http://whatsnew.fotki.com/rayofhope Recently created and updated albums http://images.fotki.com/logo3.gif http://whatsnew.fotki.com/rayofhope http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/family/danis-third-birthda/ "Dani's third birthday bash." Album
36 photo(s) (9 MB)
Album date: (Sep 5, 2009)
Album was created 3 months ago
and modified 3 months ago Eubankls Paparazzi reporting in. Dani's gala third birthday bash with a supporting cast of cousins Emily, Andy, and CeeCee. Mom and Dad also play strong supporting roles. You may also notice a few other adults wondering into the shots. ]]> http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/family/danis-third-birthda/ Mon, 7 Sep 2009 17:16:31 GMT http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/family/danis-baptism-/ "Dani's baptism" Album
16 photo(s) (3 MB)
Album date: (Jul 5, 2009)
Album was created 5 months ago
and modified 5 months ago ]]> http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/family/danis-baptism-/ Tue, 7 Jul 2009 16:33:13 GMT http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/happy-birthday-america/ "Happy Birthday America" Album
16 photo(s) (2 MB)
Album date: (Jul 4, 2009)
Album was created 5 months ago
and modified 5 months ago There were bubbles, tumbling, lots of good play with light sticks, and of course fireworks. ]]> http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/happy-birthday-america/ Sun, 5 Jul 2009 17:22:52 GMT http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/fund-for-animals-wi/06-29/ "06-29" Album
24 photo(s) (5 MB)
Album date: (Jun 29, 2009)
Album was created 5 months ago
and modified 5 months ago No, I'm not as near as the photos make it appear - except in some of the bobcat photos. ]]> http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/fund-for-animals-wi/06-29/ Wed, 1 Jul 2009 17:29:57 GMT http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/save-our-state-park/ "Save our State Parks photos" Album
6 photo(s) (2 MB)
Album date: (Jun 14, 2009)
Album was created 5 months ago
and modified 5 months ago My family posing in support of our California State Parks. These were taken at a family campout at Palomar Mountain State Park near San Diego.

As some of you may have heard, the state government of California has plans to shut down OUR parks. We are not pleased and I hope the voters remember this the next time we get the right to vote. ]]> http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/save-our-state-park/ Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:21:32 GMT http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/my_contest_entries/ "My Contest Entries" Album
23 photo(s) (20 MB)
Album date: (Jan 14, 2006)
Album was created 3 years 11 months ago
and modified 6 months ago The photos I have entered in various Fotki photo contests. ]]> http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/my_contest_entries/ Sat, 30 May 2009 16:12:12 GMT http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/hdr-test/ "HDR test." Album
5 photo(s) (1 MB)
Album date: (May 12, 2009)
Album was created 6 months ago
and modified 6 months ago A test comparing the use of graduated neutral density filter and photo shop tweaking against Photomatix Pro HDR software. I'm still using the trial version, so there is a watermark on the HDR stuff.

This photo was made with a graduated neutral density filter. Photographed as a raw image and tweaked slightly in PhotoShop.
http://images109.fotki.com/v771/filewQkq/9ec6e/5/785/7533849/_RAY4028.jpg
I spent two evenings working this scene and this closely matches my vision.

Here is an HDR composite.
http://images107.fotki.com/v526/file0pi3/9ec6e/5/785/7533849/_RAY3917_5_6small.jpg
To me, it opens up the lighting way too much. The scene looses all it's drama and turns into a ho-hum snapshot. Besides, the sky looks weird.

I did a second HDR of the same scene to try to get the dramatic lighting back.
http://images107.fotki.com/v533/filerUnl/9ec6e/5/785/7533849/_RAY3917_5_6IIsmall.jpg
To my eye, it still puts too much extraneous light in the creek, and that sky in definitely not ready for prime time.


This is the second scene I chose for a test. I was up before dawn to get to this spot for the light. Again, it's a raw photo made with the aid of a graduated neutral density filter and tweaked slightly in PhotoShop:
http://images107.fotki.com/v527/filenbJc/9ec6e/5/785/7533849/_RAY4228.jpg
I did a shot something like this last time I was in the valley, but I didn't get there when the light was good, so I was looking forward to redoing it. It pretty well matches what I had previsualized for the shot.

Here is the HDR shot.
http://images109.fotki.com/v773/filecC9G/57f21/5/785/7533849/_RAY4234_5_6small.jpg
I like this better than the ones of Half Dome reflecting in the creek, but to me it flattens out the lighting too much and takes some of the drama away from the shot.


So... For me, it's grad filter two - HDR zero. ]]> http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/hdr-test/ Tue, 12 May 2009 23:34:15 GMT http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/yosemite-valley/ "Yosemite Valley" Album
35 photo(s) (11 MB)
Album date: (May 10, 2009)
Album was created 6 months ago
and modified 6 months ago My sprained knee wouldn't let me do any of the real trails, but I limped around the valley for almost a week making snaps in every direction. ]]> http://public.fotki.com/rayofhope/yosemite-valley/ Tue, 12 May 2009 16:12:35 GMT