National Museum of Funeral History

This is one of the National Museum of Funeral History's hearses. I didn't count but I think they had about twenty different antique hearses at the museum. The older ones, like this one, tend to feature incredibly detailed woodworking on the sides!

Title: "Antique Hearse"


Camera / Lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photoshop CS3 > High Pass Sharpening > Merge Visible to New Layer > Cloning to remove post and rope perimeter > Merge Visible to New Layer > Topaz Adjust Plugin Spicify > Merge Visible to New Layer > Topaz Adjust Plugin Noise Reduction > Curves Adjustment Layer to improve contrast > Levels Adjustment Layer to set the black point > Merge Visible To New Layer > Nik Viveza plugin to lighten up the back part of the vehicle > Merge Visible to New Layer > Topaz Adjust Plugin Noise Reduction with a layer mask used to exclude the vehicle from this round of noise reduction

National Museum of Funeral History

Here are two more images from the "Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes" exhibit at the National Museum of Funeral History in Houston, Texas.


Camera / lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photoshop CS3 > High Pass Sharpening > Merge Visible to New Layer > Topaz Adjust Plugin @ 45% > Curves Adjustment Layer to adjust contrast > Levels Adjustment Layer to set black point > Merge Visible to New Layer > Distort Lens Correction Vignette


Camera / lens: Canon 40D / Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photoshop CS3 > High Pass Sharpening > Merge Visible to New Layer > RPM Beautifier Plugin @ 32% > Levels Adjustment Layer to improve shadow detail

National Museum of Funeral History

This past Saturday I visited the National Museum of Funeral History which happens to be in Houston. The museum has exhibits of many different antique hearses, both motorized and horse drawn, unusual caskets, a recreated turn of the century casket factory and many other funeral history related exhibits. Genevieve Keeney, the director of the museum gave me an advance tour of the upcoming exhibit of "Celebrating the Lives and Deaths of the Popes." I think you can tell from the photos I'll be posting over the next couple of days that the the exhibit is first class. Make sure you visit their website (www.nmfh.org) for more information if you are in the Houston area (around Bush International Airport) and are looking for a unique museum experience.

Title: "Outside St. Peters Square"


Camera / lens: Canon 17-55mm f/2.8 zoom
Post-processing: Photoshop CS3 > High Pass Sharpening > Merge Visible to New Layer > Topaz Adjust Plugin Spicify at 78% > Merge Visible to New Layer > Cloning to remove a front rope barracade > Merge Visible to New Layer > Distort Lens Correction Vignette