The Wandering Photographer

Easy Black and White with Silver Efex Pro 2

JPEG version of Original RAW file as it imported into LightRoom 3

I captured the above image of The Old Mission Point Lighthouse on a trip to Michigan's Grand Traverse region last Summer. I really liked the composition but like almost all RAW files it needed some post processing to bring out its best.

I took a look at the photo, and noticed a number of things that needed attention in order to make the image reflect what I saw that day.

 Marked up for post-processing

Three of the major problems are shown above. What was a gorgeous blue sky looks faded and boring in the photo. The clouds lack definition and the rails are way overexposed distracting the eye away from the centerpiece of the image, the lighthouse. The entire image looks flat and lifeless.

I opened the photo in Lightroom's develop module and began to process the image.

• Basic Tab - Auto as a starting point
• I adjusted the exposure until it looked right
• I adjusted the black point
• I chose "Strong Contrast" in the Tone Curve Tab
• I set the Vibrance to +43
• In the HSL Tab, I set Luminance Blue -48 and Green -57
• I used the Adjustment Brush to tone down the exposure on the rails

Result is below.

Color Processed version

I thought it looked pretty good except for the fact that I over saturated the sky so it looked a bit garish. That is easily fixed but before I started correcting it I thought, "ya know that might look pretty good in Black and White."

There are a number of ways to convert a color image to B+W. The controls found in both Lightroom and Camera RAW work very nicely and of course you can go through a bunch of steps in Photoshop to get there, but I find working in NIK Software's Silver Efex Pro 2 both satisfying and intuitive.

I opened the image in Silver Efex Pro and started to play with the myriad of presets that come with the program. After sampling a number of them I settled on "High Structure Harsh" ending up with the results below.

Output from Siver Efex Pro 2

Not bad, if I say so myself. Of course there is that nasty bit of flare in the sky (circled). Back in Lightroom I used the Adjustment Brush in Healing mode to replace the flare with clouds. I also further darkened selected spots on the rails to even things out a bit.

The final result is below. I really like the way the clouds form a halo around the tower. I think I'm going to keep working on this one to refine it even more, but as far as I'm concerned this result is not too bad for only about 25 minutes work.

Old Mission Lighthouse at the tip of the Old Misssion Peninsula in Grand Traverse County, MI Half way between the equator and the north Pole (45 degrees North)

Playing around with black and White conversions is fun and rewarding. While I find using Silver Efex Pro easy and fun, if you have any other image editing software, you too can create great Black and White images, just like in the days of Film.

Give it a whirl!

You can see my earlier post about the Old Mission Light here.

© 2011 Tim Marks

Great Lakes Lighthouses: Old Mission Point Lighthouse

Last week I wrote about The Grand Traverse Lighthouse on Lake Michigan at the entrance to Grand Traverse Bay. Today I'd like to show you some images of The Old Mission Point Light on Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City.

The lighthouse sits 14-1/2 miles South South East across the Grand Traverse Bay from the Grand Traverse Light and 16 miles North of Traverse City at the tip of Old Mission Peninsula.

Built in 1870, the light was intended to guide ships into the West arm of Grand Traverse Bay. The Light is no longer active as it was replaced by a Beacon 2-1/4 miles off shore.

One of the interesting factoids about Old Mission Point is that it is located almost exactly halfway between the Equator and the North Pole, very near 45° North latitude. A coordinate reading taken form a Delorme software atlas puts it at N44° 59.5' (44.99°).

Old mission Point Lighthouse, another great reason to visit Pure Michigan.

© 2010 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Great Lakes Lighthouses: Grand Traverse Light Station in Northport, MI

One of the grand Lake Michigan lighthouses sits at the entrance to Grand Traverse Bay at the tip of Michigan's "little finger." Built in 1852 and rebuilt and relocated in 1858 the Grand Traverse Light guided ships through the Manitou Passage as they headed to the Straits of Mackinaw and Lake Huron or Lake Superior.

Sitting on the grounds of Leelanau State Park, the light houses a museum and gift/book shop. The light and the surrounding beach is a great place to spend a few hours with a camera at any time of year.

When we visited this past July the landscaping was in full bloom.

 

The grounds are nicely landscaped and well kept up, however, the plaster seagull is a bit kitschy.

 

Winter is another great time to visit the light as this shot from February 2007 shows.

Another Winter view of this grand light.

Next time you are in Northern Michigan be sure to drop by a lighthouse. There is bound to be one nearby.

You can see my earlier post about photographing the nearby Point Betsie Lighthouse here.

© Tim Marks all rights reserved

Lake Superior Beaches

Walking along the beach is a favorite activity of folks in the Great Lakes region. There are no better beaches to walk than those along Lake Superior.

Known to the native Ojibwe as Gichigami, Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world with a total area of almost 32,000 sq mi (82,500 sq km). The lakes beaches range from sandy to rocky and are often fronted by cliffs of copper bearing rock or sandstone.

Most of these pictures were shot along the beaches of the Keweenaw Peninsula in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Shot during a hike on the Hunter's Point Trail at Copper Harbor, MI

Further along the same beach at Hunter's Point. As you can see the beach is made up of small stones rather than sand.

Just a few miles down the coast the beaches are very different.

A walk along any beach is bound to be photographically productive.

The Superior shore is dotted with numerous picturesque lighthouses.

There is no better way to end a day of hiking and photography than to sit on the deck of your motel and watch the sun set over the Lake.

© 2010 Tim Marks all rights reserved

An Evening Cruise on Narragansett Bay

During a 2008 visit to Newport, RI, we decided to take a sunset cruise on Narragansett Bay. It was a perfect way to see the city from a different perspective. It was also a chance to get some awesome pictures of the Rhode Island coast.

Not wanting to carry my heavy DSLR with me I carried my Nikon CoolPix 8800 "Superzoom" compact Digital Camera.

While waiting for cruise time we sat in a dockside tavern and had dinner.

As we left the dock we passed hundreds of private yachts. Not all of them were as large and opulent as this one. I think you could buy the entire city for the price of this "boat."

Another yacht, though this one is locally owned and dates back to the Gilded Age. It was used to travel between Newport and Manhattan, NYC.

This is the Lime Rock Light. Built in 1854, it is now privately owned and serves as the Ida Lewis Yacht Club.

The Coastline is dotted with old mansions dating back to Victorian New England. This one, built in 1874 for explorer Alexander Agassiz, is now the renowned Castle Hill Inn.

One of the more colorful sailing vessels to be found on the bay.

Castle Hill Light marks the entrance of Narragansett Bay. It is on the grounds of the Castle Hill Inn Resort, however the resort graciously allows access to the public. This light is one of the most picturesque, and most photographed, lights on the East coast.

Heading back to port we passed by the Pell/Newport Bridge (named for Senator Claiborne Pell) and the Rose island Light. Built in 1870 the light is accessible by ferry during the summer months.

Back at the dock we settled into the dockside pub to watch the end of the sunset. As far as I'm concerned, a leisurely evening cruise is a great way to see Newport from a different perspective, and there is no finer way to end the evening than sitting on the dock enjoying a snack and beverage.

© 2010 Tim Marks all right reserved

Photographs from Chicago’s Navy Pier

One of the great places to visit in Chicago is Navy Pier. Situated just off of the Miracle Mile, Navy Pier is a combination of amusement park, restaurant row and museum all rolled up in one. I had the opportunity to spend an afternoon there this summer with my camera.  Great shots are available all around you.

This is a shot of the iconic ferris wheel near the center of the pier.  We didn’t take the ride but I’ll bet the view from the top is spectacular.

About half way out the pier you will find the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows. A steady hand is need but many great photos await you here.

Two shots are required from the end of the pier. This one is a shot of a tall ship approaching the harbor with the Chicago Lighthouse in the foreground. The tall ship is available on the pier for pirate themed tours of the Chicago shoreline.

Views of the Chicago Skyline from the end of the pier are a standard Chicago tourist shot. But you just can’t resist those shots, can you? I know I can’t.

At the end of the day head back to the mainland but make sure you get a nighttime shot of the pier before you head home.

Comeback next time when I blog about walking around Millennium Park in the Chicago Loop.

© 2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Fort Point Lighthouse at Trinity Bay Newfoundland

Today starts a week of three blog posts about photographing Newfoundland, Canada.  In 2004 we drove from Michigan to Newfoundland for our vacation, a journey of about 2000 miles.  This eastern most Canadian province is an island of wonderful landscapes, quaint villages and some of the friendliest people we have met.

Some of the best photo ops on Newfoundland are its myriad lighthouses that mark the entrance of most the harbors and points on the island.  One of those lights can be found at Admiral’s Point at the entrance to Trinity Bay.

The current Fort Point Light (also known as the Admiral’s Point Light or Trinity Light) was built in 2003 and is an active aid to navigation.  The first light at the location was built in 1871 and updated in the 1920s.

Several old cannons can be seen on the grounds honoring the light station’s history as a site defending the entrance to the bay.

Being so new, only a year old when these pictures were shot, this is one of the province’s prettier lights.  The rocky hill upon which it stands makes for dramatic photos.  This one was well worth the drive over from the town of Trinity.

Come back on Wednesday for some images I made while on a Whale/Puffin viewing tour.

©2009 Tim Marks all rights reserved

Photographing Point Betsie Lighthouse

I’m sure there are a number of old pictures of Point Betsie, shot with a 1970s Kodak Instamatic, hidden away somewhere in my parent’s house.  I have been visiting and photographing the Point Betsie Lighthouse since I was a teenager and I never tire of going back (it’s why I use it as my avatar online).  The Lake Michigan light was built in 1852 a few miles North of Frankfort, MI to guide northbound ships into the Manitou Passage.  

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 18mm,  ISO 100,  1/320 @ f/9

The light is on a low dune surrounded by one of the nicest beaches on Lake Michigan.  It’s a wonderful place for a picnic or a (really cold) swim.

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 18mm,  ISO 100,  1/500 @ f/5.6

I shot this one from a low perspective to partially hide the lighthouse with the dune.  I think it highlights the beacon’s environment nicely.

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 50mm,  ISO 100,  1/500 @ f/5.6

Here I try to focus on the lighthouse itself.  The building has wonderfully contrasty colors.  I like how the bright white walls play against the dark red, almost maroon roof and the dark green windows.  The light was currently undergoing and extensive renovation.  It was recently repainted to the way it looked in the 19^th century. 

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 80mm,  ISO 100,  1/640 @ f/5.6

Here’s the light up close and personal.  This partial shot targets the tower since it is the heart and soul of any lighthouse.   In 1996 the turning mechanism failed and the 4^th order Fresnel lens was replaced by the current plastic lens.

Nikon D200,  Tamron 18-200mm f/4.5-6.3 @ 18mm,  ISO 100,  1/250 @ f/8

 I decided to shoot this view to show the lighthouse in its overall environment.  Some might think that the steel seawalls are ugly but I find that they add to the reality of the scene.  All of the footprints in the sand suggest the beach’s value to the community as a recreational resource.

You can find more information about the Point Betsie Lighthouse at the Friends of Point Bestie Lighthouse web site.  I heartily endorse joining your favorite lighthouse's "friends" group, we have.  My Photo Friday on 6/12 featured a fascinating Canadian lighthouse on Newfoundland.  For all about lighthouses around the world follow lighthousenews on twitter.

Come back on Friday and see what I pull out of the archive for Photo Friday.

© Tim Marks

Photo Friday: Cape Bonavista Lighthouse - Newfoundland, Canada

Newfoundland, Canada is a photographer’s paradise, and lighthouses are one of the major photographic attractions.  One of the most famous lights is the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse.  Nestled on the coast at a point near where explorer John Cabot first sighted land in 1497, the light and the rugged cliffs are a picturesque setting worthy of a visit.

Nikon D1x,  Tamron 24-135mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 62mm,  ISO 125,  1/60 @ f/14

The lighthouse was put into operation in 1843, and the light was functional until 1964 when it was replaced by an electric light on a steel tower nearby.  You can see the tower in the picture above.  The lighthouse is now a provincial historical site and museum that is open to the public.

A visit to Newfoundland should be on everyone’s agenda, and a visit to Cape Bonavista, the lighthouse and the town, is a must when on the island.

If you like this shot please join me Wednesday when I blog about photographing the beautiful and historic Point Betsie Lighthouse on Lake Michigan near Frankfort, MI.

Thanks to Debbie of Delicious Baby for organizing Photo Friday and spreading such wonderful images across the Web.

© Tim Marks 2009