High Dynamic Range (HDR)

[undergrd]

I have seen experts in the forum taking HDR, what exactly is HDR? I google and found that it is some sort of processing thru software...

Wondering if any camera can obtain HDR image? What software to use to process HDR?
Can experts in here explain?

Thanks

 

[willdon]

I have seen experts in the forum taking HDR, what exactly is HDR? I google and found that it is some sort of processing thru software...

Wondering if any camera can obtain HDR image? What software to use to process HDR?
Can experts in here explain?

Thanks

http://www.google.com.sg/search?cli...hannel=s&hl=en&q=hdr&meta=&btnG=Google+Search

 

[night86mare]

I have seen experts in the forum taking HDR, what exactly is HDR? I google and found that it is some sort of processing thru software...

Wondering if any camera can obtain HDR image? What software to use to process HDR?
Can experts in here explain?

Thanks

asked and asked again

any camera can obtain, you need different exposures however, so camera with manual control is best.

a lot of hdr programs out there. photomatix, ps cs2, ps cs3, dynamic photo hdr

please do a forum search.

 

[davee78]

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=361910


I learnt about HDR from here too You can refer to the above thread,

BTW, my personal feel about trying HDR... the outcome varies depending on the type of shots.. does not neccesarily make it better, sometimes, the original feel better..but then, it's quite fun..and you really need a tripod to steady and also set timer for the shots, if not when you piece it together...it does not fit well...just my 1 cents thought as I am as new to HDR as you.

 

[glenncain]

rather than using a program algorithm to bring the shots together, isn't it more precise to layer them all up in cs3 and wipe of area of layers that you don't like? and play with transparency too?

 

[MLSK]

Never really tried HDR, until I hit this thread. So I downloaded photomatix and let it do its trick on an old raw photo. Its all very "auto" mode in Photomatix. Then I used CS2 to auto color, USM, reduce noise, resized for web and here is what I got:

Thanks to the TS, I learnt a new trick!

 

[night86mare]

good stuff there for a first try - but lower the strength a teeny bit in photomatix - you will lose texture in the sky, but is marginal.
but the lighting will be more natural, i.e. the trees in the bottom right will not appear about as bright as the buildings, rather, darker. you do not need them to be bright anyways

this is with the assumption that you would want a realistic looking picture

 

[cheezycool]

is there actually any 'universal' right way in doing HDR? with regard to saturation, contrast and other controls etc.?

 

[wildstallion]

is there actually any 'universal' right way in doing HDR? with regard to saturation, contrast and other controls etc.?

Is there any universal right way of taking any shot? Course not.

 

[night86mare]

is there actually any 'universal' right way in doing HDR? with regard to saturation, contrast and other controls etc.?

not really, but generally when it comes to a certain program with a certain end-goal in mind you will find that the steps are generally the same.

photomatix adjustments are very very simple, hence this is even more true for this particular program. what i have suggested is for something that looks "relatively close" (though some would say, light years away) to the original result.. just with improved dynamic range.

 

[cheezycool]

Is there any universal right way of taking any shot? Course not.

I agree My bad.. i should have phrased it as "is there a generally accepted technique in HDR"

 

[undergrd]

i dunno whether I can ask this qn anot...

Can anyone teach the step in using CS2 to process pics to HDR ?

 

[night86mare]

i dunno whether I can ask this qn anot...

Can anyone teach the step in using CS2 to process pics to HDR ?

of course can, it's not as simple as it seems

in hdr, you need the different exposure files ready..

go to File --> Automate --> merge to HDR

Browse.. Button, select all your files, click ok. if you got use tripod and you do not think your frame moved at all, don't check the automatically align box, will waste time.. if you handheld, or your tripod got move, then check.

after a long long time they will give you some result..

actually why am i typing this, i realise there's a website (click on LINK HERE) which gives you everything.

 

[undergrd]

of course can, it's not as simple as it seems

in hdr, you need the different exposure files ready..

go to File --> Automate --> merge to HDR

Browse.. Button, select all your files, click ok. if you got use tripod and you do not think your frame moved at all, don't check the automatically align box, will waste time.. if you handheld, or your tripod got move, then check.

after a long long time they will give you some result..

actually why am i typing this, i realise there's a website (click on LINK HERE) which gives you everything.

Thanks bro for the info... Reali helpful...

 

[undergrd]

hi guys, i try doing HDR on CS2... after I merged the pictures, i only have a few options to edit my pic? Under adjustment, I can only adjust the exposure, channel mixer and photo filter...

also,I cant save in in JPEG format?How to do it ?

 

[night86mare]

hi guys, i try doing HDR on CS2... after I merged the pictures, i only have a few options to edit my pic? Under adjustment, I can only adjust the exposure, channel mixer and photo filter...

also,I cant save in in JPEG format?How to do it ?

i don't have photos to experiment with, but you need to go to image --> mode --> 8 bits/channel to be able to save in jpg

if not will be 16 bit tiff

not sure about the options, never did really care with photoshop cs2 after 1 or 2 tries

 

[leews2001]

rather than using a program algorithm to bring the shots together, isn't it more precise to layer them all up in cs3 and wipe of area of layers that you don't like? and play with transparency too?

Actually that is really the way. But this is tedious, and many humans are either lazy or simply dont have the time.

So all these algorithms out there are just try to automate the process. There is no best method. But most method have boundary problems, where different tone mapping areas overlaps; thus making the picture look "synthetic", or manifesting the HDR artifacts.

A quick way to play is to use CS3, Image->Adjustment->Shadows&Highlight.

a last opinion: use HDR only if one needs it. and not just make a HDR picture.

 

[night86mare]

a last opinion: use HDR only if one needs it. and not just make a HDR picture.

:thumbsup: solid advice , a man after my own heart

unfortunately, one almost always needs it during the golden hour.. maybe next time when i retire (about 40 years down the road, or 50).. i will slowly blend together to get the photo i really like with good, natural look :bsmilie:

but then i'm sure by then they'd have come up with something new

 

[cheezycool]

in the end i guess it all boils down to art and its appreciation

just a thought.. would photomatix be the most popular/user-friendly/technically-superior HDR software among you guys? esp since photoshop cannot really make it in this aspect.