March 2010 Theme - Digital Blending

For the March lets do some digital work. The theme is Digital Blending. Post your work of HDR images, extending the depth of field through multiple exposures, stitched images, creative blending of multiple images, or anything that blends more than one image.

Please add a description of how many shots were used, and what was done to achieve the final image.

Iris Petal - from a Valentine's bouquet

My first attempt at focus stacking - 6 images aligned and stacked using CS4.
Canon 100mm Macro, f/16, 1 sec, ISO 100, window light

Here's 20 images stitched together from Goosenecks of the San Juan State Park. My 17mm lens wasn't nearly wide enough to get all the twists and turns of the river in, so I used a 50mm and took two rows of 10 images, for an 85 MP images. I posted this image a couple of years ago but have gone back and reworked it, since it seemed a little flat.

This image took 9 shots to create. 3 horizontal images of 3 exposures each (0,+1,-1). I made an HDR image of each section in Photomatrix. Then stitched the 3 HDR images together.

What a great topic, and the images posted so far are simply outstanding!
Where is that beautiful peak located, Laurie?

John, this is a very secret location.

Grinnell Peak and Mt. Gould on Swiftcurrent Lake in Many Glacier area of Glacier NP.

ok here is my go at this. 4 image digital blend/composite.
1) Horseshoe Bend shot at sunset. 2 images blended. Taken with a Canon 5DMKII
2) Sunrise clouds from here in Pueblo West. Taken with a Canon 5D
3) Bald Eagle from Norwood Colorado Taken with a Canon 50D
Processed in CS4.

"Where Eagles Dare"

That's pretty darn cool, Klaus. I might add a bit more contrast to the Horseshoe Bend part of the photo to better match the strong contrast at the top of the photo.

That's pretty cool Klaus.

That is really neat, Klaus. I can't wait to see what Stan is cooking up for this. Here's one that's just a blend of 2 exposures for sky and foreground.

Thanks so much Grant and Brian. Much appreciated.

Thanks Morris and you have a very cool shot here also. Love those clouds.

Morris thats a beautiful shot your posted, I think one of my favs of yours.

Thanks Klaus and Jeremy.

Morris, I'd echo Jeremy and Klaus: that's a beautiful photograph - blending put to the very best use! Nicely done.

'Sunrise at the Rock Garden'

A two exposure blend to capture all of the dynamic range of this sweet summer sunrise.
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"Morris thats a beautiful shot you posted, I think one of my favs of yours."

I wholeheartedly agree!

That is a sweet shot John, beautifully done!

Grenadier Range, 3 frame stitch, then added a hawk taken later in the day.

Wow, what a great topic! Don, you just had to go and turn your Grenadiers shot up to 11, didn't you? That...is...EPIC!

Kudos to all, but Klaus, Grant, Laurie, Don, your shots are a cut above.

John, thanks and what a great job on your blend!
Don, Todd nailed it with "EPIC."
Bill, that could not have been easy putting 6 together and making it look that good.
Grant, great vision to imagine and pull that off.
Laurie, I love your "secret" spot. The shot is exquisite.
Stephen, thank you, too.

A certain location near Moab you may be familiar with. New Year's Day 2009, two exposure blend.

That is really nice Stephen! Very natural looking which is just not that easy.

Manual blend of 3 exposures, plus more PS work than usual to try to bring things back to a natural look, or at least as close as my skills would allow.

For some reason this dissapeared from the Photo Art Gallery--vanished without a trace! Well, ill just have to post it here--its a blend of three images, one from Garden of the Gods, one of a fox running around the same area, and a boat from Marble, CO. Plus a little Photoshop to create the sun and water.

Mad skills, Stan, just mad skills!

One of my most laborius blends. Photomatix and AutoPano wouldn't do much to help. The nearly 150 degree sweep made for a tough blend across the sky, especially with the transition from sunrise to moonset twilight.
Seven vertical images, each bracketed -1,0,+1, blended for exposure, then stiched for the panorama and manually blended across the sky.

Pikes Peak Sunrise

Backlit, one image, five exposure (normal, +1,+2, -1,-2) tonemapped, additional blending with layer masks in PS3. Animas Forks last summer.

John that is one of, if not the best desert images I've ever seen.