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My first attempt at HDR


Littleguy

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So, after wanting to try it out for a while I decided to get a program, Photomatix Pro, so I could try shooting in HDR. I've thought this would be something cool to play with for a while and just took my first couple of shots this past Sunday, here is one of them.

 

http://www.newcelica.org/photopost/data/500/First_try_at_HDR.jpg

 

Even my car's face looks shocked by how processed it looks, lol. Anyways, I just wanted to share and get any tips you all might have for me for future efforts.

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As far as exposure I wasn't sure what to do so I left it on auto. What should I have had it on?

 

That area in the top right with the sunlight? That's all washed out because the sensor was overwhelmed with light. You need a short exposure to capture the detail in that area.

 

Your bumper is grainy because there wasn't enough light. You need a long exposure to let enough light in to capture the detail there.

 

The problem is that a short exposure for the top right would make the rest of the picture extremely dark, and the long exposure for the bumper would make the rest of the picture all washed out. So you need to get a tripod and take 2 pictures, one with a short exposure and one with a long exposure. Preferably a third that's somewhere in between. Use the timer or a remote trigger so that your hand doesn't wiggle the camera between shots. Then combine the data in some program.

 

Your single picture is your camera's best attempt to compromise for the available light level, and this HDR image is the software's attempt to fill in data that isn't there.

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It's probably because I try to do as little editing as humanly possible but I have never been much of a fan of HDR shots. *Most* just seem wayyyyy over-done IMO. I know it was the "Hot" thing for awhile so I am most likely in the minority. That being said, trying new things to see if you like the results is never a bad thing :)

Jeff

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not an expert here but I did play around with HDR a good bit when I first got my SLR...i was using the same software as you I believe.

 

best to have 3 shots to merge, 2 could work but I liked the outcome with 3 better. I'm not crazy about the really fake looking ones but you can create some great yet subtle contrast with HDR that makes for an exciting shot.

 

There's one realtor on MLS that's processing all their house shots in HDR...i have to admit it makes me look at all of their listings 'cause the photos stand out.

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Don't worry, I'm not going HDR crazy or anything, lol. I was wrong in my first reply, I used 3 shots to make this picture, I changed the Exposure comp. from -2 to 0 to +2. I'm going to try doing a couple more shots today changing the ISO speed around when I switch exposures.
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The cars look almost cartoony to me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I really just want to be able to try out a different look every once in a while.

 

Ditto. Looks cool, but I'd like a little less processing to the look for "all the time" pics.

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The cars look almost cartoony to me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.

 

Agreed. I don't hate it but at the same time I couldn't see myself wanting to make it look like that from the original image either (Even if it was as simple as a one-click HDR conversion).

Jeff

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The cars look almost cartoony to me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I really just want to be able to try out a different look every once in a while.

 

Yeah, a polarizing filter would have fixed all the horrible reflections too.

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Nice, I use the photomerge in photoshop but it doesn't really give an HDR effect.

 

It will but you need 5-7 shots to creative an good True-Tone HDR Shot. First thing you'll likely want to do is insure your camera can do bracket exposures.

 

I could look this up myself, but how much was the software? Any good deals?

 

It's good stuff but not necessary as the same processing can be done in a number of different ways within photoshop and it's offerings.

 

As far as exposure I wasn't sure what to do so I left it on auto. What should I have had it on?

 

Bracket exposures

 

The cars look almost cartoony to me, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I really just want to be able to try out a different look every once in a while.

 

This look is a style of HDR that some like. More of a tone-mapped image vs dynamic in range.

 

HDR: http://www.pbase.com/timothylauro/image/132855014

Tone Mapped: http://www.pbase.com/timothylauro/image/128764443

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^^ Those are basically just processing in photoshop that can be done with a single well exposed image. send me one of your shots and I'll walk you through some steps. Read up on tone mapping and you too can easily create the above.

 

A true HDR or High Dynamic Range (HDR) simply refers to combining several images, taken at different exposure settings to produce a single image with greater dynamic range than is possible with a single exposure. It is no more or less realistic in appearance than any other image it requires processing to set the different exposure values and see the highlights and shadows properly.

Edited by TTQ B4U
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