Fine Rudra - see you later.
Chris - I've just been looking at the Nik website again and I've refreshed my memory with Capture NX - I think that they have developed this for Nikon. The upoint control in NX is identical and I'll try it out some more - It does make these adjustments so easy to use and almost intuitive - I'll get back later. Thanks.

Absolutely agree with you here.
I’ll take it as too humble a comment. :)
Trust me Andy, that’s applicable to all of us here.
Every single third party software/plug-in comes with one good feature and that’s always the reason for us to buy that.
I’m sure you’re pretty spot on here because you’ve tried these. I’ve no first hand idea/experience on these products and I shouldn’t be putting any comment.
Again Andy, I’m not for a moment saying anything against these products. I came from a very different point of view…
..and even after engulfed in various gadgets, photographers and image composite guys need to go through various steps for correcting those images.
Yes and no. A photographer friend was forcing me to use vanishing point filter for one particular job. I wasn’t convinced at all and told him to do it and show it to me. What he did was unacceptable and wrong.
I did his image composite and I didn’t use any filter there. Beyond a point these filters don’t work and this is my point of view only.
I’ve seen the image and it’s perfect according to me. One should go for a product like this.

But in a larger scale, these products play a very small role..if at all.

I don’t know if it’s the right thread to put up this example. But probably it’ll give some idea. This needs a little background to understand, hate or appreciate the composite:

Client needed an outlandish image for their new bike named FLAME. Bike should be parked on a terrace (don’t ask me why) and another bike should be there to show one of their so-called features in close up. Right outside the terrace there has to be a glass faced building, which should reflect evening setting sun sky.

Bike was shot in studio. Different lighting to enhance it’s various curves and all. See the bluish hue on the bike. Nine shots were blend together.Close-up of exhaust tip should have that superficial multi-coloured matt effect. Rest should be reasonably dark.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3232/bike1ek0.jpg

Building was shot in Singapore. Look at the angle and choice of lens due to lack of space.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/1374/glass2at6.jpg

Terrace is not a terrace but an open space with railing. Shot in Singapore again.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/3076/woodcs3.jpg

Sky was bought from Image bank or some such.

http://img144.imageshack.us/img144/7313/skyao1.jpg

And here’s the final image for billboard. building shifted to left. Balcony was painted. Glass area and wall panels were totally touched up. No use of any filters. There are two more in this series.

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/4435/f2tsthp3.jpg

I've used imageshack and it's not taking our server space.

Passing interest up till now.

Rudra you have me hooked. Stevie looking over my shoulder in AWE
That is one cool final image. :cool:

Don't want to use too much server space .............. :D :D

I could/should nominate this for post of the year.

Don

I too was only looking at this with a passing interest up until now. It really makes me realise just how much work goes into a final "product" shot. Bravo.

Andy, here are those two other composites. Client had insisted to keep the speedo at 70 to show the fuel consumption. How absurd and dumb it can be?...

Now let's get back to our original topic. :)

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/4403/f1ms2.jpg

http://img181.imageshack.us/img181/4027/f3jc7.jpg

Rudra thanks for that - I agree it is awesome - making composite shots is something I have not tackled yet and the mastery you show is breathtaking - although come to think of it - I used to have a folder of B/W negatives of skies to be added to various shots "in the old days". Can I ask - did you just rush that off for me? Or is it one of your jobs from the past? I "google" you from time to time with Team BHP.COM Digital Grin and the Bangalore Photographic and admire your work immensely - but I notice you are in advertising - so that means - correct me if I am wrong - that none of the images used in the final composite were necessarily taken by you - Image Shack? A collection of more or less perfect photos that can be bought for various uses? Although in this I assume you did take them all? What comes first? The job, then the idea/concept, then taking or finding the Photographs for the final result. In this case I think you may have had a list of requisites - like the speedo at 70.
Now you say "Balcony Painted" - a filter?
Glass area and walls touched up - filter? or is all this Wacom work with a pen and airbrush? Rudra this is fascinating - thanks so much for this time - I think it is being appreciated by many.

Have you got any filters that will wake the guy asleep on the back bench Andy. :)

I am sure I posted a comment on this thread but no sign today :confused:

OK Johnny - Just for you !!!
Attachment 4121 :D :D :D

This is a current job and billboards are all over the country now.
In this particular case, yes. I’ve done the composites only. This was a package deal from my photographer friend. He shot all of those except the sky. Sky was bought from Corbis if I’m right.
Imageshack is a photo/video hosting site. I used it for this thread for the links only. Check www.imageshack.us
That’s never the case. Sometime we buy a photo to use as is or part of a composite as you’ve seen here.
Idea/concept>photography>composite if needed.
Wow..tell me about it! Clents can be really painful at times!
No filter Andy, all pen tool path and brush.

Wacom is a must for my kind of application. Using it for last 15 years. :)

Thank you so much Rudra for all this - I think that one of the things I need to develop is more patience and care over what I shoot. Mastering the basics, your equipment and more is a must for anyone who wishes to follow your path and also for those like me who just wish to take photo's to enjoy. I now see your and Adey's point about filters - they have their place, but are not necessarily the final solution. But I have to admit I will continue to have fun with them. So now for a lot more practice with the Wacom, I saw your point about fine tuning the pen and am working on that. Thank you again for what I consider a Master Class in photography and for opening my eyes to more possibilities. Andy

As for the original point about my "toys" I have had my eyes opened by Rudra and Adey. Nikon Capture NX has the same "u point technology" as the packages I've mentioned - I think it was all developed by the same people - it has its limitations and there is no substitute for a well handled tablet and pen/brush. But as with all things I suppose it is horses for courses - I wonder now what others are thinking.