Hdr Photography

[Bellatrix]

Im heading down to the beach tonight to try out some beachy type sunset photos... I have read about HDR. On flickr, there is this AWESOME photographer who does alot of HDR stuff.. I am just blown away!

An example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artiephotogra...57604668728100/

Has anyone experimented with it? If so, I would love to see how you went!

[TerraNik]

Im heading down to the beach tonight to try out some beachy type sunset photos... I have read about HDR. On flickr, there is this AWESOME photographer who does alot of HDR stuff.. I am just blown away!

An example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/artiephotogra...57604668728100/

Has anyone experimented with it? If so, I would love to see how you went!

I was planning to do some experimenting with HDR these holidays for a bit of fun.

[Bellatrix]

Ive been watching tutorials on how to get the effect... gee whiz...

[Ashanali]

Yep.

There are easier ways to get HDR effects without having to layer three images.

(only slightly applied to this image)

Shoot in RAW

Shoot at as low an ISO as possible (the lower the ISO the more range of contrast there is in the image)

Process in lightroom, lots of 'recovery', lots of 'fill light', add black then add 'clarity'

[Bellatrix]

Thanks for the tip, Ashanali! I dont think I have shot in RAW yet!

[RottnBullies]

I love HDR Images

I find the tutorials on how to do the fake HRD In PS hard to follow

Here Is one I've done, but I've missed a few steps coz It just wasn't turning out,

but I think It turned out ok! It wasn't done from a raw Image though just a jpeg

[Ashanali]

You really need to shoot in RAW for it to work

The human eye sees about 11 stops of light

RAW captures 7-8 stops of light

jpeg only captures 5-6 stops of light

HDR means High Dynamic Range. If you shoot in jpg, you are automatically limiting how much range you have within the image.

So while you might get something verging on an HDR effect with a jpg, it still won't look quite right. Go RAW next time and see how it looks.

[RottnBullies]

I hate that word RAW

So do I need to do anything first to the raw Image, before I start the hdr process, or Is It straight from raw Into hdr ?

Thanks

[brigie bear]

I had never heard of this before today lol! Just goes to show how much of a newbie I am the the world of photography... I had seen HDR photos before and always thought there were unreal but had NO idea of the process....

So today I tried it out... Granted I cheated though... Didnt have time/good enough conditions/tripod on hand to actually take photos in RAW with varied exposure so I just changed the exp in photoshop and had a play around... I also tried a free version of photomatix... (Hence watermark) Even though I "cheated" it was still fun to have a play. Here's what I came up with in the normal (i.e. before) photo, photoshop version and photomatix version... The source photos kinda suck anyway (just learning photography) but I'm sure one could come up with something brilliant with 3 RAW photos done properly!

Lake Normal:

Lake in Photoshop HDR:

Lake in Photomatix HDR:

River Normal:

River Photoshop HDR:

River Photomatix HDR:

Car View normal:

Car View Photoshop HDR:

Car View Photomatix HDR:

With like no tweeking on my part - other than generating the image and some teeny adjustments to the default's in the HDR conversions, its insane how the 2 different programs give SUCH different results!

[Ashanali]

I hate that word RAW

So do I need to do anything first to the raw Image, before I start the hdr process, or Is It straight from raw Into hdr ?

Thanks

You may want to do something with your exposure but playing with the fill light, recovery, blacks and clarity is what will give you an HDR effect

brigie bear - Photoshop HDR action sucks! The plug ins are much better as you've discovered. :p I have a different PS plug-in to you but it produces some great results also.

[brigie bear]

I hate that word RAW

So do I need to do anything first to the raw Image, before I start the hdr process, or Is It straight from raw Into hdr ?

Thanks

You may want to do something with your exposure but playing with the fill light, recovery, blacks and clarity is what will give you an HDR effect

brigie bear - Photoshop HDR action sucks! The plug ins are much better as you've discovered. :p I have a different PS plug-in to you but it produces some great results also.

It does suck doesnt it!!! Which one do you use?

[Ashanali]

I hate that word RAW

So do I need to do anything first to the raw Image, before I start the hdr process, or Is It straight from raw Into hdr ?

Thanks

You may want to do something with your exposure but playing with the fill light, recovery, blacks and clarity is what will give you an HDR effect

brigie bear - Photoshop HDR action sucks! The plug ins are much better as you've discovered. I have a different PS plug-in to you but it produces some great results also.

It does suck doesnt it!!! Which one do you use?

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

I use Nik Efex Pro - it has several actions but the 'tonal contrast' action is the one for HDR.

[brigie bear]

I hate that word RAW

So do I need to do anything first to the raw Image, before I start the hdr process, or Is It straight from raw Into hdr ?

Thanks ;)

You may want to do something with your exposure but playing with the fill light, recovery, blacks and clarity is what will give you an HDR effect

brigie bear - Photoshop HDR action sucks! The plug ins are much better as you've discovered. ;) I have a different PS plug-in to you but it produces some great results also.

It does suck doesnt it!!! Which one do you use?

I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.

I use Nik Efex Pro - it has several actions but the 'tonal contrast' action is the one for HDR.

when I get better at photography I may just look into it! ... and then run and hide in fear of you! :welcome:

[Clicking Mad]

I had a one month trial of CS4 at the beginning of the year and really enjoyed playing with HDR

these were processed with 3 separately exposed jpgs

Texas didn't exactly stay still through his 3

Jamie

I tried some sky and clouds and trees ones but they didn't turn out as well

I'd love to play and learn about it a little more with CS4.

[rocco]

If you like HDR check out this work. This is my my favorite artist on flickr. I worship her work, she is brilliant.

Rita

Also check out her macro.... I have never had a interest in macro until I saw her work.

Macro

Edited November 14, 2009 by Rocco1

[Kirislin]

OK, so explain in moron simple terms what this is.

[RottnBullies]

Love that 2nd one CM

I could never do 3 same exposures of my girl, she never keeps still

[Kirislin]

so you have to 3 images of the same thing, that means it cant be used for anything that's moving, no action shots right, but how come Ash has the jumping dog and she says that HDR....I think. I am confused.

[Clicking Mad]

so you have to 3 images of the same thing, that means it cant be used for anything that's moving, no action shots right, but how come Ash has the jumping dog and she says that HDR....I think. I am confused.

you don't have to have 3 exposures - it's just one way you can do it ... I think Ash explained it well here:

You really need to shoot in RAW for it to work

The human eye sees about 11 stops of light

RAW captures 7-8 stops of light

jpeg only captures 5-6 stops of light

HDR means High Dynamic Range. If you shoot in jpg, you are automatically limiting how much range you have within the image.

So while you might get something verging on an HDR effect with a jpg, it still won't look quite right. Go RAW next time and see how it looks.

how I think of HDR simply - it's like when you get a really nice sky behind a really nice shot of your dog and you want the detail in both to show, without under-exposing your dog or overexposing the sky

so with the 3 exposures you get the highlight details, the low light details, and the middle

eta: thanks rott'n'bullies

Ashanali - that's one of my all time favourite shots of yours

rocco1 - Rita's work is brilliant!

Edited November 14, 2009 by Clicking Mad

[rocco]

HDR is using the three exposures (?) but this effect can be computer generated too with either photoshop or lightroom. Andrze Dragan was one of the first to to do this with computer techiniques I think!! and then everyone else copied, you will hear the term "Draganize" alot. You can use this effect at different degrees, some subtle some harsh. Check out Dragans work:

Andrze Dragan