The Service Park in HDR

[jbanbury]

Cant you just tell I'm bored today :confused: ... The rally season is still over a week away from starting, the dog has taken to his basket to avoid the chill and the wife is becoming obsessed with Big Brother again!

So in a somewhat elusive attempt to releive my boredom, I thought I'd have a little play around with a few service park photos. I know HDR is pretty much like marmite .. you love it or you hate it, me personally .. I cant make up my mind.

If you hate them, thats OK ... at least it's given me something to do with the last hour!

1. The media discuss the days developments
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/4-2.jpg

2. Mikko Hirvonen earning his wages
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/6.jpg

3. Surely not another problem with the Subaru
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/7.jpg

5. The Fiesta lads and lasses out to prove they can be experts to!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/5-2.jpg

6. Marcus helps with the recovery of a Fiesta
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v35/jbanbury/3-2.jpg

[RoryOD]

Hi Jay, Kinda new to HDR. did you use photomatix?
would you mind a brief step through?
Did you take 3 bracketed shots quickly or was it one image and 3 exposures in raw then combined.

Cheers. Rory

[NicholasP]

Good questions Rory. Looking forward to the responses.

[jbanbury]

Hi Rory

One RAW file with 3 exposures taken from it (-1,0,+1) was pushed through Photomatix, imported back into Photoshop and run through the 'LucisArt' filter. I then tweaked the filter settings until I got the effect I was after.

[chrispons]

Cheers for that Jay,it's a whole new gig for me,and at least you have made me investigate "Photomatix","LucisArt" filter whatever they are,well ,I will when I have googled them:o

I rather like the effects you have created ,bit like pictures.

When I have seen others post HDR,they always seemed very contrasted ,more b/w .

By the way are we talking Red Kite re season ?

Pons

[Tessa]

While I'm usually not a fan of HDR, for these shots they actually work really well (though the last picture would have looked better without it).

My favourites are the Hirvonen shot - it has a cool poster/ad wibe - and the group shot - nice setup, colours and background.

[jbanbury]

Cheers for that Jay,it's a whole new gig for me,and at least you have made me investigate "Photomatix","LucisArt" filter whatever they are,well ,I will when I have googled them:o

I rather like the effects you have created ,bit like pictures.

When I have seen others post HDR,they always seemed very contrasted ,more b/w .

By the way are we talking Red Kite re season ?

Pons

Cheers Pons. All very new to me to be honest ... only got the software yesterday. Obviously the effects here are quite extreme, I'm sure with a bit more time and no doubt knowledge you could get some very nice, more subtle images.

Haye Park Gravel Sprint on the Ssaturday followed by the Red Kite on the Sunday. Seems ages since the Pembrey stages.


While I'm usually not a fan of HDR, for these shots they actually work really well (though the last picture would have looked better without it).


My favourites are the Hirvonen shot - it has a cool poster/ad wibe - and the group shot - nice setup, colours and background.


Thanks Tessa. Totally agree that the last photo is better without the HDR, but like I said I was bored and decided to have a play. The group photo and the media one are probably my favorites.

[Simon Harrison]

Hi Jay,

For me, these are a bit over done with the HDR thing. I have no issues with HDR as a technique, but I much prefer to see images where it has been used to bring out more shadow / highlight detail in a way that doesn't scream HDR at you.

Where I can see HDR having some benefit is with the engine bay type shot. They aren't the easiest to light on location, and I can see HDR as somethng to consider here.

Like you, I've flirted with the technique (not really for m/sport pics) and must at some point spend some more time looking into it.

Cheers,

Simon.

[RoryOD]

Ages ago i came across Dave Hill, and could never work out how it was done!

http://www.ideamill.com/postpic/DaveHill_lrg.jpg

Jay set me on the right track there. thanks.....need to get that filter now.
Like he said its like Marmite!! and it has its place.

10/10 Jay...if thats what you can do when your bored for a day, imagine what you could do if you were bored for a week! :-)

[daveb99]

Nice effects - I like it!