool that offers great artistic opportunities. Personally, I find Trey's work to be extremely artistic and effective but I do understand that people of the "Cartier-Bresson" school may feel otherwise, as they do about a lot of my photography. I’m a big fan of HDR but I agree with @bigmouth in some of his points. What you see in ANY HDR image here, on Flickr or elsewhere on the web is not an HDR but an 8 bit (low dynamic range) reduction of a high dynamic range image. The operation that derives an LDR output image from an HDR source image is called “tone mapping” and this is where most perceived problems lie since there are many, many variables that can be tweaked in this mapping resulting in a huge diversity of different output images.

If you are a believer that photography should be used purely to record a scene and reproduce it as faithfully as a single exposure and your equipment will allow, you may find some mappings not to your taste since they can change the overall tonality of an image to a point where it looks unreal. On the other hand, if you view photography as an art where what matters is the final output and whether or not it creates a pleasing effect (regardless of how “realistic” it may be), then tone mapping is a very flexible tool that offers great artistic opportunities.

Personally, I find Trey’s work to be extremely artistic and effective but I do understand that people of the “Cartier-Bresson” school may feel otherwise, as they do about a lot of my photography.

]]> By: bigmouth http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-48133 bigmouth Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:32:03 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-48133 These image can't be "true HDR", since you can't see HDR on a computer display. HDR is simply a part of the process, but the final images are plain JPG (that is: 8 bit per channel, or simply LDR). What I see on this page (and on most HDR sites, flickr groups) are over-saturated images, with little global contrast, no shadows, no depth, some halos and other problems (banding and so on). These are more like cartoons than photos. A good article on HDR (author: Erik Reinhard) is here: http://www.cs.bris.ac.uk/home/reinhard/tm_comp/flickr_hdr/The%20Problem.html Anyway, if you like it, good for you. I don't. These image can’t be “true HDR”, since you can’t see HDR on a computer display. HDR is simply a part of the process, but the final images are plain JPG (that is: 8 bit per channel, or simply LDR).

What I see on this page (and on most HDR sites, flickr groups) are over-saturated images, with little global contrast, no shadows, no depth, some halos and other problems (banding and so on). These are more like cartoons than photos.

A good article on HDR (author: Erik Reinhard) is here:
http://www.cs.bris.ac.uk/home/reinhard/tm_comp/flickr_hdr/The%20Problem.html

Anyway, if you like it, good for you. I don’t.

]]> By: Zahid H Javali http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-48132 Zahid H Javali Fri, 17 Apr 2009 07:28:46 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-48132 Truly wonderful. This is what i would call lighting and depth of field, achieved through HDR. Photography is all about light and depth. If you can master that, you can master anything and Trey seems to be a master of that. Wish he could now write in DPS on how he masters light and depth in an indepth article rather than just a small interview that doesn't say much except promote his blog and website. Hope I am not asking for too much. Z Truly wonderful. This is what i would call lighting and depth of field, achieved through HDR. Photography is all about light and depth. If you can master that, you can master anything and Trey seems to be a master of that. Wish he could now write in DPS on how he masters light and depth in an indepth article rather than just a small interview that doesn’t say much except promote his blog and website. Hope I am not asking for too much.
Z

]]> By: Matt http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-48098 Matt Fri, 17 Apr 2009 03:40:29 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-48098 @bigmouth - You are certainly not the only one who dislikes HDR, but I feel your analogy is somewhat flawed. Regardless of that, your wrong on two fronts: These ARE HDR images because they have a High Dynamic Range, tonemapped or not, and if you really read through, Trey does many different methods including what you would call "true" HDR. And secondly, I would most definitely call this art. @bigmouth – You are certainly not the only one who dislikes HDR, but I feel your analogy is somewhat flawed. Regardless of that, your wrong on two fronts: These ARE HDR images because they have a High Dynamic Range, tonemapped or not, and if you really read through, Trey does many different methods including what you would call “true” HDR. And secondly, I would most definitely call this art.

]]> By: Captain Kimo http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-48002 Captain Kimo Thu, 16 Apr 2009 17:47:53 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-48002 I've been doing HDR before I seen any of Trey's work. After visiting his site and reading his HDR Tutorial I was able to move my photography processing skills up a notch. The masking techniques he demonstrates has really help me to polish out the final image. I've always known about this technique, being a graphic designer, but never though much about applying it to HDR. Thanks Trey, U Da Man! I’ve been doing HDR before I seen any of Trey’s work. After visiting his site and reading his HDR Tutorial I was able to move my photography processing skills up a notch. The masking techniques he demonstrates has really help me to polish out the final image. I’ve always known about this technique, being a graphic designer, but never though much about applying it to HDR. Thanks Trey, U Da Man!

]]> By: bigmouth http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-47971 bigmouth Thu, 16 Apr 2009 16:02:05 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-47971 Maybe I'm the only one, but I don't like it. Technically speaking, these images aren't even HDR, they are an LDR rendition of HDR images, through tone-mapping. My opinion: this kind of HDR is to photography what Britney Spears is to music. Many people like it, but I wouldn't call it "art". Maybe I’m the only one, but I don’t like it. Technically speaking, these images aren’t even HDR, they are an LDR rendition of HDR images, through tone-mapping.
My opinion: this kind of HDR is to photography what Britney Spears is to music. Many people like it, but I wouldn’t call it “art”.

]]> By: Steve Gray http://www.digital-photography-school.com/3-minutes-with-photographer-trey-ratcliff/comment-page-1#comment-47953 Steve Gray Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:33:59 +0000 http://digital-photography-school.com/?p=5209#comment-47953 It's great to see Trey featured here. He does great work, and he's very giving with information on his technique. I still want to know how he manages to trot the globe as much as he does. Aside from his photographic technique, that's one thing I'd love to learn from the guy! It’s great to see Trey featured here. He does great work, and he’s very giving with information on his technique. I still want to know how he manages to trot the globe as much as he does. Aside from his photographic technique, that’s one thing I’d love to learn from the guy!

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