VIA MEDITERRA - The journey around the Med with an HP2

[Coots]

Originally Posted by kimangao

Thank you for your friendly words.

Guess it's a mixture of it. I try to understand what is there, why it's there. I'm interested in origins, roots of stories. But most of all I'm attracted by little stories besides the great history, weired circumstances ...

That was one of the reasons why I'd like to go on that trip. There are so many stories, people, cities linked to each other that it blows my mind. On the shores of the same rather small sea some people spend their holidays while others fight civil wars. The Alps border it as well as the Sahara. And (did some research on that) the Mediterranean Sea was once a dry salty desert and in some millions of years it will disappear, evaporate. So better see it now than later

The coffetable book and a movie DVD are already published. Details (book) here:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...php?p=12227554

and (DVD) here:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showt...=553143&page=2


Hope I'm not boring people to death with my history-stories ...

Cheers

Dirk

Don't cut out the history, it adds so much character to your story.
Love the report, thanks for sharing with us.

[PinkPillion]

Originally Posted by Coots

Don't cut out the history, it adds so much character to your story.
Love the report, thanks for sharing with us.

Ditto.
Everything about this report is brilliant!

[kimangao]

Originally Posted by Blader54

I'm loving everything about this report! One question that may be on the minds of others who have applauded your stunning and beautiful photographs. Aside from your excellent composition, the colors are so saturated and vivid. Do they come from the camera this way, or is there some adjustments you do in Photoshop or its like? I had heard that Canon cameras have excellent software for color rendition. Thanks in advance, and bon voyage!

Oh yes, I answer this with pleasure.
I've been asked this several times and there is a simple issue (before we get to the more complicated one) that may already be the answer. From this trip I've brought home about 25.000 good (in my eyes) pictures. I delete the bad ones on the spot. I don't know how long it would take to process 25.000 pictures in Photoshop but if I would do that I would feel my lifetime melting away

Ok, now the bit more complicated one (which is not really complicated):

Since slides and photolabs are mostly a thing of the past, we with our cameras have become the labs ourselves. I always shoot in RAW. To minimize the work I use a standard setting on my cameras that works for about 90% of my shots. This is "daylight", "landscape", sharpness 70%, contrast +1. All other settings including color saturation remain untouched.

So far most pics are as they come out of the camera.

What the RAW format does not respect is a nicely filled histogramm, meaning the darks and the lights usually don't meet the ends of the spectrum. Shifting especially the darks to the end of the x-axis of the histogram increases the quality. This is where the saturation is influenced through the backdoor

All this can be done in the DPP software that comes with at least every Canon DSLR (don't know about the IXUS-series).

For the web pics have to be converted into jpgs and that requires a little sharpening in the end. That's it.

Did that answer your question?

Cheers

Dirk

[kimangao]

Ah, and to not miss a thing:
This one is "artificially" HDR. So originally there's only one picture but I made 3 out of that one to expand the contrast range. Was a try. Most of the time I don't like HDR's too much.




Cheers

Dirk

[GSGIRL]

Originally Posted by kimangao

Thanks mate, you make my day!

Cheers

Dirk

That's funny. For most of us, your pics & ride report makes our day!

Cheers from Down Under this week :)

[moto rrad]

Truly amazing pictures. You seem to capture the moment very well. Breathtaking vivid colours and scenes! I'm able to get the odd lucky shot with my canon 350d - but they generally don't come out looking anything remotely like yours!

Following along intently - I have similar aspirations of a round-the-med trip. Thanks for sharing

[Blader54]

Dirk, thanks so much! Yes, you totally answered my question. 25,000 shots? Wow! Eagerly awaiting more of this inspiring story. And I like your thoughts regarding what you see - for example, the stark contrast between rich and poor, the architectural (and hence to some degree, cultural) similarities between seemingly disparate countries and societies. These, along with the photos, are the elements of your report that have grabbed my attention. Thanks so much for letting us "ride" along with you!

P.S. thanks to you I finally looked up "honi soit..." after seeing it for years and years w/o understanding.... and the thing is that you used it in the perfect context! Fantastic.

[ac72]

Originally Posted by kimangao

...Most of the time I don't like HDR's too much.

Amen to that. The starburst filter for today.

[kktos]

Damned....
just realised the date of today....

Have one for us, mate ! (Especially the draught, I reckon)


Raoul's just back with something

[kimangao]

Originally Posted by SoosCreek

Pictures are amazing! And nothing wrong with a RRR if the food is as good as you are getting!

You were asking for it

This is what kktos had on the day I picked up the white HP2.
kktos: It was brain, wasn't it, mon ami?




I think it's a kind of wisdom not to eat everything just because it fits in your mouth . Brain ... but maybe I would have enriched my ... naa!

Cheers

Dirk

[kimangao]

Originally Posted by kktos

Damned....
just realised the date of today....

Have one for us, mate ! (Especially the draught, I reckon)

Raoul's just back with something

Of course I will
But for now just packing things. Leaving on sunday ... for a little bit of this:







But that's gonna be another story.

A bientôt

Dirk

[Goran69]

Awesome journey Dirk....even from Tunisia and motoradekaravane I knew that you have an amazing eye for photography..this time is even better..I cant wait for Montenegro part...I am sorry only that I was not able to take you for a two days around Montenegro...

[panFiluta]

Incredible photos - I've been to similar parts of Europe this year (sadly not the rest...:() and my pics don't even come close to yours.

Subscribed!

[kimangao]

Originally Posted by Goran69

Awesome journey Dirk....even from Tunisia and motoradekaravane I knew that you have an amazing eye for photography..this time is even better..I cant wait for Montenegro part...I am sorry only that I was not able to take you for a two days around Montenegro...

Hi Goran,
we'll do that next time. I have a nice idea for a trip next year that will take me to and through Montenegro. Looking forward meeting you then!

Cheers

Dirk

[x-box]

Originally Posted by kimangao

Guess it's a mixture of it. I try to understand what is there, why it's there. I'm interested in origins, roots of stories. But most of all I'm attracted by little stories besides the great history, weired circumstances ...

That was one of the reasons why I'd like to go on that trip. There are so many stories, people, cities linked to each other that it blows my mind.


Hope I'm not boring people to death with my history-stories ...

Cheers

Dirk

Hi Dirk (is a good name by the way - my brother's name also, and also a ADV biker!)

Traveling with you is fantastic - I get to see and experience places that I would realistically never see myself. I love the history and the stories - it speaks to me and I wish I was there. Pure and simple fantastic!!!

Thanks for your effort to write these reports and I wish you safe travels.

Of course the book (and hopefully DVD) will grace my table soon.

Best wishes

Louis