It’s been 10 long days, now it’s here!

Want to see what the new Aurora HDR Pro is all about? Here’s a Deep Dive video that shows how fun and amazing the software is!

It’s really just incredible… I use it to make all my HDR images. It has layers, curves, special glows, and more! I think you’re gonna love it. Here it is in our store!

And here’s a list of all the features! 🙂

• Revolutionary tone-mapping technology (less noise, realistic results).
• Advanced high quality image processing engine.
• JPEG, PNG, TIFF support
• Adobe RGB wide color profile support.
• ProPhoto wide color profile support.
• Built-in sample photos.
• Native RAW files support (Aurora HDR Pro)
• Real-time image processing.
• 38 HDR presets in 5 categories.
• Signature presets by Trey Ratcliff (Aurora HDR Pro)
• Custom presets import and export.
• Layers & Masking.
• Support of different Blend modes for Layers.
• Custom texture overlays
• Luminosity masking.
• Custom brush for selective editing.
• Gradient masking tool.
• Layer source changing.
• Masking with brackets.
• Color clipping preview.
• Duplicate layer.
• Advanced Tone Mapping controls.
• Smart Tone technology
• Highlights / Midtones / Shadows adjusters.
• Whites & Blacks.
• Advanced Structure & Clarity technology.
• HDR denoise.
• Image Radiance effect.
• Color contrast tool.
• Image Details enhancer tool.
• Glow effect.
• Graduated ND filter emulation (“Top & Bottom Lighting”).
• Tone curve tool.
• Color filter tool – Selective coloring.
• Color toning.
• Vignette.
• Automatic Alignment
• Automatic Deghosting
• Automatic Chromatic aberration reduction.
• Histogram.
• Crop tool.
• Align image.
• Quick compare
• Side by side comparison.
• Image navigator window.
• Full Screen preview mode.
• Facebook sharing.
• Flickr sharing.
• SmugMug sharing.
• Export to email.
• Export to iMessage.
• Export to other apps.
• Export to Photos for Mac.
• Export to Creative Kit apps.
• Photoshop plug-in (Aurora HDR Pro)
• Lightroom plug-in (Aurora HDR Pro)
• Aperture plug-in (Aurora HDR Pro)

Some of my favorite Aurora HDR Pro Images!

A recap of San Francisco

Wow that San Francisco Photowalk was amazing! Here’s our recapped video for you of all the highlights.

Daily Photo – Before the Aurora!

I know I keep talkin’ about the new Aurora HDR Pro, but I’m so darned excited about it! I was especially just thinking about it because of today’s photo from San Francisco. I processed this one with Photomatix, and I got that strange banding and chunky noise in the sky. I don’t have those problems with noise in Aurora HDR Pro because there are two ways to get rid of it, using HDR Denoise and a tricky Clarity slider

Before the Aurora!

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2015-09-20 11:47:40
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time13
• Aperture5.6
• ISO250
• Focal Length43.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

New Photo Organization

I have a slightly different workflow I’ve been toying with lately. It’s particular to me, so it may not apply to you, but here it is.

I have my desktop iMac here where I do most everything when I am home. It also is where my main library is hooked into. But I also have my Macbook, and I’ve been taking a ton of photos lately with my little RX100. Check the “Camera Recommendations” up there soon, as I may make it my entry-level pick! Anyway, I’ve made a special Library on my Macbook JUST for photos from that little device. They tend to be quicker shots, street shots, family shots, and the like. It seems better than commingling them with all the other huge photos that come out of the Sony A7 system.

If you want to learn more about how I manage my giant photo library, check out my Organize Your Photos tutorial over at the s

Daily Photo – Digging up Dinosaurs with Jack Horner

This was a great trip! That’s my son there being held by Jack Horner… what a great guy! We went up to the badlands to spend a few days digging up dinosaurs with him… what an experience!

Digging up Dinosaurs with Jack Horner

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2020-07-08 19:29:08
• CameraNIKON D2Xs
• Camera MakeNikon
• Exposure Time1/800
• Aperture8
• ISO200
• Focal Length15.0 mm
• FlashFired, Return detected
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

Lightroom Presets

I thought about re-packaging some of my presets for different kind of categories. Maybe a black & white package… a sandstorm package… I can’t actually decide because I don’t want to make it too confusing. Okay, I just talked myself out of

Daily Photo – Awesome Buildings in Tokyo

I don’t do a lot of single-shots of buildings, but when I’m in Tokyo I make an exception. I know nothing about architecture or how to make a cool building, but I’d like to think that if I was an architect that I could make something like this. I don’t know how these guys come up with ideas like this!

Awesome Buildings in Tokyo

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2014-03-23 20:14:04
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/1000
• Aperture
• ISO100
• Focal Length
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramManual
• Exposure Bias

HDR Tutorial

Don’t forget to get the newest version of the video version of the HDR Tutorial!

Daily Photo – Playing with Light in Venice

The extreme contrasts of light and shadow can be quite punctuated in Venice. Many of the colors of the buildings are already pretty bold, and when the sun hits them, they pop out to a new level. It’s a pretty good case for HDR, I think, especially because you don’t want to lose all the beautiful colors back in the shadows…

Playing with Light in Venice

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2015-05-10 13:14:15
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time1/400
• Aperture5
• ISO160
• Focal Length25.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+1

Photo Tip: Repeating Structures

If you ever have the chance to have the same object repeat itself into the distance, try to make it happen! It gives the viewer an immediate sense of depth.

Daily Photo – Missing the Food Fight

My friends were inside a restaurant right by here in Hong Kong having a food fight while I took this. I found this out later when I saw them all outside, covered with various bits of food. I’m not sure it’s excusable, but it must be a bit less excusable when it’s a 1-star Michelin restaurant!

Missing the Food Fight

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2015-02-04 03:58:42
• CameraILCE-7M2
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time30
• Aperture11
• ISO160
• Focal Length16.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+1.3

A Good Google Search

I don’t know why I never thought about this before, but when you’re in a new city and looking for good photo spots, google “Best Rooftop Bars in [cityname].” Invariably, I end up finding great photo ops from up th

Daily Photo – Another Rooftop Bar in Hong Kong

We tried to find as many of these as possible while there, and luckily, there were a ton! It’s the complete opposite of Venice (see yesterday’s photo), where you would expect a lot of rooftop bars and restaurants, but there are hardly any. I forgot where I was here, but I really liked the look of this building here with these porthole windows.

Another Rooftop Bar in Hong Kong

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2015-02-05 21:31:45
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time25
• Aperture10
• ISO200
• Focal Length18.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias+2

Zooming in

You may remember a few days ago I talked about “cutting the tops off buildings on purpose.” That’s what I did again here… and I’m really loving the effect of it all. It goes against your first instincts, I think, not to include the top…so it’s a bit of an unnatural decision, but you can get used

Daily Photo – A Great Place to Explore in Dubai

I had big plans this night! I had been to this area once before, and I planned on coming down here for the night and staying out forever! I was by myself and planned to take photos like crazy, eat a bunch, chill out outside with some drinks and listen to music, then go take more photos! Well, I sat down to eat and realized I was mega tired… so I just wolfed it down then went back to the hotel. It was actually a mega lame night… just wasn’t feeling so great.

A Great Place to Explore in Dubai

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2015-03-19 23:03:47
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time2.5
• Aperture4
• ISO200
• Focal Length61.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias

Cutting Off the Tops of Buildings

This is a new style of architecture photography I’ve been toying with. I think the instinct is to always capture the entire building, especially the top. But in slicing off the top on purpose, it can give you many more options with composition. Also, the way the brain works, the viewer doesn’t have to see the top to know that it also looks pretty awesome… in fact, their imagination of the continuation of the building may be better than the building itse

Daily Photo – Dubai From the Inside Out

Very early one morning we found ourselves halfway up one skyscraper while taking photos of others. We’re now looking in the direction of the Burj Khalifa, which you can see there on the right. To the left there was a frenzy of construction going one to erect yet another one. I like how everything in there seems very greenish and ant-nest-like.

Dubai From the Inside Out

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2015-03-18 10:13:34
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time0.3
• Aperture4
• ISO100
• Focal Length16.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-0.7

Day ONE of a new month, get the new Presets!

Pop over to the Lightroom Presets page to grab the new ones at half price… this only lasts 24 hours – it’s something special we do for everyone here on the blog! 🙂

Daily Photo – Another Epic Dinner in Dubai

I’ve eaten at some really beautiful places in Dubai… I spend half the time eating and the other half taking photos. This is a very loungey-kinda-place around a pool. The pool helps keep everything a little bit cool, so you’re not always sweating out the wazoo!

Another Epic Dinner in Dubai

Photo Information

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• Date Taken2015-03-18 05:20:01
• CameraILCE-7R
• Camera MakeSony
• Exposure Time0.8
• Aperture5
• ISO100
• Focal Length16.0 mm
• FlashOff, Did not fire
• Exposure ProgramAperture-priority AE
• Exposure Bias-0.7