Designed exclusively for Nikon digital SLR cameras capable of wide-angle photography, the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 lens is a powerful tool for landscape photography and other wide-angle applications. The lens offers an ultra-wide angle of view of 94.5 to 56.8 degrees, with three special low dispersion (SLD) glass elements and three aspherical lenses providing optimum image quality throughout the entire zoom range. The lens also incorporates a Hyper Sonic Motor (HSM) to ensure quiet, high-speed autofocusing in addition to full-time manual focusing. Other features include a close focusing distance of 9.4 inches, a non-rotating lens barrel that perfectly suits the petal-shaped lens hood (included), and a one-year warranty.
Specifications

Focal length: 10-20mm
Maximum aperture: f/4-5.6
Lens construction: 14 elements in 10 groups
Angle of view: 94.5 to 56.8 degrees
Number of diaphragm blades: 6
Minimum aperture: f/22
Minimum focusing distance: 9.4 inches
Maximum magnification: 1:6.7
Mount: Nikon
Filter size: 77mm
Filter size: Petal-type hood
Dimensions: 3.3 inches in diameter and 3.4 inches long
Weight: 17.5 ounces
Warranty: 1 year

Product Description
Sigma provides the new ultra-wide angle zoom lens from 15mm and this lens is the first of its kind in the world. It can be useful for images of landscapes, large buildings, group photographs or even more. The perspective that changes with the angle-of-view gives picture an extraordinary feeling. Delicate compositions can be adjusted by lens zooming and this is helpful for close-up photography. Provides deep depth of field with its short focal length for amazing photographic expressions. This ultra-wide zoom lens covers a large wide-angle range from 15 mm to 30 mm. With a minimum focusing distance of 30 cm(11.8 inches) throughout the entire zoom range, it is an ideal lens for Digital SLR Cameras. It incorporates hybrid aspherical lens in the front lens group to minimize distortion and astigmatism, and molded glass aspherical lens in the rear lens group to minimize spherical aberration. Minimization of the distortion is a most important issue for zoom lens, but Sigma has succeeded, to provide image quality with minimal distortion by employing aspherical lenses. This lens in corporates an internal focusing system, which eliminates front lens rotation. Since focusing do not change its overall length, this lens is easy to hold and use. Also it is allowing the use of a Petal-type Hood. The lens also incorporates Dual-Focus (DF) mechanism. It is easy to hold the lens, since the focusing ring does not rotate during auto-focus, yet it provides adequate focusing torque of the focusing ring during manual focusing of the lens.

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Package Contents:

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I’m going to use very basic equipment to keep it simple and to allow people that only have simple camera equipment to use this HDR tutorial. I will advise of some tricks, tips and advanced methods to get the best HDR photo.

Equipment used:

• Camera – Nikon D300
• Camera Lens – Nikon DX AFS VR Nikkor 18 200 G ED
• Nikon Lens Hood
• Tripod

We want to use a tripod, mainly to keep the images aligned as the camera should have no movement when shooting otherwise when they are aligned in the software the final image will be blurry. It is possible to also shoot HDR hand-held without a tripod but you must have the camera shutter speed set very high and your Aperture fStop set on a low setting of 4 to 5. We want the shutter speed high up in the mid thousands so that the camera will take the frames as fast as possible in hand-held mode. This tutorial will be based on someone shooting with a tripod but if you are using hand-held mode then the following instructions should basically be the same.

In the Camera we would like to set it up to use Auto Bracketing. Bracketing is a method to shoot several exposures at different settings.

With D300 we will be shooing in Aperture Priority Mode which is what you should set your camera to if it has this mode otherwise you could use Manual Mode. With the D300 we will go into the Menu and select the Bracketing Features we want to use. First we will go to CSM (Custom Settings Menu) and select e5 (Auto Bracketing Set) > Flash Only and press OK. We have now set the type of bracketing we want. You might like to also setup a new Shooting Menu Bank and a Custom Settings Bank. Remember that you must use the Flash to trigger the bracketing otherwise you will take 5 shots of the same exposure. If you don’t want to use a flash then choose another Auto Bracketing Set option.

Now we will assign the Function button to the camera bracketing by going into Menu Control Features – Go to CSM #f4 and select the first line of Assign Function Button > FUNC. button press > BKT (Bracketing Burst) and press OK. Now select again the “Assign Function Button” > (the 2nd option) FUNC. button + dials > BKT (Auto Bracketing).

Now that we have the camera bracketing setup we will use 5 shots and 1 intervals. On the Nikon D300 we use the Function button that we just assigned to Auto Bracketing which is located at the front of the camera and is the lower button on the right side.

Press the function button in and hold it down while you rotate the main command dial to select the number of shots you wish to use in the sequence. We will select 5 for this tutorial although you could use only 3 or as high as 9. Now we will keep the function button pressed down and will now rotate the sub-command dial to select the exposure increment. We would like to choose “1″ (1 EV) for this tutorial. You could also change the exposure increment in the Camera Menu CSM #b2.

So we now have the camera setup to take 5 exposures, 2 below the metered exposure, one at the metered exposure and 2 exposures over the metered exposure.

Now we will select the Camera Release Mode. You don’t have to worry too much here but I think it’s better to use either Continuous High Speed mode CH or CL (Continuous Low Speed). The reason is to ensure you have all 5 shots taken consecutively once you have triggered the shutter release button and to help you avoid forgetting that you are shooting in bracketing mode. We will be using the Interval Timer Shooting feature of the Nikon D300 in this tutorial anyway but you can also shoot at random once you have the Function Button assigned and the camera setup to trigger the number of frames in continuous release mode.

If you have a remote release cable then it is definitely the better option to set off the shutter but we will assume you don’t in this tutorial. I think there is a remote made by Hahnel that works well with the D300 or the Nikon MC-30. Another option is a cable shutter release like the Nikon MC-20 that will do just a good a job.

So you now have your basic camera setting for HDR and will have set it up on the tripod. You have selected Aperture Priority mode. You should now make sure to have focused the subject and have the focus feature of the camera and lens on manual.

Focus Selector Lock: We should be focusing the camera manually or you may auto focus and then turn the focus to manual before shooting. I would suggest to use the focus selector lock that is on the edge of the D300 Multi Selector Button. When it is pointed to the “L” then it is locked. Rotate it anti-clockwise to unlock it and then setup your focus points manually and then lock it again by rotating it back to point at the “L”.

Image Quality: For best results select RAW, you get the best possible image quality and processing features. With Raw we can get 16 bit high dynamic range images. You could use jpg or tiff but you will find RAW is the better option overall. In the Nikon D300 you can select Image Quality by pressing the QUAL button down on the top left side of the camera and rotating the Command dial to select your preferred option.

ISO Settings: Use the lowest ISO setting that your camera offers to ensure you have as little graining as possible for your HDR photo.

Exposure Delay Mode: In the Nikon D300 there is a feature called “Exposure Dela Mode”. What this does is when you press the shutter release button, the mirror pops up and waits for a split second before taking the photo which eliminates any vibration in the mirror.

Exposure Compensation Button: Make sure your Exposure Compensation Button (if your camera has one) is dialed to “0″. Often this is changed to over expose or under expose your photos to -3 or +3 etc but it should be on 0 as the bracketing will give us the exposure range. On the D300 the button is visible on the top right next to the “Mode” button.

Now we will go into the D300 Shooting menu and select the last option called Interval Timer shooting. Select “Now” and press enter > select the amount of time the photo sequence will start after you press the button. We will select 5 so we have enough time for the camera to be free of any vibrations. If you are using a remote then 1 second would be fine. So it should look like this:

00:00 ‘ 05

Now you will press Enter and will come into a second set of numbers. These will define the amount of exposures taken so these should be the same as you have selected earlier in your Bracketing setup so this will be 5 exposures. So now we will have this second set of numbers to read:

001×5=0005 which means we will have 1 set of 5 shots.

So that’s it, now continue to press the button to the right until you get an option of “Off” or “On”. Select “On” and when you are ready press the “OK” button and your images will start to shoot. The next time you want to shoot you only have to select the “Interval Timer shooting” option and press the button left to get the “Off” or “On” option so you can shoot without going through the options.

Additional Resources:

Easy HDR Bracketing on Nikon D300 – Video Tutorial

HDR or High Dynamic Range Photography is essentially taking a combination of images and merging them into one photo in order to create a range of light that is otherwise impossible to attain from a traditional camera sensor. The benefits of this are vast, but most simply, when done well, it allows you to create a more accurate depiction of what a given scene looked like at the time the photograph was taken.

If you are taking a photo of a sunset it’s nearly impossible to expose for all of the elements of the scene. You can’t have the highlights, shadows and mid tones all come out correctly simply due to technological limitations. With an HDR photo you can. By taking correctly exposed shot and merging it one with one that is overexposed and one that is underexposed you are able to take the full dynamic range and turn it into one beautiful image.

Another benefit of HDR photography is that it allows you to be more artistic. Many will argue this is an HDR photo’s fatal flaw because there are so many people who take bad HDR photography. Either it’s too surreal, too saturated or a combination of both; there’s much more bad HDR out there than good. However, if done well you can create beautiful scenes that are much more vivid three dimensional than an ordinary photo.

In order to create an HDR photograph you need to have a post processing program like Photomatix or Photoshop, and ideally you want a tripod to ensure that your camera doesn’t move between exposures. You can find examples of HDR photography at Daily HDR.

For more information on examples of good HDR Photos as well as information on how to take them and what equipment you need, be sure to check out Daily HDR.

For the first few years of knowing about HDR I occasionally experimented with various free HDR software. Although this software varies in quality and ease of use none of it even comes close to results that come from Photomatix. None of the free software is even as good as the Light version of Photomatix. I have not tried any of the other premium HDR software but according to users on popular photography forums and file sharing sites none of it is as good as Photomatix. There is always the very occasional person who prefers software other than Photomatix but this is definitely the exception. Photomatix is always praised as superior by its users. Just do an internet search on Photomatix and you will see millions of results.

The tone-mapping function is what makes Photomatix superior. Tone mapping makes the image viewable by reducing the tonal information in an HDR image. Many programs, including Photoshop, have the ability to merge photos into an HDR image. Unfortunately an HDR image without tone-mapping is very ugly. Some people prefer the Photomatix Photoshop Plug-in. To use this program you simply use the “Merge To HDR” option in Photoshop and then use the Plug-In from the filters menu. The results are almost identical to what the standalone version of Photomatix Pro achieve.

Other than window lighting, most portrait photographers used studio lights inside a camera room or on location. Using natural light as the only light source meant they were just starting out, were too poor to afford lights and were not smart enough to figure out lighting. I know this because I was one of them.

Now fast forward to 2010. Natural light has made a comeback, not only for newbies but for pros as well. Natural light is the new look for portraits for newborns, infants, children and seniors. Now with minimal equipment almost anyone with a good camera and lens can take exceptional indoor images. It is definitely a sought after look, so how do you nail it?

First you need windows with a northern or southern exposure. This will provide a very soft, indirect light all day long. Next you will need a room with lots of window (floor to ceiling the best). You will need to raise the blinds or drapes for the entire room. Next, turn off all interior lights as they may cause a color balance shift or unnecessary shadows under the eyes.

Once you have the room set up, you need to place your subject in an ideal location. Best to have them face a window, with your back to the window. (you do not want to block the light). You can use your built in spot meter and meter on their face to obtain an optimal exposure for skin tones. I recommend using a wide aperture (2.8 or wider) for a selective focus look. You will most likely need to balance the wide aperture with a fast shutter speed, but that is okay, especially if you are photographing children. Be prepared to increase you ISO to 800 or even more.

What if you want to have the window as the background? That would be a very tricky lighting situation to have your subject back-lit. The back-lighting would result in an over-exposed background and underexposed skin tones. It is best to avoid this situation unless you want to take several exposures and apply a little HDR in Photoshop, or you want to use flash.

Not all interiors are suitable for natural lighting. If you want your scene to be 100% natural light (no cheating with fill flash) you will need to do test shots prior to the assignment. Also rooms that have windows facing east or west may offer too much direct lighting. You can still use them; however you will need to be more careful where you place your subject.

What you might save on lighting you will need to spend on equipment. Generally full frame DSLR’s provide higher ISO settings with the least amount of noise. The Canon 5D Mark ii is an example. Also the lens will need to be a fast lens, one which opens up to 1.2 or 1.8. A very popular lens now is the Canon 50mm 1.2 lens. Also the Canon 85mm 1.8 lens is a good choice. Neither is a zoom lens, so you will need to be move instead of the lens zooming. They are very affordable and best of all, lightweight.

You may want to consider having a tripod with you in case you need to shoot a slow shutter speeds. I also recommend a white balance target so you can custom white balance your shots. Interiors with brightly colored walls can sometimes cause a color cast on the subject so a custom white balance is a must.

The qualities of a naturally lit portrait are many: the subject has a soft, flattering look, the eyes have catch-lights, the background is out of focus from the shallow depth of field and the subject looks relaxed in an un-staged environment. If you photograph infants or children your client will appreciate the at home service. A studio can also offer this service if there are ample windows.

Experiment at home before you go out on assignment. It will be easier than you think to achieve this highly desirable type of lighting. Go for it while the time is right; you never know what tomorrow is going to bring.

Mary Buck is a professional photographer with Lightscapes Photographic Artwork in Duluth, GA. She is also an educator and mentor for photographers who need help building their business. She has a tutorial on “How to Start a First Year Infant Program” which can be found at; http://www.nuovo-amore.com You can view her work at http://www.lightscapesphoto.com/

To process an HDR image using this tutorial you will need Photoshop (or similar) editing software, and Photomatix (or similar) HDR software.

1. Take multiple images of the same scene

To achieve an HDR look you will need at least 3 images:

Underexposed

Normal exposure

Overexposed

Ideally to start with you should have an image of -2 exposure, one exposed correctly, and one of +2 exposure.

2.Merge the images in Photomatix

Open Photomatix and choose Generate HDR Image.

Choose your three jpeg or RAW files and press OK.

A new window will appear with options to align the images, reduce noise and attempt to match any moving elements – choose accordingly for your image. Press OK.

A merged version of the image will appear which looks highly unrealistic – this is because standard monitors cannot display all of the detail correctly and so we must further Tone Map the image.

3. Tonemapping

Having pressed the Tonemapping button next to the merged image, a new, more realistic image will appear with lots of options. This is where you can alter the image to your preferred look.

Photomatix will automatically revert to the Default setting, though it also has some Presets and the option to save your settings for future use (once you get the hang of it!).

These are the settings available:

Strength: This is key to the final look of the image, a high setting will increase the “cartoon” look

Colour Saturation: Boost the vibrancy of colours throughout the image

Luminosity: A higher setting will boost the shadows and brighten the overall image

Microcontrast: Increase the contrast on the details in the image

Smoothing: This is key to the final look of the image, adjust this to change how dynamic the range of highlights and shadows appears. Avoid setting this on it’s highest setting where the image can look extremely unrealistic. Adjust to your taste

White, black and gamma points: Adjust these according to the histogram to ensure it meets both sides equally in the graph

Temperature: Increase or decrease the overall temperature of the image

Saturation highlights/shadows: Increase or decrease the saturation of the highlights/shadows according to the saturation point you set for the image earlier

Micro smoothing: Reduces noise but be careful not to lose all of the detail!

Highlights/Shadow smoothness: Increase this to bring some of the natural highlights/shadows back to the image, particularly useful when keeping a natural look to the sky in an image

Shadows clipping: Adjust how much of the shadows is clipped, move carefully to reduce noise in the shadows

When you are happy with the look of the image press Process, and save the image which appears

4. Masking ghosts and retaining a natural look

Finally, open Photoshop or similar software and open your tonemapped HDR image.

Add one or more of the original exposure images as new layers in the file and use Layer Masks to allow original areas to show through. For example if the blue sky on your original image was perfect, use a layer mask and brush to mask out that area on the HDR, allowing the perfect blue sky in the original shot to come through.

This is also particularly useful for HDR images with movement, for example trees blowing in the breeze between your original images, or people moving.

For examples of HDR images search online, this is a massively expanding area of photography and there is some beautiful work to be seen.

My own website http://www.lucyhillphotography.com has some examples of my own work.

Lucy Hill
Amateur Photographer based in Hampshire, UK. Specialising in landscape and HDR photography
http://www.lucyhillphotography.com

Merged images look disappointing at first. That’s because screens can’t accurately represent the 32 bits/channel range without further processing. Think of the merged image as film negative. Photomatix calls this process Tone Mapping.

Tone mapping reveals the details in highlights and shadows contained in the original HDR image. It converts the HDR image in 32 bits/channel mode into an image in 16 or 8 bits/channel mode that can be saved as a JPEG.

How to do it yourself?

Using a tripod for the captures is recommended to prevent undesired shaky look. One thing to keep in mind is that if the original photos have a tiny bit of noise, when you layer them, you will get 3 times as much noise. I learned this the hard way. Try to snap the pictures at low ISO speeds to prevent noise.

Once you have captured your RAW photos you have to merge them. Photoshop CS4 has an automated script which allows you to do the merge. I find photoshop’s HDR capabilities very limited. A better option is Photomatix. For about $99 you get a very nice MAC or PC application that allows you to merge you photos into HDR magic.

I am still playing with the this style of photo composition and don’t really have any of my own photography I am proud to show, very soon though.

If you want to get your hands wet with HDR I would recommend downloading a trial of the Photomatix software (all features are enabled, but you will get a watermarked final image). You can use pretty much any camera that shoots RAW and allows for exposure bracketing. A tripod or steady surface is required to achieve best results, especially for night shots where longer exposure is required.

Start off by setting the exposure bracketing setting to +/-1 and adjust from there. I find the best results to start showing up at around +/-2.

Bruno Miranda, a software developer, multi-disciplinary designer and passionate about food and wine. In the beginning of 2010 my wife and I decided to take a couple months from work to travel the world. We had been working non-stop for over 10 years and decided we needed a break. You can read our travel experience here http://travelingshorts.com/.