This photo is from my honeymoon a few years ago when we decided to spend a few days in the Smoky Mountains. Those endless trails are great for an endless supply of great images.
After processing the raw image through Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop, I loaded it into Nik Color Efex Pro to add more color punch. Then back in Photoshop, I added a slight curve for more depth.
Got a new phone the other day. One of the Nokia Lumia versions, the 920. The camera with an 8.7 MP PureView sensor is supposed to be one of the best features. Well, having used a Windows 7 phone for a while, I really like the upgrade to Windows 8 but the camera is not as great as I had hoped. Even though it has a higher megapixel rating, it’s pretty noisy and not as sharp as I expected, what with the Carl Zeiss Tessar lens and all. But even so, it’s not too bad. Still as good as my old Samsung and iPhone.
This rather silly shot was taken with window light and the one thing that I appreciated was how the camera actually gave a very good balance between highlights and shadows. Almost a High Dynamic Range (HDR) effect. I took the original image and did modifications with Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop to increase sharpness and luminance and adjust the vibrance and clarity. But even with the modifications, I couldn’t save certain parts of the image.
I’ve included the original, straight out of the phone, image for comparison. 
For quick shots when I can’t carry my DSLR, this new phone camera will be a pretty good alternative.
Here are a few snapshots from my first day out with the new phone. Really saturates the blue. Looks like Kodachrome. 
Believe it or not, that small stretch of water is the mighty Mississippi just above Alton Illinois. And it’s one of the wider sections of the river. This was shot with a 80-200mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens. You can see how the 200mm setting compresses the scene and in this case gives a much more intimate view.
And even though this is kind of a cliche shot, the simplicity of the color in contrast with the deep shadows creates a dramatically dynamic visual. To get the smooth tonality while maintaining the details of the foreground trees, I used sharpening and luminance in Adobe Camera Raw.
And for more of an artistic expression, here’s a Monochrome version created with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2.
Quick post from a cold winter day with nowhere to go. I originally posted this photo last year. Thought I’d play with this old image using a few different software combinations.
Here, I’ve posted the final version and have worked back to the original. The artistic possibilities are endless with the latest technical tools thanks to Adobe, Nik, etc.
Adobe Camera Raw/Photoshop Final
Nik HDR Efex Pro – Granny Duo
Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 – Monochrome
Adobe Photoshop – Original
Quite colorful for poultry, this pseudo-HDR image of chickens should brighten up this otherwise dreary time of year. I found this couple in one of those shops that has just about everything that you don’t need but lots of things that would be fun to have. You know, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure”, or something like that.
Processing: single image processed with Adobe Camera Raw using Sharpening and Luminance along with a bit of contrast. Adobe Photoshop for dodging and burning to emphasize the subjects a little more. I used Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 for the image below and added a lot more drama for more of a menacing look. Angry birds?
Equipment used: Nikon D100 with 20-35mm f/3.5-4.5 lens at 35mm (effective-52mm) f/5.6, 1/6 sec, ISO 400. Handheld.