My first HDR image.

SilverPenguin

SilverPenguin

SilverPenguin

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Ok, now don't get too excited as its not exactly a wall hanger lol

Whilst researching what GND filters to get I came across lots of talk about HDR images and CS2's method for making them. Its not really something I had read up on before but decided it could be another way of getting good landscapes whilst I'm in Scotland (going for a week to the isle of Mull).

I rushed home tonight to have a quick go after work as I had been reading about it all day. I was presented with a very dull sky so I decided to just do a quick shot from my front garden (I should have maybe removed the rubbish first and maybe made sure the horizon was straight but hey ho).

This was a blend of 8 images. I can see the potential to get some very good results from this but I can also see how easy it is to get things looking very fake VERY quickly! After making the sky look very menacing it looked so wrong so I calmed things down to get them looking how it looked to my naked eye which made a huge difference - subtlety is the key with these shots!

I'd be interested to see other HDR shots and would appreciate any advice from anyone more experienced at this. I'm still going to get some filters for Scotland but I'll definitely be some of this stuff along side it as well.

The photo shows a comparison between the camera's original exposure reading (with me trying to get a happy medium of sky and foreground) which is on the left and the 8 shot blend on the right.

comp.jpg
 
Wow an 8 shot blend? I'm of the opinion that you only really need 3 shots. You can actually get decent results from just 1 JPEG if you +/- the exposure in PS.

I've never used photoshop to HDR, instead I use Photomatix and usually turn everything up to 11 because it looks awesome! But sometimes it is good just to get it to look natural.

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Everyone has their own opinions with HDR really. Some like it subtle, others like it slightly surreal. Personally im a fan of the slightly ott stuff. I took this one this morning:

hdr14.jpg
 
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robertgilbert86 said:
Wow an 8 shot blend? I'm of the opinion that you only really need 3 shots. You can actually get decent results from just 1 JPEG if you +/- the exposure in PS.
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It was my first time so I went a bit overboard haha. I read that you need between 3 and 7 depending on the range you need to cover so I'll do less next time.

I don't think you can get good printable results from altering hte exposure of 1 image personally, because things start to get very muddy/noisy where you try to recover detail from the shadows. Looks fine for web but nasty at full res IMO - if it didn't there would be no need for HDR anyway lol

Its a fun technique though so looking forward to more.
 
I use Photomatix for doing HDR and actually get very good results from 1 RAW file but robertgilbert's right you really only need a 3 shot blend of -2 0 +2 to get a good HDR image.


cyKey's guide is one of the best I've seen for HDR -> Linky !
 
Been attempting HDR shots, but they always come out extremely noisey. Any reason for this do you think?

I shoot them in Aperture Priority, so as to lock down the DoF so I don't get any nasty effects.
 
Strings said:
Been attempting HDR shots, but they always come out extremely noisey. Any reason for this do you think?

I shoot them in Aperture Priority, so as to lock down the DoF so I don't get any nasty effects.
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What's the work flow you use?
 
Having fiddled a bit with HDR, I find the edges of contrasting dark/light areas are the worst for noise, made worse if you are just using 1 raw image as well! I tend to find shooting stuff with a very short DOF ends up making the main subject look like its been super imposed on the background.

Personally, the best HDR photos are the ones where you have to look at it and think "is this an HDR photo or not?". Hugely overcooked photos are not really my cup of tea. I like SilverPengiuns photo because its not obviously an HDR pic.

Dave

A couple of mine (the few that have worked ok!)
minsterb_wweb.jpg

DSC_0790web.jpg
 
^ Apologies to the OP for diverting from his post but good god, that is absolutely stunning!
 
Cheers guys! (Sorry to divert from the thread!)
As said above, HDR isn't just putting all the sliders to the max, getting a natural looking photos from a tough situation is also very useful. Putting the sliders to the max does make any photo bang though!
 
love HDR, but i prefer the more 'natural' look

I tried this 'with the sliders turned up to 11!' but it looked too fake.

I think some scenes look better overdone than others.

331932633_9fe2f35236_b.jpg


Taken as three exposures on a Canon G7 (Currently up for sale in MM :D)
 
cmt thats a lovely shot and a good use of HDR in my opinion.

I am not a fan of the in your face HDR stuff to be honest. To me there isn't any real skill involved, just take the shots, whack your levels up and let the computer give you its preprsentation of what it thinks was in front of you - and end up with something that might was well be a painting. I much prefer it subtle so that you have to look twice to work out if its HDR or not.

Each to their own though :)
 
SilverPenguin said:
cmt thats a lovely shot and a good use of HDR in my opinion.
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Some more from the same day (Christmas eve)


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i must get round to doing some more instead of keep rolling the same ones out :D
 
SilverPenguin said:
That pano is lovely! Were these done with Photomtix?
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yup all with photmatix.

tweaked them until you couldn't tell they were HDR (If you get what i mean).
 
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