HDR photography

[trevbo]

HDR photography looks pretty cool. How does one get started? The method I have read about involves shooting the same image multiple times at different exposure settings (3-4 images), then editing in some HDR software to get the final image. There are a couple of free HDR programs out there but the one I have downloaded to try is a German prorgam called photonaut. So all I need is a 1. Tripod, 2. Camera with manual settings and 3. software for merging images to create the HDR image. Am I missing anything?

[mikie]

I would use PhotoMatrix Pro. Considered the best HDR SW out there. You can download it and try it out. It is not a crippled version. But, it will put a watermark on the photos. Once, you pay for it, you can remove the watermark (assuming that you have not further edited it in PS). There are also coupons on the net for a 15% discount. Worth every penny.

I should also note that your computer must have a minimum of 2gb of RAM. You can't do it with a computer lower then 2GB of RAM. Make sure your motherboard can support 2GB or more if you plan on adding more memory.

A tri-pod is required. Manual setting is also required. Could use a P&S, but a real dSLR is better. I generally shot +2,0,-2 stops. You can do each shot independently. Or, you can use bracketing. Bracketing works better if there is a little bit of wind.

You can read more about it here

Here is an example of 3 exposures with -2, 0, +2 stops (without bracketing):


Here is the final results after PhotoMatrix Pro:

Shot with a dSLR - Canon T3i (18mp)

[trevbo]

Thanks Mikie. Lots of information at the link provided!

I have a lot of things to figure out yet but I made a few experiments yesterday using photonaut... I was able to figure out how to use the software but my results were not that impressive. Then again, they were just photos taken in my backyard...

Thanks for the photomatrix pro suggestion, I found a few other webpages that also reccommend that software. Will definitely try out the freeware version if my computer has enough RAM.

A few quick questions for you... Do you shoot in RAW? Do you have to use another program to convert the RAW files into JPG's or Tiff's before using in Photomatrix?

Also, do you end up with a lot of noise in your final image (do you post process for noise using a specific software)? I was finding that there was definitely some noise in my merged images using photonaut.

[Tsmith]

I upload the RAW files into Photomatix. I take 3 bracketed exposures +/- 2 stops apart using with the cameras aperture set at f/8. I do try an keep my results more on the natural looking side. I took several sets of images using the technique on this trip but haven't been through all the images. The results turned out very pleasing not using process.

Here's some I've done on a past trip.

[calicotraveler]

Your HDR photos are really impressive! Makes me realize how good the human eye is. The eye can see in HDR without tripod, fancy camera, or software....

[mikie]

As Toney said, Raw is the recommended format. But, I have done it with jpegs and it worked out well.

If you want to print out the image when you are done, tiff is probably the best. This is because the printer will convert it to PCL format, and PCL likes the format of TIFF the best. But, it will print out jpgs well too. If you are going to use the image on the web, then jpg is probably better.

Noise can be adjusted in PhotoMatrix Pro with Micro-smoothing. Good HDR software will also reduce the noise for you. There are a lot of controls in PhotoMatrix and it takes a while to learn how to use them effectively. Some people also reduce noise inside Lightroom or Photoshop with filters. You can google how to do this. I rarely have problems with noise with PhotoMatrix. Noise can be introduced by over-sharping a photo or overdoing some of the controls.

As Toney said, try to make the photo look natural. I try to change the photo until it looks like it did when I was there. Most people end up over-saturating the colors. I am not a fan of exotic looks. HDR works well when you have a photo opportunity where parts of the image over overexposed and parts are underexposed. There are several situations where HDR will cause problems. Hanging branches with sun and shadows on them will cause huge problems.

Learning HDR does take some time. Best to take a bunch of exposure problem photos and playing with it. If you want to play. Take some photos inside your house with sun shining in the window. Normally, anything near the window will come out severely over-exposed, and the room will be severely under-exposed. HDR will fix this problem. HDR also works well when you are shooting towards the sun. I can post some more examples if this would help.

[trevbo]

Your HDR photos are really impressive!

Ditto! Nice shots Tsmith.

Makes me realize how good the human eye is. The eye can see in HDR without tripod, fancy camera, or software....

lol tis true. That first photo montage Mikie showed was a great illustration of that... and how HDR could be used to fix basic foreground/background exposure issues.

HDR also works well when you are shooting towards the sun.

I think I get what you mean. Do you guys ever use HDR for photographing people, though? (I can't see how you can do action shots if you are doing multiple exposures, although there were a few shots of people on that guy's website (the site that Mikie provided).

At this point I would like to shoot some of those unGodly-looks-like-you're-on-LSD type photos just for artistic merit, but so far my photos in Picturenaut are just looking like, er, regular photos!!! Have been practicing around the house as you suggested Mikie. Think I am ready for some sunset shots tomorrow if timing allows!

** Edit - just tried the freeware version of photomatix. Definitely cooler than picturenaut and easy to get far-out images - maybe too easy??? So many more options... **

If nothing else I am learning a few more things about my camera. I had never used that +- Exposure bias button before... although for the trouble it takes to adjust your camera settings, I am surprised that this +- EV thing is a standard button on cameras.

[mikie]

You can use HDR on people. But, you should probably use AEB (Automatic Exposure Bracketing). The camera will take a number of shots at different exposures very quickly with one push of the shutter button. Most dSLR cameras have this feature. Look in your camera manual on how to set it up.

HDR doesn't work well for motion shots. I suppose it might work if you were panning with AEB and blurring the background.

Sunsets and sunrises are perfect opportunities for HDR. Anytime you have significant changes to exposure within the same shot, HDR is a great tool.

If you want to make an image look like a painting, there is a filter in PS that will do this for you. When you get done, it looks like an oil painting. There is even a printer where you can print it out on canvas.

HDR is a great tool. And, it is quite easy to go overboard.

[trevbo]

Thanks for the tip on automatic exposure bracketing. With my camera I can also do bracketing for white balance (WB). If I have the WB option selected a certain way I end up with 9 files saved on my card for every push of the button! [e.g. if I have AE and WB selected and I do 3 shots for AE bracketing, I end up with 27 photos! Crazy. As far as I can tell WB bracketing is not required for HDR and is really just a way of editing/filtering your images...

AE bracketing seems like a great idea for taking a number of quick shots (in burst mode) as suggested. Just have to figure out why my camera is so slow right for continuous shooting. Must be some options I have selected as 'on', have never quite figure out why sometimes it's so slow. My burst mode right now is like 1 shot every second, which is obviously not very fast for action shots! The more I delve into this, the more there is to learn...

[MYK]

mikie and Tsmith,

Great job on the HDRs!!!

Very often HDRs look like they came out of a circus.

Good job!!

[mikie]

HDR software is just like PS. You can severely abuse it and come out with something crazy. Or, you can use it to make it look the same as it did to your eye.

[MYK]

I use Dynamic Photo DHR. Pretty easy to used.

The idea is to take several images with different settings. The siftware will take the properly exposed part of each image. More or less.

The siftware I use will actually take 1 image and simulate HDR. Two or more is best of course.