Question - How is HDR used/applied?

Kristoph

Kristoph

Kristoph

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11 May 2007
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Hey,

Bit of a beginners question but, what is HDR? How is it applied? I know what it means, but how is done? :o

Is it a post process effect? Can it be done with any sort of camera? Do you need any specialised equipment?

Thanks.
 
You need to take (ideally) 3 of the same shots, one underexposed, one normally exposed and one overexposed, then you can combine them in photoshop or equivalent which is done pretty much automatically, but you can tweak the settings! If you shoot RAW then you can use 3 copies of the same RAW file and change the exposure but results are not as good
 
Is there a tool in any photoshop for doing this? I've got version 8 and CS 2.

Can the shot be taken on any sort of camera, as long as you have one under, normal, overexposed?
 
mp3kla said:
Bit of a beginners question but, what is HDR? How is it applied? I know what it means, but how is done? :o
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In summary HDR is localised contrast enhancement which can be manually in Photoshop [difficult] or through Photomatix [simple]
 
That vanilladays link was great, just read through that tutorial and it all seems fairly simple.

I'm going out 2nite with my housemate (she has a fairly decent camera). Going to try and create some HDR shots using just 1 RAW photo - don't have a tripod.

I'll post the results 2nite if I get any.

Thanks.
 
It would be best if you did 3 raws each one different exposure of the same image :D ( yes tripod 100% recommended )

Ie Point at an object , make sure its set to a timer and 3 exposures.
 
I have done HDR's from 3 RAW's without a tripod, it is possible, just make sure you hold the camera steady and use continous shooting mode. Photomatix should sort out any (very) minor movement between shots so don't worry to much. If there is too much movement then crop the images first in PS and then stick 'em in Photomatix, I've done that as well and that works fine too.
 
Heres a question to all hdr users :

Where do you feel its the right place to use HDR? , is hdr mainly used on old building and objects or do some use it all the time
 
I would have thought any shot that has a "High Dynamic Range" of lighting would be a candidate. If the dynamic range of the lighting in a photo is is smaller, then I'm guessing there would be little benefit or affect of using HDR........ right?!?
 
cokebottles said:
I would have thought any shot that has a "High Dynamic Range" of lighting would be a candidate. If the dynamic range of the lighting in a photo is is smaller, then I'm guessing there would be little benefit or affect of using HDR........ right?!?
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Pretty much, I don't use it much (although a lot of my most recent shots have used it) but I mainly use it when there is no chance of merging shots together, such as a very cluttered horizon that angles in wierd directions or when light is shining through things, like in a woods. You can use HDR for 'low dynamic range' shots too, tone mapping can bring out features that would otherwise just blend into the background. And it doesn't need to be a colour photo either, B&W looks good with HDR too.
 
Neil79 said:
Heres a question to all hdr users :

Where do you feel its the right place to use HDR? , is hdr mainly used on old building and objects or do some use it all the time
Click to expand...
On any scene that contains more variations in light sources than the camera can handle...

i.e. you are inside and want to shoot the room and the view out the window on a nice sunny day. Normally you would either choose to expose for the bright area outside and loose shadow detail inside or expose for the shadow detail and blow the bright areas out the window. If you have to choose one or the other to preserve that's your 'High Dynamic Range required' photo waiting to be taken - with 3 or more shots. A single RAW will NOT capture the brightest and darkest information properly. Thats the whole point of HDR, you use it to capture variations in light that are outside the camera's dynamic range...if you manage to do it in one shot, the dynamic range wasn't beyond that of the camera and good processing in photoshop would be able to get the photo looking how it should.

Amp34 said:
You can use HDR for 'low dynamic range' shots too, tone mapping can bring out features that would otherwise just blend into the background.
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I think it just makes people lazy at processing and learning photoshop as if the info is there in the original photo you can restore it, without turning it in to a surreal shot (unless thats your aim of course)...lol

Its all down to taste at the end of the day. I like people to see the photo first not the processing, if the processing is the first thing people notice then there is too much IMO.
 
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