[Rabid Penguin]

I decided to try out HDR. Headphones seemed as good a subject as any. I used Merge to HDR in Photoshop CS2. It seemed to work okay, although i'm not sure there's really much difference between the HDR composite and the original correct exposure picture (first one in the collage). Anyway, hints/tps?

HDR image




Original images

[StudioJ]

Try a package called Photomatix Pro, thats what I have been using and I'm sure I was referred to it by someone from here.

[Rabid Penguin]

I'm sort of reluctant to spend money on photomatix when i already have Photoshop though...

[Rabid Penguin]

Hm, i gave photomatix a trial. I'm very impressed, i think it just may be worth the US$100. Gah, $300 on lightroom, $100 on this, $450 on flash..... so much for all that saving i was supposed to be doing. Plus i have textbooks again, and still paying mum and dad back for camera and airline tickets :S

K, sorry about that. Here's how it came out in photomatix.

[Keith Alan]

I'm not sure this was a good test of either program's HDR capabilities.
The stark transition from dark to light, and the lack of detail in either zone means that HDR has little information to "rescue" or over-emphasize (depending on how you do it).

Now that you have both, try something in a landscape or city scene, with shadows and bright skies and details in both.
Or a still-life of something else, someplace else.

[Rabid Penguin]

Yeah, I know what you mean. Oh well, *dusts off L-plates*.

[Keith Alan]

Just a little too smooth of a subject and background.
It's easy enough with a photo like this to make careful selections and maximize levels on every zone of exposure.
Or just move lights around to get a better shot in-camera.

The real test of HDR is outdoors under crappy light when you won't have the time to wait for it to get better, or you have an artistic reason.

[Rabid Penguin]

Yeah, i just wanted to test it out, and it was nighttime, and i didn't want to wait...:/

[NT73]

Wait until Irma returns, She is the HDR wondergirl, besides being wondergirl everything.