Hdr

[Todd]

Do you guys have any advice about how to get HDR images to look like the images on this (http://flickr.com/photos/danielcheong/sets/72157600090095915/) and this (http://flickr.com/photos/valpopando/sets/72157594327558179/) gallery?

I have not yet made a single HDR image but I read a guide today that said to get photomatix and combine several bracketed images. Then, do the tone mapping and finally the retouching in Photoshop... Is that all that was done for the above examples? Thanks.

[fionndruinne]

My advice? Try like 'ell, all the time, as often as possible. I've been making a few, using a single RAW file converted in Photomatix to an HDR (not quite as good, but saves a sight of time and effort over setting up a tripod and bracketing), and, well, tone-mapping is where it really gets difficult. I consider myself fairly decent with editing lighting and contrast in normal images, but HDRs are extremely hard to get right. I'm sure there's better advice on specifics than I can give you, but trial and error is still invaluable.

Good on Photomatix, they let you use the full program as you learn, and once you feel competent enough, you can pay to rid yourself of those annoying wee watermarks in your image.

[Visual Reality]

I would think that RAW would be better than exposure bracketing simply because you can make custom exposed shots from the RAW that make the final image just how you want it. The other reason would be each image would be 100% identical to each other, where in bracketing you have wind and other factors that can make something in each image slightly different.

Photomatix is definetely where to start though...I'm playing with it now too ;)

[Todd]

Well I tried one indoors and it worked fine.

But then I tried outside and although I used a tripod, I did not use the timer like I did indoors. I thought because the shutter speed was around 1/400, it would be OK.

However, I ended up with this:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/196/528387087_74dce09cbe.jpg (http://www.flickr.com)

Is this because of the camera shake or what? Is it possible to fix?

[Prospero]

Even with a tripod it is hard to get all images perfectly alligned. Touching the camera will induce slight movement.
Photomatix can allign images, but only to a small degree. Especially at a wider angle, it is often unable to get the images perfectly alligned.

I never take my HDRs with a tripod, I am often to lazy to carry one around. So, I allign my images later on the computer. I use the following technique.

I allign the images using PTGui. This is a panorama tool, and is very powerfull in alligning images. I export each exposure of the "panorama" seperatly and blend those in Photomatix. In my flickr gallery you can find some of the results (there are some in the cityscape set).

[zmikers]

If you use a tripod, definitely use a remote so you don't touch the camera. Using three or 5 bracketed images is the best way to do it beacause you can get detail in blown out parts and in the shadows that you woulld lose by just using one RAW image. If you have one RAW image, no matter how much you adjust the exposure, lost details are lost details and can never be saved. One RAW file does work but bracketed images are ideal.

Check out this link http://stuckincustoms.com/?p=548 First of all, these images are absolutely amazing, second, its a great tutorial. Check it out!:D

[Todd]

Oh I got it. It's sad that I got all the way out there, set up, and then screwed up my HDR by touching the camera...

Man, I learned my lesson haha. Actually, the only reason why I touched the camera is because I was set up on rocks that were not level so I had to kinda support the tripod while I took the shot or else it would have taken a slanted shot.

[AdamW]

Actually, the only reason why I touched the camera is because I was set up on rocks that were not level so I had to kinda support the tripod while I took the shot or else it would have taken a slanted shot.

There's your answer. The tripod was being supported by your hand instead of the ground! If your camera has auto exposure bracketing, try that. It'll take three shots at different exposures with a single press of the shutter release.

[Todd]

There's your answer. The tripod was being supported by your hand instead of the ground! If your camera has auto exposure bracketing, try that. It'll take three shots at different exposures with a single press of the shutter release.

Wish it did, but looks like it only does it with white balance.

Originally, I took about 5 sets of images. I looked at 2-3 and they were ghosted. I just looked and the other 2 sets and they are fine! I don't even know how either cuz I think I was also touching those. But from now on, I'll just keep my hands off altogether.

[Visual Reality]

There's your answer. The tripod was being supported by your hand instead of the ground! If your camera has auto exposure bracketing, try that. It'll take three shots at different exposures with a single press of the shutter release.
On the topic of this - do you want to aim for the extreme end of the exposure on both the left and right side? For example one pic all the way under, one in the middle, and one all the way overexposed?

[hokeyguy]

Check out this link http://stuckincustoms.com/?p=548 First of all, these images are absolutely amazing, second, its a great tutorial. Check it out!:D
I've posted the exact same thing so many times I've lost count. It's good to know someone actually acknowledges seeing that site.:)

[fionndruinne]

Not that I've gotten very good yet, but here's one of my latest HDRs. I started with one RAW image, and made three versions in Raw Therapee, dark, middle & light, which I saved as TIFF files (16-bit, uncompressed) I then created the HDR in Photomatix and tone-mapped with Tone Compressor (the other tone-mapping mode in Photomatix, Details Enhancer, gave me way too much haloing, and darkened a portion of the sign). Came out a bit dark, which I fixed in Picasa, along with resizing.

24936

[zmikers]

I've posted the exact same thing so many times I've lost count. It's good to know someone actually acknowledges seeing that site.:)

Yes, that is a great site. I definitely appreciate the heads up on that one. Cheers!

[Visual Reality]

Hmm the picture above does begin to show the greens that HDR pictures can have, but it mostly looks like just a single shot with the contrast cranked up.

Am I missing something about RAW HDR pictures? Wouldn't it be best since you can make exact multiple images? With bracketing you will always have some variation...

My camera can do both, but I'd like to know what is best.

[fionndruinne]

There's a dynamic range difference especially in the sun glint off the cars, which unfortunately seems to be partially lost in the resize. I agree it's too green; I don't currently have Photoshop, so I can't go in and edit the colors of specific areas (the sky needs to be rid of that green). Also the shadows are too dark; that makes it look like nothing more than contrast upping. Here's a reworking, using Details Enhancer. Better shadow detail, but still the sky is too cyan.

A lot of the process is in an editor after Photomatix, and that still throws me off, as I don't know exactly what to go for in the latter program, that the secondary editor can make the most of.

24954

[fionndruinne]

This one's got better color management. I think I improve a little every time, but it is time-consuming. I've taken to creating different JPEGS from a RAW image instead of just uploading the RAW file to Photomatix to be converted there; I think it comes out better this way.25045

[hokeyguy]

I think you really need to peruse the link that zmikers posted. Trying to manipulate a single file is kind of defeating the goal of a very wide dynamic range. I see that your shadow detail is still not very good.

Personally I like the unreal look of HDR and if I felt I wanted a realistic image I just would shoot a normal shot.

This was my first attempt at HDR. It was shot with my normal setting of -1/3 EV and bracketed -2EV and +2EV from there.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/516194110_cd597b275c_o.jpg

[fionndruinne]

What do you mean by shadow detail? I purposely held off on the shadow darkness there, as there was actually a fair amount of diffused light from the other storefronts. It's as close as I could come to the actual dynamic range of the scene, and I think I got pretty close. A lot closer than one shot could have come. That's the appeal of HDRs to me - they can create a more realistic image than one shot ever could. I don't go for the exaggerated dynamic range, although I'll admit those have a cool, stylized look.

That's a nice shot, there, though the green is just a little too green for me. Seems like the sky shows some signs of the problem I had with an earlier HDR; a portion of a fairly uniform-lit area develops a dark patch. That I dislike; it could be related to the haloing, which I seem to be able to avoid now, being careful with a couple settings.

(and as for making HDRs from a single RAW file as opposed to several, that's my only option at present - I don't have a tripod.)

[zmikers]

The purpose of HDR is to get everything properly exposed. If you take a single image and try to darken or lighten it, if there was no detail in the shadows to begin with, it doesn't matter how much you lighten the photo the shadows will stay black. Where as if you have an extremely overexposed shot, then there is a lot of detail there to work with. The Hdr image should have the details in the shadows from the overexposed image, the details in the hilights from the underexposed image and the details in the midtones from the properly exposed image, this would give the impression of everything properly exposed.

[Chrisku13]

Another important thing to remember when doing HDR is whether the scene calls for it or not. I remember reading a tutorial when I first began, and the author mentioned something about everyone attempting HDR images when one exposure would have been sufficient. You want to make sure there really are a lot of shadow and highlight details to capture, otherwise it will come out looking rather flat and boring. Also, if using multiple exposures, you should try either bracketing or changing shutter speeds very quickly. As my example below shows, when moving objects (such as clouds) appear, it looks pretty goofy if you allow too much time to pass inbetween the shots. I probably could have fixed this with some photoshop magic, but oh well.

http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o143/Chrisku13/car.jpg

[zmikers]

Chrisku - great points.......Many images are not suited for HDR, definitely. When I see the need for HDR, I set my camera on a tripod, bracket however I see fit and use three continuous shots with my remote as not to disturb the tripod. Here is an example of a shot I am working on now. I am not finished cloning the power lines in the bottom of the image but it should give you an idea. I bracketed at -1.6, 0, +1.6. I'm still working on it but some C&C would be appreciated.

[fionndruinne]

zmikers, that's good. A bit more saturation/shadows might be right, to darken those clouds a little and to give the sunlit portion more strength, but other than that it's great.

I agree that some shots really aren't cut out for HDRs. That burger joint sign I posted first, that one proves well that direct, noonday sun doesn't work well! I think the storefront one did a better job, because it was the only way to give the sunlight/highlights the strength they needed without ruining the soft shadows. I'm getting a little better at determining when an HDR might be a possibility... next I'll pick up a tripod and get some good landscapes (should be in Oregon soon, there I'll try for sunrise and sunset shots).

HDRs are a new enough concept, not quite a novelty but only just gaining popular attention, that there are a lot of "rules of etiquette" that haven't been set yet. Now's the time to get into it, I say! It won't be too long before everyone's already done whatever we want to do with the concept.

[zmikers]

fionndruinne - Ya you're right. that's the problem, with computers and photography the way it is now, it's very difficult to come up with anything new anymore......Oh, and thanks for the comment!

[jeffmd]

this stuff looks hot and I can't wait to try it. Does anyone with a canon S3 know of a script that will take the 5 exposure shots in succession with one button press?

[Prospero]

I just wrote a tutorial on HDRs, posted here: http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?p=232450

It also includes information on how you can create HDRs without a tripod.

[erichlund]

I just wrote a tutorial on HDRs, posted here: http://www.dcresource.com/forums/showthread.php?p=232450

It also includes information on how you can create HDRs without a tripod.

Nice work! Thanks