HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography - post your HDR

[Fogtripper]

My impression

I've not done any HDRs yet, but have worked with PS for quite a while. Viewing the images that folks have posted, I'd like to give my POV. (if I did not know that the image was "HDR")

- Some look like sloppily done dodging/burning. Most noticeably along edges of buildings and the sky.

- Some appear as though the photo was taken with too heavy a graduated neutral density filter. The ground clearly illuminated by the sky, yet is brighter than the sky.

- Some really do a great job of making up for the narrow latitude of light values that a camera can pick up. Bringing the image back in line with what the human eye would have seen. (This is what I would personally strive for if I get into HDR)

- Some look unnatural/surreal, yet are beautiful images all the same.

 

[LiquidSnakeRNA]

Hey guys, got my camera today and took a few pictures. My shots weren't that great, but it was only my first day and I am trying to figure out all the manual controls. Here are a few samples:

My car

This one is a little dark. It didn't look this dark in Photomatrix when I made it. Oh well...

My attempt at a macro of a dead flower or weed! lol

 

[LoneWolf121188]

I really like that last one...what camera/lens The leaves look really sharp in relation to the background. And to colors are really cool...did you do any photoshopping, or was it all in Photomatix? What settings did you use? My only criticism is that it's pretty noisy. Other than that, awesome!

 

[RHVC59]

Originally Posted by stagi

Wonderful shot of the USCGC Tanney, the last ship afloat that fought at the Battle of Pearl Harbor. Great Job!

 

[LiquidSnakeRNA]

I really like that last one...what camera/lens The leaves look really sharp in relation to the background. And to colors are really cool...did you do any photoshopping, or was it all in Photomatix? What settings did you use? My only criticism is that it's pretty noisy. Other than that, awesome!

I used a G10. I just got it, so I am still playing with the settings. I didn't record my photomatrix settings either

I may try to see if I can get some noise out of the picture and redo it so it looks better. What program do people use to lower noise? And when I took the shot, do you know why I got noise? Was there a setting I could have changed? I am not sure what ISO I was on at that point.

 

[LoneWolf121188]

I used a G10. I just got it, so I am still playing with the settings. I didn't record my photomatrix settings either

I may try to see if I can get some noise out of the picture and redo it so it looks better. What program do people use to lower noise? And when I took the shot, do you know why I got noise? Was there a setting I could have changed? I am not sure what ISO I was on at that point.

You mean the Canon Powershot G10? Wow, that's pretty impressive for a non-SLR!

High ISO = noise. Also long shutter speeds (like upwards of 5 sec) causes more noticeable noise, but really it's just ISO. I keep mine at 100 or 200 for outdoor stuff and 400 for indoor, 800 if I absolutely have to (but the pictures come out pretty crappy). Better/bigger sensors will cause less noise...my friend shoots at ISO 800-1600 for indoor stuff on his XSi and it comes out looking like my ISO 400 or better. /jealous.

As for noise reduction....Noise Ninja is supposed to be one of the best. Not free though.

 

[Mr.Noisy]

Old Church

All Saints in Alrewas, some parts dating back to 1195, so it's pretty old.

 

[Xander562]

Taken with a Canon 450D

 

[Sigur]

 

[shady825]

I know this isnt a 'real' HDR, It was made from 1 jpeg turned into 3 photos with different exposure.
I just got Photomatix yesterday so I was just playing around. Hopefully today I can get out and shoot something good.
(And yes I know its a little "over the top" as some say but I like that look of HDR's where it looks like a cartoon / painting.

 

[LoneWolf121188]

Eyes on the road!!!

 

[fenno]

i have a few questions about photomatix, maybe someone can help:

1) i have noticed that photomatix pro is saving my 16-bit tiff files at 72ppi, which is troubling. i am processing three RAW files - is this the problem? should i be saving them as tiffs before processing with photomatix?

2) i keep getting a box that tells me that photomatix could not read the exif data attached to my image files -- is this also because i am not saving tiffs first, or could it be something else?

thanks in advance

 

[dllavaneras]

I wanted to dabble a little in HDR after a little photography trip yesterday.
Three hand-held exposures, f6.4, various apertures.

 

[shady825]

I know its nothing exciting, just a chair... I just started playing around with HDR's
C&C if desired, Im always looking to improve.

 

[drigo]

Originally Posted by stagi

Wonderful shot of the USCGC Tanney, the last ship afloat that fought at the Battle of Pearl Harbor. Great Job!

thanks...for the compliment and info on the ship..

 

[shady825]

A few from yesterday and today....
The 2 of the "domes" are out here in Casa Grande Arizona. No one knows why they were built or what they were supposed to be used for. It looks like the project was abandoned half way through. If you google "casa grande domes" everything pretty much turns up the same info, as I said no one knows what they were to be used for. This front one that looks like a "UFO" I couldnt be in for more than a minute or two. The echoes were so bad it would start to make you feel sick! Ever little sound, even the shutter of my camera would echo so loud it hurt. I was with 2 other people and they were experiencing the same feeling as me.... Pretty strange! Anyways, ENJOY!

 

[G.T.]

I've not done any HDRs yet, but have worked with PS for quite a while. Viewing the images that folks have posted, I'd like to give my POV. (if I did not know that the image was "HDR")

- Some look like sloppily done dodging/burning. Most noticeably along edges of buildings and the sky.

- Some appear as though the photo was taken with too heavy a graduated neutral density filter. The ground clearly illuminated by the sky, yet is brighter than the sky.

- Some really do a great job of making up for the narrow latitude of light values that a camera can pick up. Bringing the image back in line with what the human eye would have seen. (This is what I would personally strive for if I get into HDR)

- Some look unnatural/surreal, yet are beautiful images all the same.

Well I started this thread to try and get people to help each other understand and improve HDR photography.

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/657596/

 

[shady825]

a few shots from today....

 

[shady825]

Few more HDR's from today... I'm PISSED the panoramic one got cut off at the top but oh well....enjoy

 

[LoneWolf121188]

Wow! I really, really like your style. How many exposures are they? Are the settings you use in photomatix pretty similar for all of the photos? They all have a similar feel...

 

[shady825]

Wow! I really, really like your style. How many exposures are they? Are the settings you use in photomatix pretty similar for all of the photos? They all have a similar feel...

Thank you!
Yea I usually am right around the same settings in photomatix, give or take a bit...
I usually always do at least 5 exposures.
Thanks again!

 

[LoneWolf121188]

Thank you!
Yea I usually am right around the same settings in photomatix, give or take a bit...
I usually always do at least 5 exposures.
Thanks again!

Just curious...what are those settings, if you don't mind?

 

[shady825]

Just curious...what are those settings, if you don't mind?

Next time I do a HDR (most likely today or tomorrow) I will take a screen shot of the settings. As I was saying before they are usually in the same area.
If your having problems with your results, make sure the ''light smoothing bubble'' is set to one of the far right settings. The light smoothing setting can make or break a photo in my opinion.

 

[ipodtoucher]

Next time I do a HDR (most likely today or tomorrow) I will take a screen shot of the settings. As I was saying before they are usually in the same area.
If your having problems with your results, make sure the ''light smoothing bubble'' is set to one of the far right settings. The light smoothing setting can make or break a photo in my opinion.

Also work on the fringing. The bulldozer has a bit of blue fringing on the edges but nice all around. I need to get back into working on more HDRs lol

 

[pac-a-mac]

First attempt at HDR...mmm...I cannot make my mind up about the rsults. Any comments welcome. I used GIMP - brightness mapped