10 Responses

1. Dereck Coatney

   November 21st, 2008 at 11:09 pm

   1

   These are amazing!

2. Lisa Marie Mary

   November 22nd, 2008 at 8:25 am

   2

   Steve, those are completely amazing!! But, what is HDR?

3. Steve

   November 22nd, 2008 at 11:16 am

   3

   Lisa,

   HDR is…

   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging

4. Joseph

   November 23rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm

   4

   Great, but these have obviously been photoshopped. The color saturation is completely unrealistic.

5. Steve

   November 23rd, 2008 at 4:46 pm

   5

   Joseph,

   Maybe… I guess it depends on what your definition of photoshop means. They are HDR, which could and has been done without a computer. These are HDR photos. Very different than photoshopping IMHO. It’s the merge of several light exposures.

6. Paul

   November 23rd, 2008 at 9:08 pm

   6

   I’m Steve’s brother that shot the photo’s. My definition of photoshopped is adding or subtracting anything that was
   not on the original image. I guess technically if the photo
   is digital its photoshopped.In the darkroom a person can
   control contast, color saturation,exposer to a point, many
   things. I guess it could be considered photoshopped, you
   need software to merge the 5 images into one. Anyway
   I told Steve there not photoshopped so if you want to call
   me a lying photoshopper go ahead I’ve been called worse.

7. Lauren

   November 24th, 2008 at 7:44 am

   7

   I guess it is a matter of semantics. I consider ANY alteration of an original image as just that – an altered imaged; whether you use PhotoShop or any other means. I am not really finding fault as I use PS – to get light balance mainly.

8. Jane Payfer

   December 13th, 2008 at 8:34 am

   8

   So here’s the thing. I frequently tell people that there’s something about the light in MN during the winter that’s magical – when there’s snow on the ground and the sun is casting shadows of the trees into the snow, but the snow is reflecting more than the shadow, and there’s something about the angle of the light, and how that changes through the winter and how the scenes change because the light is changing. . .and they look at me like I’m a complete fruit loop. I tell them I think it’s as beautiful as any Monet – Giverny light, and they’re sure I’m hallucinating. These images CAPTURE that magic. Specatcularly.

9. Steve

   December 14th, 2008 at 8:02 am

   9

   Jane,
   I grew up in North Dakota, I know the light you are talking about, so I will try not to look at you like a complete fruit loop, at least for your comments about Minnesota sunlight . It has something to with the angle in which the sunlight hits the earth and reflects off the snow. These pictures were taken near International Falls. The farther north you go the lower the angle of the sun and the more pronounced the effect. It’s almost like a really long sunset.

10. steve

    November 10th, 2009 at 1:03 am

    10

    Sorry for sounding offensive perhaps, but I find these photos hideous. I can’t understand why a lot of people think a good photo is one with its colors, contrast and saturation pushed to extremes and nothing like the real world. This fake-HDR craze is pathetic.