Mark Metternich
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Techie Details for the more inquisitive:
Well these might be more interesting than usual, so hold on!
First, the image:
Sony A7R2
Canon 16-35@ 18mm
600 second exposure (10 minutes)
10 stop screw on ND
f/2.8
200 ISO
10 minute in-camera noise reduction (dark frame)
So, for starters, who in the heck would blow an entire sunset from its inception to its complete finish (done, gone and over) in a single exposure, and why? Well, I can only speak for myself, but ever since I started pioneering into this technique digitally in about 2003, I have always loved doing something unusual. I was highly influenced by the really long and very surreal black and white images in the "Shoreline Collection" of David Burdeny. Killer stuff to say the least! Since then many have mimicked this style further. But since I was a color guy, and newly digital, I thought, why not try it in color? So, I acquired some 10 stop ND's and started experimenting. Below are a few of my old, really long exposure experiments.
So in a word, I often like to do less common stuff and experiment as much as possible to stay inspired. I don't like following trends. I do have some new stuff coming out that I am very excited about with the Sony A7R2 at 50 ISO (expanded Low) and 15 minutes and even longer (with the dark frame noise reduction) and I can not believe how awesome the quality of these shots are now getting. NO NOISE at all! 15 minutes! Amazing!
What is a "dark frame"? Well, the camera takes a picture when you snap the shutter. Immediately afterward, it takes a second shot of the same type and length... but with the shutter closed! The second image is called the "dark frame". Then the camera subtracts the dark frame from the real image and creates the raw file. I know there is some controversy about this process, but with modern cameras, I have only seen higher quality files from all my tests! I am surprised how the growing amount of newer photographers are NOT using this in their night shots, and many don't even know what it is. I see this in my workshops all the time.
What about ISO expansion LOW? Another hot and controversial topic where far too many photographers say something like "it is an artificial ISO." Well, that does not sound good or "real" so forget that right? Or they say that you lose too much dynamic range. The quick and dirty answer is that it is not actually "artificial". Your camera takes a photo 1 stop brighter than it appears it is going to take (think "shooting to the right" of the histogram) and then it takes the data down automatically for you in the conversion of the raw linear file to what comes up in a raw converter (a gamma encoded space). This simply means much more bits of quality information are driven down into the shadows, and the mid tones (as much as double!) and this means way less color noise! Less need for color noise reduction and thus much less (if any) irritating "grainy" artifacting that severely limits master quality enlargements and the ability to sharpen them ideally! A secret tip of master printers!
Is the dynamic range effected that much? No, not much on modern cameras. I simply exposure bracket a lot for insurance purposes when I use the LOW ISO, then I don't have to worry about blowing out highlights!
Now, let us switch gears! Color management and FM messing with our files! This image was worked very carefully on a carefully color corrected monitor with top calibration gear. When done, I tried posting it here, and no matter what I did, there was some substantial disturbing change going on! Noticeable was clipping and plugging of the shadows and a color shift toward Cyan there as well. I spent the better part of a day trying to resolve it with no success. So, here are two histograms (see image) to see how substantial the histogram image is getting moved when posting here! Not only is it clipping the shadows but the shadows are moving toward irritating cyan. I am doing everything right, and yes, I am in Srgb, and with the Srgb profile embedded into the file (as we are supposed to be doing). It just goes with the territory of various social media sites. They often mess with our files!
BTW, I soon might have a free 5 minute video on my YouTube page showing exactly what is going on here!
Then add to the problem that many people giving us feedback do not even calibrate their monitors and we can begin to see major problems of trying to see the image as intended! The good news is that pioneering technologies are getting better quickly and are on the horizon-line soon. Even in the brand new iPhone, they have an optional color correction setting that corrects the cool White Point / Color Balance inherent to all Mac displays.
Side note: did you know that when calibrating Mac's for critical print that if you set your white point to warmer settings than 6500, that you will start to get overall color inaccuracies?! The Native White Point in Mac monitors is so cool (like magenta/blue) that if brought to warmer than 6500, our colorimeters start having problems with correcting them. This is the kind of techie nerdy stuff world-famous master print guru extraordinaire (and goodstanding FM member) Robert B Park (owner of the boutique fine-art print lab, Nevada Art Printers in Las Vegas and innovator of the best super-gloss photo paper in the world Lumachrome HD Super-gloss) and I teach at our The Ultimate Fine Art Printmaking Workshop.
The bottom line is that hardware and software is getting better every day for us color/photo geeks!
Lastly, NO Orton, dreamy or highlight glow effects were used here at all! In fact, and hard to believe for even me, most of the work on this image was trying to subdue, correct and neutralize the colors that looked like they were from outer space. When you get averaging of 10-15 minutes off all kinds of colors and such, sometimes our software does not know what to do with it! It took me about a day to get the image (raw converter and then as a Raw Smart Object in Photoshop) mellowed out and subdued to the point of believability. Trust me, I tried localized highlight glow (I always try to get some in an image), but this is the first time in a while that it just made it look worse, not better. It could handle none!
Personal side note: don't tell anyone but I will be MARRIED pretty soon (the dates are a secret right now) and on honeymoon! So if I drop off the planet for a while, that might be why... 
Lastly, I have been so overwhelmed with making many new instructional Video Tutorials that I am behind by over 6 months! I finally got a genius idea (I was just not thinking!). Duh, hire a Video Editor to help edit them! What in the world was I thinking of editing video for 100's or hours! I have photos to get to! So, for those who may follow me at various other places, a lot of very exciting, cutting-edge new stuff is finally on the way!
FM Histogram difference to original Jpeg sent in
Old long exposure color experiments.
Old long exposure color experiments.
Old long exposure color experiment with a circular lightning strike down the middle!
Old long exposure color experiments.
Sabrina and I :)
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