HDR Photography

[DeadBishop]

Since I've been posting a few High Dynamic Range images, I thought I would start a new thread dedicated just to this specific type of photography.  For a great explanation of what HDR is, Wikipedia has a great entry on the subject.

Feel free to discuss techniques and share any HDR images you have here!

[DeadBishop]

Here are a few more examples that I've done out at MNRF.

[bellevivre]

would you mind typing up a quick tutorial? I have an idea how to do it, but I dont recall seeing it on DPS and i have wanted to try it...

[lady serena]

Yes DB, could you please write up a small tutorial for this I find it absolutely fascinating. The pictures in a way look like pencil drawings. Awesome work!

[Xanthenes The Unbalanced]

DB, those are simply awesome.  I used to screw around a bit with HDR, but as long as you insist on posting yours, I'm not doing any more.  Ya know the old saying...never follow a better act.   

[valt]

Excellent work DB.  Out of curiosity, hand-held or tripod?

[DeadBishop]

would you mind typing up a quick tutorial? I have an idea how to do it, but I dont recall seeing it on DPS and i have wanted to try it...

Unfortunately there is no "quick tutorial" for this.  It would take me a month of Sundays to type up the basic premise of what it takes to complete the process.  I consider myself an advanced amateur at best with HDR at this point.  It's take me months to get to the point of getting acceptable results that I've felt worth sharing.

Basically, I use 7 images from 3 stops underexposed to 3 stops overexposed and combine all of them using tonal mapping to pulling the best detail out of each frame to get the final results.

[DeadBishop]

DB, those are simply awesome.  I used to screw around a bit with HDR, but as long as you insist on posting yours, I'm not doing any more.  Ya know the old saying...never follow a better act.   

Hey, don't discount yourself.  Your images have a quality all their own. 

[DeadBishop]

Excellent work DB.  Out of curiosity, hand-held or tripod?

Tripod, although I did manage ONE set of images that I managed handheld, to my surprise.  Any movement in the frame severely takes away from the quality.

[renfairephotog]

There are many programs that can process HDR. Ont is Photomatix

hers their Tutorial

[DeadBishop]

There are many programs that can process HDR. Ont is Photomatix

hers their Tutorial

Heh, thanks RFP.  Photomatix is just one of the programs I use to achieve the final result.  Most times it's about 50/50 Photomatix and CS4 to get the final results.  I'd say it takes me about 1-2 hours of work per HDR image.

[DeadBishop]

Here's a few more pics!

[bellevivre]

what I love about these is that they embody that magical quality that Faire takes on in our memory's eye...

honestly? you could SELL these at faire, and I know I would buy...

do you mind if I save to my hard drive (for personal wallpaper/screensaver use)?

[DeadBishop]

Actually, I've had overwhelming requests for prints of these, so that may be just what I do.  I think I'm going to set up ordering on my Etsy page...

[Rani Zemirah]

Basically, I use 7 images from 3 stops underexposed to 3 stops overexposed and combine all of them using tonal mapping to pulling the best detail out of each frame to get the final results.

DB, please forgive my ignorance of the process (and my laziness, since I didn't read the tut for the software) but do you mean you use 7 copies of one image, arrayed in layers, with the exposure levels adjusted individually, then apply tonal mapping, then merge down into one layer?

Is this done using an overlay effect with each layer, and if so, is there any transparency adjustment between layers to bring out different elements of your scene, or uniform 50% transparency?

Do you ever apply any masking to any of your layers, to bring out certain focal points within a shot?

Is it possible to record an Action to carry this out in batch, or is it imperative that it be individual tweaking of each image until you've got something you're happy with?  

Sorry for the 20 questions, but I'm not a photographer, and HDR is new to me.  As a graphic designer (and erstwhile digital artist), however, I see applications for this that may have nothing to do with photography, and my curiosity has been piqued...  LOL  I'm also a bit behind the times, and only have access to CS2 (well, when I have access at all, anyway), so it's entirely probable that there are all sorts of exciting new tools that I'm woefully unfamiliar with.    I need to start saving for an upgrade, I guess...