Working with little more than the light of full moon and street lights, I made these nocturnal late autumn images at Christiana, Pa.,
Years ago, I never could have imagine making action photos by moonlight! These images were test of the Nikon Z6-III with a ‘fast fifty’ (f1.4 50mm).
All were exposed with the camera on a 3Pod tripod.
In fact, the action photos could have been made without the aid of a tripod. I guess its just a habit to use a tripod after dark.
Below are several pairs of photos to compare before and after processing using DxO PureRaw to de-noise and correct for lens aberrations.
Nikon Z6-III with 50mm f1.4 set at f1.4 1/125th second at 64000 ISO; NEF RAW file.Same file as above following PureRaw conversion to de-noise and correct lens aberrations; Nikon Z6-III with 50mm f1.4 set at f1.4 1/125th second at 64000 ISO.Nikon Z6-III with 50mm f1.4 set at f1.4 1/125th second at 64000 ISO; NEF RAW file.Same file as above following PureRaw conversion to de-noise and correct lens aberrations; Nikon Z6-III with 50mm f1.4 set at f1.4 1/125th second at 64000 ISO.Nikon Z6-III with 50mm f1.4 set at f1.4 1/125th second at 64000 ISO; NEF RAW file.Same file as above following PureRaw conversion to de-noise and correct lens aberrations; Nikon Z6-III with 50mm f1.4 set at f1.4 1/125th second at 64000 ISO.Nikon Z6-III with 50mm f1.4 set at f1.4 1/125th second at 64000 ISO; NEF RAW file.Same file as above following PureRaw conversion to de-noise and correct lens aberrations; Nikon Z6-III with 50mm f1.4 set at f1.4 1/125th second at 64000 ISO.
On occasion I’ll make some heavy adjustments to photo to create a vision, an interpretation, and perhaps something more than just a straight unfettered image of reality.
Working from an RAF RAW file I exposed of the railway bridge and famous Dom in Köln in September 2016, I made series of alterations to compose a fantasy image.
First step was to convert the image to a DNG file using PureRaw. Next I imported the DNG into Adobe Lightroom and made a series of modifications, including some heavy exposure, color, and contrast adjustment to the sky. I then lowered overall contrast, made broad use of the ‘clarity’ slider, and boosted saturation.
Notice all the pad locks, thousands of the them, attached to the bridge in the final result.
While I made some major changes to color, contrast and exposure, I didn’t add any elements to the photo. This is just one image exposed using a FujiFilm XT1.
Unmodified RAF RAWDNG conversion without cropping.DNG with cropping to overcome field distortion.DNG file following modifications using Lightroom.
Kris suggested we make a foray to look for a freight train. So, we were driving around in the darkness near Columbia. During our last few visits to the Port Road Branch we’ve found Norfolk Southern trains on the move between 9:30 and 10:30pm.
I investigated a few places to make night photos near Marietta. Not one to my liking. And then I thought I heard a distant whistle.
Sometimes its best to go with what you know. So we drove back to the intermediate signals at Washington Boro, Pa. These offer a sense of place, provide added railroad interest, and give us a clear signal (literally and metaphorically) that a train is coming.
“Yellow-over-Green”—Approach Medium. Our train was lined.
I set up my 3Pod tripod and made a few test photos. Off in the distance I could hear the roar of heavy freight cars rolling along the Susquehanna.
For almost 20 minutes we listened to the train gradually getting closer. Sometimes there was a whistle for a crossing, but mostly just the clattering of heavy freight cars. I knew this was going to be a huge train.
Finally, the headlights came into view. The headend roared by the signals at about 20mph. It was a symbol 594 (of the 25th), a Natural Resources (former Consol Energy) Bailey Mine to Baltimore unit coal train. I counted more than 100 cars, and then a two unit DPU, which included the Virginian heritage unit in the tradtional navy and yellow paint. By the time the last coal car cleared, I’d counted a total of 212 cars!
These photos were made with my Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom. Iso set to 25000. NEF RAW files were processed using PureRaw to demosiac and correct for lens defect and finally create a DNG file. I then processed this file using Lightroom to lighten shadows, correct color balance, and a variety of other small adjustments.
Yesterday, Kris and I went to see the new film Freakier Friday starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan, and we really enjoyed the story.
One of the scenes in the film features the First Street Bridge with a Los Angeles Metrorail Gold Line lightrail train, and I thought I’d review a few photos that I made there nine years ago using my old FujiFilm XT1 with 18-135mm lens.
To improve on the original Fuji RAF RAW files, I processed them using PureRAW to convert them to DNG format. Among other things, this corrects for lens imperfections and re-interprets the digital data that improves the appearance of the image.
Below are some examples: direct JPG conversions from the RAF files on top with the PureRaw conversions to DNG below. Each image is captioned appropriately.
Fuji RAF RAW file converted directly to JPG using Lightroom without cosmetic corrections to color, exposure, contrast or sharpness.Enlarged version of the above: Fuji RAF RAW file converted directly to JPG using Lightroom . [Fuji RAF RAW file converted directly to JPG using Lightroom without cosmetic corrections ]
Compare the PureRaw conversions below.PureRAW conversion to DNG format; leveled and scaled as a JPG without cosmetic corrections to color, exposure, contrast or sharpness.Englarged version of the above image: PureRAW conversion to DNG format; scaled as a JPG without cosmetic corrections to color, exposure, contrast or sharpness.
During the early summer, the evening sun sets north of Amtrak’s Harrisburg Line. The combination of the angle of light and pollution lingering in the western sky makes for some excellent evening glint.
We paused at our usual place at Jefferson Drive in Greenfield, east of downtown Lancaster, Pa., and here I caught Amtrak’s westward Keystone train 653 that was running just a few minutes behind the advertised time.
I made a series of NEF RAW files using my Nikon Z7-II with the 24-70mm lens set at 70mm.
Below is a comparison between post-processed files.
The top reflects the NEF RAW file before Adobe Lightroom adjustment and correction; the next is the same NEF file following Lightroom adjustments to lighten shadows, control contrast, and correct for color; the second to last photo is the same image-file converted into a DNG using PureRaw and then adjusted using Lightroom. The last image is a screenshot of the Lightroom work window of the DNG conversion following processing corrections which shows the position of Lightroom slider controls.
You tell me: can you see the difference in processing?
NEF RAW file prior to adjustment and correction.NEF RAW file following Lightroom adjustment and correction; notice the effect on shadow areas and changes to the sky.NEF RAW file converted into a DNG using PureRaw and then adjusted using LightroomAdobe Lightroom work-window showing the postions of adjustment slider controls reflecting the corrections and changes to the converted DNG file.
The other night, Kris and I paid a sponaneous visit to my old stomping grounds at Palmer, Mass.
While the New England Central was switching the former Central Vermont Railway yard, we could hear an approaching eastbound freight on CSX’s former Boston & Albany.
I set up my 3pod tripod on the platform of the old Union Station (now Palmer’s popular Steaming Tender restaurant), and exposed a sequence of photos of the passing train using my Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.
These images were made at 1/15 second at ISO 1000. NEF Faw files were converted to DNG format pins DxO PureRaw software and then adjusted in Lightroom to alter color, contrast and exposure.
Wildfires in Canada contributed to haze that made for some interesting visual effects.
CSX M436 (Selkirk to Framingham) approaches Palmer, Massachusetts. Lights on the station helped illuminate the train.
Last night Kris and I paused at Leaman in Paradise, Pa., to roll by Amtrak’s Keystone enroute to Harrisburg.
It had been raining heavily all day, and just as I stepped out of the car the sky opened up.
I’d set my Lumix LX7 to ISO 400, which is about the functional limit of its sensitivity. While it is possible to set the ISO setting higher, the results are not usually worth it.
I set the zoom to its maximum (17.7 mm), which about the equivalent to a 70mm lens on 35mm film camera. As the train drew close, I panned the leading ACS-64 locomotive with the shutter a 1/100 of second in effort to keep the locomotive and train as sharp as possible despite comparatively high speed.
The pantograph of the locomotive was dispersing water from the overhead catenary as it sped westward.
Below are two versions of the same file.
The first is the in-camera RAW without adjustment or cropping, but scaled in Lightroom for internet presentation.
The second is an interpreted file. First, I converted the RAW to DNG using DxO PureRaw, which corrected for lens defects and reduced the effects of pixelization from high-ISO, while effectively sharpening the image. I then imported this file into Lightroom to make cosmetic adjustments to contrast and exposure, lightening shadows and reigning in the highlights.
PureRaw’s re-interpretation of the pixels in the RAW file combined with water on the lens, pouring rain and panning motion resulted in some visual artifacts that are something other than was perceived with the naked eye. However for presentation here, the interpreted PureRaw version (complete with post-processing cropping) appears as a more dramatic image.
This is the in-camera RAW without adjustment or cropping.RAW file converted to DNG format using PureRaw, then adjusted cosmetically, including cropping, using Adobe Lightroom.
I just experienced an ‘oh wow, you must be kidding’ moment.
For more than 15 years I’ve been making photos with Lumix LX-series cameras. One of the principle advantages of these cameras is their ability to capture images using both RAW and JPG.
Recently, I’ve been reexamining my Lumix RAW files using DxO PureRaw software, which corrects for lens aberrations and converts the files to DNG format.
For this TTL post, I thought it would be neat to compare the camera-RAW file, the un-adjusted PureRaw file, and my cropped but otherwise unadjusted RAW file.
I didn’t expect to learn that all of my Lumix RAW files exposed since 2009 have had MORE image area (albeit distorted) than I was aware of!
In other words, I’d never seen the full picture before.
Below are the three variations of a single Lumix RAW image that I exposed at New York’s Grand Central Terminal in July 2018.
Each is described in the captions.
Lumix RAW file directly out of the camera without cropping or cosmetic adjustment. This was converted to Jpg, but not scaled or otherwise altered.Lumix RAW converted to DNG format, but presented without cropping or cosmetic adjustment. This was converted to Jpg using Lightroom, but not scaled or otherwise altered.Lumix RAW converted to DNG format and cropped to eliminate the areas without lens coverage. Compare this image with the top photo in terms coverage. Notice how much more image area is at the sides compared to the top photo. In simple terms, I’ve been getting more covereage with each photo than I had been aware of. WOW!
On this day nine years ago, I photographed London’s Kings Cross station using my Panasonic Lumix LX7. Recently, I converted the RAW file using DxO PureRaw to improve the photograph and correct for lens defects.
Lumix Raw file converted to DNG format using DxO PureRaw.
On our recent excursion to Paradise and back, I made a few photos of Strasburg Railroad’s SW8 8618 using my FujiFilm XT1 with 16-55mm Fujinon zoom lens.
Below are two versions of the same file. The top is a scaled but otherwise unaltered Fuji RAF RAW. The bottom is the image after transformation into a DNG file with lens defect correction using DxO PureRaw followed by selective cosmetic adjustments using Adobe Lightroom to maximize shadow and highlight detail, plus level, color and exposure corrections.
The old Reading truss bridge is long abandoned, while the former Lackawanna plate girder bridge is now used by the North Shore Railroad short line.
Working with my FujiFilm XT1, I exposed this view as a RAF (RAW) image. Below are four variations of the same file that aim to show steps toward achieving a final image.
First I converted the RAF file into DNG format using Iridient X-Transformer. Then I made some nominal corrections with Lightroom.
Out of curiousity, I then returned to the original RAF file and converted it DNG using DxO PureRaw, a program with which I’ve been experiementing recently.
Note: in this excercise I made two distinct conversions from the RAF (RAW) image to the DNG format using the two different conversion programs. I did not re-convert the already converted image.
Working with the PureRaw DNG in Lightroom, I found that this conversion gave me much greater latitude to improve detail and color in the sky. While the sky appears nearly white in the unadjusted files, using the highlights slider in Lightroom I was able to draw in considerable detail.
Overall, I found that the PureRaw-created DNG file was easier to adjust in Lightroom and allowed me to create a better end-result.
I plan to continue these experiments.
Iridient X-Transformer created DNG file, scaled without cosmetic adjustment.Iridient X-Transformer created DNG file, scaled following adjustments to shadow-areas, highlights and color balance. Note the sky.PureRaw created DNG file, scaled without cosmetic adjustment. This software corrected for a variety of lens defects among other transformations.PureRaw created DNG file, scaled following significant cosmetic adjustment, including nominal cropping. Notice the differences in the sky detail compared with the other variations.
There was a cotton candy sky hanging over Strasburg.
I thought this offered an opportunity to demonstrate the advantages of exposing using RAW, then converting the file using DxO Pure Raw softwar and importing the converted file into Lightroom for adjustment.
Below are three versions of the same image exposed using my Nikon Z6 with 28-70mm lens
The first image is the in-camera Jpg (scaled without adjustment). The second is the NEF RAW file after conversion to PNG format using Pure Raw. The last is end result following adjustment in Lightroom.
In camera JPG without adjustment.NEF file converted using PureRaw to correct for lens defects, reduce pixelization etc.PNG file following adjustments in Lightroom to make better use of shadow and highlight detail, adjust contrast and color balance, etc.
