Templates I Love:
These guys put out some GREAT templates to use in Wordpress. I would totally check them out!!Need an HTML5 Portfolio:
When you need a portfolio site or gallery setup right in HTML5, You need to look no further than FWDesign. Great stuff. Totally reasonable prices. I think you’ll love his stuff. Check him out by clicking on the button. This guy rocks!Get My Books Online:
Recommend:
My Shows:
I’m co-host a weekly podcast called Dtown: The Free Podcast for DSLR shooters. You can get to the show page by clicking on the link above.
I am also a one of the Scott Kelby’s Photoshop Guys on Photoshop User TV. Make sure you check our episodes on the links above.
I’m also priviledged to be one of the many kick @*&@ instructors that we have on Kelby Training. You should TOTALLY click on that button above and check out who’s there.
The HDR Book
I’m pretty excited about this and figured i’d share. As soon as I finished the “Get Your Photography On The Web” book, i jumped right in and started working on book 2. This book would focus on the world of HDR Photography. I’m happy to say that the book is now available!
Why You Will Want To Get This Book
I dig running around making things into HDR works of art, as many people out there do. If you do a search on the bookshelf for HDR, you will find countless of people teaching the technique – Trey Ratcliff and Rick Sammon being dear to me (and David Nightingale, who also rocks it). I wanted to make something that was something a little different from what’s out there – almost focusing on something else on the process.
You see, creating an HDR image these days is pretty straightforward. Plug in some files into a software black box, jiggle some sliders and you’re done. This file that comes out, however, is only your halfway point in the path to making great HDR work. For your work to look like the masters out there, you really need to focus on one thing – post processing in Photoshop. You would be shocked to find out how much time is actually spent tweaking this HDR image with filters, plugins, effects, and TLC – just as you would affect a regular image. In short – the tonemapped file that you get one you run it through Photomatix or Nik’s HDR Efex Pro is really just your starting point.
That’s where this book comes in. I’ll talk about the HDR making process to start.. but I quickly leave that by chapter 3. The rest of the book is 13 projects where you get to tonemap and post process some of my HDR shots. The techniques are simple, but it’s the practicing that really gets you out there cutting your HDR chops. With 13 scenarios, you’ll have more than you need on your plate to get you up to speed in the world of HDR and Post Processing.
We Run The Whole Gamut of Styles
One of the other things that you see out there is that HDR has a very wide continuum of styles. From the ultra textured, hyper sharp, super colorzied, to the barely there, HDR – a lot of the war on whether people like is based on the fact that you can do so much with it. To that end, I cover that gamut in the book. We’ll process both ends, and even include things like HDR Faux Painting, and toning to Black and White with HDR (something I REALLY REALLY like now). My job isn’t to tell you what side of the continuum you should fall on when working on HDR. My job is to help teach you how it works, and YOU make that decision later.
You Get All The Sourcefiles
When I set out to make this book, I wanted to make sure that I included all of the raw project files so you can work on the projects along with me. From doing an interior real estate shoot with a NIkon P7000 point and shoot, to an exterior shoot with a 37 Megapixel Leica S2, to a 30 shot pano on the inside of a Navy Destroyer, ALL of the raw files will be available for you to use. All I ask is that when you post up, make sure you tell them about the book! I’ll even include presets for tonemapping for Photoshop, Photomatix, as well as my FAVORITE way to do HDR – HDR Efex Pro from Nik Software.
Interviews with Some Great HDR People
I also wanted to take the opportunity to get out there and let you guys meet some people who are just passionate about HDR photography. From an avid Urbex explorer (who’s since become an industry guy, working for onOne Software) Brian Matiash, to Barb Cochran – a photographer who’s been able to find her passion in between flying planes and working HDR. Jim’s a Kentucky photographer who’s hobby has turned into some masterful work. Roger is the owner of Imagewizards – a company that’s dedicated to making HDR print on metal – something that is breathtaking to see. These are people, just like you and I .. who are out there playing around – and getting to celebrate them in the book was a true pleasure..
So there you have it. Why I wrote the book. Why you’ll want to get it. And why i’m so delighted to be able to announce it. I sure hope you enjoy it! Click on this link, or the book picture on the right to go to Amazon and preorder it.
Thanks,
RC
23 Comments
I’m really happy and excited for you, RC. I know this book will be a slam dunk. I also want to thank you for including me in it. Cheers to tons of success, my friend!
Awesome!!! Im sure this one will kick a.. just like the first one you wrote.
Any idea when the release date is set to? I cant wait until June, however, I will pre-order this one tonight!!
RC, I was really excited about the book when you talked about it at PSW (especially in your post processing class), so I really can’t wait to get it! I know it’s going to be awesome.
Wow! Didn’t think you would be done with this book so soon, RC! Your first book was excellent…I would expect this book to be excellent as well. Thanks!!
–John
I am so getting this in a Digital Version! Though, how will you sign a digital copy on my iPad? Hmmm…..
RC,
Just pre-ordered the paperback version of The HDR Book at B&N. Was wondering if it is going to someday be published as an ePUB and if there will be an upgrade price/discount for paperback owners?
Could you write a class for how dreamweaver cs5 work with go daddy for kelbytraining . I have been uploading my site from godaddy’s ftp program instead of dreamweaver cs5 because it doesn’t want to upload is this a common problem? Iam a NAPP Member and subscribe to kelbytraining
RC, are you going to be signing copies of this book if it’s ordered thru Kelby Training?
–John
[...] Want to know more about the book? Check out this page I wrote about it. [...]
RC, I am interested in the Kindle version. Are the photographs in the book in colour on the Kindle version.
I know the Kindle can only display in black and white; I have an i-pad so presume they are in colour?
Mark
[...] Want to know more about the book? Check out this page I wrote about it. [...]
Wanted to first say how much I enjoyed the HDR webinar on 8/1/2011. I use the HDR Efex Pro in CS5 and LR. HDR is a passion I have injected into my photography, and have posted several images on my NAPP portfolio. I am eagerly looking forward to the HDR book and DVD.
Hi RC, Just finished watching the webcast re-broadcast. Last year I purchased the Unified Color Tech, HDR Expose. I’ve done very little HDR to date but look forward to getting more into it, haven’t even tried the CS5 HDR yet. My question is: The professional photolab I use will only take an 8 bit file. HDR Expose produces a 32 bit file. The lab claims there would be no appreciable loss with going 8 bit. What is your opinion on that? It would seem that some of the effect would be lost by throwing away data. Look forward to hearing your view.
Thanks, Larry
I bought your HDR book and I’ve also attended your HDR class at Photoshop World. I heard you say at the class and read in the book that your tonemapped photo does not come back to the group of bracketed pictures in the Lightroom grid in Library. Try staking the pictures together in Library before doing any processing, then export to Photomatix. Check the group with the “Stack with first selected photo” option in the Photomatix dialog box. I do that and the tonemapped picture comes right back to my original group.
[...] The bonus was seeing RC in Times Square while shooting. What an all around nice, down to earth fellow. It was great once again letting him know what a great inspiration he has been to me and how much I have learned from him. Check out his latest HDR book it’s chuck full of nuts of good images, processing techniques and downloadable presets available here. [...]
I enjoy your HDR book Kindle edition.
In my opinion we need your update for Photomatix 4.1.3 new sliders on the http://kelbytraining.com/books/hdr address. They are slightly different from those in the book…
Thanks RC
Any update for Nik Efex Pro 2 ?
Hi RC
do you conduct one on one tutorial on line ?
i am very keen
thanks
regards
MK
Sounds like a great read! Good practical information with plenty of opportunity to experiment and make it our own!