Jacob Thompson

HDR Photography Use (Part 1)

2010-11-27T13:26:00.001-08:00

When thinking of high dynamic range photography, many imagine an elaborate, highly saturated photo of unrealistic nature. This may be of good use to some artists, but for most photographers not so much. The essence of HDR's abilities is to take a scene with very contrasting exposure needs and output the best of each situation. No saturation about it. That means you can take several differently exposed photos which are each "correct" for some portion of a photograph and put them together into one, creating a photograph depicting total ideal exposure. The HDR revolution provides a way to solve the same problem photographers have had from the beginning: what exposure will give the best possible balance? Keep in mind that we have always had a method of adding excessive saturation. Try it by going with a tripod and taking some shots with easy and difficult exposure scenes. The best software may be Adobe Photoshop CS5 or free solutions such as Photomatix Basic or another found through a quick Google search.

Microsoft Bing’s Prizes

2010-06-15T00:22:00.001-07:00

As you may already know, I recently won Microsoft Bing’s Earth Day Photo Contest, and was awarded an HP desktop computer, along with 5 computers, 2 printers, and 2 cameras for Habersham Central High School in Mt. Airy, Georgia. These are all awesome prizes! The administrators at HCHS have already told me how excited they are about the new equipment, which will be used in a digital media class. My computer is blazing fast…here are some specs:

AMD Phenom II X4 820 2.8 GHz Quad Core Processor
Windows 7 64-bit
8 GB Ram
1 TB internal hard disk drive
18.5” 1366 x 768 Monitor

In the few days I have had this powerhouse, I have used it to edit photos, play a virtual pipe organ with my midi keyboard (with around 700 MB of real samples), and construct 3-dimensional molecular models and bond-line structures for my organic chemistry class. It’s a great and convenient addition to my laptop and 25” 1080p Vizio due to the fact that it is stationary, expandable, and already powerful.

To download the official Microsoft Windows 7 theme pack which includes the my photo of the bullfrog, follow this link:

http://www.bing.com/community/blogs/search/archive/2010/06/08/earth-day-photo-contest-winners-visit-and-win-7-theme-pack.aspx

I especially appreciate Microsoft’s promotion of Earth Day, and support engaging education of our environment, also in respect to the impending need, ongoing research, and implementation of global alternative "clean" energy. Photography is my way of expressing appreciation of nature's unfathomable beauty, though "beauty" may be an overused understatement. Contests such as theirs not only provide fun nationwide and worldwide competition, but allow the mixture of ideas and perspectives about the Earth. These contests introduce incentives for thought into the natural world, its history and beginnings, and most importantly: development, enjoyment, and future.

Thanks to Microsoft, and especially to all who voted.

As always, visit http://jacobthompson.vze.com to view my personal website including some of my current and not so current photographs.

Bing’s Earth Day Photo Contest [UPDATE]

2010-04-17T16:46:00.001-07:00

I recently entered Bing’s Earth Day Photo Contest. Of the 17,000 photos entered, my photo of a bullfrog has been awarded a finalist, one of the twelve top photos, and second place in my age group.

To vote for the winners, go to http://earthdayphotocontest.com (Don’t forget to vote for the bullfrog)

To learn more about the contest, visit:

www.bing.com/community/blogs/search/archive/2010/04/14/the-bing-student-earth-day-photo-contest-finalists.aspx

UPDATE

Visit:

www.bing.com/featured/content/search?q=Earth+Day+Photo+Contest:+Bullfrog

www.bing.com

My photo of the frog maintained 2nd place in my division. Thanks to all who voted. I won a computer, and Georgia Tech wins a digital photo lab!

Fantasia on Great is Thy Faithfulness

2010-04-11T17:18:00.001-07:00

I recently composed a Fantasia for organ based on William Runyan’s hymn, Great is Thy Faithfulness. It is collection variations on the hymn. One section features Johann Sebastian Bach’s Passacaglia in C Minor (BWV 582).

Here are links:

Fantasia on Great is Thy Faithfulness mp3 file and PDF file and IMSLP.org

…Weeks Without Camera…

2010-02-24T15:41:00.001-08:00

So I have been without a camera for several weeks now. It’s starting to really hurt. I sold my XTi, planning to buy a T1i, but the same day I sold my camera, Canon announced the T2i. I decided to wait for the T2i. It comes out sometime in March. It’s February now. My photographical expression has been suppressed for too long. I know it’s worth it to wait…a better sensor, over 18 million pixels, 1080p video at 30 fps…please come, T2i!

My Canon Digital Rebel XTi FOR SALE! [SOLD]

2010-02-03T09:08:00.001-08:00

I'm currenty selling my camera (the reason is that I want an upgrade). It's a Canon Digital Rebel XTi 10.1MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Lens (Black). I have had this camera for 2 years. The image quality is excellent as it has always been. There are only some scuffs on the right side and bottom of the body, and some tiny unnoticeable scratches on the screen, as you'd expect from 2 years of use. This is a great deal especially if this will be your first DSLR.

Price: $450; If you'd like to buy it, contact me and we can work something out.
Comes with:
* Camera Body
* Kit lens (18-55mm)
* 2 2GB Sandisk Ultra II Compact Flash cards
* USB Cable
* Strap
* Battery / Battery Charger

UPDATE: SOLD

High Dynamic Range Images, Part 2

2010-01-22T07:20:00.001-08:00

One common misconception about HDR images is that the output image should be much more saturated than the original. In some cases this may be a decent solution, but most of the time it only creates an unrealistic surreal image that does not come close to accurately depicting the visual nature of things.

The idea of an HDRi is to take several exposures and blend them together, giving a larger possible exposure range compressed into one image. It’s an attempt to put everything in the image how the eye would directly see it. This exposure correction is something your camera cannot do natively unless it’s just amazing. Composing such images are most useful when you have a very bright and very dark element together in one frame.

More is to come on how to use Adobe Photoshop to get a precisely balanced HDRi.

High Dynamic Range Images, Part 1

2010-01-13T18:44:00.001-08:00

High dynamic range images (HDRi) are created through the manipulation of several superimposed images by special software. Generally, the idea is to take on more than one image of the same shot using a different exposure each time. For example, I have taken three images below. The first is a normal mid-range exposure (EV 0), the second is underexposed (EV -2), and the third is over exposed (EV +2).

The images need to all be aligned exactly, and some software does this automatically. To avoid an discrepancies in alignment, use a tripod for best results.

I’ve found out that my favorite software for creating HDR images is Adobe Photoshop due to its wide range of tools which all have a powerful ability to correct images.

If you own Photoshop, there is a built-in automatic “Merge to HDR” function. Go to File>Automate>Merge to HDR. Now browse for the images you would like to work with, and make sure “Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images” is selected, unless there is a reason the software my make a mistake in alignment due to ripples in water, moving subjects, etc.

Depending on your computer’s ability and the size and format of the images you input, Photoshop may take a while to “crunch” these images. When these intense algorithms finish computation, a dialogue box opens with the HDR. in the top right, you are able to adjust the brightness. This does nothing permanent to the image, but only enables you to see it better since it’s a 32-bit image (our computer monitors do not have to ability to display these). In the left, the images are listed, and if you see that an image is harming the overall effect, you can uncheck it and have it removed from the HDR. Otherwise, leaving the bit depth to 32-bit per channel, click OK.

Now you have an HDR image that you can manipulate with Photoshop’s amazing tools. In my next post, I will go over some different Photoshop techniques on how to get the most out of an HDR.

Tech Tower, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia

Another White-tailed Deer Post

2010-01-07T20:31:00.001-08:00

Snow clouds blew in today, leaving about two inches of accumulation here in North Georgia. As it began snowing, I walked outside to take a few pictures of the horses and noticed movement in front of some distant Mountain Laurels. I counted about 8 deer, but I know there were more beyond the hill. I didn’t have my telephoto lens, so I hurried back to the house, grabbed it, and quickly got back out there. Most of the group moved on while two stayed behind. I tried to move as close to them as I could without spooking them, taking photos as I went. They only stood patiently staring at me as I snapped shots less than twenty yards from them. They ended up gently walking away, unspooked. Visit http://picasaweb.google.com/jacobthompson1/Deer# for the full album.

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

2010-01-03T19:22:00.001-08:00

Recently, I took some photographs around my house of some deer passing through. This is the type of photography I would like to do most and improve upon, given the time. Several key points to photographing wildlife such as deer include patience, limiting your movement, limiting your noise, limiting your smell (think about wind direction), and patience once again.

In considering your camera setup, if you have a DSLR, find a lens that has a pretty long focal length. In most of these, I was out about 300 mm. This is necessary due to the fact that these creatures will high tail it away if they see you or get spooked. I also used the widest aperture setting available (f/5.6) and needed a fast shutter speed to eliminate motion blur due to the long focal length. To achieve such a shutter speed on a cloudy day in the woods, I had to use a higher ISO of 400, 800, and mostly 1600. This isn’t a problem if your camera limits the electrical noise at such a high ISO.

These White-tailed Deer are native to the Americas and are plentiful here in Georgia. They are generalists and able to adapt to a wide range of habitats. Their reddish-brown coat turns grey-brown into the fall and winter. These deer are ruminants, meaning they have four chambered stomachs (like cows.) The bucks (males) usually weigh a bit more than the does (females) and average at around three feet tall at the shoulders. Bucks only have antlers which are grown each year in late spring and shed in early winter. An older deer is characterized by a longer snout and a greyer coat. Deer communicate using sounds such as a bleat with does and a grunt (aggression) with bucks. All deer are capable of snorting, which signals danger. White-tailed deer also use their tails to signal danger. Deer have many scent producing glands which are used to mark territory. Other sign posts include scrapes (digging into bare earth; urination may be included) and rubs (rubbing tree with antlers, removing bark and polishing antlers. )

Happy 2010!

2010-01-01T22:07:00.001-08:00

Happy new year to all.

Here is an amateur video I took at the Peach Drop in Atlanta, Georgia. Enjoy!

FANTASIE und FUGE Über Das Thema B-A-C-H von Franz Liszt

2009-12-29T15:20:00.001-08:00

Introduction

Fantasie und Fuge über das Thema B-A-C-H is a fast and technically difficult work originally written for organ by Franz Liszt in 1855. He wrote another version of this piece called Präludium und Fuge über das Motiv B-A-C-H, which sounds very similar to the aforementioned work, but lacks the excessive complexity. He also transcribed both works for piano. Only the piano transcription was available from the International Music Database Project (IMSLP) which catalogues scores under public domain.

Both the Fantasy and the Fugue are based on the common B-A-C-H motif. The motif was created by spelling Johann Sebastian Bach’s surname, using B-flat, A, C, and B-natural (H in Germany.) Bach used the motif in his own works, and many other composers have since used it to pay homage to him. Bach was a committed Christian, composing a majority of his work parallel with liturgy and solely for the use in church. This BACH motif is an example of a cruciform melody: music which symboliz es the Christian cross. These consist of four pitches: the second descends a half step, the third is a whole step above the first, and the last is a half step down from the third. This short melody can also be considered considered a type of leitmotif, a musical theme which depicts non-musical elements.

Composer

Franz Liszt (1811-1886) was a Hungarian pianist and composer. He was also a teacher who also mostly performed the music he wrote. He invented the symphonic poem, a continuous work which depicts a nonmusical source, and may be responsible for creating today’s piano recital. Liszt performed many times on piano and was a type of “rock star” with the instrument. Liszt composed in the romantic period and also contributed the idea of thematic transformation, where a basic theme is used throughout a work, but undergoes constant transformation and may appear in contrasting roles. He mixed the ideas of usual variation with Wagner’s idea of leitmotif. He also led harmony in a new path which had never been used.

Performer

Jean Guillou is a French pianist, organist, composer, and teacher who was born in 1930. Guillou studied at the Paris conservatoire and was professor of organ and composition at the Institute of Sacred Music in Lisbon. He has issued many organ reco rdings, including the complete organ works of Johann Sebastian Bach. Guillou designed the Saint-Eustache organ in Paris, and frequently performs there. The recording I am using comes from performances he recorded in the historical Saint-Eustache church. Along with the works by Liszt, the CD includes performances of works by Bach, Mozart, Grigny, Widor, and Guillou himself.

Musical Elements

As the chief theme throughout the fantasy (and fugue), Liszt uses the BACH motif. The piece begins with the motif in the pedal (which usually uses ranks of pipes as large as 32 sonic feet – meaning those are low bass notes.) It starts out at what seems full volume, but through the use of various pedals and stops, Guillou, the performer, increases and decreases the volume and timbre throughout the piece, changing its overall texture. Since all organs are different, organ pieces are very susceptible to various interpretations. With the command of 8,000 pipes or more (in Guillou’s case), an organist has infinite room for variation beyond the already infinite room for variation from musician to musician.

In the beginning of the piece, intensity is built up through the use of accelerando and crescendo along with building up to a diminished seventh chord. The diminished seventh chord is considered an enharmonic chord, but seems to connote a type of musical chaos which is pleasing. This sustained chord leads into a descending progression of chords with the motif audible. This descent speeds up as well as increases in volume while it leads into a section with a conjunct melody and a disjunct melody. This is seen as one clear example of polyphony in this piece. Next, there is a progression of sustained major chords which lead into a flute-like soft timbre. This section is the first dramatically dynamically soft instance in the piece. This slow tempo soon diminishes and speeds up through an ascending chord progression where the timbre gradually brightens and becomes as full as before. The intensity quickly builds as the rhythmic structure imitates the very beginning of the piece. This crescendos into a loud virtuosic section which repeats three times (each repetition is similar). Each is accompanied with their own bass tonic. The quickly ascends up about four octaves and back down, slowing and softening into the next section. The motif is carried through longer tones with a softer timbre. A monophonic line then carries through to a dual line polyphonic chord progression where inversions of the motif are heard.

This section soon drastically transitions into sustained notes of the BACH motif with underlying staccato bass triplets. The rhythms suddenly jump out of the way for four quick consecutive six octave runs (doubled between hands). The first three runs are based on the three diminished seventh chords that exist. Each run begins one half step higher than where the last began. The fourth run consists of a chord that assures resolution is near and begins to lead to the cadence. Next, a b-flat major chord is sustained while the motif stands out in quick staccatos in the pedal. This chord progresses into a D minor with a repetition of the transposed motif. This again goes into a final unresolved chord before resolving into a sustained g major with the motif still moving with the pedal and descending into the low sustained tonic G. This full textured, giant sound ceases before the second part of the piece begins, the fugue.

Conclusion

Guillou provides a wonderful organ experience through his performing this technically virtuosic piece. His fast technique along with his knowledge of the organ and its many capabilities shape the piece into a work of art which comprises tasteful interpretation of Liszt’s composition. The piece contains wide ranging dynamics, with a majority in the loud section. It also fills each end of the texture spectrum of an organ from soft flute sounds to strong principal sounds. While the form is not logically possible to map, it is fair to say Liszt wrote piece centered around the motif, through its appearance throughout. This may be considered one of his symphonic poems through his use of a central non-musical thought.

Timeline

Time	Texture / Timbre / Harmony	Dynamics / Rhythm / Tempo	Chords and Progression
0:00	BACH motif enters in pedal (bass); with hand, high notes are added to texture	Begins loud, and crescendos while speeding up	Piece is in the key of Bb major, or G minor; B-A-C-H motif set as Bb, A C, B natural
0:19	Choppy feel with whole range of pipes	Reset with sustained chord only to crescendo and speed up again	The intense sustained diminished seventh chord calls for resolution
0:31	The blend of the conjunct line and disjunct line creates polyphony	Volume stays at a medium range then crescendos toward next section; tempo fluctuates	BACH motif continues to appear throughout all registers, and is transposed along
0:43	Blend of sustained highs and quickly moving lows	Bass line in left hand jumps in 16ths; Volume is still loud; tempo is difficult to find	Bright major chords sustained: Gb, D, G, Eb
1:22	Soft flute-like texture; dramatic transition from bright, blasting sound; transitions into next section with reedy lows	Softer dynamics; slower tempo	BACH motif continues through different registers
1:49	Timbre gradually brightens into the intense next section; seems to imitate the progression in the beginning	Crescendos and speeds up into next section	Notes are ascending, most chromatically
2:02	Virtuosic feature uses very bright pipes; flows quickly through a wide range	Fast and loud in 16^th notes; decrescendos into next section	Two three bar repetitions are identical with the exception of the pedal setting a different tonic
2:39	Soft timbre, with a calm selection of pipes; some monophonic and polyphonic harmony	Slow tempo transitions into faster; crescendos into split 16^ths section	Runs lead into chord progressions
2:57	Timbre and texture continue and brighten	Crescendos	Motif seems to appear in a type of inverted form
3:13	Quick staccato pedal intensifies progression, which is dark but bright at the same time	Straight loud volume with sustained notes and triplet pedal line	Drastic chord progression, in the form of the motif
3:21	Bright, intense timbre – virtuosic runs	LOUD and intense with extremely fast runs which span 6 octaves	Diminished seventh chord is used; three runs ascend stepwise into the fourth run which is a more resolving chord
3:35	Brightest, largest range of pipes used; Sustained chords with underlying BACH motif followed by descending pedal line	LOUDEST with minimal deviation; Sustained chords and BACH triplets	Progresses from Bb major to D minor then to a chord leading to resolution; resolves on G major, which is sustained until pedal bass reaches low G
3:58	After Fantasia resolves on the G major chord, the Fugue begins

Links

Listen to the piece

Download the score

The Imminent Future of this Blog

2009-12-28T18:47:00.001-08:00

I’ve decided how I would like my blog to flourish. As you may have learned from my website or from some other source, I have a particular interest in photography & living things, music (a possibly broad topic which will later be explained), and biomedical engineering & medicine.

With the photography application, I plan to keep posts at a minimum of 3 per week. One photo or one set of similar photos will be discussed in a post. My discussion will have details on composition which may include aperture, shutter speed, ISO, rule of thirds, raw formatting, processing, etc. These topics may be used to bring on further discussion and collaboration and may be beneficial for at least beginners. Details of the subjects used will also be discussed. For example, if I use a photo of a newt, I will provide details of the species and relevant biological aspects.

I enjoy a broad range of classical music, particularly pieces from the baroque, classical, and romantic era. The music I like tends to have originated from Germany and Austria, although selections will also come from Hungary, France, Poland, Russia, England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. Composers may include Johann Sebastian Bach, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Franz Liszt, Richard Wagner, etc. As I think of things, I will discuss the pieces I like including some background information that I will research.

I am also a music performer. I have performed on bassoon, saxophone, tuba, and also play a Great Highland Bagpipes chanter, euphonium, and understand other brass & woodwind instruments, piano, and pipe organ. In this blog, I will provide discussion on how to learn these instruments, interesting repertoire, interesting performances, and some music theory later on.

As I learn things about individual topics in biomedical engineering & medicine, those will be discussed, although from a possible mediocre level. This will be mainly to find my niche in the science world. These posts may only benefit me or other interested low level amateurs. For example, I may describe some anatomy & physiology, some field in biomedical engineering, medicine, or the life sciences, or discuss some breakthrough I learn about in these fields.

In what more specific direction would these topics interest you?

The Future of this Blog

2009-12-23T20:58:00.000-08:00

I've decided, due to my lack of posts, to give a specific theme to this blog. Starting in 2010, I will begin this blog's refreshment with a "photo a day" theme, and will add a photo taken that day or an interesting photo from the past. I look forward to posting an assortment of photos and providing some basis for conversation, criticism, reminiscence, or other type of dialogue with readers and individuals interested in photography.

HDR Panoramic Image

2009-07-09T14:45:00.001-07:00

I finally successfully created a strange looking HDR Panorama the other day. First, I used Photomatix to generate and tone map the single images of the panorama (one image at a time). The next step was to generate the panorama from the HDRis in Photoshop. I should have used a tripod for this image and taken more time to set it up. I'm still getting a feel for tone mapping...it kinda blows my mind on how it adjusts the lights and darks.

GT Wind Ensemble Performance

2009-04-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

Last night, I performed with the Georgia Tech Wind Ensemble as our final performance of the semester.

Fanfare from La Peri - Paul Abraham Dukas

Jug Blues and Fat Pickin' - Donald Freund

Lux Arumque - Eric Whitacre

First Suite in Eb for Military Band - Holst

The concert turned out to be awesome.

Georgia Tech Wind Ensemble Performance

2009-02-23T12:17:00.002-08:00

On February 17, 2009, the same day many television stations ended analog transmission, the GT Percussion Ensemble, Percussion Quintet, Concert Band, and Wind Ensemble performed a two hour total concert in the Ferst Center. I am a tuba player in Wind Ensemble. Our r'epertoire included:

Smetana Fanfare - Karel Husa

Folk Dances - Shostakovitch

Southern Harmony - Donald Grantham

This demanding music was a ton of fun to play, and thankfully, seemed to fall together for the concert.

Georgia Tech Marching Band - Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

2008-11-29T17:28:00.000-08:00

As a member of the Georgia Tech Marching Band, I recently travelled to New York City for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, in the occasion of the band's 100th anniversary.

To learn more about the band and this event:

http://www.gatech.edu/band/

To view performances during the parade and appearances on "FOX and Friends"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gMDnVijbHyE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqwzMLnS0q4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUunUzlmc1M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJEMvDL_z-A

http://www.foxnews.com/video/index.html?playerId=videolandingpage&streamingFormat=FLASH&referralObject=3223755&referralPlaylistId=a9594f0389e4ea58938175cbd26195fbedd640ad&maven_referrer=staf

To view some of the photos I captured:

http://picasaweb.google.com/jacobthompson1/NewYorkCityGTMBMacySParade#

Georgia Mountain Laurel

2008-11-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

This month, November 2008, I'm the cover artist for the Georgia Mountain Laurel magazine, based in Northeast Georgia. If you are in the area, pick up a magazine (they're free), but if you are locationally challenged, go to http://georgiamountainlaurel.com and view November's issue to see the cover and read an article about me. The staff did a great job on my article. Don't forget to visit http://jacobthompson.vze.com and view my photography gallery.

Initiation

2008-09-28T21:41:00.001-07:00

First Blog.