ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2020
- In this week's video, I revisit a subject I first photographed in 2012, but I wasn't overly satisfied with the results. I returned to the same location, this time with a new strategy to take the photo I hoped to capture the first time.
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Great stuff, Ben. I'm still trying to get 1 shot in focus.
Thanks Jack!!!
What a commitment !!! Really impressed by you taking the time, gear, etc, figuring out what didn’t work, why... going back, hiking... in the hope to find it and put it right waiting several hrs for the light... for such an intimate landscape others may have even passed by unnoticed. I wish I had a fraction of your time and energy. Tnx for sharing.
Thanks so much Dimitris! We don't often get the chance to re-do a photo, especially with the passage of so much time, so I was very thankful the scene hadn't changed very much. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Hello, Mr. Ben. I enjoyed the video very much. Mr. Ben, I appreciate the new photograph, but I especially like the 2012 photograph more. In my humble opinion, the colors are vivid and rich, whereas the new photograp's colors appears to be toned down dramatically. Sometimes, I ponder that youth produces the most fantastic of works, from photography to painting, sculpting, writing, etc. Youth pushes through boundaries, for it escapes the fine prints and critical exacting details. It escapes peoples critiques and criterias. Youth allows the individual to be. Do not lose your youth, Mr. Ben. Allow for it to be, and you be right along with it. Bring the two of you back together again and hold fast to each other. By the way, the scene where you are shooting would make for an excellent photograph too. It is a very cool scene, if you think about it. As always, it's great seeing your work. Bless you and your family.
Hi Courtney! Thanks so much for the excellent comment. In many ways, the difference between the first and the second versions of this photo represent much of the changes with my own photography through the year. Though I was quite satisfied with the first version, in many ways, my processing was too aggressive (too much saturation, I darkened the wood too much, and I brightened the rock too much). I was still trying to get a feel for the process and the tools. Looking back on that photo, I had a very difficult time printing it. It just never quite looked right because I was trying to force it to be something that it wasn't. I've since learned that it's important to be as true to the scene as possible, and to let the subject itself have its own voice rather than forcing it to be something that it isn't. My goal with photography now is to take photos that are true to the scene and the moment in time, and not overly garnished, since that only seems to distract from the natural beauty. What I found is that the new version prints very well and the print has a vivid realness that the first version lacked. Along with the more refined composition, looking at a print of the new version gives me the feeling of being there and observing the subject in person that the first version never did. Hopefully that makes sense!
@@BenHorne Thank you, Mr. Ben. I understand what you mean. I did not know that you had used Photoshop on the 2012 photograph. However that goes, both photographs stiiiiiilll look wonderful to me. Bless you.
This image is not just about making a wonderful image but the pursuit of
Ben's vision over those years since the first visit.
I suspect it will not be the last time we see this subject 👌
Thanks so much Stuart! I've always been fascinated by how subjects change with time, so it sure was great to revisit this scene. It's not often that we get a chance to re-do a photo, especially with a small scene, but this was a unique opportunity. I will definitely revisit this subject on future trips to see how it continues to change. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!
Following this video i too revisited a scene i had 'sketched' some 20 years ago!
My Rock image had an special treat in store a hatch of flying ants off its crest 😊
One experience i will Never forget 👌
Woo! New Ben video!
Thanks Josh!
To be able to find and perfectly capture this piece is fantastic.
This unique magnificent piece of art, that nature continues to craft. You made it Ben, this goes a long way. Thank you.
Thanks so much Aaron! It would be fascinating to see a time lapse video of this specific subject over the centuries. The tree likely died over 2,000 years ago, and it is continuously shaped by the environment. There sure are some fascinating natural creations out there.
Alternative title...how to get rid of money quickly!😂
Man this thing can do that quicker than a stove
Note to self: create a video of myself opening a box of Velvia 50 in full daylight, making it rain sheets of film in slow motion.
great explanation of depth of field for close up work on large format. Thanks for the video, was great, and love the end result!
Thanks so much Stephen! It sure can be a challenge at times, but it's great when everything comes together. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Glad to see you still have the first image, it's fascinating to see the subtle changes between the shots. Also, the scans of your negatives are gorgeous, the resolution and detail captured with by an 8x10 never fails to blow me away!
Thanks Eric! It really was quite interesting to see the subtle changes in the scene. I had a feeling that it might have looked quite different after all those years, so it was great to see it intact when I rediscovered the scene.
Yeeeees sir! The reason why I preordered your 2020 box set
Thanks so much Felix! It's one of those photos that I'm really glad worked out. Now it's time to start getting ready for my trip to Zion this fall. I'm looking forward to what I'll find there this year.
just added that trip to my next death valley visit. thank you
Wow now that was a so interesting video, first for the photostacking with a large format which I thought was not possible. But also to be able to observe the pass of the years in the two images, beautiful! Last not least the subject, stunning!
Thanks so much Joan! I've always been fascinated by how locations and subjects change, so it sure was cool to see how subtle the differences were with this particular subject. Those trees are preserved like mummies up there at high elevation in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada. Thanks for watching and commenting!
So interesting in so many ways: how the scene has changed, how your abilities and approach have changed, the technique of capture, and even the technique of blending. Very cool.
Thanks so much Joshua! I sure lucked out with the subject. It's not too common that we get a chance to re-do a photo with landscape photography, especially after 8 years. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!
I really like this one. A little different from the usual. I love your videos, photos and your work over all Ben.
Thanks Russell! I did film quite a bit more from this trip, but this was the only notable thing I photographed, so it was fun mixing the old footage with the new. I look forward to returning to Zion this fall where I'll have my usual long format videos.
Interesting stuff Ben, great to see how the subject has changed over the period of time. Such a unique subject, I can see why you were eager to revisit and refine your image. 👌
Thanks Ian! It isn't all that often that we get a chance to redo a photo-especially after 8 years, so I was very thankful the scene hadn't changed much. Thanks for watching and commenting!
That's a beautiful image, WOW!
Thanks! It sure was a great scene to work with, and I look forward to heading back there this summer.
Revealing, thanks for sharing your technique. As always a joy to watch your feed
Thanks so much Patrick! I was really happy that there weren't any surprises with the focus stack, and it'll certainly make for a great technique in my took kit for future photos. Generally I'm okay with having a bit of a shallow DOF, but this was a very challenging scene in that regard. There is so much beautiful detail, and it all felt very important. Thanks for watching and commenting!
One of the important things is the importance of rear standard focusing vs. front standard movement. It helps to maintain the perspective and the size of the subject because it retains the distance from the lens to the subject. This is crucial in your scene indeed! Appreciate that you've mentioned this point and even illustrate this using a juxtaposition between your trusted Ebony and the current Arca Swiss. Great job!
Always love to view your videos, keep on the effort Ben!
As always interesting. Love your stories, with ups and downs from the American outback.
Thanks so much Andreas! It sure was fascinating to revisit that tree and give it a second shot. Nature doesn't always provide opportunities like that.
Really enjoyed this video, Ben! Time travel, field trip and an edit - all in one!
Thanks James! It was definitely a different sort of video project, but I was super excited to find that old footage from the previous trip. I thought I had lost it a while back. I'll be back to the long format videos for my Zion trip, though perhaps supplemented with some more editing videos as well.
Watching now but while I haven't gone back out with film yet I really enjoy your channel with your love photography and the outdoors. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much! I hope you're able to get out there again soon. It sure is nice to get away from the news for a while.
Thanks I enjoyed that Ben, 3 sheets of film. Well such a stunning image.
Thanks so much Mark! It was one of those photos where I was super glad to see I didn't mess up any of those exposures. I'm glad the wind cooperated!
Great shots! It’s cool to see how little changes in that environment.
Thanks Brian! Those trees are definitely preserved like mummies up there! The elevation combined with the rain shadow effect of the Sierra makes for the perfect environment for them.
The only thing in 2020 that that hasn't been destroyed, Ben's artwork and entertaining videos
Thanks so much Randy!! This certainly has been a rather... interesting year. Let's hope 2021 will be better!
great video and excellent subject, Ironically I went up towards BristolPine on labor day, but had a very bad trip, had a muffler blow out on the Tundra unbeknowst to me and the heat was going straight to the floor in the back passenger side. It go so hot that my carpet melted and by grace of God I did not set the truck on fire, nonetheless horrible day trying to find someone near BiG Pine to fix such near the end of the day on Labor day weekend, luckily made it back to Ne Cuyama with some field repairs and was albe to get new muffler with no problems since then, All said did not make it to the Anicient forest but did stay in the campground at the road visitor center that goes up to Bristol, well plan another trip in the near future. Nice think was shortly after I got your book whihc seeing a few photos from BristolPine has made me want to go even more.
Thank you for shraing
Yikes! That sure is scary about the issue with the muffler directing all the heat up to the floorboards. I know that there are some significant issues with people stealing catalytic converters for scrap value. I almost wonder if there had been an attempt that left it damaged. I'm glad to hear you were able to get it fixed. You'll definitely want to spend a bit more time up at the Bristlecone Pines. Such a wonderful area.
@@BenHorne Yes for surte going back to Bristol Cone in the very near future. As far as the muffle went, it was more than likely weaken from corrosion from back home in West Virginia and the east coast for snow coverage and was a large enough spot that was weaken that when it gave it blew a large hole at once. All good sense then. You be safe out ther and thanks for the response
Beautiful work
Thanks Shawn!
Good thing that the objects you photograph are still there 8 years later! :)
Also, it is an interesting perspective to think about what you learn after all of these years when it comes to creating a good photo!
Thanks Sina! It's one of the few subjects that has changed so little in that time. If that was any other sort of tree, or located anywhere else, I bet it would be unrecognizable in less than a year, let alone 8 years. Those trees are located at very high elevation in the rain shadow of another larger mountain range, so they are preserved like mummies. It's a truly fascinating, and it sure was interesting to revisit the scene with all the insight I have learned about technique over the course of those 8 years.
Thanks Ben, that was a really nice video. Beautiful subject. Straightforward and informative on focus stacking. Good luck! Best regards, Annie
Thanks as always Annie! I hope you're doing well.
Very interesting video. I like how you combine the analog and digital workflow.
Thanks Matej! That's one of the beauties of working with film these days. You get the best of both worlds-the quality and the look of film, but the control of digital. I love it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
That was amazing. Never thought of focus stacking a film image.
I have owned two 8x10 view cameras (and still own one of them) I've never shot with them. Did some 4x5 work in the 1970's and 80's.
Again, this was really enjoyable to watch. Thanks for helping to keep film photography alive.
Thanks so much James! Glad you enjoyed it!
Both of your images are great. I think you did a masterful job with your first and second image.
Thanks James! I'm glad I was finally able to do that scene some justice, and that it didn't change all that much over the years. It'll be interesting to check in on it again over the next several decades and see how it continues to evolve.
That image really stood out to me in your earlier video. It’s a belter, however you achieved it, Ben...I love it! The scene sings of ancient native peoples and their revered places 👍🏻
Thanks so much Martin! It sure was fascinating to revisit that scene. It's not too often that we get "do-overs" with landscape photography, so I really lucked out with this one. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!
Great work, Ben! It's always an interesting exercise returning to re-photograph old subjects. The original is actually one of my favorite images from your portfolio, so it was pretty cool to see how it has changed over the years. You did well with the new exposures. The focus stacking helps a lot.
Thanks so much Dustin! It sure was a cool subject to find, and I was really happy it hadn't changed much-and if anything, the changes were for the better. That doesn't happen all that often with nature, especially for small scenes. I'm glad you were able to head up there as well, and despite the smoke, it sure made for some great hazy shots.
@@BenHorne yeah definitely. In this case it aged well. I'm glad I got up there for the weekend too. I don't know why I waited so long. I'm so drawn to the Sierra that I guess I just get tunnel vision when I'm in the area. I'll be spending more time up there though. Really interesting area.
The scene didn’t change much but the photographer and his skill has. Such a beautiful place. Now I want to go back there again.
Thanks Jay! Visiting that scene again was truly enlightening. It showed me where I've come from as a photographer, and all the skills I've learned over the past 8 years. It's not all that often with landscape photography that we have a chance to re-do a particular photo, so I'm thankful the scene hardly changed during that time. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!
Beautiful image Ben! I’ve only visited the Schuman Grove but haven’t been to this other one. Being in the presence of such ancient creations truly blows your mind and you can only imagine what the trees have seen throughout the 4000+ years they’ve been on the earth. Not gonna lie I was really waiting to see the comparison between the 8year old photo you had captured and the more recent one, was amazing to see the very subtle yet defining changes. Can only imagine what it’ll look like another 1000 years from now.
Congrats on being able to pursue photography full time!!
Thanks so much Shashank! It sure is a beautiful place isn't it? It's truly fascinating how well those trees are preserved. Seeing the very subtle differences over the course of 8 years-a mere blink of the eyes in the lifetime in these trees-was an eye opening experience. I look forward to heading back up there next year to see what else I can find. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
STUNNING !!!!! very interesting ,,thank u my friend !!!! n GOD BLESS !!!!!!!!!
Thanks Juan!! Glad you enjoyed it!
Great job, and it's also interesting to see how the scene was changed during the years.
Thanks so much Fabrizio! I'm fascinated by how subjects change through the years, so it sure was interesting to see the subtle changes with this scene, especially after 8 years. I was really happy to see that "arch" of wood was still intact. It'll be interesting to see how this scene continued to change in the decades to come.
@@BenHorne I was happy for you that the wood was still there to be photographed! I also like to revisit areas that I've photographed but I must say that sometimes it's a disappointment. I guess it's part of the game.
that, sir, is a phenomenal image. many congratulations :-)
Thanks so much! I was super happy it turned out!
That landscape is surreal! Without the dead trees it looks that you're shooting at the Moon! Great photo too!
It sure is surreal indeed! I camped that night at over 12,000 foot elevation, and it looked like a moonscape outside because I was above the tree line at that point. Thanks for watching and commenting Luís!
@@BenHorne my pleasure. I am regularly following your videos! I have 4x5 only though!
Nice teaching episode Ben - well done! Really like the subject matter from 2012 revisited. Pulling out the 4x5 Chamonix to give focus stacking on film a try. Not being a monorail, moving the rear standard will be more challenging! Craig/Ohio
Hi Craig! For most subjects, moving the front standard will be just fine, but if you're already pushing up against the close focus ability of the lens, that's when things get tricky. I'm glad to have this technique as another tool in my kit for future scenes. I see it being very useful when heading back up to the Redwoods in the spring. Some of those scenes are incredibly difficult to shoot with large format.
Always loved the composition and seeing it redone is cool. As much as I hate to admit it, Alan is right about the cost. It was well worth it in the end though.
It wasn't cheap, that's for sure. Like most things, I prefer to shoot doubles, so I shot that sequence twice, and goofed up one sheet of film in the process for a total of 7 sheets of 8x10 film. Totally worth it though! Thanks as always for watching and commenting James!
'And today I'm going to focus stack 8x10...' OK. Seriously great work, very envious seeing you up amongst the Bristlecone Pines. Perhaps lots of other images to be had there as well?
It sure is a beautiful place to visit, though it's a bit tricky this time of year with so much wildfire smoke in the air. Although there were some really bad fires burning when I was up there, it got even worse in the weeks after my trip. I look forward to heading up there again next year. There is so much to photograph, and the weather changes so much on a daily basis.
"Heart of Stone"...I like it.
Thanks! That would have also been a fantastic name for the photo. Thanks for watching!
Ebony is such a gorgeous camera.
It sure is! It's a shame that the Ebony camera company isn't around anymore. If I could go back in time, I would purchase several cameras for future use. A friend of mine owns the Ebony now and continues to use it which is fantastic.
I did not see the first image of 2012 ??? Very interesting video ! I would like to try the same !!! thanks for sharing ! Where was this Ben ???
The original 2012 photo is one of my favorite of yours!! The new version seems like a good improvement, but I also liked the "drab" version before editing a lot :-)
Thanks! It sure was great to stumble upon that subject back in 2012. It's not too often we get a chance to re-do photos, especially with small scenes, so I'm glad that subject was still intact. Thanks for watching and commenting!
And I think focus stacking is cumbersome with digital... you take it a step further Ben! :)
Thanks Magnus! It definitely was quite cumbersome, but I'm glad the wind and light cooperated!
Thank you for your work. Helps us newbies to catch up without stepping on the same landmines. With an Arca-Swiss that give you complete control, could you have done that same shot with the Scheimnpflug Rule and adjusted your back to get the same results without moving your lens standard? Again, Thanks! Great image!!!
Exactly.
Very good work! But I remember that in one of Ansel Adams's books there is a photo done with focus stacking on the same negative by multiple exposures with the changing of the plane of focus. The main exposure reading was divided into several ones that then generated the image. I think that this could be done with some tests
That sure must have been an undertaking in the darkroom!! Wow!!
@@BenHorne After my last comment, I then found the picture in his book 'The Camera'. To be precise, it is actually a photo by Wynne Bullock called "Sea Palms", and Adams's description is: "The negative was exposed several times using a very small aperture, and taking a cumulative photograph of the various exposures. If each of the various exposures was short enough, the final image is made from several sharp images". I think it is important to mention that the film was black and white, maybe with colour, the changing lighting conditions could cause some colour shift.
@@gabriele.valensisi Ah, I found that image online. That one would have been relatively easy in the darkroom with all that mist, I would think..But Adams' description seems to imply it was all done in camera. Quite another thing!
With the monorail Arca-Swiss, you could focus stack by sliding the camera on the monorail and not by refocusing/moving either front or rear standard. Then the magnification of the image doesn't change from focus breathing. Cool video, loved watching it!
That's a very good point Kirk, though it certainly would be tough to juggle at that awkward angle. Knowing my luck it would just slip out of the QR of the tripod head and smash into the subject destroying both the camera and the tree. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Damn.... I struggle with focus stacking with my d850 and that does it for me!
It actually can get a bit tricky with modern autofocus lenses in that regard. They aren't well suited for manual focus. Being able to mark the rail of my camera sure made that part of the process easy with the 8x10. The rest was painfully slow and tedious compared to digital though. :-) Thanks for watching and commenting Jeff!
Thanks for another helpful video. I have used that process with 6x7 but not with large format. Will keep it in mind. So are you going to have those three sheets drum scanned and then stack them? Keep up the good work. Ps I spent a day with Michael Strickland in Aug to fine tune my drum scanning technique.
Hi Larry! I will indeed have these files drum scanned, then repeat the same process I did with the flatbed scans. I really look forward to seeing the resulting image in print. I'll be a bit more precise with my technique for the final version. That's great to hear that Michael was able to help you with the drum scanning technique. That's something I have zero knowledge about! Thanks as always for watching and commenting, and I hope you're doing well.
Incredible :)
Thanks so much Krishnan!
8 years difference? Wow, in our humid northern germany climate the wood would have weathered to soil in that time ;-)
Pretty crazy huh? Up at that elevation, and also within the rain shadow of a much larger mountain range, the trees are preserved like mummies. That tree died possibly 2,000 years ago, and lived for perhaps several thousand years. Despite that, it still smells like fresh wood when you get up close. The growth rings on Bristlecone pines are incredibly small, so it's a very dense wood packed with super fine grain. It's a very fascinating place to say the least.
@@BenHorne Yes, thats crazy, Thanks for the explanation.
Our 70 years of average living time is nothing against it…
Ben, shooting 8x10 stacks brings on thoughts of my Drag Racing years $$$$....*>) Your final results were excellent here and the subject was perfect for this project. Your first video from 2012 brought back memories of my day long outing to the White Mountains area. At 11k feet I was having altitude issues that really did not register until coming back down the grade into the 395 corridor. The pressure release in decent stages was amazing.
The altitude sure has an impact up there. I'm in much better shape than I was in 2012 and never really felt short of breath on this trip, but that doesn't mean I wasn't affected by the altitude. I slept at over 12,000 feet, and tossed and turning all night. I woke up with a mild headache the next morning (I never get headaches), a loss of appetite, and I just felt weird overall. Those are all symptoms of extremely mild altitude sickness.
I drove down the mountain a ways until my appetite returned, which happened to be at about 10k feet. After having breakfast, I spent time loading film, then headed back up to higher elevation and felt much better. A look at the stats shows that 20% of people are affected by altitude sickness above 8,000 feet, and 40% of people are affected above 10k feet, regardless of how in shape the person is.
@@BenHorne Ben, yes weird is one way of stating the condition. For me, I fit the classification of being "goofy" at those altitudes. I think pilots must be on oxygen if flying over 10k feet. So your point about that zone is pretty much dead on. My cousin who is a Dr. did Whitney a couple times and he is in excellent shape. But he still carried pulmonary and cranial edema drugs just in case. It can be serious stuff if one loses consciousness.
It's impressive to see how little that tree rock has changed over the past 8 years. One thing is for sure is that some subjects you end up photographing may not exist later on in a few years or the next day. Thank you for not disclosing the specific location.
Thanks Bryan! I was overjoyed to see it was mostly the same. In many ways, those trees are mummified at high elevation in the rain shadow of a larger mountain range. It look forward to revisiting this subject in future years to see how it continues to evolve-though since very little changed after 8 years, I suspect it will remain mostly the same for decades to come.
I was very careful with the clips I chose and the shooting angles to not disclose the specifics. The biggest threat to subjects like this unfortunately comes from other people. 🙁 I hope to return to this place again next year, but I likely won't do any video at all for that trip. It'll be nice to just concentrate my efforts on the still photography.
@@BenHorne I absolutely agree, Ben. Happy photographing!
Too bad 'bout the reception from QT's Parkbenchers. You seemed gracious in that sanctioned brofest. I hope you continue to provide information about your methods. The bigger the field the richer we become.
Thanks Richard. It is an odd group, and that wasn't the first run-in I've had with them. They are very willing to throw other photographers under the bus, which is a mentality I certainly don't understand.
Using the back standard for focusing has another advantage: Absolutely no change in perspective, which should be quite noticeable when focusing with the front standard at that distance. Now there's something to consider when going RLF (really large format ;-))!
That's a very good point Christian. Since I was using a slightly wide angle lens this time, I bet the differences in perspective would have been even more noticeable than the first version if I was focusing with the front standard. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Awesome job! I'm wondering now if Ansel Adams ever tried focus stacking in the darkroom. I wouldn't put it past him.
Someone else commented that he indeed found a way to use this technique. That sure must have been incredibly complex in the darkroom!!
Hi Ben! Interesting video ! Hope will be the excellent photo !!! Enjoying watch your video and photos . Thank you for subscribing on my page on Instagram !
Thanks Evgeny and you're very welcome! 🙏
Hey Ben, hope you're well. Its really cool seeing you go through the process. Quite weird timing... I had someone say they preferred digital because of things like being able to stack photos. As you know I'm new to film but I was planning to try and prove that comment wrong... don't need to know as you've proven its possible 😉 its a great shot btw, how you found that I don't know...
Hi Steven! Through the years, I've had some people suggest that shooting film and then scanning it doesn't make much sense. The end result is a digital file, so why not just capture the photo digitally to begin with? What they don't realize is that the hybrid workflow of shooting film, scanning it, then working with it in photoshop gives the best of both worlds. The digital side makes possible certain techniques that would have been darn near impossible in the darkroom. Things like focus stacking, exposure blending, and time blending are all possible with film, though it sometimes takes a little bit more effort. I've been very impressed with photoshop's ability to work with these files, auto align the layers, and blend the exposures.
Amazing work and lovely images. I think I prefer the 2020 because of composition more than anything. How big do you need to print to see the difference between f/45 and f/64? I guess you will always be able to see a difference if you pixel/grain peak on screen because you can just scan higher res and keep zooming in. Perfect focus is infinitely narrow and diffraction is always present after all. Would 16" prints of 2012 and 2020 be that different?
Thanks Roger! It's interesting how subtle changes in the composition can have such a big impact. When I framed the shot the second time, I felt like I was making mostly the same decisions, but upon reviewing both photos, the new version felt much more balanced. I think much of that has to do with noticing subtle things that I wasn't as aware of in the past. The affect of diffraction is actually very minor, but it's there. You would have to print very very large to notice it, and adding a bit more sharpness in photoshop can certainly help. About 5 years ago, I shot a photo at both f/45 and f/72(?) and the difference between those two settings was very noticeable. I believe that lens stopped down to f/128 max, but I've never used my lenses that far stopped down. Generally a slightly shallower DOF at f/45 gives a much better image than stopping down more for DOF but losing sharpness because of diffraction.
When it comes to the print size differences between the new and old versions, I honestly think you'd notice a difference with a print as small as 12x15. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!
Very cool. I actually like the light in the original better. It's almost like it lost its dimensionality in the stacked version. But that's on my 4k tv; not in person. I would shoot it one more time but bring a gold reflector to help recreate the light.
Anyways it shows a real dedication. Good work.
Thanks Matt! The light is a bit stronger on the first one, but I think that's also one of the reasons why I struggled printing the original version. There was a lot going on, and it was tough to get a print that felt realistic. The new version is more subtle in that regard, but I think that places more emphasis on the subject itself. I like how it pulls out some other color nuance including some cool tone in a few places. I'm really happy the scene hadn't changed much in the past 8 years. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!
Awesome is being used a lot today, but this is it really! I myself do dogital MF and analogue 4x5, but never would be as determined as you - mean to do focus stacking with large format. Maybe one of theses days I‘ll try, B&W first.... Color is very expensive over here where Ilive.
By the way: What is that little black box under your monitor? (I am thinking of changing from Windows to Apple, still researching what to get - iMac, miniMac, or what. Thanks in advance. Robert
Thanks Robert! This technique certainly isn't something I'm going to use very often, but it sure was nice how it all came together. I plan on doing some focus stacking when I head up to the Redwoods in the spring, but only for shots that I have a lot of confidence in. Otherwise it would get very expensive very fast. In many ways, I felt this might have been my one opportunity to get the photo that got away from me many years ago, so I went all out for it and I'm glad the technique worked.
The box under my monitor is an audio interface for my mic. It allows me to plug in a XLR mic, then feed it into my computer via USB. I wasn't using the mic for this video, but I do for other things including the voiceover work for my other videos. I've had my iMac for a couple years now and love it. The monitor is incredibly accurate, and I'm completely satisfied with it. Thanks for watching and commenting Robert!
Many thanks for your answer. And thanks for strengthening my motivation to go back to large format after more than 40 years. (Younger guy for an older guy about old technology... Kind of funny.)
Good start to DoF stacking ... you'll soon be ready for panorama stacks! 😉 But it would be interesting to see how Photoshop would handle the auto-blending. It may handle exposure blending without the need for curves adjustments and flattening of the individual layers. A simple experiment...
Hi Robert! I gave photoshop a crack at it, but the results were really splotchy and weird. After seeing that, I quickly went the manual route. Another method would be to use some dedicated focus stacking software, but since this was an easy enough manual blend with defined areas of sharpness, it was pretty easy to do. It felt a bit like magic using the layer mask to paint in the sharper zones, and the entire process didn't take all that long. Once I have the film properly drum scanned, I will repeat the process, but the flatbed scans worked quite well for a nice proof of concept. Thanks for watching and commenting Robert!
@@BenHorne I've had to use Helicon Focus when PS does not work, and masking on rare occasions. PS has a fairly new Select Focus option, but I have not tried it yet. May be a head start on producing good masks, but then, it may just duplicate what Auto-blend does. BTW, I really appreciate your ad-free videos!
Ben, it appeared your max-vo2 has improved since 2012!
It really has!! That's one of the benefits of going for a run each morning. I never really felt short of breath while I was up there this time, but I did get a super mild case of altitude sickness that night. I felt really weird the next morning had a mild headache, and had no appetite. I was camping at about 12,000 feet, and from what I've read, roughly 40% of people are affected once you go above 10k feet regardless of how in shape you are. I drove down to about 10k feet that morning, and my appetite returned. I spent time loading film, then headed back up to higher elevation again without any issue.
@@BenHorne Ben, that was exactly my experience nearly half a century ago when I took my young soon to 14K in Colorado. No problems for him, be me? Wham! But, super kudos to you for having improved max-vo2. Hang with that for the duration.
This is interesting. I've enjoyed doing some focus stacking with my digital camera and was wondering if could with my 4x5. I'm not sure if I can use the rear focusing that you did. That's a great approach. One question when you did the blending step after alignment, did you try doing the automatic blend and compare it to your manual work? Also, when I scan a piece of film, I end up with a very large file on purpose. I'm wondering if I'm going to have issues with my computer handling that big of a file before flattening?
Hi Alan! For most subjects, using the front standard will be just fine, but since I was flirting with that limit of overshooting my focus, the rear focus helped avoid that. With regard to the automatic blend, that was the first thing I tried, and honestly it was a mess. Photoshop had a difficult time with it for whatever reason. Maybe it's more accustomed to working with digitally native files. I also some dedicated focus stacking software, but I tried doing the manual blend first, and it was incredibly simple so I just went with that. These files were scanned quite large, and my computer didn't have any problem with the auto align. It took about a minute, but the process of editing the files is quite smooth. I will have my friend Michael Strickland drum scan these three sheets of film for me and repeat the focus stacking process. Those files will be even bigger, but it shouldn't be a problem for my iMac. Thanks as always for watching and commenting!
@@BenHorne Thanks for the info Ben. This sounds like a very interesting process.
Comment for those who want to visit the White Mountain area here. It is well worth the trip photographically, in that there are a number of other scenes of brissle cone pines which are great subject material. However, make sure your car is well tuned up, as a combination of steep grades and high altitude put a heavy burden on it.
Very true! When I was up there, I saw 4 vehicles with flat tries, one of which was a pickup truck. Also, I believe the entire area is closed right now due to the extreme fire danger. Much of the national forest service land was closed to recreational activity following the recent outbreak of wildfires. When I was up there last month, everything was open (minus the campgrounds due to COVID), though the wildfire smoke was really bad at low elevation. The entire Owens valley was filled with smoke, and I couldn't see Bishop, let alone the Sierra crest. I sure look forward to when we can get some rain to help extinguish the fires burning throughout the West.
I've always got better results focus stacking with Helicon focus, i'm not sure what their maximum file size is, it might struggle with 8x10 scans, but it seems to always work better than photoshop. You may just need to align them in photoshop first, then stack using one of the 3 methods Helicon offers, then back into photoshop to make your other adjustments. It gives you a little more control over how the image is stacked.
Helicon is great software. I used it to stack a photo for my wildernessinfluencer parody Instagram account, and it worked great. In this case, it was actually a rather simple blend, so doing it manually gave me fantastic results, but if it was a more complex stack, I'm pretty sure I would have used Helicon on it. Thanks for watching and commenting!
I personally like the old version better because of the light and the color. Also I don't really think that focus stacking is necessary in your case because your print sizes are so small. If you printed 2 meters wide I would get is. The new image is still very beautiful and it is super interesting to see that stuff like this is even possible. Keep up the great work!
At first I was a bit bummed that the light wasn't as strong with my second attempt, but when I tried to print the old version, I never quite could get it right. In some ways, I think some of that was because the light was competing with the subject itself, and that's something that is revealed in print more so than on screen. It's tough to gauge the difference in sharpness between the old and new photo, but I can assure you that the difference in sharpness is visible even with a very small print size like 8x10. The areas that were suppose to be sharp on the old version never really were sharp, and that came through in even a really small print. By the time you get to a modest 16x20 print or larger, the difference will be incredibly significant. If for some reasons the focus stack didn't work out this time around, I could use one of the individual photos from the stack and be okay, but the problem is that I wouldn't be able to get all the most important elements in focus, and that just looks like a flaw rather than calculated choices. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Why did you need to focus stack - couldn't the front element tilt achieve it in a single image?
That technique works so long as you have a subject that follows a flat plane. When you have a subject with a lot of depth, front tilt doesn't help because there will always be areas in front of the plane of focus and behind it. Although this subject was small, it had very significant depth to it. In many ways, it is like trying to photograph a forest scene with trees both near and far. If you use front tilt in a forest scene, you can drop the plane of focus so the bottom of the trees are all in focus, but the top of the trees will be a blurry mess. In this case, I actually did use a bit of swing and tilt to normalize to align the plane of focus as ideally as possible, then I did the focus stack to help expand the DOF. It was a truly tricky scene, and I'm sure glad the wind cooperated! Thanks for watching!
'happy clouds'....... yea,, bob ross gets a heaven hit......
Why not just apply a good sharpening program to the original image?
Sharpening is a wonderful tool for refining an image for print or for web viewing, but it can't make up for detail that wasn't captured because an image is out of focus.
You will have a phase one before you know it ;-)
Although that would be fun, I just can't justify the expense of them. I do plan on getting a full frame digital kit in the near future though. It would allow me to experiment a bit and grow as a photographer.
@@BenHorne Yeah I just bought a Nikon Z7 after shooting film for years, must admit it is fun when it comes to editing.
Fantastic shot Ben. We have so much smoke in the air the last couple days I have been at home not shooting. Went out to the rainforest three day ago and go some nice Bull elk shots and video though. Here is a short video. He was so close I couldn’t get him all in the frame LOL. And trying to keep up with him had me winded as well. :).
th-cam.com/video/v9cxXCAi8hY/w-d-xo.html
I like the original image from few years ago a lot more than the focus stack. Its true and organic. I’ve watched your videos for many years but I must say focus stacking is not photography. It’s digital imaging. Hopefully thats not the direction you are taking for the future.
Hi Jawad! What is it about the first version that you prefer? The color and contrast perhaps? That’s the biggest difference visually between the old and new shots, and of course the small piece of wood missing on the bridge. In terms of sharpness, the original version is never fully in focus, even the parts that are suppose to be in the plane of focus are blurry and the photo won’t print well at even my modest print sized.
If it’s the color of the first photo you prefer, I have a twist of irony for you. The color of that photo is the result of my overprocessing the original photo back when I was new to shooting film. The new version is far more representative of the actual film, but it is in focus versus the original that isn’t in focus because I was still very new to large format technique. Focus stacking is merely another tool to use when the other tools at my disposal fall short of me being able to capture the photo of a scene. It’s no different than using front tilt, or rear movements that I use to alter perspective. There is nothing pure or sacred about film photography versus digital or vice versa.
@@BenHorne Hi Ben, thanks for replying and for providing context. It’s difficult to judge sharpness from a TH-cam video, but at least the older image did not appear soft on my TV screen. And it’s warmth I thought was from the light you mentioned hitting from the side. But if that’s from generous post processing, then I missed it :)
But more importantly on the use of focus stacking, my personal opinion is that a photograph is a single artifact - an outcome of a single shutter release. Focus stacking, image blending for HDR, stitching etc. are digital composites, not photographs. In the absence of Cibachrome, scanning and post processing is a necessity. But focus stacking, blending, stitching are not. This coming from a technical camera + Phase One digital back user and someone who has developed Photoshop plugins.
And there is most definitely something more pure and sacred about film. The level of effort, non-immediacy of results, the faith in the craft, the permanence of the output. It is photography. It is what distinguishes this art form from the trillions of “images” that are minimizing photography.
A lot more work in the office.. ugh not for me, scanning is bad enough with one scan
Yup, 3x the work for sure. It sure turned out nice though. I'll reserve that technique only for very special scenes.
wow i think your a bit picky, they all look the same to me
It's tough to show the lack of sharpness of the old photo, but once you start zooming in, it becomes immediately apparent that nothing is really in focus. The new one has all sorts of great detail when you zoom in and will make for a fantastic print. Thanks for watching Daryl!