HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography - post your HDR

[Doylem]

This is one of the cases where I honestly prefer the original exposure you showed (not sure which of the five it is) to the HDR version. I don't like the color cast in the forest on the left, and the colors in the lighted areas seem too saturated. Maybe it "pops" more, but it isn't an improvement over the original. Kind of like music, boosting the bass and treble often initially makes it sound better, or using tons of sound FX, but truly well recorded music sounds best with the equalizer flat. Another example of "interesting at first, but then it gets old" enhancement is what the producers of CSI Miami have done with their show - all those supersaturated colors, very HDR effects in exterior (and interior) scenes. Very gorgeous, hard not to look at at first, but then after awhile starts to seriously intrude on any other artistic efforts - because it seems artificially flavored, with some natural flavors left just...because.

I'm not criticizing HDR, just giving an opinion of how it can make something "lesser" rather than "more."

Ironic... 'cos i've been complaining that too many HDR images are 'overcooked'. The biter bit...

I've kept both these shots (but not the other exposures that were used for the HDR process). It takes me a while to become familiar with pix, to see if I really like them or not... and to see if I can learn something to take on the next shoot. Right this minute I prefer the HDR version, 'cos the purple cast gives it a frosty feel... and it was bitterly cold. The HDR version is a bit 'fairytale', I know... like there's a hobbit hiding behind the tree...

 

[pdxflint]

Ironic... 'cos i've been complaining that too many HDR images are 'overcooked'. The biter bit...

I've kept both these shots (but not the other exposures that were used for the HDR process). It takes me a while to become familiar with pix, to see if I really like them or not... and to see if I can learn something to take on the next shoot. Right this minute I prefer the HDR version, 'cos the purple cast gives it a frosty feel... and it was bitterly cold. The HDR version is a bit 'fairytale', I know... like there's a hobbit hiding behind the tree...

Well, Doylem, I hope the little nibble didn't hurt... Actually, I wasn't criticizing your "particular" efforts - in fact I think experimenting with HDR is perfectly fine as long as it achieves whatever results you, or anyone else, is looking for. I was just saying that of the two shots, I preferred the non-HDR version. I can see why you like the HDR one, especially since you provide your reasoning for that. It does make the forest look more "frosty" which conveys more of that feeling which matches what you recall from being there. My comment was about my preferences, that's all. It's really a great shot, by the way. I love backlit forest scenes. And <~ compliment warning...~> I love your work. I just prefer the more natural style you have. Cheers, mate!

 

[Doylem]

Well, Doylem, I hope the little nibble didn't hurt... Actually, I wasn't criticizing your "particular" efforts - in fact I think experimenting with HDR is perfectly fine as long as it achieves whatever results you, or anyone else, is looking for. I was just saying that of the two shots, I preferred the non-HDR version. I can see why you like the HDR one, especially since you provide your reasoning for that. It does make the forest look more "frosty" which conveys more of that feeling which matches what you recall from being there. My comment was about my preferences, that's all. It's really a great shot, by the way. I love backlit forest scenes. And <~ compliment warning...~> I love your work. I just prefer the more natural style you have. Cheers, mate!

Comments and criticism are fine (otherwise I wouldn't post pix on a forum ).

Photography, for me, is ALL about light... so the techniques I use (or, more generally, don't use...) are just the means to capture plays of light. What bothers me about a lot of digital tricks is that people think that light isn't important anymore, and that a lighting 'effect' is one more thing that can be recreated with Photoshop. But, well, it can't...

WITH good lighting, HDR can add something... sometimes. WITHOUT good lighting, pix really can't be 'salvaged' by post-production. I see a few pix on these pages that really don't warrant much post-production time spending on them. The time could be better spent learning about light, and looking harder at what they're photographing. Manet painted the same haystack more than two dozen times, in different light, throughout the seasons. He knew what he was doing...

 

[klymr]

Comments and criticism are fine (otherwise I wouldn't post pix on a forum ).

Photography, for me, is ALL about light...

Photography for ANYONE and EVERYONE is all about light. Without that light, there would not be a photo.

I'm just messing with ya. I know what you mean. Let's go back to that photo I posted above with the spring/summer in the valley and winter snowy conditions up on the mountains. There is no way that shot would have worked out as well as it did if it wasn't for the natural light and the way the clouds blocked the sunlight. BTW, that photo of mine looks a lot better in person than that scan does. One of these days I need to scan all my negatives.

 

[Chris14]

another HDR by me!

Well, I've had a couple more goes at HDR today, and here is one of the best ones, I think it turned out okay, a bit noisy but I'm learning!
Unfortunately though, they all seem to look great small, but if I blow them up to native size or larger they look so awful in places... red tones tend to be oversaturated and I end up with ugly ghosting red effects on sharp edges in some cases. Any tips on how to avoid these issues? Feedback always appreciated.

HDR from one RAW image, Canon EOS 400D

Before



After

 

[klymr]

Decided to give a copy of this one to some friends for Christmas:

However, before I had them printed, I did a bit of Photoshopping. I added a little bit of a blur (lensbabies style) and played with the toning a bit. I also found out the frames I bought didn't like the picture very well so I had to expand the edges a bit. After I got the actual prints home and in a frame I noticed how bad of a line there is in the clouds at the top to the left of the spire. Oh well, can't be prefect for how little time and money I spent. Anyway, here is the revised version (and you can see how bad I did at the top, oops!):

 

[heiesuke]

I for one love the look of the really contrasty HDR photos, I have yet to get mine like that.

 

[jamesarm97]

Does anyone here use an Olympus E-500 and doing HDR? I gave my Canon Rebel to my sister. The Olympus only seems to have a +-1 on the bracket exposure. How do I get more than that? Do I adjust the shutter speed for each shot manually?

Thanks,
James

 

[termina3]

Do I adjust the shutter speed for each shot manually?

That sounds like a solution.

 

[Doylem]

That sounds like a solution.

Hard, though, to avoid nudging the camera out of alignment...

 

[jamesarm97]

Hard, though, to avoid nudging the camera out of alignment...

So what is the next best solution? Doing +-1 bracket in RAW format, then edit the RAW files and create two more with +-1 from the original low and high to end up with +-2?

 

[iBecks]

A slightly more realistic HDR. It may be a little over saturated but I kind of like it that way.

I think that this is an amazing picture.

After reading through this thread, I can't wait to try it out.

I hope my Fuji camera is up to the challenge, I'll probably have to re-read the user manual.

 

[baby duck monge]

Does anyone here use an Olympus E-500 and doing HDR? I gave my Canon Rebel to my sister. The Olympus only seems to have a +-1 on the bracket exposure. How do I get more than that? Do I adjust the shutter speed for each shot manually?

Thanks,
James

I have an E-500, and have just now started beginning to play with HDR (all the cool kids were doing it). +-1 seems to be the max on bracketed exposures, BUT if you have a fast enough memory card it might not be (I don't have a fast card to test it with). If you put it on continuous drive mode, and hold down the shutter, the manual says it will just keep taking bracketed shots until you stop or you run out of buffer space. I have no way of knowing for sure, but this may start bracketing shots at more than +-1.

Conversely, you could just take a 3-shot bracket using RAW and then pick up a few extra stops in PP. Or you could do manual adjustments with a more sturdy tripod. Also, if you don't have one, get a remote.

Here's a snap I took the other day in my desire to start HDR experimenting. This was a single RAW done at -1, 0, +.7. I love how the colors warmed up. Sorry for the low-res. Had to step the quality down to upload to MR.

<EDIT>
Of course, I now see that the browser is using a different color profile, and things are not nearly as warmed as they are in the actual picture. The leaves are about right, but the building should have a much richer color. Oh well.
</EDIT>

 

[Doylem]

Lake Windermere, earlier today (5 bracketed exposures, Photomatix)...

I had to shoo this fairy out of the way; you know what they're like...

 

[jo1970]

I think that this is an amazing picture.

After reading through this thread, I can't wait to try it out.

I hope my Fuji camera is up to the challenge, I'll probably have to re-read the user manual.

Thanks for the compliment iBecks.

I too have been inspired by some of the amazing shots that I have seen on this thread. I have only been at it for about a month and still have a lot to learn but you should give it a go. I'm sure you'll get hooked on it as I am!

 

[KidneyPi]

I have an E-500, and have just now started beginning to play with HDR (all the cool kids were doing it). +-1 seems to be the max on bracketed exposures, BUT if you have a fast enough memory card it might not be (I don't have a fast card to test it with). If you put it on continuous drive mode, and hold down the shutter, the manual says it will just keep taking bracketed shots until you stop or you run out of buffer space. I have no way of knowing for sure, but this may start bracketing shots at more than +-1.

I like the color in that picture, but the composition causes an optical illusion. The tree in the foreground and the brightly lit side of the building make it look like the building is crooked on the left side. I would either crop it, reshoot closes to the building (using a wider lens if you wanted the building that size in the final image), or reshoot from farther away to reposition the tree in the image and show more of it.

 

[baby duck monge]

I like the color in that picture, but the composition causes an optical illusion. The tree in the foreground and the brightly lit side of the building make it look like the building is crooked on the left side. I would either crop it, reshoot closes to the building (using a wider lens if you wanted the building that size in the final image), or reshoot from farther away to reposition the tree in the image and show more of it.

Thank you for the feedback! There is no chance I will be reshooting that picture as it was just something I randomly snapped while waiting to meet a fellow MR member for a book exchange in Mississippi. However, I will definitely try to pay more attention to that sort of thing in the future if I continue to attempt HDR. I prefer my HDR images to appear more natural, but it's easy to forget that altering the amount of light seen in various parts of an image can confuse the brain when areas don't seem to be lit from the same place.

 

[valdore]

I thought I'd post this here instead of the Photo of the Day thread, since mirrored self portraits are considered verboten and cliche. But it is HDR!

 

[TimTheEnchanter]

I really have to give this a go, nice work people!

 

[KidneyPi]

I'd like to see some IR HDR. I don't have the filter yet, but I just got a Cokin A series kit. I'm thinking of getting a A007 to try it. Two of my lenses are supposed to be good for IR, including my favorite, the Canon 50mm f/1.8. Do any of you have any IR HDR images, or any IR images that could be converted?

 

[klymr]

I'd like to see some IR HDR. I don't have the filter yet, but I just got a Cokin A series kit. I'm thinking of getting a A007 to try it. Two of my lenses are supposed to be good for IR, including my favorite, the Canon 50mm f/1.8. Do any of you have any IR HDR images, or any IR images that could be converted?

I have some IR film shots that I need to scan. I haven't gotten the same results outta my scans as I did the digital I shot, but you can still see some more range. I actually wanted to try to merge a few "exposures" together from my IR film scans. I'll keep ya posted on how it works out if I get it done soon.

 

[AstrayCliche]

I thought I'd post this here instead of the Photo of the Day thread, since mirrored self portraits are considered verboten and cliche. But it is HDR!

Spectacular. Probably my favorite shot in the thread. Good job.

 

[SummerBreeze]

I love the fairy tale quality on so many of these HDR shots! This thread has gotten me excited about playing with HDR tomorrow.

I've noticed that many of you are creating HDR images from 5 or more source images. My camera only has auto exposure bracketing for three images, and I was wondering how you guys keep the camera steady while changing the settings. Even on a tripod, I tend to get slight camera shake.

 

[klymr]

I love the fairy tale quality on so many of these HDR shots! This thread has gotten me excited about playing with HDR tomorrow.

I've noticed that many of you are creating HDR images from 5 or more source images. My camera only has auto exposure bracketing for three images, and I was wondering how you guys keep the camera steady while changing the settings. Even on a tripod, I tend to get slight camera shake.

You can do an HDR with 3 shots. For me though, there is a slight blur in a few of my shots because I moved the camera. It's hardly noticable, even blown up to a 16x20" print.

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Get a remote shutter for the camera so that you don't have to move the camera ever. That will remove the slight movement when you would normally press down the shutter button on the camera.