[guerito]

Another HDR tone-mapped picture from 3 exposures.



Original size

Irma showed me how to do this, and now I really can't get enough of it. Forget the everlasting fight against blown-out skies and clipped shadows while keeping the noise down. I love it!

Of course there are drawbacks. As soon as there is something moving in the picture you're in for a lengthy clone session (in this picture, there were ducks and coots drifting around in the foreground). The different exposures must match exactly, means you have to use mirror lockup and preferably a rock to put the tripod on. Now I'm waiting for the first camera to incorporate HDR in one single exposure, within my budget limits.

[Russt]

awesome shot (shots) G, I love the colour saturation, detail, light and the comp etc etc. It just all jumps out at you. I will keep coming back to this one!!!! A lot of interest in this there.

[Schellamo]

The detailed exposure is beautiful Guerito, it just pops off the screen for me
Send Irma my regards!

[sg]

Out

Standing............... awesome work there G

[Polly]

Another HDR tone-mapped picture from 3 exposures.

Irma showed me how to do this, and now I really can't get enough of it. Forget the everlasting fight against blown-out skies and clipped shadows while keeping the noise down. I love it!

Of course there are drawbacks. As soon as there is something moving in the picture you're in for a lengthy clone session (in this picture, there were ducks and coots drifting around in the foreground). The different exposures must match exactly, means you have to use mirror lockup and preferably a rock to put the tripod on. Now I'm waiting for the first camera to incorporate HDR in one single exposure, within my budget limits.

This is really very good, I'm also well impressed by the one you did of Ahrensburg Castle.

I've never tried anything like that myself but having seen what can be achieved I'm interested in maybe having a go at some point. Did you do it with Photoshop or do you use specialist software?


Pol

[Zig]

Yes, I do like, though does the gamma need a tweak or is it my monny? This techique gives a very interesting final image and certainly has a feel all of its own; many thanks for posting these, fascinating!
I wonder, isn't it possible to minimise the variables in the following way?
1. Just take the one raw shot, slightly overexposing(digi being better at retaining highlight info than shadow detail).
2. Do 3 conversions from the same raw file at different exposures, then merge to HDR.
I've not tried this...maybe the exposure values need to be wider in order for it to work...but worth a go perhaps?

[Zig]

Ooops sorry...duh, yes, "nightfall": silly old Zig..

[guerito]

Thanks all!

@Polly: I'm using a software called "Photomatix Pro" which, IMO, does the conversions somewhat better than Photoshop. So far I found that Photomatix pictures tend to be more dramatic while the Photoshop conversion seems to look more natural. What I like is that Photomatix specializes in HDR and tone-mapping, it doesn't have any other bells and whistles.Here is a link to the HDRSoft website, they offer a free trial.

@Zig: Yes it's possible to blend differently exposed pictures from just one raw file, but only with Photomatix. Photoshop won't have it - it tells you plainly "Not enough dynamic range to create an HDR image". You get a problem anyway with noise in the dark areas that you have to brighten up, and with the sky which you have to tone down, it often tends to become grayish. It might work if there is not too much contrast, though. Here is a picture made from just one raw file - at the time I shot it I hadn't heard of HDR, unfortunately.

[Zig]

Thank you g; I didn't know that; thank you for posting the link too.

[Polly]

Thanks all!

@Polly: I'm using a software called "Photomatix Pro" which, IMO, does the conversions somewhat better than Photoshop. So far I found that Photomatix pictures tend to be more dramatic while the Photoshop conversion seems to look more natural. What I like is that Photomatix specializes in HDR and tone-mapping, it doesn't have any other bells and whistles.Here is a link to the HDRSoft website, they offer a free trial.

.

Thanks for that. I'd been looking into HDR tone mapping after seeing your castle picture, came across the Photomatix site and wondered if that was the software you were using. I agree their examples are indeed very dramatic, quite spectacular actually!

It's something I didn't know much about but we spent some time looking through the various sites this morning and it looks like it could be fun - also addictive. Maybe I'll give it a trial when I feel I can understand all the technical stuff a little better.


Polly