Thursday, June 2, 2011

Seeing 2011 (#86)

For your consideration: a dramatic backdrop for one of the few gems still standing in San Jose's downtown.

Taken from the top of a parking garage, the final image below is a composite of three successive, hand-held exposures taken in burst-mode. Each shot was +1 1/4 f-stop removed from the next (thus one image was considerably underexposed, one closer to a "normal" setting, and the last overexposed). Initial processing was done using Photomatix Pro 3, followed by adjustment layer masking in Photoshop CS3 for some fine detail work on the building's façade and bits of cloud structure.

This roiled sky is (historically) a bit late and rare for this time of year: having checked the forecast the night before I took my camera to work, hoping to capture a final bit of atmospheric drama before the onset of months-long overhead monotony — imposed by the admittedly flawlessly blue, formless vault of summer skies . . . due any day now . . .



Bank of America Tower, San Jose (HDR), #2496-2498

© 2011 James W. Murray, all rights reserved.

(click image for larger version)

Details: May 31, 2011; Canon 20D; f/11 @ 1/500 sec; — 2/3 EV; ISO 100; 291mm

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1 comment:

  1. One of the most beautiful sky I have seen and you have a great sense of photography. The picture really looks dramatic. Wonderful.

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