Project 52 - #11 - Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane

Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane
Originally uploaded by jezza323

This is the major local football stadium in Brisbane - Suncorp Stadium (previously known as Lang Park). Just a few minutes from the CBD it is the home of 3 major teams competing in national competitions. The Brisbane Broncos (Rugby League), The Queensland Roar (Soccer) and The Queensland Reds (Rugby Union).

This is a HDR composed of 3 shots, taken at +/- 2.0 EV and blended in Photomatix using the Details Enhancer. It is also cropped in a 16:9 ratio.

Project 52 - #10 - Brisbane Riverwalk

Brisbane Riverwalk
Originally uploaded by jezza323

This is looking down part of the Brisbane Riverwalk. I took this shot from next to the Riverside Centre building, the main building in the shot is the Riparian Plaza and the building at the left is Waterfront Place.

Taken using Pentax K200D, Pentax SMC DA 18-55 AL II and Slik 500 DX Pro Tripod. This is a HDR Panorama, composed of 5 HDR images (I overlapped them a lot), each composed of 3 images shot at +2, 0, -2. Blended and Tone Mapped with Photomatix batch processor using Details Enhancer, and stitched using Autopano.

Ghosts in the City

Ghosts in the City
Originally uploaded by jezza323

This is yet another stack, this time with ppl in it as well. Taken looking up Creek St in the Brisbane CBD on Thursday afternoon. The shots were only 1.6 sec exposures as it wasnt very dark yet, but the effect seems to have worked out ok.

There are no people directly in front of the camera as they were walking too fast past there to really show up in the shots.

I like the look of the people in motion here, so I think I will try for shots like this again in the future. It may be easier to get these shots during the day if I can get the shutter speed slow enough. Maybe it is time to order that Hoya ND400 filter I have been keeping an eye on.

Project 52 - #9 - Old Customs House

Old Customs House
Originally uploaded by jezza323

This is a shot of the Old Customs House in Brisbane. This is the view from the Brisbane Riverwalk.

This shot is another HDR Panorama, this time blended at stitched from 12 photos. It is stitched from 4 HDR images in a 2x2 layout using Autopano Giga, and each HDR image was shot at +/- 2.0 EV and then blended using Photomatix with the Batch Processing function, using Details Enhancer for Tone Mapping.

Shooting and Processing

• Shot all 12 photos in Pentax RAW (PEF), 4 lots of +/- 2.0 EV brackets
• Imported all images from memory card using Lightroom 2.5
• Exported all 12 photos to a new subfolder as 1bit TIFF files
• Opened Photomatix and ran Batch Process over the new subfolder
• Opened Autopano and selected the 4 resulting TIFF HDR images to stitch
• Rendered the created panorama to another 16-bit TIFF
• Imported final TIFF into Lightroom 2.5
• Edited white balance (its a hard one because the Riverwalk is lit with different colour lights to the lights on Customs House and cropped image
• Exported to JPG for Web

Project 52 - #8 - Japanese Garden, Mt Cootha

Japanese Garden, Mt Cootha
Originally uploaded by jezza323

I am a little behind, but I hope to catch up this week. We have had rainy weather non stop for a couple weeks now. Yesterday I got out amongst the showers in the Mt Cootha Botanic Gardens, and in particular wanted to visit the Japanese Garden. You can read about the garden here.

Over the last week or so I've been discussing shooting in various different aspect ratios with a friend at work. He had the idea to shoot only in a particular aspect ratio for a bit. After this discussion I decided to copy his idea a little, and try shooting some stuff in the movie aspect ratio of 2.39:1 (my friend has decided on 16:9 btw). This is from my first shoot where I specifically considered shooting in this aspect. I dont plan on taking lots of shots in this aspect ratio, but it is fun to consider.

This is a Brenizer Panorama, taken with my Pentax K200D and Jupiter-9 85mm lens at f2.8. I stitched the shots using Autopano, then did some editing in Lightroom 2.5 to get the final result (crop, contrast, exposure, blacks)

Project 52 - #7 - Wellington Point

Sunrise and The Tree
Originally uploaded by jezza323

The sunrise at Wellington Point in Brisbane is a popular location for local photographers. The sun is rising just to the right of frame in this shot, you can see the orange/red glow off the top of the clouds. This is landmark #7 in my Project 52 Brisbane Landmarks for 2010.

Taken with the Pentax K200D and Pentax SMC DA 18-55 AL II @ 18mm, Kenko CPL, TianYa ND8 and TianYa ND8 Grad Filters (thats a whole lotta filters...I didn't need the ND8 but it was already in the holder from an earlier shot).

Single exposure processed in Lightroom 2.5 with exposure graduated mask, clarity, white balance, contrast, exposure and fill lights adjustments.

EDIT: I just realized I had this marked as landmark #6! It is actually landmark #7.

Wellington Point Pier - Hoya R72

Wellington Point Pier
Originally uploaded by jezza323

Wellington Point Pier at sunrise while the sun was behind a large bank of clouds.

Single exposure taken at 18mm with the Pentax K200D and Pentax SMC DA 18-55 AL II lens. Shot at f8.0, 30 sec, ISO 200.

This shot is Infrared, shot using a Hoya R72 filter. All editing done in Lightroom 2.5 (clarity, blacks, white balance, greyscale, contrast)

I really like the extra contrast you get with the R72 filter. The required long exposure didnt hurt the smoothness of the water either

Project 52 - #6 - Brisbane General Post Office

Brisbane General Post Office
Originally uploaded by jezza323

The Brisbane General Post Office. Located on Queen St, facing Post Office Square is landmark #6 in my Project 52 Brisbane Landmarks for 2010.

As you can see it is lit up at night with red lights (Australia Post uses a red logo).

I'm not 100% happy with the stitching on this. It is a HDR Panorama (yes again...) composed of 4 HDR images, each HDR is 3 shots at +/- 2.0 EV. Unfortunately 1 of the HDR's came out quite soft for some reason, so the stitching on that 1 is not the best.

This was shot with the Pentax K200D and Pentax SMC DA 18-55 AL II lens at 18mm.

Shoot and Processing was as follows

• Shot in Pentax RAW (PEF), 12 images
• Imported to Lightroom 2.5
• Exported to TIFF
• Blended with Photomatix batch processor, Tone Mapped using Details Enhancer, resulting in 4 TIFF files
• Stitched 4 HDR TIFF files with Autopano, resulting in a single TIFF
• Edited stitched TIFF using Photoshop to correct some perspective distortion, saved to TIFF again
• Imported final TIFF into Lightroom
• Minor edits in Lightroom (contrast, clarity)
• Exported to JPG for Web

Project 52 - #5 - Cathedral Of St Stephen

Inside The Cathderal of St Stephen
Originally uploaded by jezza323

This is a 9 shot HDR Panorama of the inside of the Cathedral of St Stephen on Elizabeth St in Brisbane. It is composed of 3 landscape orientation HDR's. Each HDR is 3 shots taken at +/- 2.0 EV. This is landmark #5 in my Project 52 Brisbane Landmarks for 2010.

The shots were taken using my Pentax K200D and Pentax SMC DA 18-55 AL II lens @ 18mm. I also used my tripod to support the setup for the required long exposures.

Processing Details

• Shot in Pentax RAW (PEF)
• Imported into Lightroom 2.5
• Exported 9 images to 16 bit TIFF
• Blended using Photomatix Batch Processing using Details Enhancer for Tone Mapping, this created 3 16 bit TIFF files
• Stitched resulting 3 TIFF's using Autopano
• Rendered to 16 bit TIFF
• Imported stitched TIFF to Lightroom 2.5
• Minor adjustments in Lightroom (crop, tone)
• Exported to JPG for Web

Project 52 - #5 - Not here yet!

I have had a really busy wekk this week, so I haven't been able to get a shot done for the week. I will be sure to post 2 shots next week though. So stay tuned, for 2 new Brisbane landmarks in week 6!

Project 52 - #4 - Mt Cootha Lookout

Australia Day Sunrise - Mt Cootha, Brisbane
Originally uploaded by jezza323

This is a 5 shot HDR of the sunrise from Mt Cootha Lookout, which overlooks Brisbane's CBD and surrounding suburbs. This is landmark #4 in my Project 52 Brisbane Landmarks for 2010.

I have already posted this shot on the blog as a general shot with full processing info, so check that out if you are interested

Project 52 - #2 - Kurilpa Bridge

Kurilpa Pedestrian Bridge
Originally uploaded by jezza323

This is the 2nd shot for my 2010 Project 52 - "Brisbane Landmarks"

This is the recently completed Kurilpa Bridge, a Pedestrian Bridge from the Brisbane CBD over the Brisbane River to West End/Southbank.

This is a 3 shot HDR, taken with my Pentax K200D and Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm AL II

Base shot was 18mm, ISO 100, f9.0, 5 sec, bracketing was at +/- 2.0 EV

UPDATE - Processing details now posted - sorry for the delay.

Shot and Processed as follows:-

• Shot in Pentax RAW (PEF)
• Imported into Lightroom 2.5
• Exported to 16-bit TIFF
• HDR Generated using Photomatix
• Tone Mapped using Details Enhancer (settings shown below)
• Save-as 16-bit TIFF
• Import into Lightroom 2.5
• Minor editing applied using adjustment brush to remove some unwanted detail on the right of image (brush positioning and settings shown below)
• Increased Blacks and Brightness
• Exported to JPG for Web

Project 52 - #1 - It Begins

Southbank Peace Pagoda

Originally uploaded by jezza323

Here is the first shot for my 2010 Project 52 which I have decided to use the theme of "Brisbane Landmarks". It is a Nepalese Peace Pagoda located at Southbank in Brisbane, QLD Australia. It was built for Expo '88 and petitioned successfully to remain on the old Expo site (which is now Southbank).

This photo is a HDR, combined from 11 shots. All shots were taken at f16.0 and ISO 100, and shutter speeds were - 1/30, 1/15, 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, 4, 8, 15, 30 secs.

Processing as follows :-

• Shot in Pentax RAW (PEF)
• Imported into Lightroom 2.5
• Shots exported to 16-bit TIFF
• Photomatix generated HDR from 11 16-bit TIFFs
• Photmatix Tone Mapped using Tone Compressor
• Saved as 16-bit TIFF
• Imported new file back to Lightroom 2.5
• Cropped in Lightroom 2
• Edited in Lightroom  as shown below (settings not shown were not edited)