MOTIF: DOF Waves Panorama

[Brian Wong]

EOS 20D, 16-35 @16mm
1/2 & 1 & 2 sec, f/16, ISO 400, tripod mount, cable release, manual exposure, 3(bracketed)x7=21 images stitched

MOTIF: DOF Waves Panorama

Inspired by Cheryl Flory's Antelope Canyon image: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=16569 .

Inside a dark cave, the concept of using a very small aperture to achieve a large depth of field should still work (just need to somehow coerce the camera to shoot in the dark:confused:!)

The left portion of the image was up approximately 50+ feet away, while the right portion of the image was immediately next to me at approximately 1-2 feet away. This was created by stitching 7 vertical oriented frames together to simulate a really wide and deep DOF. I used a shutter release cable, and weights on the tripod to keep the whole thing still.

Thank you for looking, and your suggestions are appreciated.

[Anita Rakestraw]

Wow, I like this alot, Brian, you did a great job, in my opinion. This is a refreshingly different perspective on this canyon/cave, for me anyway. The exposure looks good, the lines, light and shadows appealing, and the dof terrific! Super!! Any nits will have to come from someone else!

[Cheryl Flory]

love the DOF, the detail in the foreground canyon walls, and how your eye is led from the front diagonally to the back. This image reminds me of how the walls felt, I can practically fell the rough texture. I think having more variety of color would make the image even more interesting and intriguing.

[Nicki Gwynn Jones]

Hi Brian,
I love this a lot - absolutely no nits from me!!

[Alfred Forns]

So cool and a fresh look !!! Big Congrats Brian !!! Excellent PS work !!!!

[Julie Kenward]

Excellent work, Brian! I love how close you are at the right side of the frame. It's great to get some texture on top of the colors/shadows. Brilliantly done!

[Stephen Cunliffe]

[quote=Brian Wong;121287]EOS 20D, 16-35 @16mm
1/2 & 1 & 2 sec, f/16, ISO 400, tripod mount, cable release, manual exposure, 3(bracketed)x7=21 images stitched

Brian, the substance of the rock gives a massive power to this near abstract shot; well done indeed.
Can you explain your reference to 21 images stitched. I understand that you bracketed each of the seven portions of the panorama, but dont understand how you used that bracketing in getting to your final result. Would love to know.
Stephen

[Brian Wong]

Hi Stephen!

I have found that the range of light inside the canyon can be quite large, especially with a very large angle of view. For each frame, I made 3 bracketed image (1/2 sec, 1 sec, and 2 sec). Ended up with 3x7=21 images.

I then make 3 separate panoramas with the 7 frames (of the same corresponding exposure) ... I just call them "dark", "medium" and "light". The 3 separate panoramas are then stacked in layers, and I manually mask what I think is the best feature/exposure of each to produce the end result. (you can say that this is a manual version of HDR).

So for example, the upper left corner with the sky used much of the "darker" layer ... while the near right portion used much of the "lighter" layer .. and everything in-between. This works well only when everything is still, so that the frames, and the separate panoramas can register properly with each other.