My first go at HDR

[Cap]

Well, I had (luckily) 3 images that I could play with using the app Photomatix (unregistered hence why you see the watermark).

Now I can understand the benefits of HDR... the question is to apply it in sufficient amounts that it fools the minds eye. What do you think (remember, its my first go!)

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10003/HDR_First_Go.jpg

I have cropped the sky out as the downside to HDR with moving clouds etc is that it fails... look at the next image to see:

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10003/HDR_First_Go_b.jpg

[WhiteD3]

Looks good to me! I've been having a try at HDR myself using photonaut (freeware) but so far the results have been lousy. Not sure what is going wrong. Could be insufficient exposure differences or maybe I need to read the instructions again!

[Cap]

The limited reading I have done so far indicated 2 stops either side of correct exposure. Also, windy conditions that move trees etc will turn crap, just like too much movement in clouds (as my example above). Photomatix seems really easy to use, you move the settings and the image reflects on the fly.

Give it a try, only a few megs download ;)

Edit: found that maybe the file was in 8bit mode, hence why clouds appear like that... on 16 bit no problems :)+

[KarlB]

First rate, especially for a first attempt.

Cheers
Karlb

[Slunnie]

I love HDR, just wish I could do it.

[Chucaro]

Very good work, the details on the ground popped up very well.

[WhiteD3]

Carlos,

I downloaded Photomatix as a demo as you did and had a play. Better result than with Photonaut but still disappointed.

I used this "How to" HDR Tutorial Part 2 – High Dynamic Range Photography (http://www.stuckincustoms.com/hdr-tutorial-part-2/)

What I don't like is the grain coming through, which is very noticeable in the gap between the rocks in the foreground. Having said that, I didn't follow the tutorial to the letter (ie doing the masking) as I'm only working with PSE, not PS.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/07/473.jpg

Maybe my bracketing isn't done right. The shots were taken at ISO100, 10mm @ f11 to maximise the dof. To bracket I took 3 exposures, one each at 10, 4 and 1.6 seconds.

Below is the original 10 second "blown out" image.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/07/474.jpg

Anyway, its all an education:)

[Cap]

From what I read (many articles) the norm is 3 shots at -2, 0 and +2 exposures. Need to have white balance the same for all exposures, same with aperture so basically ss (like you mention) is the only change (ISO at 100).

Additionally, you really have to play with the settings, I too got weird halos and 'spot lighting' in my shots... but playing with the settings got a more natural look.

From my 5 min worth of experience :angel: I recon you havent given it enough strength so that the overexposed photo comes through more. I think what I would expect is the foreground to resemble (almost) the over exposed photo as you posted, but more of the sky of the underexposed photo... more or less.

Thats what I read about it, but I could be wrong. I noted too that many people say the same thing that its hard to get it right... and in some shots, it doesnt work at all - I tried in another series of photos I had and it turned out SHOCKING!!!

And yes, I agree, it is an education and a bit of fun too ;)

Heres another example of mine...

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10003/mtw_hdr.jpg

Note the highlights on the left and right bottom rocks, also mid left rocks are lighter too - and I was being very conservative on this one too! One more thing, I read that tutorial as well, and must say it suffers from that oversaturated, fake sky look which is something I dont want to replicate (unless for an effect - but then it should be obvious).

[300+]

I've been trying a few HDR recently as I took my camera on a trip to Sydney and took some sunsets of the opera house. But cloud movement really seemed to screw it up - there was a decent wind at altitude.

I found that photomatix just didn't work well. I found that I couldn't get results that were worth having. This is most likely a user problem based around a failure to RTFM. CS5 seemed much easier to use and I was able to tweak them to look the way I wanted.

Cheers, Steve

[Chucaro]

I agree with your comments Steve, among thousands of posts in few good photography forums I only saw couple of images that I like.
I think that the GND filters are the way to go for out door photography.

[Cap]

Had another go as below, but this time I decided a little retro, surreal look for this one. Just practicing, so yes it is over the top and certainly doesnt represent real life!

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10003/hdr_sofa.jpg

[Cap]

Had another shot tonight of the Disco in the car park... so plenty of night low light, shadows and highly lit areas made it interesting. Notice how you have much more light in areas where the original shot hasnt, including inside the Disco and the background.

I havent changed anything on both images except unsharp mask at the same intensity.

Original image at correct exposure.
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/

HDR - notice the lights have multiple flares due to 3 exposures... also grainy grungy looking buildings on the right... it adds an artistic perspective again, but I wouldnt say that this represents real life. Check out the details on the red car, the reflections of the disco showing more detail.
http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10003/_DSC8110_hdr.jpg

[one_iota]

I've been following this with interest...knowing nothing about dynamic range apart from its use in musical recording I did some Wikipedia trawling and came to the conclusion that it needs to be used with great care.

It appears that it can be abused:

High dynamic range imaging - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photoshop CS2 HDR (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/hdr.shtml)


Having said that the Disco shot works for me apart from the colour rendition.

[Cap]

Yes, USE WITH CARE is a good moto for HDR :D

I have seen some FLICKR pages with people who have posted HDR photos who say they are natural and realistic looking. Now when I see them all I see is over saturated artifacts, plastic looking features that resemble something from a dream than reality.

So for nature shots I think for me personally ill try to minimise HDR and use GND's, for example. Architecture type photography I think would look kinda cool with HDR, even tho it may be obvious that its not quite right... like the Disco shot above.

On that note, I could have modified the colour rendition by adding warmth to bring back the white instead of silver.

[300+]

Like many other things it a tool to be used at the right time.

Sometimes the wacky effects are just what a shot needs. Other times it is the only way to show some detail - such as your Disco shot where you may require a dark interior to have detail.

Other times a well exposed single image is just what the scene - and your intended result - requires.

I've had some decent successes with HDR and some complete farces.

Cheers, Steve

[WhiteD3]

Last night 300+ and I met up with the Flickr SEQ Meet up crew. Another HDR attempt.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/07/64.jpg

[300+]

Nice shot Mark, here is my wackier version of the same shot and a couple of others from earlier in the month.

Your shot has also reminded me of something I need to buy... eBay Australia Store ? hk-ishoot: Search results for. (http://stores.ebay.com.au/hk-ishoot_Spirit-Level_W0QQ_fsubZ1886250016QQ_sidZ945778656QQ_trksi dZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322)

Mine were worse than yours, but I straightened them in PS.

I also picked up some extension tubes from the same guy. Bargain at $12

Cheers, Steve

http://www.reddock.net/aulro/DSC06316And7more.jpg

http://www.reddock.net/aulro/DSC06214+1_-0_-1_-2_tonemapped.jpg

http://www.reddock.net/aulro/DSC06264_5_6_7_8_9.jpg

[WhiteD3]

...........Your shot has also reminded me of something I need to buy... eBay Australia Store ? hk-ishoot: Search results for. (http://stores.ebay.com.au/hk-ishoot_Spirit-Level_W0QQ_fsubZ1886250016QQ_sidZ945778656QQ_trksi dZp4634Q2ec0Q2em322)

I'd be insulted but since you lent me the Spyder I won't be:D I gather you're commenting on the skewed river bank? Well, yes it is a bit wonky looking, but its more a trick of the lens than the levelness (?) of the camera. The tripod I use now has two levels in it and I was particularly careful last night to get the camera level.

I've notice this effect before where a near edge leads away into the distance.

BTW I really like your pic of the bridge.

[300+]

Fair enough. My tripod has a round bubble that I rarely remember to check. My main problem is when I'm using the gorilla pod. Even when I remember to check I still screw it up. A $10 visual queue is just what I need.

Cheers, Steve

[WhiteD3]

You got me thinking..........................mayne this is better?

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/07/41.jpg

[300+]

It is a choose your poison question... When you look at the buildings you can see that they are not very parallel - the ones on the left lean left, the right leans right. This is a feature of tilting wide angle lenses rather than a left to right tilt. I wondered if this would be a problem with tilting the lens down to far to move the horizon from the centre. Perhaps the answer is to shoot with the lens horizontal in both planes and crop to achieve the non-central horizon.

Cheers, Steve

[dullbird]

only my second go and I have a lot to learn :)

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/08/1316.jpg

[Cap]

Very nice DB. Have you noticed the typical issue with HDR? You have the Halo effect on the grass where the fence posts are, notice it? ;)

[dmdigital]

A little PP with the burn tool in Photoshop will correct the halo effect.

It's a good capture Lou and well suited to HDR.

[dullbird]

yes stooge I did notice it..

[Cap]

Having another look, not bad for a second go!! :cool:

PS: Im no expert either, just learning from others

[300+]

Here is another one I've just made. I've been looking at this website: HDR Tutorial | High Dynamic Range Tutorial (http://www.stuckincustoms.com/hdr-tutorial/) and noticed that it talks about making an HDR from a single RAW image and using blended overlays of the raw files (along with some masking) to get the best of both worlds.

http://www.reddock.net/aulro/DSC02506-Edit.jpg

Cheers, Steve

[300+]

Here is another one from this weekend. I've been following the stuck in customs guide and spent a long time burning through layers to get the raw image poking through to remove the halos, etc.

This looks like the same area as Mark's shot above (Currumbin).

The foreground is light and there is colour with reasonable saturation as I was doing some light painting with my torch as well. The rocks to the left were darker and further away...

It took a while, but I'm happy with the improvement I've made to a mediocre image.

http://www.reddock.net/aulro/DSC07060_HDR2.jpg

Cheers, Steve

[Cap]

Heres one I took this arvo at Mt Wellington... for me emphasis on realism which is hard!

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10003/DSC8874_hdr.jpg

Note that the three images used came directly from the Nikon in RAW, slight highlight and pp, but minor. Exposures were 1.3 gaps (under and over standard)

Another one with sky a tadd over saturated to give more oooomph!

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10003/DSC8835_HDR.jpg

One of Tim (not HDR) - luckily his face is blurred cos he has got one ugly mug :P

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/08/126.jpg

[timaus13]

Sorry Carlos had to add this one :D

[Cap]

Doing a lot more with HDR stuff nowdays. I bought a copy of "easyHDR Pro 2" which is fantastic after trialing a number of software packages.

Heres some from last night:
http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10003/hobart%20dock.jpg

Artistic flavour
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/11/294.jpg

[Chucaro]

Very good job, I love the first one :cool:

[lebanon]

Excellent shoots, I also like the first one for its contrast in colors, shape an texture.

I am starting to experience with HDR, I will post some of mt picture once I master the technique.

regards

[dmdigital]

I shot a couple of HDR's today. 5 shot -2-+2EV bracket. I have been playing with a trial version of HDR Efex Pro from Nik Software and decided to buy it. Of all the HDR software I've tried it seems the simplest to use and works in with both Aperture and Photoshop (also Lightroom but I don't have that).

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1283.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1284.jpg

[dmdigital]

One more from yesterday. Single shot but then put through HDR Efex Pro.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1246.jpg

[matbor]

Here are all the HDR's I've taken and processed in Photomatix to date, well the ones I liked.

Flickr: Search Matthew Bordignon's photostream (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=hdr&w=25017556%40N07&z=e)

Probably the best ones are these though,

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1131.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2010/12/1132.jpg

[Chucaro]

Excellent 2nd shot Matt :)

[Chucaro]

I do not use HDR on landscaping photography because the effect of the win on the clouds or follage, however in this occasion the sky and light was lousy so i give it a go.
The image is from 4 shots @ 0.7 exposure intervals.
Nikon D300s and Tokina 12-24 f/4
Cheers

http://www.plottier.net/albums/userpics/10002/_AAP4769686670.jpg