First attempt at HDR

[cwmehring]

Here are my three bracketed shots.
http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/67_181/24_77/IMG_0020_2_2.jpg (http://hotimg23.fotki.com/p/a/67_181/24_77/IMG_0020_2_2.jpg)
http://hotimg25.fotki.com/a/67_181/24_77/IMG_0020_2_2_2150.jpg (http://hotimg25.fotki.com/p/a/67_181/24_77/IMG_0020_2_2_2150.jpg)
http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/67_181/24_77/IMG_0020_2_2_2_2.jpg (http://hotimg23.fotki.com/p/a/67_181/24_77/IMG_0020_2_2_2_2.jpg)

Here is the HDR i produced. I'm not 100% happy with it. I just don't quite understand how to tweak it yet. I bought a book and I'm gonna read about HDR but in the mean time could you give me your insight please?

http://hotimg23.fotki.com/a/67_181/24_77/MG_0020_2_2__2__2_2_tonemapped.jpg (http://hotimg23.fotki.com/p/a/67_181/24_77/MG_0020_2_2__2__2_2_tonemapped.jpg)

[MattMoore]

if you turn on your "Image Editing Okay" option, I'll show you what I did with them.

But from the looks of it, you forgot the tone-mapping step (or you didn't up the strength quite enough).

And some pictures aren't really ideal for HDR conversion. This one seems to be lacking in the "dramatic" clouds or the dark/contrasty subjects that seem to produce the most identifiably "HDR" photos we're flooded nowadays.

[cwmehring]

How do I do that?

[MattMoore]

User CP --> Edit Profile --> 'Additional Information' section --> Image edit and repost permission = Yes

[cwmehring]

ok, done

[MattMoore]

303061

I did this [in haste] in Photomatix and resized slightly using Genuine Fractals.

Curves & levels were adjusted in PSCS3 and a slight USM was added.

The trick is to get past the tone-mapping part and then play with it in PSCS3 (or your PP program of choice) until it looks right to you. The results would have looked better had I used the raws, not 8-bit srgb jpgs.

Here is a good place to start : http://flyingpanther.wordpress.com/hdr-tutorial/

[cwmehring]

I have PSCS2. What are you doing to it to get it like this? This is what I'm looking for. I like the art like look it has.

[hawkeye60]

Take at look at Bert Monroy's site video episodes 92 and 93 are on HDR using Photomatix, it's very informative

[MattMoore]

I have PSCS2.

But do you have Photomatix Pro?

Photomatix does most of the HDR/tonemapping work, I used the settings outlined in the link above to combine and tonemap the pictures. Then I used PSCS3 to play with the curves/levels until it looked decent to me (for a quickie); but PSCS2 has curves/levels adjustment as well.

But then again, I think I've seen PS actions that produce similar results, and a lot of ppl like to use the Lucisart plugin (:confused:).

[cwmehring]

I have Photomatrix Pro. I use that to render the HDR photo. However, I'm not familiar with how to adjust the curves and levels. What are you talking about? I know I have a lot to learn and I really need to read this book ASAP.

[MattMoore]

First, follow the tutorial :

http://flyingpanther.wordpress.com/hdr-tutorial/

This will get you most of the way.

As for photoshop,

303068

By curves I mean Curves (open and play around, the presets are pretty decent to for the uninitiated (medium contrast FTW!)).

By Levels I mean "Levels (first option) and pretty much all the settings that occur after the "Curves" option (most notably Brightness/Contrast, Hue/Sat, Shadow/Highlight, & Exposure). Play around & practice; try to remember what does what for future use.

I'd highly recommend avoiding the "Auto" adjustment tools in the menu, they're almost worthless (IMHO). When you get good enough, you can do *ALMOST* everything in "Curves".