A.k.a. Technical Mumbo Jumbo

1.0 Introduction

So, what is this Blame The Monkey Technical Mumbo Jumbo?

Well, when I first started posting images I wanted to find a way to not only showcase the photos, but to showcase the steps involved in post processing as well. So, included with the HDR before and after comparisons was an additional blurb listing out the steps I took to process the images, called: Technical Mumbo Jumbo. It was cool for a while but after a couple of months I noticed that it became quite repetitive. Since there were only slight variations photo to photo, It seemed kinda silly to post the same stuff each time.

So, Instead of posting the same random list of steps every day, I decided to create a much larger (and more detailed) random list of steps and post them in one place. 😉  — (hey now, some of the best things in life are spawned from laziness) — Oh and speaking of laziness… Never mind, that will take too much time to explain.

This time though, it’s comprehensive and complete, leading you into every aspect of my Post Processing Techniques. It’s also here that I plan to continuously add more tutorials and links. — It’s best to think of it as a complete hub for all of The Technical Mumbo Jumbo. You can also think of it as the coolest thing in the universe, which is coincidentally what my Mom calls it.

If you have any suggestions, let me know. I’ll be happy to elaborate on specific topics and keep you generally confused.

2.0 My Photography Gear

Photography is a damn expensive hobby & profession. If daddy left you a ton of money, you can probably skip this section. If not, this section holds plenty of ranting and advice about photography gear vs cost vs Mike Tyson. Also, if your daddy did  leave you millions, can I borrow a few bucks? — Oh, and I share a little about the photography gear I use too.

3.0 Travel Photography Tips & Finding The Money Shots

Planes, Trains, and Sleeping Pills = Totally. I spend a lot of time traveling around in the air, the sea, on camelback, and even piggyback (my legs get tired). All the while, I carry a ton of photography gear with me. How do I get it on a plane? How do I find the money shots on location? What’s my philosophy on Travel Photography? Find out in this section.

4.0 Shooting and Camera Settings

This is where the Mumbo Jumbo starts to get technical. I get a lot of questions about camera settings and when and why to shoot 3, 5, 7, or 9 Exposure Brackets. In this section I explain the differences and share my experiences with each. I also talk a bit about shooting Handheld HDR as opposed to using a Tripod.

5.0 Importing and Cataloguing Photos in Lightroom

I use Adobe® Lightroom as my complete digital catalogue. Consider it the hub for all of my digital photographic creation. Find out what types of Digital Voodoo magic I use by reading this section.

6.0 Post Processing – HDR Photography in Photomatix Pro

A ton of work goes into the creation of my photos.  Believe it or not though, HDR Processing in Photomatix only accumulates to about 10% of the total workflow. It’s a common misconception that HDR is a 1 button process. So, learn all about the “2” buttons that I use in this section… 😉 I’ve also created a very entertaining new section called “The Great HDR Debate.” It’s here where I attempt to fling a heathy portion of poo at HDR Haters.

7.0 HDR Photo Post Processing – Color Correction and Finishing

I don’t even know how to sum up this section. It’s really cool. Even my cat likes it, I swear. Color Correction has always been my favorite part of the whole process. And while HDR Processing only makes up 10%, this Post Processing and Color Correcting makes up whatever is left over and much more. I’ve been doing this stuff for many years and I’m very excited to be able to share some of my workflow in this section. (insert witty & relevant comment here)