How do you keep technical notes in the field?

[Manfred M]

Manfred,
I think it's the final photo out off 4, a HDR. There is nothing to deduce.
George

Geri says this is a four image HDR shot, so this is my base assumption going in. The halo that Mike mentions is often something seen in HDR images and is a pretty common tell-tale sign. I've done enough HDR work with grads and polarizers to recognize some of the tell-tale signs. Even the anti-ghosting algorithms leave artifacts. The main issue I have is that this is a fairly small image and I can't zoom in to confirm what I think I am seeing.

That being said, the comments I make in my analysis still hold, as these would be apparent in a HDR image. The only place where there might be something that could be hidden, that might be the GND use, but I would expect to see some artifacts from the tone mapping process where the rocks and sky meet, especially if she used a hard grad on the horizon, but I don't see any, so I suspect my analysis is still likely correct. I've had to go an clone out some of the transitions from using GNDs in my some work; the tone mapping process can't tell the difference.

This shot uses a polarizer + 5-stop ND and is HDRI, The sun is camera left and close to 90 degrees off the optical axis:




Halos in an HDRI shot anyone?

[William W]

. . . pretend I'm in the field making photos:

I use a polarizer for a couple of shots. Once the image files are loaded onto my computer, how in the world will I know what frames those were?

I'm making a series of shots for a panorama, but how do I keep track of the first/last images?

I apply a neutral-density filter and take a bunch of shots, but how do I keep track of which frames had the filter applied?

I keep a Shot Diary and also a Photographer's Journal. Always have - I was trained that way.

The Diary is different to the Journal: the Dairy records information about the shot/shoot; the Photographer’s Journal is for recording the Vision and also for recording the planning stages of the shoot. (Like the DoP's Production Plan and the Story Board for a Cine/Video shoot).

I don't have many technical entries in the Diary now, because EXIF in conjuction with my File Number/Indexing System takes care of most of that detail.

How I address the specific questions asked:

> in conjunction with EXIF - it is obvious which frames have the CPL or ND on the lens

> a panorama is camera left to right and the overlaps of the scene itself number the series of the frames

In my Diary I do record odd location notes and names and contact phone numbers.

Thinking through how the file numbering/naming system will work from camera(s) to final storage is crucial, IMO. And using an (EXIF) Filtering Program is, I think, essential.

***

. . . I'm sure there are those who will have very sound reasons for needing to have all that stuff recorded. I think there is also an argument for doing it when you are learning what these sort of tools can do and how you can get the best out of them. I used to think it was essential that I did so.

I think it is important to know what is import to record, (if anything) – and to have a reason, based on outcomes, for doing it.

Shot Diary page depicting a particular Lighting Set that I used:



I actually needed to go back and make a second and third shoot – because of talent issues beyond my aegis – so this entry was used – many aren’t: but the one that is used, might mean money.

*

Preliminary Journal Entries concerning a Large Portrait Shoot to be made On Location – these entries are preliminary considerations for DoF issues and what gear will be necessary to make the shot – good for thinking through the possibilities and identifying what information is needed to make gear choices:



and



*

I require any Associate Photographer (Second) to supply a working plan of their kit with respect to usage and outcomes. Here is a journal entry (into my Journal) of one whom I employed, before he made one shot for our company. The writing down of a usage plan is important, especially when one shooting under the pressure of time and/or emotion.



*

Sample of Student’s Journal – two of the seventy odd pages planning her Major Work, for Submission for Graduation:



WW