HDR help needed

I have been trying to make an HDR image from just one RAW image by the simple expedient of creating five different files of different exposures. I opened the RAW image in ACR, brought the exposure down by 4 stops and then saved it as a tiff file. I did this three more times, with exposures of -2, +2 and +4 stops. I then tried to combine them with the original to make an HDR image, using PS's merge to HDR facility. However, the program kept telling me that there wasn't enough range in the images to make a satisfactory HDR image.

Then I read somewhere that the HDRs are created using the exif data of the file and I assume that, even after altering the exposure in ACR, the exif remains the same, so the merge to HDR program thinks it's dealing with the same file.

Is this the case? If so, is there any way of removing the exif from the various files (to make the program think they are different originals)? Or am I wasting my time and it won't work this way in any case?

I am sure there are experts among you who are ready, willing and able to help

There are workarounds, a search on here or google will find them. I don't use that method any more, I use highlight recovery and fill light in CS3/ACR4.1, which works almost as well and is much easier.

Thanks Tim, but I only have CS2. I'll have to do a search - I presume I search for 'HDR workaround'?

Technically, you're not creating an HDR image. You're essentially tone mapping an image. The reason why the program complains about not having enough range, is because each of your images have exactly the same tonal range as each other.

If you want to hack HDR using CS2, then stack them on top of each other using layers, and mask out what you don't want.

Thanks Droiby - I'll try that.

i tried it out and it sorta worked. what u do is open picture, make on lighter and one darker. then u have to correct them both ie, levels and curves till each shot looks good. then, try to combine them. if u just lighten and darken em, it wont work cuz it will just put them all together and u get same shot u started with.