Before & After: Overcast Blues on Aquia Creek /  by Todd Henson

Before & After: Overcast Blues on Aquia Creek

It’s been far too long since I wrote a before & after post where I compare how an image looks straight out of the camera with the final post-processed image and talk about how I got there. So for today I chose the photo, Overcast Blues on Aquia Creek, first posted in mid-January of 2024.

Straight Out of the Camera

Before making any adjustments

First off, I absolutely loved the scene that morning and was so pleased to capture a bald eagle as it flew by. But as you can see I ended up underexposing the scene so the image straight out of the camera is a little on the dark side. I try to get better exposures in camera as that gives you more data to work with in post due to how digital sensors work. But sometimes I don’t quite get it exactly as desired and rely on the dynamic range of today’s sensors to capture enough detail in those darker shadows. You’ll see below how I adjust the exposure in Adobe Lightroom to create what I believe is a more pleasing version of the scene.

Step 1: Initial Global Exposure Adjustments

Initial global exposure adjustments

Instead of raising the exposure right off the bat I decided to raise the shadows and see if there was any detail worth revealing. While doing that I also dropped the whites and blacks a bit and added a little vibrance.

Step 2: Linear Gradient Over the Clouds

Linear gradient over the clouds

Next I decided to try bringing out a little more drama in the clouds so I created a linear gradient over the upper clouds. The areas affected by these changes are highlighted in red. In that gradient I increased the whites a fair bit to brighten them up and I dropped the blacks to darken them just a little. This begins to create a little more contrast.

Step 3: Brush Mask Over Lighter Clouds Above Horizon

Brush mask over lighter clouds above horizon

I decided to try doing something similar in the lighter area near the horizon so I used a brush to create a mask over that area which you can see highlighted in pink/red. I lowered both the shadows and the blacks which darkened those sections.

Step 4: Global Exposure Adjustment to Brighten Image

Global exposure adjustment to brighten image

Finally I got around to raising the exposure to brighten the entire image a bit.

Step 5: Additional Linear Gradient to Sky

Additional linear gradient to sky

I wanted a darker gradient in the sky so I created another linear gradient over top of the existing one and I dropped the exposure in that area, darkening it a bit.

Step 6: Linear Gradient in the Water

Linear gradient in the water

Now it was time to look at the water. I’d created linear gradients in the sky, darkening from top to center. So it seemed to make sense to do something similar in the water below as it should reflect what’s in the sky. So I created a linear gradient from bottom towards top and lowered the exposure a bit to darken that section.

Step 7: Object Mask over Bald Eagle

Object mask over bald eagle

I didn’t want the flying bald eagle to get completely lost in the darkness of the sky so I used the Object masking feature to select the bald eagle, seen in red, and I raised the overall exposure just a smidge, increased the shadows a bit to lighten them, and raised the whites quite a bit to try to make the white on the eagle pop.

Step 8: Brush Mask to Lighten Land Near Horizon

Brush mask to lighten land near horizon

I wanted more detail in the land along the horizon so I used a brush mask on that area. I increased the overall exposure in that area, as well as raising the shadows to brighten them even more. I also raised the whites to lighten some of those areas even more, and I dropped the blacks a bit to keep the darkest areas dark.

Step 9: Brush Mask Over Lighter Areas in Clouds

Brush mask over lighter areas in clouds

I decided I wanted more whites in the clouds so I used a brush to create a mask over the lighter areas and I raised the whites to make them pop a little more.

Step 10: Sharpening and Noise Reduction

Sharpening and noise reduction

At this point I’d originally thought I was just about done so I did the steps I usually save for last. I added sharpening using the masking feature to only sharpen the areas with the most detail. And I used Lightroom’s Denoise feature to reduce the noise in the image. I used an ISO of 500, which in itself isn’t all that high. But I did underexpose the image in the camera and increased exposure in post which tends to bring out any noise in the image. The new Denoise feature usually does a very good job of reducing this digital noise.

Step 11: More Global Exposure Adjustments to Lighten Scene

More global exposure adjustments to lighten scene

At some point I came back to the photo and decided it wasn’t quite there yet. So I made some global adjustments to raise the exposure more, brightening the overall image.

Step 12: Brush Mask to Brighten Near Horizon

Brush mask to brighten near horizon

I decided I wanted a brighter area near the horizon so I used a brush to create a mask and increased exposure within that region.

Step 13: Brush Mask To Lighten Sections of Clouds

Brush mask to lighten sections of clouds

As often happens, I go back and forth with things and I’ll often return to the same areas. Sometimes I’ll adjust existing masks, which I also did in this image, and other times I’ll create new masks. Here I used a brush to create a mask in sections of the sky and increased the exposure to brighten them.

Step 14: Global Exposure Updates to Further Lighten Scene

Global exposure updates to further lighten scene

Once again I decided to increase the global exposure, brightening the image even more. I also updated settings in several of the masks, further tweaking exposure in local areas.

Step 15: Post-Crop Vignette and Various Mask Updates

Post-crop vignette and various mask updates

I often add a post-crop vignette to darken the corners and edges of an image to help bring the eyes of the viewer into the scene, and I did that here, though it was a very small amount of vignetting. I also further tweaked a number of the masks, once again fine tuning local exposure adjustments.

Step 16: Chromatic Aberration and Profile Corrections

Chromatic aberration and profile corrections

Next I applied corrections for chromatic aberrations and lens profile corrections. Chromatic aberrations are strange color fringing that can happen with some lenses and in some scenes, especially in areas where light and dark meet. For profile corrections Adobe has created profiles of many lenses, measuring how they distort a scene and applying adjustments to correct these distortions. Given I was using my macro lens there likely weren’t many adjustments made but I still applied them.

Steps 1-16 Slide Show

Click on the arrows on each side of the image below to cycle through each of the steps. Though the masks do obscure the section of the photo being modified you can generally see the effects of that in the following photo. I’m hopeful this will help show some of the effects of each step in sequence.

 

Final Image

Overcast Blues on Aquia Creek: Final Image

And there you have it. After all those adjustments, all those back and forth changes and further refinements, we end up with the image above. I loved the scene when there. I was slightly concerned when I got home and realized I’d underexposed more than I’d thought. But at the end of the day I’m happy with where I was able to take this image.

Click on the image below to cycle back and forth between the before and after images.

What do you think of the process? Is there anything you’d have done differently?

Photography Prints by Todd Henson

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Quarterly Look Back - 2nd Quarter 2024 /  by Todd Henson

Looking back at the second quarter of 2024

We’re now halfway through 2024. How do you feel about that? I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it. I’ve not made quite the progress I’d hoped on several fronts. But taking a positive perspective that means I have lots of opportunities to improve, right? 😊

Anyway, on to the 2nd quarterly look back of 2024. Below you’ll find a sampling of my interests and things I’ve done related to those interests. I’m hoping something in the mix will appeal to you, either as something you might enjoy, or perhaps as something you’ve already enjoyed. Please take a look and let me know in the comments what you think. 

Photography

Most of my new photography this quarter was created on a small number of outings. I suspect I may say the same come next quarter given the heat and humidity of summer have arrived. But who knows, perhaps I’ll manage to get out more.

On a positive note, June 8th was the 10 year anniversary of this blog. I published my first blog post, Infrared Experiments During National Cherry Blossom Festival, on June 8, 2014. My posts were less frequent back then and not on a schedule. It wasn’t until February 2016 that I began posting every two weeks, and not until August 2016 that I began my current schedule of posting weekly. I remember when I first started posting on a schedule doubting I’d have enough ideas to continue for more than a year or so, and now over 500 posts later I’m still trudging on.

Seriously, though, I’ve been very fortunate to have this blog, and to have you who read it, who look through my photos, who share your thoughts in the comments, who purchase or license my photographs. It’s helped me through some tough times, and always given me something to look forward to, to work towards, a reason not to give up (granted, there are many reasons, but it is one among many). So I want to thank you, a very deep and heart felt thank you, for all your time and support over the years.

Field Notes Update

Red-winged Blackbird - Late March, 2024

Hooded Merganser Competition for a Nest Box

Stages of Growth of Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis)

Blushing Young Trillium

Ghost Pipes of Caledon

Six-spotted Tiger Beetle at Caledon

Is Spiderwort in Virginia “Virginia Spiderwort”?

Mostly Photos

Early Spring Virginia Bluebells

Whispy Dreams of Wild Geranium

Memories From the Outskirts of Denver

White Trillium From Bud to Bloom in 2024

Making Friends

Reading

It’s been an interesting quarter for reading. I’ve not read as much as in previous quarters, both fewer books and fewer total pages, though on average the books I read this quarter were a bit longer (with some exceptions). But I read a couple very impactful books, the sort I’d consider life changing, which doesn’t happen all that often. I’ve been slowly collecting books written by people who survived the Nazi concentration camps, and they really can help with gaining a bit more perspective, realizing some of the little things we get so worked up about maybe aren’t such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

The books I consumed this quarter (paper, ebook, and audio).

Here’s the full list of books: Britt-Marie Was Here by Fredrik Backman, From Russia With Love by Ian Fleming, The A.B.C. Murders by Agatha Christie, The Happiest Man on Earth - The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku, Cascade Failure by L. M. Sagas, The Lady of the Lake by Andrzej Sapkowski, Night by Elie Wiesel, Emily Wilde’s Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett, The Gathering by C.J. Tudor, Lake of Souls: The Collected Short Fiction by Ann Leckie, Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert.

And of those, my favorites were:

The Happiest Man on Earth - The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku

One of the things I enjoyed about this book was that, despite all the atrocities Eddie Jaku lived through, all the horrors he witnessed and experienced, all the reasons there were to just give up and die, he managed to keep and come out of it all with a positive attitude and positive messages for the world. He shares messages of hope, of appreciating one’s family and friendships, and of choosing to be happy and to make others happy. It’s these positive messages I think many people could benefit from today, especially given how negative and hopeless many messages are in today’s societies.

Night by Elie Wiesel

I received this book through a giveaway at Roars and Echoes. Thanks very much, Lashaan, this was a book well worth reading. It tells of Elie Wiesel’s experiences, how while a teenager he and his family were put in the trains to Auschwitz, and later to Buchenwald. In its few pages the book conveys so very much, immersing the reader in the horrors of that time and place, showing just how terrible humanity can become, how good people can do horrific things when they become a mob and get caught up in hatred and blame. It’s a very difficult read but I think an important one. I don’t believe we need to feel guilty for having what we have, for not having to live through such difficult times. But I do think it’s important to always remember that such times did and do happen, that people cause them to happen, and that we are people. It’s up to us to learn from the past so we can create a better future.

Cascade Failure by L. M. Sagas

After the previous two books it feels strange to talk about a book read for pure entertainment, but I think it’s important to have these simple entertaining reads and moments, too. And I did find this one entertaining. It’s a recent publication, one I received an advanced copy of from a goodreads giveaway, and I’m so glad I did. This is a found family science fiction story about folks who spend a lot of their time on the outskirts of civilization, and how they make a discovery they can’t let rest, one that could alter all their lives. I often hate comparisons to other books or media, but I can’t help but think of the great tv show Firefly, or the Wayfarers book series by Becky Chambers, or Cat Rambo’s Disco Space Opera book series. Cascade Failure, for me at least, falls nicely into this group of stories. I’d love to return to this universe and these characters, so I hope the author writes more.

The Gathering by C. J. Tudor

I love vampire stories but sometimes I get down thinking the genre has stagnated. And then I run into a book like this one that has that classic vampire feel while still introducing something new and entertaining (to me, anyway). This is more a mystery / thriller / police procedural than a horror story though it certainly has its darker moments, as well. There’s been a murder in a small Alaskan town, one that appears to have been committed by a vampire, leaving many townsfolk calling for a cull of the local vampire colony. So a detective is called in to undercover the truth and bring the killer to justice. A great story, one that made for a fantastic audiobook.

Movies & Anime

Films I watched this quarter.

As is common, many of the movies I watched were of a speculative nature, mostly science fiction but also some that veered toward magical, mystical or fantasy. I watched several Godzilla movies, all Hollywood takes on the mythos, and I mostly enjoyed them all. I watched the final installment in the Maze Runner trilogy, Death Cure, and it was a decent ending. Jupiter Ascending and Contagion were also decent.

I had a better time rewatching Beverly Hills Cop with my father. I hadn’t seen it since much younger so it almost felt like a first watch. Though not nearly as good as the original Japanese material I did enjoy the Hollywood version of Ghost in the Shell. I had a good time watching Top Gun: Maverick with my father. I enjoyed the anime movie Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms, a somewhat depressing film but well done. I thoroughly enjoyed The Creator, a 2023 movie about advanced AI robotics and lots of conflict.

But there was one absolute stand out movie for me, a Japanese anime film by one of my three favorite creators, Makoto Shinkai. And that movie was Suzume. I absolutely loved Suzume, which I watched with my brother. I’ve never seen anything by Makoto Shinkai that I didn’t enjoy, and each piece he works on, though similar in some ways, is also very different from those before. This one is about special doors in Japan, and about what might happen if any of those doors are left open. And it’s about a special teenager, Suzume, who somehow is able to see what’s beyond the doors and who ends up going on a wild journey of self discovery all over Japan. As soon as I finished watching I wanted to begin it all again.

Music

So I owe some of you an apology. I (usually) try to showcase a mix of genres to appeal to a wide range of tastes. But this quarter, despite listening to a wide range of music, I’ve ended up narrowing in on three rock songs, though of three different styles of rock. Interestingly there’s also a country-based theme going on.

BAND-MAID - Endless Story (Live)

A song by one of my favorite Japanese groups whose songs can feel like anything from pop to funk to rock and metal, this is one of Band-Maid’s softer songs and feels like a thank you letter to the audience. Very well chosen as the last song of the concert (or at least it appears to be their closing act).

Saltatio Mortis x Blind Guardian - Finsterwacht

This one is more than a song, it’s an entire short movie with the song acting as the score. I love these epic fantasy-inspired pieces. And what a powerful idea: “Be the shield wall at the end of the world.” Written and performed by Saltatio Mortis and Blind Guardian, two fantastic German metal groups, this is apparently inspired by a fantasy roleplaying game in Germany.

BABYMETAL x Electric Callboy - RATATATA

Ok, so the first band above was from Japan. And the second collaboration was from Germany. And now we have a collaboration from both Japan AND Germany. And what a strange, catchy, addictive collaboration it is. Electric Callboy (from Germany) is always about having fun, just making folks laugh with their lyrics and crazy videos. Babymetal (from Japan) is usually more serious and meticulous but in this case they mix perfectly well with Electric Callboy in a very unexpected way. I can’t stop listening to this one.

And if you’re curious to see which music I’ve actually purchased lately you can check out my collection in bandcamp.

 

Life

I am very good at procrastinating. And I often struggle with prioritizing things that need done over those that really don’t. And I’ve found all that to be the case more so this year than many in the past. I can think back to years when I was far more organized, far more productive and inspired, when I felt as if I accomplished far more. And I’m sure I’ll find my way back there eventually, at least for a time. Life does often have ebbs and flows in its current and though we may steer one way or another we are still in that river and destined to go wherever it does.

Sometimes I think I’m a bit scatterbrained with my interests and that can affect how far I get with each one, as one competes for time with another. You know of my interest in photography, and of writing. And if you glanced over this post you also know I love reading, watching movies and listening to music. During the pandemic, as I think many people did, I purchased an acoustic guitar and began trying to teach myself to play. I still really can’t play anything other than some chords or notes strung together and I don’t practice very often anymore but I still have the desire and I do pull the guitar out and try every so often.

I used to love drawing, often superheroes or fantasy scenes with dragons and warriors, though these days my tremors makes that more of a challenge. I tried my hand at painting, watercolor and oils (inspired by Bob Ross). I loved building plastic/wooden/resin models of cars, planes, figures, etc.

Lately I’ve begun something I know can take a lot of time but I’ve wanted to begin for many years now. I’ve started learning Japanese (in the past I tried German and French). One day it’d be nice to watch a movie without subtitles or read an untranslated manga. Not sure I’ll ever get that far or whether some other interest will take over down the road.

I suspect I’m not alone with all this. What about you? Do you move from one interest to another? And if you do, do you lose interest in what you’d done before, or is it simply that a stronger or new interest surfaces, but given enough time you’d still pursue them all? And if you don’t do this, how do you stay focused on what you do choose to do? 😅

Well, I think this post has gotten long enough, so I won’t keep you any longer. I hope you’ve had a great 2nd quarter of 2024, and I wish you all the best in the 3rd quarter. May you find a comfortable balance between all your competing obligations and interests. And thank you very much for all your continued support.

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Is Spiderwort in Virginia “Virginia Spiderwort”? /  by Todd Henson

Spiderwort after the rain

Far too infrequently I stumble upon some spiderwort growing and blooming in the wild. I’ve always loved the flowers, the rich and vibrant violet-blue petals, the bright yellow anthers, the busy filaments that cluster between anther and petal and resemble blue webbing. Their color seems to stand out even in the shade, and this is a plant that can grow in both sun and shade.

Though spiderwort flowers only last a day or two they keep producing buds throughout the blooming season

In this case, though, the plants were in the yard of some friends who live in the mountains surrounded by absolutely beautiful forested creek-side scenery. And closer to the house are flowers and plants like this. To walk outside everyday during the blooming season and see a bouquet of these spiderworts? Fantastic!

A single spiderwort flower amongst many buds

As for the question in the title of this post, there are at least a couple different species of spiderwort native to Virginia (Tradescantia subaspera and Tradescantia virginiana), and I am not always the most skilled at narrowing down identification to a specific species. But I’ll answer the question of whether spiderwort in Virginia is Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana) as: quite possibly, and perhaps even likely. I believe that’s the case with these flowers, though I’m not 100% certain. If you know more please comment below and let me know. And I hope you’ve enjoyed viewing these lovely flowers.

Spiderwort blues

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