HDR?!?!?!?

[dshnarw]

So I was trying to figure out HDR today, and I'm not sure if I'm doing it right.

 

This was made from 3 images, but the lights didn't come out well.

 

 

Also from 3 images, wind was whipping around so some branches are screwed up in the compiling, but other than that, is this closer to what I should expect?

[jeremai]

Well, without seeing the original images, it's hard to say. How much better do those photos look than the correctly metered exposure? They both look fairly typical of a good single exposure, to me.

 

What are you using to merge them?

[dshnarw]

Well, without seeing the original images, it's hard to say. How much better do those photos look than the correctly metered exposure? They both look fairly typical of a good single exposure, to me.

 

What are you using to merge them?

 

 

I'll work on resizing the original images in a little while to show you...but not much better, really.

 

I just took another set that I'm gonna try that I think will work better.

 

Photoshop CS3

[Lalani]

Are you using the automated HDR merging in CS3? If so, you won't get any good results.

There are a few free programs out there that do a better job, but you could always merge them 'by hand'.

[jeremai]

^ +1 on CS3's HDR feature. Google a program called Photomatix, you'll get a million times better results, guaranteed!

[dshnarw]

Are you using the automated HDR merging in CS3? If so, you won't get any good results.

There are a few free programs out there that do a better job, but you could always merge them 'by hand'.

 

 

^ +1 on CS3's HDR feature. Google a program called Photomatix, you'll get a million times better results, guaranteed!

 

well thats good to know. I'll try again with Photomatix and see what happens.

[jeremai]

Good luck. The trial of Photomatix does a great job on its own, but if you really like it, buy the full version - it gives you a lot more lattitude in the tone mapping stage. But yeah, run those first two sets through the trial and compare the results. I think you'll be surprised.

[dshnarw]

Good luck. The trial of Photomatix does a great job on its own, but if you really like it, buy the full version - it gives you a lot more lattitude in the tone mapping stage. But yeah, run those first two sets through the trial and compare the results. I think you'll be surprised.

 

OMG SO MUCH BETTER!!

 

PS CS3:

 

 

Photomatix:

 

 

 

 

Thanks guys!

[Lalani]

Much better.

[jeremai]

And how. Huge difference - and much purdier!

[dshnarw]

yes, yes....MUCH nicer

 

It's funny...I get a pic off the camera, "oh...great color!"

Process an image "Oh wow...much nicer color!"

Now, after one successful HDR attempt, and I'm staring at the original file going "there's color in that??"

 

Anyhoo - here's the other one. As I suspected, I need to work on bracketing, but the details in the grass are quite nice:

 

 

and before for comparison:

[Lalani]

Now you've given me the itch to try some more.

[dshnarw]

HEY THIS IS FUN!

 

 

 

 

Go for it Lalani!! Let's see 'em!!

[dshnarw]

okay, last one:

 

[summers.enemy]

Just curious, why do they all look extremely yellow coming out of Photomatix?

[jeremai]

dshnarw, you may want to play around with the curves on the 16 bit files, to try and restore some detail to the highlights. The skies and the water are a bit blown out.

 

But yeah, when you see the full dynamic range, the colors really do take on a whole new life.

[dshnarw]

dshnarw, you may want to play around with the curves on the 16 bit files, to try and restore some detail to the highlights. The skies and the water are a bit blown out.

 

But yeah, when you see the full dynamic range, the colors really do take on a whole new life.

 

 

yeah...I just wanted to try out the technique first. Messing with curves takes me forever, so I usually leave it alone and live with blown highlights in normal shots. I still suck at Photoshop.

 

 

In other news...I shouldn't mess with animations when I'm bored:

[jeremai]

Try the Shadows & Highlights adjustment in PS - you may be able to restore the blowouts without messing with the curves, much more user-friendly.

[dshnarw]

Try the Shadows & Highlights adjustment in PS - you may be able to restore the blowouts without messing with the curves, much more user-friendly.

 

Thats much easier. Thanks! I'll see what I can get with that.

 

 

In the meantime - view from the student union around 1am last night. Looks so much like a drawing

 

[Lalani]

Very cool, I might try some HDRs and star trails tonight if the sky is clear.

You gave me the photo bug and I checked to see if I had any Dektol left in my darkroom equipment. I was going to try and do some wide-angle pinhole shots of my reef tank.... But alas, no Dektol.

[dshnarw]

Very cool, I might try some HDRs and star trails tonight if the sky is clear.

You gave me the photo bug and I checked to see if I had any Dektol left in my darkroom equipment. I was going to try and do some wide-angle pinhole shots of my reef tank.... But alas, no Dektol.

 

 

Well, I'm excited to see what comes out

 

It's so nice to be able to take night-shots and have them turn out

 

oh...and one more

 

The student union:

[dshnarw]

I think I'm getting the hang of this

 

 

A couple more of campus:

 

 

 

 

 

I also re-re-redid the first few, and a few other new ones in the slideshow: http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t109/ar...mview=slideshow

[jeremai]

Purdy. You're a fast learner, lol.

[Lalani]

I really like the one of the comcast center.

[dshnarw]

Purdy. You're a fast learner, lol.

 

Thanks Learned a lot today...HDR, how to remove watermarks, how to recover blown out details, how to make cheesy gif animations...

 

I really like the one of the comcast center.

 

me too...not bad for taking pics from the sunroof of my car

 

maybe tomorrow will be learning how to get rid of the halos from the lights.