Photography by Lucy Hill : Blog

2012-02-18T13:58:00.002Z

Hi all

You can now also join me on Pinterest

2012-01-22T21:37:00.000Z

Butterflies at RHS Wisley

Hundreds of butterflies are let loose for a few weeks every year at RHS Wisley in the glasshouse, here are a few sample shots

Inside the Pantheon

2011-07-16T16:46:00.001+01:00

Inside the Pantheon, a photo by Lucy_Hill on Flickr.

Google+

2011-07-01T16:54:00.001+01:00

Thanks to Trey Ratcliff's great idea of sharing the invite love around on his blog, I am now setup on Google+ as Lucy Hill.

Happy to send invites out, add your email address in the comment box below (or send me a message) if you need an invite

Lucy

Travelling in Rome

2011-06-12T18:32:00.002+01:00

I've just returned from a short break in Rome. Here's a few highlights:

Love Locks

Piazza di San Ignazio

To the Colosseum

St Peter's Basilica

Performance

Hillier Gardens

2011-05-08T22:27:00.001+01:00

Hi everyone, new laptop is up and running and finally an opportunity to get out with the camera today for a few hours!

Enjoyed a spring garden photography workshop by Justyn Willsmore today at the Hillier Gardens in Hampshire.

Lady in the Lake

Rhododendron Triptych

Tutorial: Photo Globe

2011-01-11T19:46:00.001Z

Here's a cool tutorial for a photo globe. The finished version should look something like this:

Full credit for this technique and the files provided is given to Digital Photo magazine. Their version of the tutorial and the original images are provided in Issue 138, January 2011.

You will need these frame and background files to start with. An alternative background file could be used if you prefer.

After you save the files from the link above, follow the below steps.

Step 1: Open the Frames image in Photoshop or similar software.

Step 2: Open multiple images that you wish to use in your Photo Globe. In my example below I have chosen to follow a London theme, but use your imagination to group similar photos together from your own collection.

Step 3: Copy the first image from your collection (use CTL-A to select all, CTL-C to copy) and paste it into the Frames image (CTL-V).

Step 4: Use the Free Transform tool (CTL-T) to reshape the image and alter the angle so that it fits into the frame of your choice. Use your best images for the 3 frames in the centre, as these will be the most visible.

Step 5: Repeat Steps 3 and 4 for the remainder of your chosen images.

Step 6: Once you have all of the frames filled with images, flatten the layers.

Step 7: Choose the Elliptical Marquee selection tool, hold the Shift key down and click on the top left of the image, dragging the selection circle to the bottom right before releasing the mouse. This will leave you with a circular selection.

Step 8: Go to Filter, Distort, Spherize and apply a 100% setting.

Step 9: Use CTL-C to copy the sphere

Step 10: Open your background image and paste the sphere into this

Step 11: Use the Move tool to move the sphere up slightly (sitting on the white line if you are using the example background image provided).

Step 12: Click on Edit, Paste once more to add a second sphere.

Step 13: Click on Edit, Transform, Flip Vertical so that the second sphere is upside down.

Step 14: Use the Move tool to drag this sphere directly underneath the first one, as though it were a reflection.

Step 15: On the layer with the second (upside down) sphere, reduce opacity to approx 30% and use the Eraser tool to remove some of the reflection at the bottom. You are aiming for a natural looking reflection.

Step 16: Flatten the image and save.

I'd love to know how you get on, feel free to send me your versions!

National Geographic's Best Wallpapers of 2010

2011-01-10T21:31:00.001Z

This is a great link to some beautiful images available for free download

Best Wallpapers of 2010, Pictures, Photo Gallery - National Geographic

Galleries

2011-01-09T19:27:00.001Z

For those new to the blog (welcome!), here are some direct links to galleries of my work by subject and location:

Photographs of London
Photographs from Southern UK Counties
Travel photography - Egypt, Cyprus and Santorini

HDR Photography
Urban Photography
Nature Photography
Abstract Art Photography

Finally, here is a link to my published work

Enjoy!

New Image Search Tool

2011-01-09T19:17:00.002Z

Looking for images of a specific place or type? My blog now has a search function accessing my full archive of photographs from the main website.

Use the Search website for photos box to enter a keyword and you will be provided with a thumbnail view of image results. Images are available to download for personal or commercial use, or to order as prints or other products.

New Website Design

2011-01-04T21:50:00.004Z

Happy New Year everyone!

I have taken some time out to redesign my website and add some new features.

Look out for new features over the coming days including the ability to:

Download any image for single use
Download royalty-free versions of any image
Order prints/products of any image
Downland rights-managed versions of any image
Create and save Lightboxes to view images

These new products have been setup through the professional photography website services of PhotoShelter.

I'd love to hear your feedback!

HDR Spotting Invite Codes

2010-12-29T21:29:00.003Z

Hi all

Received a couple of new invite codes for HDR Spotting:

~~530-971485~~ Now Taken!
~~530-997972~~ Now Taken!

Let me know what your registered username is when you join up so I can keep an eye out for your work!

Happy holidays!

Lucy

My HDR Photography Tutorial published on www.picturecorrect.com

2010-12-25T16:56:00.001Z

HDR Photography Tutorial: How to Take HDR Photos – PictureCorrect

HDR Photography Tips from National Geographic

2010-09-12T17:55:00.001+01:00

Some useful tips here:

National Geographic: How to take HDR pictures

The Stuck in Customs London Photowalk

2010-09-11T16:02:00.001+01:00

Well the photowalk lived up to expectations, Trey was generous with his time and tips, I learnt a lot and met some great people.

Here's the first couple of processed images:

Trey Ratcliff

London Eye

Trying new processing methods

2010-09-05T14:56:00.001+01:00

I would encourage everyone to keep trying new methods of processing and functions in Photoshop.

I've been playing with the blending modes, using soft light to blend coloured versions with sepia and mono versions of my images, and using layer masks to bring back original detail and colour to the final effect.

Below is an example:

Layered Landscape

Marwell Zoo

2010-08-14T19:33:00.001+01:00

I had a wonderful time this morning at Marwell Zoo in Hampshire, where I took my telephoto zoom lens for a long overdue test run. I took the opportunity to practice using the Manual Focus on my Sony DSLR and was pleasantly surprised with the results. I've added a few to my website and more to my Flickr gallery, I hope you enjoy them.

Beauty

Kangaroo

Extended HDR Tutorial on EzineArticles

2010-07-25T20:13:00.001+01:00

A while ago I submitted an extended HDR Tutorial to EzineArticles.com

With over 200 views I hope I've been able to help a few people out there get started with HDR, click here to view the article.

Recommended HDR Websites

2010-06-27T21:10:00.003+01:00

I use these websites all the time to keep up with the latest techniques and tools for HDR. Love it or hate it, it's here to stay!

Trey Ratcliff's Blog
www.stuckincustoms.com

HDR Spotting Gallery
(upload is available only once you have an invite code)
www.hdrspotting.com

Rick Sammon's Digital Photo Experience Blog
http://dpexperience.com

Ferrell McCollough's Blog
http://beforethecoffee.wordpress.com

Inspirational Photographers

2010-06-27T21:03:00.011+01:00

I find that most of my encouragement and inspiration comes from within the photography community. These four photographers have been especially welcoming and inspiring for me personally, I hope that you will also enjoy their work:

Peter Ansara
www.captainshutter.com

Patrick Strik
http://strictlyphoto.org

Ed Puskas
www.neonphoto.com

David Brewerton
www.dbrewertonphotography.com

What would you like to see on the website/blog?

2010-06-11T09:24:00.002+01:00

Hi Readers,

Firstly, thank you for taking a minute of your busy day to read this! Hopefully you have arrived here because you like my photographs and want to see a little more, or just have a general interest in digital photography and are looking for some tips.

As the blog is still quite new I'd like to know what you would like to see:

More photos?
More writing from me?
Less writing from me?!
Links to recommended photographers/helpful sites?
Would you like to be encouraged to link to your own photography galleries on other sites for me/others to provide helpful feedback?
Would you like to know what equipment and software I recommend (or don't)?

I look forward to hearing your feedback, have a great weekend!

Lucy

Sailboat

2010-06-11T09:18:00.001+01:00

I had some very fortunate timing on this shot. We were on a small tourist boat on the River Nile when this beautiful sailboat passed close by and I was able to snap this close up.

Sailboat

Desert Ride

2010-06-11T09:10:00.001+01:00

This shot was taken from a moving 4x4 in the middle of the Hurghada desert! I've altered the tone of the image and love how the depth of the mountains can be clearly seen by the shading.

Desert Ride

Hatshepsut Temple, Luxor

2010-06-08T22:19:00.001+01:00

The temple was built in honour of the female pharaoh Hatshepsut, who reigned for over 20 years.

Doorway to the Past

Mountain Sunset

2010-06-03T20:10:00.003+01:00

HDR image of sunset over the mountains in the desert of Hurghada. The original sky has been masked back in to the photo using Photoshop

Mountain Sunset

Desert Sunset

2010-06-03T20:08:00.004+01:00

Sunset in the desert of Hurghada

Desert Sunset

What's your favourite HDR software?

2010-05-23T15:44:00.002+01:00

So as you may have noticed from the HDR Tutorial on my website that I favour Photomatix for creating effective HDR images. I have also recently tried Photoshop CS5's new HDR adjustment on a single image, with some success (and some failures!).

I know that there are plenty of alternative options out there - any suggestions for the readers? I'll happily give more software a trial and report my thoughts, please feel free to comment on your findings too.

Editor's Choice on HDR Spotting : Water Bubble : May 2010

2010-05-21T20:58:00.002+01:00

Water Bubble chosen as Editor's Choice by http://www.hdrspotting.com/, generating over 20,000 views already

Suspended Animation image used on official Marwell Zoo website : May 2010

2010-05-17T13:53:00.001+01:00

Dolphin statue image "Suspended Animation" has been used to help officially publicise the upcoming sculpture exhibit at Marwell Zoo this summer

Images used in 10th Edition of Schamp London Guide Online : March 2010

2010-05-15T16:42:00.001+01:00

Images of Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park and Shakespeare's Globe requested for latest edition of www.schmap.com/london

Editor's Choice on HDR Spotting : The Red Carpet : January 2010

2010-05-15T16:39:00.001+01:00

The Red Carpet chosen as Editor's Choice by www.hdrspotting.com, generating over 21,000 views to date

Digital Camera Essentials : Issue 93: January 2010

2010-05-15T16:36:00.002+01:00

Full page Reader's Image feature