“The negative is similar to a musician’s score, and the print to the performance of that score. The negative comes to life only when ‘performed’ as a print.”   Ansel Adams

In Ansel Adam’s day, dodging and burning in the darkroom was to the film negative as post-camera processing on the computer is to the “digital negative” (i.e., RAW image capture) in digital photography.  Right out of the camera, digital images can be quite flat and lifeless compared to print and slide film.  With today’s image processing software, however, the full creative potential of our digital captures can be realized.

Since 1990, the reigning king for post–processing has been Adobe^®Photoshop^®.  Using Photoshop, however, comes with a steep price, $699, and an even steeper learning curve to master.  Even for professional photographers who regularly use the program, editing an image using local adjustments with selections and masks can be time consuming.  In our hyper-competitive world of instant communication via social media and ubiquitous smart phone cameras, a slow workflow to generate media can be a disadvantage.  Enter photo editing plug-ins to fill the void.  They are essentially niche software products that are easier and faster to use, and in some cases, go beyond the capabilities of Photoshop.

Figure 1

There are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, of plug-ins for photo processing.  All have been designed to address a specific need.  The most successful companies have several plug-ins and   bundle them as collections or suites, like Topaz Labs, onOne Software, and my favorite, Nik Software.  Nik was founded in 1995 as nik Multimedia by German programmer Nils Kokemohr, and began with software for graphic design.  In 1998 it changed its emphasis to serve photographers.  Nik entered into a strategic alliance with Nikon in 2005 and helped to develop Nikon’s Capture NX RAW converter.  Last year, Nik was acquired by Google and is now a subsidiary of Google.  Nik’s post-processing software collection consists of six plug-ins: Color Efex Pro 4 (color filters), Silver Efex Pro 2 (black and white conversions), Viveza 2 (selective color and tonal adjustments), HDR Efex Pro 2 (high dynamic range), Sharpener Pro 3 (image sharpening), and Dfine 2 (noise reduction).

To demonstrate the versatility of Nik software, Silver Efex Pro 2 will be used to convert a color image to black and white from within Photoshop CS6.  (The software can also be run as a plug-in within Adobe’s Lightroom and Apple’s Aperture.)  Once in Photoshop, the software is launched either by selecting Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 from the Google floating palette or under Photoshop’s Filter menu.  Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, like HDR Efex Pro 2, has preset categories that can be used as starting points for the black and white conversion, Figure 1.

Figure 2

There are thirty-eight presets, some of which borrow from  darkroom processing techniques such as high contrast, push-processed, high key, low key, and sepia. Others are techniques from the digital age.  You can even make custom presets.  All presets are global adjustments since they affect the entire image.  Adjustments are seen real time in single image view, split preview using a slider which can be moved vertically or horizontally, or side-by-side preview, and can also be zoomed from 100-300%.  Once a preset is selected, the parameters for the global adjustments are set and can be fine-tuned, Figure 2.  Dynamic brightness, amplify whites, amplify blacks, and soft contrast provide advanced tonality control.  Black and white film enthusiasts will like the ability to emulate eighteen popular black and white film types, Figure 3. Furthermore, just like shooting black and white film, red, orange, yellow, green, and blue contrast filters can be applied to enhance certain parts of the scene.   Unlike film, however, you don’t have to wait until you process the film to find out how well the filter worked!  Nik builds on this capability by adding a slider for adjusting filter strength and a hue slider for finer color filter control.

Figure 3

If this were all that Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 did it would still qualify as a great post-processing plug-in. However, what distinguishes Nik Software from all the others is something called U Point^® Technology, introduced in 2006, that provides precise control of local adjustments.  By eliminating complicated selections, layer masks, and blending modes required in Photoshop for local adjustments, U Point® Technology removes the learning barrier from using this advanced photo editing technique.  For example, if I want to selectively adjust the sky I would place what is called a control point in a portion of the sky, Figure 4.  The size of the area affected is defined by the diameter of the circle.  Figure 5 shows the mask that the control point has made.  In masking, white reveals and black hides so the white areas show where the adjustments will be applied 100% and black 0%.  Grey areas mask adjustments between 0-100% depending on the shade of grey.  Notice that even though the selection is defined by a circle the mask is not circular.  Sliders for brightness (Br), contrast (Co), structure (St, mid-tone contrast), amplify whites (AW), amplify blacks (AB), fine structure (FS), and selective colorization (SC) can be adjusted for the masked area.  Usually the masked adjustments blend well with the unmasked areas.  In a matter of seconds, selective adjustments can be made to images that normally would require minutes, even hours in Photoshop to accomplish.

Although one could argue that the selections made with U Point^® Technology control points are not as exact as Photoshop masks, there are techniques that allow the control points to be even more precise.

Figure 4

Reducing the size of the control point will reduce the area affected.  Blocking areas that you don’t want adjusted is as simple as placing a control point with all the sliders set at zero in that area.  For example, when adjusting the sky I don’t want the mountains to be affected so control points are placed in the mountains with the sliders set at zero.  For making adjustments to large portions of an image control points can be duplicated (using the Option key on Macs or Alt key on PCs) and then grouped together to form one large masked area.

With all these choices and controls it is very easy to forget the various adjustments made to find the optimum rendition for your black and white conversion.  Very similar to Lightroom, all Nik software plug-ins have a history browser that allows you to revisit all the changes made to your image from the moment it was opened to the most recent change.  That way you can review and revert back to a previous adjustment.  Using the Compare button, two adjustment states can be viewed in a split preview or side-by-side preview.

Figure 5

There is a levels and curves adjustment similar to what you would find in Photoshop or Lightroom, although I can’t imagine they get much use with all of the selective controls.   However, in deference to Ansel Adams, there is also a Zone System map that overlays colored hashmarks on your image to indicate where the various zones of tonality are.  That way you can balance and expand the range of tonality much like Ansel did in the darkroom with dodging and burning.

After global and local adjustments are completed, numerous finishing tools are available, many of which originated from traditional film printing techniques.  Toning and split (or duo) toning can be applied including sepia, selenium, and cyanotypes as well as custom colors.  There are controls for applying vignetting, that is, darkening of the edges to draw attention to the center of the image.  In addition to the amount of darkening, and size and location of the vignette center, the vignette shape can be adjusted continuously from a circle to a rectangle.  Extensive controls for burning of the image edges and a selection of image borders complete the finishing touches.

No doubt, practitioners of black and white printing in the traditional darkroom will feel at home with Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 software.

Once the user is satisfied with the black and white conversion, there are two options for closing the filter plug-in and returning to Photoshop.  The first option is to press OK to apply the filter.  The black and white conversion is then recorded on a layer labelled Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 which is placed above all the other layers in the original PSD file.  Since no mask is associated with this layer, the only thing that can be done with it is to change the opacity of the layer to let some of the colored image in the layer(s) below to come through.  The other option when closing the plug-in is to press Brush to apply the filter selectively to the image.  Again, the black and white conversion is then recorded on a layer labelled Nik Silver Efex Pro 2, however, this time a black mask is attached to the layer.  Since black hides, the black and white conversion is hidden and the image retains the characteristics of the layer(s) below, in this case color.  By using a white brush and painting on the black mask, the black and white portions of the image can be selectively revealed.  This is one way to make a hybrid color/b&w image.

Neither of these options allow you to go back and re-edit the black and white conversion.  However, there is a way to do this.  Before you first launch the filter plug-in on your PSD file, flatten the layers down to one background layer.  Next, make a duplicate copy of the background layer.  With the duplicate copy of the background layer selected, select Filter, Convert for Smart Filters from the Photoshop menu.  This converts that layer to a smart layer so that when you launch the Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 plug-in it will become a smart filter on that layer once the conversion is completed.  Double clicking on the filter icon in the layer  relaunches the filter for additional adjustments.

With extensive and powerful features, intuitive and easy to use tools, and the U Point^® Technology control points for making precise selective adjustments, Nik Silver Efex Pro 2 is widely regarded by photographers as the leading black and white conversion software on the market today.  Users include such well-known photographers as Art Wolfe, Vincent Versace, Jennifer Wu and others.  Since all of Nik’s software plug-ins use the same control point technology for selective adjustments, they are well worth exploring for other aspects of advanced photo editing.  For example, Nik HDR Efex Pro 2 for high dynamic range photography is considered on a par with the leading HDR software, Photomatix Pro.  Color Efex Pro 4 and Viveza 2 are also popular for color enhancements.  Nik’s website (www.niksoftware.com) contains many videos for quickly getting up to speed on how to use their various plug-ins.  In March, several months after being acquired by Google, the price of their complete collection (all six plug-ins) was dropped to $149 from $499.  In addition, customers who bought one or more plug-ins in the last five years are entitled to receive the remainder of the collection for free.  So there isn’t a better time to try the Nik Collection.

Photographers are particular about their camera bags. Some people might even say obsessed. Often, when I acquire another camera bag a common response from my spouse is, “don’t you have enough bags, what’s wrong with the other bags you have?” Well, in most cases, there is nothing wrong with the others except to say that one bag does not fill my equipment needs for every outdoor situation.

Brown Bear and Pink Salmon, Admiralty Island, Alaska

Is that a shortcoming of the bag manufacturers? Perhaps for many of them, but in the case of Lowepro I think not. Lowepro’s strength lies in recognizing different bags for different needs and listening to photographers’ needs, whether it is a sling bag for the urban street photographer or a backpack for the outdoor adventurer.

So when I was asked to write a blog about a Lowepro bag, I had difficulty deciding which one, not only because I have so many, but because Lowepro bags have been with me for so long that they seem a natural extension of my camera equipment: they are there when I need them, and they work so I don’t think about them much. Like Forrest Gump, who serendipitously showed up at history’s pivotal times, Lowepro bags have helped me capture the photographic moments of my career.

Lowepro Dryzone 200

The Lowepro Dryzone 200 was there on Admiralty Island in the Inside Passage of Southeast Alaska to photograph a brown bear feeding on spawning salmon. Because water and camera gear don’t mix, especially saltwater, the Dryzone bag kept my gear dry among the salty marsh grass of the tidal estuaries. And what was protecting the Canon 600 mm f/4 lens used to capture this shot? The Lowepro Lens Trekker 600 II AW Lens Case, of course. When you are not worried about the integrity of your expensive photo gear you are free to concentrate on the subject matter. Plus it helps to have a shotgun available just in case the locals get ornery.

The Lowepro Pro Trekker 400 AW Backpack was there at the Maclaren River Valley in Alaska to hold the gear needed to photograph the Maclaren Glacier flowing down from the majestic Alaska Range. Despite all the gear, the bag was comfortable to carry. I like this bag especially because I can travel with food and water in addition to my camera equipment. This allows me much more time in the field. On this same trip one night around midnight I noticed the Northern Lights shimmering over the mountains. This was unexpected given the forecast for auroras. I quickly packed my camera body, a Canon 24 mm f/1.4 lens, and cable release into my newest bag, the Lowepro Photo Sport 200 AW Backpack. With this bag I can travel light yet still be able to bring the essentials for photography in the field. In a matter of minutes I had ascended a hill overlooking the valley and had my equipment set up to capture the beautiful colors of the aurora not only in the sky, but reflected in the pond and the Maclaren River. When you are in a hurry, having a camera bag where the zipper doesn’t hang up or snag and gear is easily accessible is critical. Wildlife and natural phenomena don’t wait for unprepared photographers. To turn an old photography phrase, with Lowepro, I know I’ve got the shot in the bag.

Lowepro Pro Trekker 400 AW

Aurora over Alaska Range and Maclaren River Valley

Even for the more casual photo shoots back home in Eagle River, Alaska, Lowepro is always with me. The Toploader Pro AW 70 (purchased years ago as the TLZ Pro AW) is great for bringing my Canon 5D Mark II camera with the 24-105mm f/4 lens on day hikes through the Chugach Mountains. It frees my hands for hiking poles on the steep trails, yet provides immediate access to the camera for moments when wildlife, like moose, present themselves. Or my smallest Lowepro bag, what I call the mini-me of top loaders, the TLZ Mini, is great for bringing along a Canon G1x point-and-shoot camera while cross-country skiing for adventure stock photography.

So regardless of your shooting style, or abilities, Lowepro has a camera bag for you. Furthermore, as technology changes, and photographers’ needs change, Lowepro will be there to provide solutions for getting you out in the field to do what you enjoy most – photographing. I would love to hear back from other users letting me know where Lowepro has been with you.

Talkeetna Mountains and Susitna River

The 92-mile Denali road inside Denali National Park (DNP) attracts most of the attention of tourists visiting Alaska, and rightly so. The road provides up close views of such awe-inspiring scenery as Polychrome Pass and the Alaska Range including Denali (Mt. McKinley).  Add to that big wildlife like brown bears, moose, caribou and wolves and you are witness to a pristine, intact ecosystem that exists in fewer and fewer places in the world. However, unless you have the privilege of driving the park road on a professional photographer’s pass, or the wilderness skills to camp off-road with a backcountry permit, casual visitors are confined to the inside of a bus.  At times, Denali National Park can feel too abstract and antiseptic. However, another alternative exists to experience firsthand an alpine, tundra environment.  The Denali Highway is a 135-mile road east of DNP that connects Paxson with Cantwell (just south of DNP).  The first twenty-one miles of the road west of Paxson is paved, the remainder is gravel.  Unlike DNP you can camp, hike, canoe, fish and hunt the vast wilderness surrounding the Denali Highway.  Yet, it is as pristine and wild as DNP.  Sights like Tangle Lakes, the Maclaren River Valley and Mt. Hays, the Clearwater Mountains, and numerous glaciers, rivers, lakes, and kettle ponds abound.  The vista of the Talkeetna Mountains and Susitna River drainage taken in late fall is typical of the scenery.  Having the ability to get out of your car, hike, and compose photos with leisure creates a deeper connection to the land; you become a part of it. While DNP feels more like a museum, the Denali Highway is our tundra playground.  Everywhere I looked were stunning landscapes – 360 degrees of magnificence.  The Denali Highway is a journey worth spending a week or more to explore.

Northern Lights, Maclaren River Valley

…the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis), that is. Of course, they never really went anywhere. They just could not be viewed in Alaska during our summer months because of nearly twenty-four hours of light. Now that autumn is here it finally gets dark enough to see them. Interestingly, this midnight photo of the scenic Maclaren River Valley and Glacier with the Alaska Range was taken on a night that the Geophysical Institute at UAF rated the aurora forecast as 1 (quiet). Accordingly, the lights were low on the northern horizon, however, I consider this a spectacular showing, particularly with the rarer shades of red and orange in addition to the more commonplace green. What makes this truly special is the green reflections (and stars) in the pond and the Maclaren River.  The reflections add context and depth, and allow me to keep the foreground dark, instead of making it look like a daytime photo. The light show lasted for only 45 minutes; I was fortunate to go outside when I did on the off chance the aurora would be present.  I am glad I did.  Serendipity rules!