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View Full Version : The Totem Pole, Monument Valley: First TS-E Image



Jay Gould
04-25-2012, 06:17 PM
I am very pleased to share my first processed Tilt-Shift Lens image. I have always been drawn to paintings that displayed fine edge to edge detail. Given that I am a relatively new photographer, I was first introduced to this type of photographic image - sharp edge to edge - several months ago when I saw an article and image by Darwin Wiggett (www.oopoomoo.com (http://www.oopoomoo.com)) in an Outdoor Photography article. I joined Darwin's Blog, we had several "chats" about the use of TS-E lenses - Darwin was exceptionally encouraging and helpful, and with Darwin's assistance I have created a TS-E workshop for myself and two other members of BPN next year in the Canadian Rockies.

There is an expression: "When do we want it? We want it Now!"

Me: I want it yesterday! :Whoa!:

I am currently in Monument Valley with Jack Graham (http://www.jackgrahamphoto.com/)participating (http://www.jackgrahamphoto.com/%29participating) in two workshops in this general area. Me, wait until next year to buy the lens; no way! The lens was shipped to Page, AZ and with Jac k's assistance in person, and Darwin by email, I have been enjoying this lens beyond my expectations.

I can certainly see either a 45 or a 90 in my future.

I simply cannot get over how sharp the image are and for very basic use (I am really looking forward to learning more advanced uses from Darwin), how simple it has been to 1) slow down and really investigate what you are shooting realizing that the foreground is going to be as sharp as the mid-ground and background (no appreciable DOF), and 2) use the lens - it is not rocket science!

After setting the correct focus, I auto-bracketed and created five images of the center, and then shifted right and left to create the pano. Each set of five were processed in Nik HDR Efex Pro and then PhotoMerged in CS5.

Those that are only using CS5 for your HDR are making a big mistake; see the thread (in a couple of days) "Nik Trumps CS5 in the HDR Department" in the Workflow Forum.

A higher ISO was chosen in this instance as there 1) was a slight breeze, and 2) when doing HDR I like a faster shutter speed to make sure that there is no movement within the scene from frame to frame.



Camera: 5D3
Capture date/time: 24 Apr 2012; 0613
Light condition: sunrise
Lens: Canon TS-E 24mm
ISO: 400
Exp Prog: Manual
Speed: 1/640 sec
Aperture: f/8
Exp Comp: none
Metering: Evaluative
AEB Comp: -2
WB: Auto
AF Drive: Continuous
Tripod: yes
Filter: None
Crop: full frame
Images Changes: lots of stuff I didn't like removed!

Processed in LR4, CS5, Nik, Blowup

All C&Cs gratefully appreciated!

Robert Amoruso
04-26-2012, 07:32 AM
Tilt-Shift lens are great aren't they Jay. I have been using mine for ten years now.

I like the composition. The left side is heavier in compositional elements (grasses, totem poles, etc.) then the right, but your positioning with the cloud and it acting as a leading line really balances out the right side. Well done indeed.

I do find the image soft and recommend some more sharpening. Local contrast enhancement would also enhance the dune details.

I would be interested in your suggestions on using the TS lens - what is Darwin telling you. Also, you mentioned correct focus. I assume you are setting the lens with the hyper-focal distance scale.

Jerry van Dijk
04-26-2012, 02:28 PM
Very nice Jay! Indeed it is sharp from front to back, which creates a special look. I like the leading line of clouds. I do wish for a little more room between the totem and the top of the frame. Very well done!

Jay Gould
04-26-2012, 03:15 PM
Hi Bob, Yes, I am absolutely jazzed over the TS-E; it is amazing to see everything come into focus by following the focus instructions given to me by both Darwin. I am aware that Cambridge in Color recommends starting with hyperfocal distance (http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/tilt-shift-lenses2.htm). I have also read "Focusing the Tilt-Shift lens", an article by David Summerhayes (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/focusing-ts.shtml) which was exceptionally helpful and was exactly how Darwin suggested I use the lens.

For the simplest use of the lens, NO DOF from edge to edge, I start wide open (f/3.5) and both Tilt and Shift are at Zero.

1. Using Live View (LV), I zoom in 10x and move the focus box to the item that is the farthest point in the image that I can reasonably see. Generally that is the mountain top etc. In this image the point of focus (POF) was the light mountain range to the left of the Totem.

2. Having set that POF I then move the LV focus box to the bottom of the image and very slowly bring that bottom box into focus. Unbelievable to watch the grains of sand go sharp.

3. If time permits I will check the far focus; however, in my short experience it rarely changes.

4. I then move the focus box to the 2/3 into the frame from the bottom and set my f/stop to between 8-11 to take care of any DOF issues.

Darwin's Blog has a thread about using TS-E lenses (http://oopoomoo.com/2012/02/tilting-on-abraham-lake/); this is where I first became hooked on TS-E. We had the following discussion:


Jay Gould
18/02/2012 (http://oopoomoo.com/2012/02/tilting-on-abraham-lake/#comment-657) · Reply (http://oopoomoo.com/2012/02/tilting-on-abraham-lake/?replytocom=657#respond)

“Some things are still out of the plane of focus (like the base of the mountain) but here is where traditional depth-of-field can come in and sharpen up the stuff that does not fall into the plane of the tilt. For the final shot below, I used f11 to give me just the depth-of-field I needed to get the entire scene sharp.”
Could you expand on this, please?
My interpretation of what you are saying is that at f4 everything from the leaf to the top of the mountain is sharp except for a band in the mid ground around/including the base of the mountains.
Using the lens in live view you are able to slowly tilt bringing the foreground and background into sharp focus. Then as you close step down to a smaller aperture to obtain a wider DOF – and could check using LV – you bring the mid ground into sharp focus too.
Am I even on the right track? http://oopoomoo.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif


http://0.gravatar.com/avatar/683ef19b04150c19b62746b11d5db35d?s=32&d=http%3A%2F%2F0.gravatar.com%2Favatar%2Fad516503a 11cd5ca435acc9bb6523536%3Fs%3D32&r=G
Darwin Wiggett (http://www.oopoomoo.com/)
19/02/2012 (http://oopoomoo.com/2012/02/tilting-on-abraham-lake/#comment-663) ·

No explanation needed, you understand it perfectly and your description is right on!





Bob, in the Workshop Forum where I made an offer pertaining to a workshop with Darwin, there are citations to several articles on TS lenses (http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/96130-MAY-2013-Jay-Gould-Darwin-Wiggett-Tilt-Shift-Lens-Landscape-Workshop-Spring-in-the-Canadian-Rockies).


As to the use of shifting, I am finding that I look for the left and right edges of the image; sometimes I do not want the full shift ability of the lens. After focusing the center image and setting exposure, I then shoot the left image, center image, and right image. Easier to to see them in order in either Bridge or Lightroom than Center-Left-Right.

I am also finding that Nik HDR does such a great job that I am shooting a single image pano and an HDR set as well and comparing the difference. I do realize that one of the 5 HDR images is the same as my single image!

While I am finding the simplistic use of the lens - sharpness easy to achieve - I am very much looking forward to being with Darwin next year to learn have to move the DOF around in the frame, and to use the lens in less straight forward situations.

Regarding the question of softness and local contrast:

Softness - I will try some sharpening of the jpeg; it is approximagely 15% of the size of the original image!

Contrast - great idea; will give it a try to the sand only and do an RP.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Alan Lillich
04-26-2012, 06:47 PM
Jay,

Great job. I agree with Robert's compliments on the composition. Thanks for the links and usage info in pane #4. Looks like you'll be a TS-E expert when we get together in Canada, so Pat and I can learn from Darwin and you! Now you just need to figure out how to travel with a large format printer.

Alan

Jay Gould
04-26-2012, 08:41 PM
Thanks Alan; Lots to read and practice. Because I am stoked how both my large panos and also single 24mm FF images are coming out, I am spending a lot of time looking at foreground elements as well as leading lines etc. A good thing.

Interestingly, only shooting 24mm becomes a challenge because there is so much in the composition; hard to isolate or create an intimate landscape.

Printer? Where would I put the prints living in a 24' box? Perhaps expansive images on my website will encourage the purchase of larger images!

Jay Gould
04-28-2012, 08:06 AM
Per Robert's recommendations: contrast of dunes only +30; Nik Output at 30%

The color is now more natural to the scene; I was having problems with Save For Web deleting the color space instead of converting to sRGB.

Problems solved!

Don Lacy
04-28-2012, 11:24 AM
Hi Jay love the comp and colors what a beautiful landscape your repost is over sharpen so I took your original into PS and ran three separate sharpening layers on it one for the weeds, another on the sand, and a finale layer for the rocks only. Would love to see this full size without the compression needed to post on the web.

Jay Gould
04-28-2012, 12:26 PM
Don, thanks for the effort; I do not find the RP over sharpened. Horses for courses. The web is approx 12% of the original; unfortunately, you are applying sharpening upon sharpening. I wanted to be sure that the sand ridges of the Totem appeared to demonstrate the amazing way this lens works. What sharpening action do you use? The original full size which I sharpened to see what was possible is amazing.

Morkel Erasmus
04-28-2012, 03:33 PM
Love the wide scene here, mate, and your repost nails the issues Robert addressed. Nice job on the blending and stitching too.

I'm interested in this use of the tilt-shift lense for landscapes. I know Robert's used his for a while now. Is the main benefit the cancellation of distortion? I wouldn't consider doing this only for sharpness as my 14-24mm is plenty sharp through the frame at anything above f4. :S3:

Jay Gould
04-28-2012, 03:53 PM
Love the wide scene here, mate, and your repost nails the issues Robert addressed. Nice job on the blending and stitching too.

I'm interested in this use of the tilt-shift lense for landscapes. I know Robert's used his for a while now. Is the main benefit the cancellation of distortion? I wouldn't consider doing this only for sharpness as my 14-24mm is plenty sharp through the frame at anything above f4. :S3:


You know, before long, you are going to permanently move from wildlife to landscapes! :Whoa!:

While the main benefit is cancellation of distortion from edge to edge - absolutely no DOF - there are many other benefits that I haven't begun to learn.

Darwin uses the lens to isolate a subject in the field. I haven't learned the ins and outs; however, when you tilt the lens upwards instead of downwards you can actually control the amount and location of DOF.


http://oopoomoo.com/2012/03/seven-advantages-of-using-tilt-shift-lenses/

There are more cites in the the Workshop thread: http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php/96130-MAY-2013-Jay-Gould-Darwin-Wiggett-Tilt-Shift-Lens-Landscape-Workshop-Spring-in-the-Canadian-Rockies

Mate, while your 14-24 is "plenty sharp" it will not be as sharp as a TS lens; can't be by design. Also, unless you are using a pano ball head, it will present a slightly different perspective each time you rotate on the ball to create a wider pano. The TS lens shifts from side to side in parallel to the sensor.

I'm having fun with it; I am sure in the next year or so I will get either the 45 or the 90 to be able to isolate and create sharp images.

There is an artist, Wai Ming, that I discovered early in life: http://www.waiming.com/. His scenic and portrait images are so sharp you sometimes think he is painting with a camera. I have always wanted to pursue very sharp images throughout the frame.

To be clear, I am not giving up on other lenses; just giving them a rest!

Rachel Hollander
04-29-2012, 08:46 AM
Jay - thanks for all the links and the detailed explanations. Your repost does it for me.

TFS,
Rachel

Don Lacy
04-29-2012, 07:58 PM
[QUOTE]Don, thanks for the effort; I do not find the RP over sharpened. Horses for courses./QUOTE]
Jay my statement should have said on my monitor the repost is over sharpen halos are clearly visible and the weeds look crunchy
[QUOTE]What sharpening action do you use?/QUOTE]
Smart sharpening at different radius and amounts on separate layers with mask to apply only to the areas i want.

Vivaldo Damilano
05-02-2012, 12:43 PM
Very interesting read Jay. I am sure one of these day I will be get one of these lenses too :w3:bg3: Superb pano and composition, repost work even better TFS:cheers:

Steve Uffman
05-02-2012, 03:20 PM
Jay, you are clearly having fun, trying new things and knocking them out of the park. Lens is clearly a hit...5dIII I supposed worked well for you as well.....

and you might get that thing you are living in wrapped with one of your great photos since you have no wall space! HA