We Need the Storm - a photo on Flickriver

We Need the Storm

"For it is not light that is needed, but fire; it is not the gentle shower, but thunder. We need the storm, the whirlwind, and the earthquake."
-- Frederick Douglass, 4 July 1852

We do indeed need the storm, in so many ways. As for the Sierra, it's been a very dry year, and I was glad to see these otherwise ominous skies, and that rain shower off in the distance above Tuolumne Meadows. But the weather in Yosemite is so often fickle, and alas, the rain did not last.

Yes, this is HDR, sort-of. More like faux-HDR. Here, I thought I'd test the dynamic range on my OM-D E-M5's sensor. So, I took just one shot, with a balanced mid-tone exposure. Then I copied it twice and adjusted one of the copies to properly expose the overly bright highlights in the sky & clouds, and adjusted the other one to properly expose the areas that were lost in shadow. Then I merged the three into an HDR file in Photomatix and finished it off there. So an HDR file, but one created from just one original capture at a medium exposure, as opposed to 3, 5, or 7 different exposures.

Normally I'd do this with the RAW file, but I used a JPEG for this one (set on Large – Fine), just to see if it could handle it. 12-50mm M.Zuiko 3.5-5.6 lens. ISO 200, focal length 12mm (24mm FF equivalent), f/5.6, 1/800 sec, hand-held. I'm really amazed at the performance in this sensor. In a high-contrast scene like this, the highlights that appeared blown out in the original image were in fact fully recoverable. And the darkest shadows did great when I brought them up. Again, this was the JPEG. The RAW files do much, much better. So now I'm really looking forward to installing Lightroom 4 when I get my new Mac (my current one is almost six years old, so I'm due). From what I've seen, highlight and shadow recovery for the OM-D in LR4 is absolutely out of this world.

Thanks for stopping by, everyone, and have a great weekend!

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Taken in: United States / California / Yosemite Village (show map)

Taken on: August 4, 2012

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Yosemite

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Yosemite National Park

clouds

nubes

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Sierra Nevada

rain

storm

Washburn Point

HDR

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12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 M.Zuiko « less

Sets appears in: • Yosemite • 12-50mm f/3.5-6.3 M.Zuiko lens more » • Olympus OM-D E-M5 • Natural landscapes • California Dreaming « less

Groups appears in: • Outdoor Photographer Magazine (Unofficial) • Beautiful Capture more » • Unforgettable Landscapes(High Quality) • **Simply Superb (P 1- A 2)** • Micro Four Thirds Community • !*Flickr Award Group*! (GIVE 5 AWARDS) • Micro Four Thirds (Micro 4/3) • Galerie Omega ~ by Admin Invitation only ~ Post 1 - Award 2 • [CLOSED]My Gear and Me #1 - (Post 1 - Award 5) • [CLOSED]My Gear and Me #2 - Premium (P1A5 Only Invited Photos!) • [CLOSED]My Gear and Me #3 - Bronze Selection (P1A5 Only Invited • [CLOSED]My Gear and Me #4 - Silver Selection (P1A5 Only Invited) • [CLOSED]My Gear and Me #5 - Gold Selection (P1A5 Only Invited) • [CLOSED]My Gear And Me #7 - Diamond Elite Selection (Only Invite • outstanding! • [CLOSED]My Gear And Me #6 - Platinum Exclusive Selection (P1A5 I • River of Light ~ by Admin Invitation ~ P1 - A2 • *Exhibition Of Talent* Admin Invite Only, L-1 Post1/ Award3 • Yosemite Conservancy • **Masterclass Exhibition** Admin Invite Only Level 2 P-1/A-3 • in your dreams.. by admin invitation ~ P1/C2 • primus inter pares ~ by admin inv. ~ P1-A2 • Olympus PEN-F,OM-D E-M1, E-M10, E-M5 and E-M5II user • ART Selected By ADMINISTRATORS *Public Group (P1 ~ A 3)Level 1 • ALPHA Awards from Sunriserjay's Circle o' FriendsLEVEL1(P1~A4) • Our Wonderful and Fragile World - P1 - A4 • Flickr Olympus OM-D E-M1 + E-M5 + E-M10 • A Magnificent Photography & Awesome Arts .!!Post 1 Award 2.! « less

Camera: E-M5, f/5.6, 1/800 sec, 12mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	E-M5
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/800)
Focal Length:	12mm
ISO:	200
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Elements 10.0 Macintosh
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