HDR's?????? Help!

[dragonfly]

I've just attempted my 1st HDR or what I think might be an HDR but because I'm not really sure what they should look like, don't know if it is or not (does that make any sense at all?)

I imagine HDR's to look like MPH & Deemac's photos but when looking at tuition websites they just look like ordinary photos to me, maybe with bigger fluffier clouds but that all

here's my attempt from 2 similar but different photos - is this what they should look like or not? :confused and how do you (MPH/Deemac) get your looking like you do??

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2751/4226229494_c3ef601550_b.jpg

[North Light]

Mmm,

dragonfly, HDR's can be done so that they look like a normal photograph, for me the objective is to use the technique to produce an image with extended "Dynamic Range", but for the photograph to look like a conventional single image.

The look that you are asking about is produced by pushing the image further, I'm not sure what s/w you are using, but I would recommend using Photomatix, this is what both I and Deemac use, looking at MPH's images I guess he uses it too.

http://www.hdrsoft.com/

This is an interesting article on HDR, and illustrates the sort of effect that is my objective.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/hdr-plea.shtml

Here are a couple of my HDR's, one early image, pushed, and one shot today where I am trying to push my compact beyond it's abilities.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2031/2149722562_481ed9bc6d_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/north_light/2149722562/in/set-72157602044197987

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2558/4225775465_819c121f7f_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/north_light/4225775465/

[dragonfly]

thanks NL

I downloaded the trial version and had a very quick play with it and this was the result - and yes this is the type of image I was wanting to get. for the above pic I used Paintshop Pro which I don't really know how to use - I edited it in Photoshop after creating it!!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2613/4225883641_93600b5378_b.jpg

[upolian]

that is a cracker of loch watten!!!!

[dragonfly]

cheers Upolian

just had a quick tweak of colours, not so blue now

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2613/4225883641_7c854443eb_b.jpg

think I may be purchasing full version!

[Mystical Potato Head]

Now this is where the fun starts,HDR to me is all about doing something different and putting your own style onto a photo,whether it looks "real or natural" is neither here nor there as far as i'm concerned,its about being artistic although that doesnt go down too well with some,i'm sure some will think having a blue/purple tinge to ice is a crime,beware the colour police...:lol:
Have you had a change of heart towards HDR?Thought you werent too keen on it.

I took your original one and increased the exposure,then decreased one and merged the three in photomatix,not proper HDR and you dont get the same detail using JPEGS but the idea is the same..Haven't done anything to it in photoshop,just photomatix.
http://i374.photobucket.com/albums/oo189/sat5_photos/4226229494_c3ef601550_bcopy__copy1_.jpg

[Deemac]

Agreed with MPH, don't let the photo bores put you off!! . . . . . (Hey, what's "natural" about a compressed copy (via silver or silicon) of a real scene displayed on a 2D surface anyway (Paper or screen)!!!

Play with all the settings until YOUR happy (isn't that why you took the image in the first place?) If someone else likes it, all the better (if not, that's their problem not yours). Be creative and keep up the good work.

Only advice I have for HDR is keep the shutter speed as fast as possible if there are excessive moving objects in the scene and the camera as still as possible (use a tripod with remote trigger). Multiple, spread (-2 & +2) exposures tend to get better results than extracted from a single image. Also watch out for not blowing out your highlights or shadows.

[nirofo]

HDR can be used in such a way as to enhance the vibrance and visual impact of a photo without going over the top and turning it into artistic impression. Here's a recent photo that has had a small amount of HDR applied in order to lift out the birds from the background, the background has also been enhaced slightly (seperately) to give some depth to the picture.

Whoopers and Greylags against Orkney background -HDR.
http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o71/nirofo/Birds/Whoopers-and-Greylags-4_HDR_0032_27.jpg

nirofo.

[dragonfly]

Have you had a change of heart towards HDR? Thought you werent too keen on it.

mmmmm, maybe I have! ;) think its a case of wanting more out of my photos.

i used to be happy with what came out of the camera without any editing other than cropping, straightening etc but, without sounding as if I am blowing my own trumpet, the better (or more confident) I am getting the more I want to add colour and experiment with different looks - I do find that I am liking (the pushed) HDR's more and more, they seem to be the ones I gravitate towards when looking through flickr

Deemac - tripods and 3 big dogs don't work too well!! will have to start leaving them at home I think

Nirofo, that photo is the one that I was drawn to out of all those you posted on the Geese thread, now I know why LOL

[North Light]

One of the joys about photography is about experimenting, and finding what motivates you, exploring different techniques is part of the learning process, and I have found that how I want an end image to look has not only changed with time but also subject matter.

As Deemac says, the best source for an HDR is a range of bracketed exposures, the range you bracket over will depend on the dynamic range(DR) of the subject, an easy way to define the range is to use the histogram function, the objective being your most underexposed shot puts the left side of the histogram hard to the left edge, ie. exposed for the shadows with no clipping, the most overexposed puts the highlight section of the histogram to the right edge with no clipping, then a range of shots in between. (As an aside, in normal digital photography you will normally get the best results by exposing for the highlights, ie. ensure the histogram is towards the right side of the histogram.)

Generating HDR's from a single RAW file works well with subjects of more limited DR, the current generation of DSLR's perform particularly well using this technique, but this is not a cure for "Blown" highlights or shadows.

[Deemac]

Deemac - tripods and 3 big dogs don't work too well!! will have to start leaving them at home I think

Dragonfly, don't worry too much about a tripod. I quite often shoot HDR hand held (just keep as still as possible or use a wall etc. to steady the camera). Photomatix does have functions to re-align your images as best as it can.

[Mystical Potato Head]

Dragonfly, don't worry too much about a tripod. I quite often shoot HDR hand held (just keep as still as possible or use a wall etc. to steady the camera). Photomatix does have functions to re-align your images as best as it can.

I'm really good at screwing that method up,i forget there are another two exposures to follow the first one and i start to move the camera to look at the screen,get away with it sometimes but usually its...........face/palm..DOH.

[kas]

Go for it Dragonfly, very impressive so far.

[dragonfly]

ta Kas!

here's one I have played with tonight and given it a bit more time and effort!

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4066/4229325240_4f50d8482c_b.jpg

chose the wrong thickness of border but it doesn't matter for this one and yes I know horizon is slanted, couldn't be bothered to fix it just for a trial lol

[Kenn]

Arghh bring back The Box Brownie!