Natural Looking HDR

One I took February 2017, on a bright sunny NZ day, so the shadows were harsh. SNS-HDR on a RAW file, with basically the default process, and a minor tweak LR.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/RZpq​Cq

roseyposey wrote in post #18788439
One I took February 2017, on a bright sunny NZ day, so the shadows were harsh. SNS-HDR on a RAW file, with basically the default process, and a minor tweak LR.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/RZpq​Cq IMG_0715 SNS -HDR Browns Bay-2 by Rose McGillicuddy, on Flickr

Good job done

Stiga wrote in post #18788495
Good job done

Thanks - hadn't thought to try this until watching the thread. Was always frustrated that the shadows disappeared because of the harsh NZ daylight light. Learnt something

Another one shot RAW in SNS-HDR. I am not at all happy with the little piece of sky - any ideas how to improve this appreciated. Thank you.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2e4S​Qwf

roseyposey wrote in post #18789164
Another one shot RAW in SNS-HDR. I am not at all happy with the little piece of sky - any ideas how to improve this appreciated. Thank you.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/2e4S​Qwf IMG_4191 Fountain and garden SNS-HDR by Rose McGillicuddy, on Flickr

I don't have LR but this tutorial might help

roseyposey wrote in post #18789164
Another one shot RAW in SNS-HDR. I am not at all happy with the little piece of sky - any ideas how to improve this appreciated. Thank you.

You need to shoot more than one exposure - i.e., HDR.

kirk

kirkt wrote in post #18790122
You need to shoot more than one exposure - i.e., HDR.

kirk

Yes, usually I'd shoot three, but noticed people were using one shot quite often.

roseyposey wrote in post #18790251
Yes, usually I'd shoot three, but noticed people were using one shot quite often.

99% of “HDR” that are made from one exposure are not HDR images. They are just a single file run through HDR software. The scene defines what is HDR, not the software.

Your scene requires more exposures to fully capture the range of scene luminance.

Kirk

Agree with Kirk, Single shot HDR ( pseudo HDR) are never going to compete with a bracketed set. I have never understood why so many people don't bracket as once set up on a custom setting it is quick n easy.

kirkt wrote in post #18790294
99% of “HDR” that are made from one exposure are not HDR images. They are just a single file run through HDR software. The scene defines what is HDR, not the software.

Your scene requires more exposures to fully capture the range of scene luminance.

Kirk

UK_MARK wrote in post #18790626
Agree with Kirk, Single shot HDR ( pseudo HDR) are never going to compete with a bracketed set. I have never understood why so many people don't bracket as once set up on a custom setting it is quick n easy.

Yes I agree as well ... a few years ago I almost always bracketed, then stopped doing HDR, so stopped bracketing - but I think i'll go back to it. Storage is not the issue it once was.

Suggestions on software to get this right?

The CS5 built-in seems to, well, suck.

(Or I suck at using it; either way, ideas appreciated!)

S.Horton wrote in post #18790664
Suggestions on software to get this right?

The CS5 built-in seems to, well, suck.

(Or I suck at using it; either way, ideas appreciated!)

CS5 is still a damned good editor but its HRD is crap. PS CC is a bit better but I would not recommend that you go down that road!

Virtually all HDR software vendors have free trials so I suggest you try easy HDR, SNS-HDR, Canon DPP (free if you have a Canon camera). Aurora HDR is probably the market leader now but, unless you are an HDR enthusiast, I don't recommend this very sophisticated software.

N.B. There are many web sites reviewing and comparing HDR softwares; treat them with suspicion, it's much better to use free trials and find out for yourself

UK_MARK wrote in post #18790626
Agree with Kirk, Single shot HDR ( pseudo HDR) are never going to compete with a bracketed set. I have never understood why so many people don't bracket as once set up on a custom setting it is quick n easy.

Most modern sensors do a pretty decent job of capturing about 10EV of useful DR. Most of the time, one can get away with 2 shots spaced 2 EV apart to capture the DR of most scenes. Used to be that at least 3 images were needed, perhaps sometimes 5 or more, and the EV interval had to be small (1 EV) to get the tonal transition and color correct.

When your metering tells you that you will need more than one exposure, it it super simple to acquire the sequence, even handheld.

Also, there are more options for combining the exposures, one being using PS/ACR to generate a DNG and tone it in ACR. No more need for the traditional 5 image HDR merge to a 32bit file, etc. if an LDR is your immediate final destination. That said, there are also much more accessible and powerful 32bit tools for using a 32bit workflow until the final reduction to LDR (for compositing, 3D modeling and image-based lighting, etc).

Kirk

In the past I have bought Nik HDR Collection , TOPAZ HDR , Photomatix HDR , Machinery HDR . DPP came with my camera and I find I use it less than any of the others mentioned . However I use Topaz and Photomatix along with CS5 mostly . DPP is a little learning curve and you have to really be careful with it . Machinery HDR is basically the hardest and the most costly so I refuse to keep having the problems of updates and fees' everytime the owner decides to update it yearly . All the others have free updates but at one time Nik Collection was no longer updating but I have no idea what it does now . But out of all I prefer TOPAZ with CS5 mainly , but Photomatix is really nice too if you don't over board it and you can transfer from Photomatix to CS5 automatically in the settings .