Please press 'L' to view it Large!!!

I'm still having pretty big difficulties on choosing which images to upload.

This comes from last summer, and was shot a few minutes after this:
First sunset on the 'Islas Cies'

I decided to crop it 2:1 to improve the composition, cutting an empty part of the sky at the top. Tones are pretty much straight out of the camera.


I realize the middle portion of this image is a little washed out, but I really like the motion and tones here, so I believe it's worth posting it.

Weather is getting as bad as it gets for shooting: low grey clouds with no textures/motion and continous light rain.
In the next days I Hope to get at least some thick fog to add mood!


Details
- CANON 5d Mark II, EF 17-40 @ 24 mm, f/16, 54 s, ISO 50
- Mirror Lockup, Phottix TR-90 Remote Shutter
- Lee 0.9 (3 stops) soft GND + 0.9 ND (3 stops)
- Tripod

The shot
Shot on Islas Cies, on my first night there

The Processing

Camera Raw

-Tuned White Balance

Photoshop:

- Added a Color balance layer to improve tones;
- Added a Curve layer (on Luminosity Mode, at really low opacity) to lighten the foreground a little;
- Resized for the Web (1200px);
- Applied an Unsharp Mask to slightly improve contrast;
- Smart Sharpen + More accurate (On luminosity 'blending mode' with the sky masked off);
- Framing and Signature.


Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :


@ You all
Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!


I'm getting across many new talented photographer in Flickr, it looks like there's plenty of great people out there! I'm sorry if I can't reciprocate all comments and contact add, but I don't have enough time for Flickr!!!
I will be checking your streams out tomorrow!

Tags:   5d2 holiday spain luca_eos landscape sea clouds sunset no HDR EF 17-40 f/4 L Lee Filters Islas Cies 2:1

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Front Page! Highest position: #9 on Sunday, August 29, 2010

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During my two-weeks holiday the best moments (as for photography) were those spent camping on the Islas Cies.
I have many keepers from the 4 sunrise and 3 sunset photoshoots, and I think I will keep posting shots from there for the next few uploads.


I spent most of the middle hours scouting for locations with my trusty compass (and, to be honest, sleeping on the beach to get some rest after the early morning sessions).
I can clearly remember the wonderful feelings of just being there, with the cold sand surrounding my feet, the sound of the Ocean, the gulls singing (the island actually has one of the largest colonies in Europe)
it was just perfect. I immediately felt a really deep connection with that place.

Weather has been pretty good, even if I missed some more dramatic clouds when the light was just right.

To get this one I had to walk on some slippery rocks which just a couple hours before were below water level: the tide here is pretty strong, penetrating a few
hundred meters in a tight passage populated by many fishes and crabs (the whole island is a natural park).

Composition isn't perfect but I have come from a 5 miles scout walking and was a little late to get on the perfect spot; moreover a minute after this capture a
park ranger asked me to get back to the concrete pathway where many people were enjoying the sunset, and I had to work out other compositions.

I'm however pretty satisfied with this one.



Details
- CANON 5d Mark II, EF 17-40 @ 29mm, f/16, 1/6 s, ISO 100
- Lee 0.9 (3 stops) Soft Grad
- Mirror Lockup, Phottix TR-90 Remote Shutter
- Tripod

The shot
Shot a few minutes after my last upload.

The Processing

Camera Raw

-Tuned White Balance

Photoshop:

- Merged a +2 EV (different) exposure to pull out some details on the rocks (couldn't use the 3&2 stops GND due to flare issues)
- Switched to LAB mode to pull out some colors;
- Back to RGB, added a few Overlay-Soft Light layers to adjust light;
- Added a Color Balance layer to warm tones;
- Added a Curve layer to increase contrast;
- Added 0.15 EV on exposure;
- Added a slightly warming color filter for the sky only;
- Added three soft light layer to tune the luminosity;
- Added a Vibrance layer to improve tonal variation;
- Remove an area of disturbing Lens flare;
- Added a Level layer to better the contrast;
- Resized for the Web (1200px);
- Applied an Unsharp Mask to slightly improve contrast;
- Smart Sharpen + More accurate (with the sky masked off);
- Framing and Signature.


Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :
First sunset on the Islas Cies, on Black


@ You all
Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!


I wish you all the best weekend ever, my dear friends!!!

Tags:   5d2 holiday spain luca_eos 0.9 L landscape sea clouds sunset no HDR EF 17-40 f/4 L Lee Filters Islas Cies

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Front Page! Highest position: 14 on Wednesday, September 9, 2009

I would really like to thank you ALL for the big personal support I've received.

Things are getting better and better, sometimes it's funny to see how everything changes that swiftly.

Today I placed the order for an Hoya R72 Infrared filter, I should get it in one week.
Then I promise you many new shots.


The shot
Shot in Cannes, I had a brief talk with the fisherman you see in the upper right corner.
(since I was doing a long exposure with the camera low on the water, he actually asked me if I was shooting fishes)


The Processing

Photoshop: (no tonemapping this time)

- Merged two Exposures in Photoshop
- Switched to LAB mode and applied two curves to improve contrast and tones
- Back to RGB, added a vibrance layer to boost up minor tones
- Created five Overlay layers to adjust light
- Used color balance tool to improve colors
- Applied a curve to brighten things up
- Used the Exposure tool to increase Exposure (+0.35)
- Resized
- Noise reduction with Neat Image
- Sharpening (Smart Sharpen + more accurate)
- Framing and signature.

Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :
Lonely fisherman at sunrise, Cannes, on Black


@ You all
Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!


I have mixed feelings about this shot. It was kinda hard processing it with a wise workflow.
Hope you like it.

Tags:   fisherman sea mare mer Cannes cote d'azur luca_eos canon 400d EF-S 10-22mm DRI Photoshop NOT an HDR sunrise dawn holiday vacation orange water blue rocks

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EXPLORED!!! Highest position: 56 on Sunday, November 14, 2010

Please press 'L' to view it Large!!!

I really liked this image after a quick review of exposure on the LCD, but when I opened it on the PC screen I realized there was too much empty foreground.
So, I have decided to crop it with a 2:1 ratio, which I think works really well for this image.

This capture is a big payoff for carrying a massive bulk of photographic equipment during my days in Paris.
To get it, I had to run down from the Arc de Triomphe where I experienced a splendid sunset. Too bad tripods aren't allowed there, the étoile with all those car running
would make an incredible subject for exposures in the 10-30 seconds range.

I had to wait a couple of minutes to take position, since a lot of people were there to get a snapshot of themselves with the arc behind.

Details
- CANON 5d Mark II, EF 17-40 @ 28 mm, f/16, 15 s, ISO 100
- Mirror Lockup, Phottix TR-90 Remote Shutter
- Lee 0.6 GND upside down (to prevent the car lights from blowing out)
- Tripod

The shot
This was shot next to a traffic light in Avenues des Champs-Élysées

The Processing

Camera Raw
- White Balance tuning

Photoshop
- Merged two different white balanced images using a layer mask;
- Lightened the sky a little using a Curve layer (on luminosity blend mode, to prevent color shifts);
- Added a few Soft Light layers to adjust light;
- Cropped double square (2:1);
- Added a color balance layer;
- Added a little contrast using an S-shaped curve (on luminosity mode);
- Resized for the Web (1200px);
- Applied an Unsharp Mask at really low opacity to slightly improve contrast;
- Smart Sharpen + More accurate (On luminosity 'blending mode' with the sky masked off);
- Framing and Signature.


Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :
Arc de Triomphe, Sunset, on Black


@ You all
Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!


I wish you all a splendid weekend. Sorry if I haven't checked your streams out lately, but I'm always really busy!

Tags:   paris 5d2 arc de triomphe luca_eos holiday blue hour 2:1 double square long exposure

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Front Page!!! Highest position: 65 on Sunday, January 16, 2011
Please see it LARGE ON BLACK, the compression ruins everything in this one!!!

Dear Friends,

I'm back! Last week I have spent five wonderful days in Rome; I really fell in love with the city and hope to get back as soon as I can!

I have fallen even more in love with my 24 t/s: I don't think I will ever shoot architectures without a tilt and shift lens.

After the parisian experience in October, I decided to carry less weight and be free; this means no camera when spending time in the museums and a much more enjoyable experience.
I got very few good captures (I shot about 80 frames in total) but I'm still really happy about my short holiday.
Anyway, my Vertex 200 AW managed it really well: one day I walked from 9 in the morning until 7 pm and it didn't cause me any troubles. I'm satisfied with my choice.

Another relevant aspect is that in winter many landmarks don't just have the right angles with the sun (both during sunrise and sunset), so I wouldn't be able to shoot them as I wanted.

The weather here (in opposition of the one in Rome) is awful: heavy mist, rain, dull grey skies and no sun. Hope spring gets here soon!


Details
- CANON 5d Mark II, TS-E 24 f/3.5 L, f/14, 30 s, ISO 100
- Phottix TC-501 Remote Shutter
- Tripod

The shot
Shot (obviously) in Rome, on my first night there.

The Processing

Camera Raw

- White Balance tuning and some highlights recovery

Photoshop (one of my quickest processings ever)

- Added a Color Balance Layer;
- Added a curve layer;
- Resized for the Web (1200px);
- Applied an Unsharp Mask to slightly improve contrast;
- Smart Sharpen + More accurate (On luminosity 'blending mode' with the sky masked off);
- Framing and Signature.


Take a look at it, LARGE on Black :
Piazza San Pietro, dusk, on Black

@ You all
Comments, faves and critiques are always welcomed!

Hope your 2011 started great, my friends!!!

Tags:   roma italy 5d2 luca_eos canon crepuscolo dusk TS-E 24 f/3.5 L blue hour architecture

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