I settled on using the Canon Digital Photo Professional software that is packaged with any new Canon camera, this software gives me the white balance adjustment needed to give a good working tiff file for channel mixing to produce a false colour infrared photograph.

The imaging workflow starts in the camera before shooting any images. Shooting in Raw mode is important as this allows me to change the white balance in post processing, if you capture in Jpeg mode this adjustment isn’t available and your final images are likely to be very poor.

Another important change to my normal work is to use a Custom white balance in the camera rather than a fixed temperature WB. To get the right WB I photograph green grass with the camera in Auto WB mode and then choose this image as the white balance image before switching into the Custom white balance mode. Using the Custom white balance allows me to preview the image in Live view and use the histogram to get the best exposure. The live view also gives me the opportunity to pre-visualise the scene as the infrared sensor will capture it.

Please note I haven’t used any noise reduction, curves adjustment, saturation adjustment or sharpening on the WB images below which would usually be applied after this initial production of the tiff master image, they only illustrate getting a good tiff file to post process.

Below are the typical types of images that can be produced using an Auto, Custom or Grey point white balance setting in Canon Digital Photo Professional software.

Each set of images is produced from the same raw CR2 file and shows; a. the tiff file and RGB histogram produced by DPP, followed by the image produced by Photoshop after the Red and Blue channels are swopped *(but no hue adjustment which would normally be needed to fine tune the colours produced).

Set 1. Auto WB selected in DPP

Set 2. Custom WB selected in DPP

Set 3. Grey point WB selected in DPP

The final choice of image white balance does depend on the subject matter and personal preference; Option 2 or 3 could be used,

an alternative might be to use the image before channel mixing which gives a nice bronze tint to a blue sky,

or use a gaussian blur layer to produce a glow effect which remind me of old IR film based images,

or shooting an HDR sequence, tonemapping and converting to black and white.

You are only limited by your imagination, so experiment a lot.

The post Infrared Image Processing appeared first on PhotosbyKev.

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The Mission control centre

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

M101, the Pinwheel Galaxy and at least 7 NGCs as well

Results from Astrometry.net are:

(RA, Dec) center:(210.798039513, 54.4344375274) degrees(RA, Dec) center (H:M:S, D:M:S):(14:03:11.529, +54:26:3.975) Orientation:89.20 deg E of N

and the C/2011 L4 PanStarrs comet at sunset

I have a lot of Solar Ha imaging to process before adding them, but this image is a simple white light DSLR image shot with a 5D MkII and 600mm f4 lens and baader solar film.

and a Solar Ha of some prominences

we also had a lot of cloud

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

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The Coed y Brenin forest is also known as the Kings Forest and this monument was erected to commemorate this in 1935

After a short drive up through a tree lined road you will come upon a beautiful secluded location.

Amongst the trees runs a lovely shallow river that drops down over a nice waterfall before continuing down the valley.


Click here to view the video on YouTube.

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If you are an experienced HDR photographer you might want to skip to the review itself.

Most photographers as they delve into the wide ranging photographic subjects available will come across High Dynamic Range, or HDR, photography.

HDR imaging is a technique that allows a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than most current digital imaging methods or photographic methods can capture or even display. HDR images can represent more accurately the range of intensity levels found in real scenes, from direct sunlight to faint starlight, and is often captured by shooting the same scene a number of times at differing exposures.

The image above was processed from 9 images taken at differing exposures in quick succession.

Normally cameras can take pictures at one exposure level with a limited contrast range. This results in the loss of detail in bright or dark areas of a picture, depending on whether the camera had a low or high average exposure setting. HDR photography compensates for this loss of detail by taking multiple pictures at different exposure levels and intelligently stitching them together to produce a picture that is representative in both dark and bright areas.

There would be very little point in shooting HDR images unless the increased dynamic range can be visually displayed on screen or in print. At this point a process called tone mapping steps into the picture.

Tone mapping reduces the dynamic range, or contrast ratio, of the entire image, while retaining localized contrast (between neighboring pixels), tapping into research on how the human eye and visual cortex perceive a scene, trying to represent the whole dynamic range while retaining realistic color and contrast.

Images with too much tone mapping processing have their range over-compressed, creating a surreal low-dynamic-range rendering of a high-dynamic-range scene. At this point I believe that the images become digital art and personally do not consider them as photographs.

Luckily for the photographer extracting the maximum dynamic range and then tone mapping the HDRI can be automated, to a degree, using readily available software, like Photomatix, once a set of images have been taken at different exposures.

Camera Limitations

To quickly take a sequence of photographs using differing exposures can be a problem unless the camera has the function built-in. A number of models do have a function called “auto exposure bracketing” which typically allow the photographer to take 3 exposures at 1ev (1 stop) or 2ev (2 stops) exposures intervals, a few models do allow more exposures but they are few and far between.

This 3 shot limitation can produce reasonable HDR images but the captured dynamic range is only slightly increased and the larger 2ev exposure change results in images with some nasty artifacts, like chromatic abberations, purple fringing and circular halos around bright light sources within the scene. Another side effect is an increase in noise in the darker regions of the scene where the subject is still underexposed.

But limitations are only put in front of us to overcome, and there are a number of software and hardware products that take our HDR photography upto the next level.

Enter the Promote Control

It took a while to reach the start of the review I’m afraid but the introduction and the camera limitations were worth noting down.

The Promote Control Handset

Inside the box you will find, the Promote Control handset, a zip-up hard case, firmware upgrade cable and Promote Control handset to camera cable, a lanyard, a pair of AA batteries and a nicely printed manual.

There are a number of optional accessories for the Promote Control, they include

• a Shutter release cable (to suit a number of camera models),
• a Bulb Ramping and Bulb HDR Assistant Kit,
• a hot shoe and tripod adaptor plate,
• a tripod case and other spare cables and accessories.

I had the Shutter Release cable for Canon cameras with a locking metal N3 plug, the Bulb ramping and Bulb HDR Assistant kit and tripod case included with my system. To get the maximum flexibility and access the advanced functions of the Promote Control you will need the Shutter Release cable and the Bulb ramping and Bulb HDR kit.

The Promote Control I received was loaded with firmware version 2 and the manual was also version 2, this means that out of the box the system was out-of-date. To me, knowing that the Promote Control is a rapidly developing system, also means that the loaded firmware and manual are likely to be out-of-date so it isn’t a problem. Maybe the inclusion of a printed manual should be looked at again, I realise some people might like a manual to look at and it does give the product a professional finish but a quickstart card & CD-rom rather than a printed manual might be a better, and cheaper, option? Happily the manual, in pdf format, is bang upto date on the Promote Systems website and the latest firmware image (v2.6 as of 12/01/13) and firmware uploader can be downloaded in minutes.

5 minutes after downloading the latest firmware the Promote Control was updated and connected to my 5D MkII camera with the usb lead and the Shutter release cable and everything worked, a good start. The supplied cables, in my opinion, are useable but a bit too short, personally I would like to have leads about 2 metres long.

The front of the Promote Control has an LCD screen with variable contrast and a neat feature to adjust the intensity of the Red, Green and Blue channels so you can configure the display for night time use. The 4 main buttons also have small LED lights in them.

All of the sockets on the Promote Control are covered with nice flexible rubber flaps, they will certainly keep out any dirt and probably most of the rain the handset might be used in.

The battery cover is secured with a screw slotted for a coin, I’m not sure what coin, as I couldn’t use any of the UK currency to open it but a quick twist with a knife removed the cover for the two AA batteries.

The zip up hard case is very nice and holds and protects the handset and 3 main cables.

In use, the navigation buttons and main function buttons have a good positive feel to them and the menu navigation is fairly intuitive after a few minutes playing around. It will take some time to get comfortable with the functionality of the Promote Control as it can make Timelapses, HDR sequences and timelapses, Bulb HDR sequences and timelapses.

It also does Bulb ramping to help produce the holy grail of timelapses; the transitions from night to daylight and day to night with minimal frame flicker.

and it provides the photographer with a focus stacking routine to control the lens focus during a sequence to maximise the Depth of Field.

Promote Systems have even thrown in a Hyperfocal calculator so you can set your optimum focus distance for any given aperture.

I’ll update this review further when I’ve had a good chance to explore all of the functionality however I will point out that buying this Promote Control will not produce good HDR photographs for you. What the Promote Control will do is remove any excuse you might have for not producing the raw exposures that you will need to produce good HDR photographs.

I must include a word on the support provided by Promote Systems. I dropped them a support ticket asking about automatic switching from manual to bulb on the 5D MkII camera WITHOUT moving the Mode dial. A few hours later I had a reply saying they ddn’t think this was possible but I supplied them with a few website links and they said they could take a look. The NEXT day I had a beta version of a firmware upgrade that implemented this feature so I no longer have to touch the Mode dial on the camera when exposures go beyond 30 seconds as the camera automatically switches from manual to bulb and just carries on. Now that is user support and the removal of another excuse I could of used when I fail !

Update 16/01/13 – after a few test releases of the Promote Control firmware I now have a Promote Control that can reliably switch a Canon 5D MkII and a 7D from Manual to Bulb mode, and back, without having to touch the camera at all. A feature that should appear in the next formal release of the firmware that will benefit all the Canon users with the Promote Control and will allow un-attended shooting over a much wider exposure range. My thanks go to Max and Arty from Promote Systems for their forward looking attitude and technical abilities.

The post Promote Control Review appeared first on PhotosbyKev.

The Quadrantid meteor shower is one of the strongest meteor showers of the year with fast blue meteor trails if conditions are right. The point from where the Quadrantid meteors appear to radiate is located within the extinct constellation Quadrans  Muralis. On modern star charts, this radiant is located where the constellations Hercules, Boötes, and Draco meet in the sky. The dust particles, called meteoroids, which cause the Quadrantid meteor show, originate from the asteroid 2003 EH1. Since the orbit of 2003 EH1 is highly inclined to the orbit of the Earth, the Earth passes through the dust trail very quickly. Thus, the Quadrantid meteor shower is an extremely short one, lasting only a few hours.

The meteor shower can appear almost non-existent until late evening. Unfortunately in 2013, the radiant does not attain a very high altitude for most Northern Hemisphere observers before the waning gibbous moon rises over the horizon in the East around 23:00UTC, so moonlight will be a problem in the second half of the night before the pre-dawn twilight puts an end to the show. The best locations to observe the shower will be in countries with high northern latitudes, such as Canada, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Observers in the Southern Hemisphere will struggle to see any of this meteor shower.

The Quadrantids generally begin around the end of December and end a few days after the peak, with the maximum generally occurring during the early hours of January 3nd 2013. The Quadrantids are barely detectable on the beginning and ending dates, but observers in the Northern Hemisphere can see from 10 to around 60 meteors per hour at the meteor showers peak.

To view the meteor shower you will not need any binoculars or telescopes as the meteors will be clearly visible to the naked eye. To get the best out of the shower you should try to find somewhere away from populated areas where there is a nice dark sky and let your eyes adapt to the darkness so you can see the fainter meteors. Make sure you wrap up warm with layers of clothes and have hot drinks with you so you are comfortable when observing.

To photograph some of the meteor shower you will need a good tripod to support your camera and a wide angle lens, ideally a DSLR and fast wide angle lens. Typical camera settings will be 15-30 second exposures with the lens aperture one stop closed from fully open using an iso of 800-1600. The meteors are very unpredictable so you should let your camera shoot continuously while you observe the night sky.  When you review all your photographs, with luck, you will catch a number of meteor trails you are pleased with.  Rather than throw away all the images that do not have trails on them why not consider making a star trail photograph from the sequence of images? They can be very beautiful.

The post Quadrantids Meteors 2013 appeared first on PhotosbyKev.

The 2012 Geminid meteor shower peaks on the evening of December 13th 2012 at 22:44 UTC when earth moves through the center of the dust trail left behind by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. The radiant for the Geminid meteor shower is in the Gemini constellation very close to one of the Gemini ‘twins’ the bright star Castor.

Geminids radiant at 23:44 on December 13th 2012

With a moonless night the Geminid meteor shower promises to be one of the best of 2012 with a predicted maximum rate of 120 meteors per hour (under perfect viewing conditions) but realistically upto 50 meteors per hour might be expected. The earliest Geminids may be seen from December 7th with any late meteors possible until December 17th.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Castor appears above the horizon in the NE about 18:00 and at the peak time of 23:44 it will be 55 degrees above the horizon in the ESE and continues to climb higher in the sky to 70 degrees in the south. At 05:00 on the 14th it is still over 50 degrees above the horizon in the WSW.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

With the radiant above the horizon for almost all of the night the Geminid meteors may be viewed in the early evening but the optimum time will be late in the evening into the early morning.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Another viewing and photographic opportunity will occur just before dusk for a few days around the peak. The new moon will be trailing the sun as the sun sets and there will be a short period when people observing the moon could see flashes of light as some meteroids impact on the dark moon surface. Care must be taken to avoid viewing the late sun directly with any optical system.

The post Geminid Meteors 2012 appeared first on PhotosbyKev.

I liked the reflection on the star trail it looks like an acoustic waveform. Anyone care to convert the waveform into audio? It would be neat to hear what the star trail sounds like.

There were plenty of small Leonid meteor trails visible and 4 larger smokers but typically my cameras were pointing in different directions when they appeared.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

Click here to view the video on YouTube.

The post Leonid Meteors 2012 appeared first on PhotosbyKev.

Llyn Dinas (N 53.025273, W 4.068283) is a lake running alongside the A498. It reflects the shape of nearby Dinas Emrys and it is said to have been the site of a long-ago battle between Owein, one of Arthur’s greatest warriors, and a giant.

Here, also, in a secret place, the usurper-king Vortigern is supposed to have hidden the throne of Britain beneath a great stone. This may be in part a memory of Merlin’s treasure, which is apparently buried beneath the nearby hill.

Regardless of the folklore when the breeze dies down and you see the reflection of the distant mountains in the lake you just have to stop and grab the camera.

Further up the valley away from Beddgelert in Gwynedd is Llyn Gwynant

The post Llyn Dinas appeared first on PhotosbyKev.

The view south from Llyn Celyn near Bala

During a 3 hour period from 01:00-04:00 in the early hours of Sunday morning I observed 13 meteor trails and a couple of others that caught the corner of my eye. While one camera was set up looking high to the South over Llyn Celyn near Bala in North Wales I was shooting other views of the Milky Way.

I set my 5D MkII camera up with a 24mm f1.4 lens and used exposures of 30 seconds @ f2.8 iso 1600. With the camera shooting continously I was free to observe and use another camera to capture some general images.

The Orion constellation

The Milky way and Andromeda

Around 04:00 I was struggling with dew on the lens so I packed up and hurried home to check the compact flash card to see if I was lucky to capture any meteors.

and I caught one! not the bigger meteor trail I’ve ever seen but at least I photographed one on the left hand side of the image below

Orionid Meteor trail over Llyn Celyn

and this is a crop of the Orionid meteor trail

to finish a pleasing side effect of dew forming on my lens, a ghost saturn and her rings appeared on the right hand side

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