1st Attempt at HDR

[phreezone]

Here is my first attempt at an HDR photo. I haven't decided it I like shooting HDR enough to buy PM so I used Picturenaut 2.12 for this.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/2987979626_94425d3d7f.jpg

Larger version HERE (http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/2987979626_94425d3d7f_b.jpg)

I think the total range was about 10.5 stops and I used 7 images at a full stop difference each to make it (-3 to +3) . I think next time I might go for an additional -4ev to pull some more detail out of the rocks but I'm not sure if that it how it works or not. I'm not sure if it would have been better to just use a smaller set at -2,0,2 or what.

Anyone have some feedback on how to get more range out of the rocks while not completely losing some of the detail in the shadows on the right?

[zacker]

i usually shoot -2,0,+2 and get alot of detail from shadow areas... tone mapping is where the magic happens and then tweaking in photoshop to further enhance the shot.. set your PS to open Jpegs as a raw and you can adjust all the parmeters there after running the shot in PM.

[canonloader]

The larger version is nice as it is, but Photomatix would have done a better job with the highlights and shadows. It's not free though. Generally, the more exposures, the better. When I don't get lazy and use just three, I usually use 9, by shooting in manual and taking a test shot at a high shutter speed till I get an almost black frame, then start from there and go slower by one stop at a time, till I get an almost white frame, then merge those in PM. Seems to help the detail and noise. But I always save that final render as a tif and open in CS3 as a RAW for final adjustments, then save it as a jpg, and open again in CS3 to do any noise reduction or sharpening it may need.

[phreezone]

What a difference the software makes. Here is the same set assembled in PM. http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3187/2988903753_1f71c14655.jpg

I had been just setting the Aperture and then letting the camera auto bracket from there, I am taking it that using full manual and then self bracketing works better? How do you avoid camera shake on the tripod with the constant adjustments to the settings?

[zacker]

nice...

use a sturdy tripod, use the self timer or remote, set focus then switch lens to manual focus and shoot waiting for a 5 or 10 count between turning the dial and shooting. that should do it

[canonloader]

Your not changing any setting but the shutter speed. Use manual mode if your going to manually do the bracketting. There is no AEB in Manual. So take one shot, then all you do is change the shutter speed. Any other changes, from focus to aperture, will change the aspect of the image itself, and it won't align. So just changing shutter speed should not move the tripod any. I also use a remote cord to trip the shutter.

[eddarr]

Also do not use auto white balance. I know you can adjust it in ACR but only if you remember. It's just easier to set it in camera.