HDR question???

[Tito87]

I'm trying to learn how to do HDR. This is my first attempt at it. Don't waist your time with composition and subject matter. I know they suck. This is just something that I shot looking out the window, without giving a second thought to composition or subject matter. I was only concerned with the exposure values. I would like to know what you think about the HDR process. Am I doing it right or am I going in the wrong direction? Please, be brutal--I really want to get this HDR down. I don't care if you have street cred around here or not. All I care about is your honesty. Thanks.[IMG][IMG][/IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[kcoppock]

Is the first one the before, the second the after? Or are they two different HDR conversions?

Okay, if you want brutal, as far as the second one goes, it's a hell no. There may be people who like that processing, but to me the haloing looks god-awful. On the first one, it doesn't look bad, bad you're lacking range in the shadows -- particularly the two top trees have no detail at all. If that's what you're going for, it's no big deal, but if you're attempting the full dynamic range, you're definitely missing those.

Good start, though! I would definitely steer toward the first example and FAR away from the second example. Practice, practice is all I can say.

[Krusty79]

Most folks take shots at -2, 0 and +2, then run through Photomatix. I am not an HDR expert, but I have saved these tips from various threads on DPS to reduce the halo effect:

"I would suggest that when processing try and concentrate to even out a well balanced sky. When you see a halo or powerful grays and blues you need to work using the MICRO SMOOTHING slider and this should help balance the skies in your pictures."

and

"One of the most telltale signs of over processing is the halo that will silhouette the horizon, where the landscape meets the sky in the image, or just an overall grainy image (unless you just took the pictures using a high ISO). Avoid this by increasing the the "luminosity," decreasing the "strength" somewhat, and increasing the "smoothing" and/or "micro-smoothing" if you are using Photomatix."

and

"The halos, as BRIT says, can be tweaked to be 'less obvious'. Another way to fix this is to open your Final Tonemapped image and add an extra layer in PS using the shot with the best sky exposure. Stick it underneath, then perform an Auto Alignment and either erase or mask out the haloing (using a soft, opaque brush setting) so that the nice sky in the bottom layer replaces the haloed trees, clouds, etc. in the top tonemapped layer."

Here is an article on HDR - HDR For The Landscape - Outdoor Photographer | OutdoorPhotographer.com

[Tito87]

Originally Posted by kcoppock

Is the first one the before, the second the after? Or are they two different HDR conversions?

Okay, if you want brutal, as far as the second one goes, it's a hell no. There may be people who like that processing, but to me the haloing looks god-awful. On the first one, it doesn't look bad, bad you're lacking range in the shadows -- particularly the two top trees have no detail at all. If that's what you're going for, it's no big deal, but if you're attempting the full dynamic range, you're definitely missing those.

Good start, though! I would definitely steer toward the first example and FAR away from the second example. Practice, practice is all I can say.

Yes, they are two different HDR conversions. I also like the the first one, but as you said, I'm lacking range in the shadows and I'm attempting the full dynamic range. How do I correct for that? Is that a correction I have to do in camera, or while processing the HDR? I shot 3 exposures ( 0EV, +2EV, -2EV). Do I need more than 3 to get the full dynamic range? Thanks a lot.

[Tito87]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

Here is an article on HDR - HDR For The Landscape - Outdoor Photographer | OutdoorPhotographer.com

Thanks, Krusty. I will definitely check that out.

[kcoppock]

Originally Posted by Tito87

Yes, they are two different HDR conversions. I also like the the first one, but as you said, I'm lacking range in the shadows and I'm attempting the full dynamic range. How do I correct for that? Is that a correction I have to do in camera, or while processing the HDR? I shot 3 exposures ( 0EV, +2EV, -2EV). Do I need more than 3 to get the full dynamic range? Thanks a lot.

It all depends on the scene. In some cases, two shots may be enough. Basically, start at a regular metered exposure, and just keep shooting 2 stops apart until you see that the darkest areas are well exposed, and likewise for the highlights. Merge as many as you want; my last HDR (HDR at Bridge Street on my Flickr) I used 9 different exposures on it just to suppress the highlights on the carousel and the street lamps.

[Tito87]

Originally Posted by kcoppock

It all depends on the scene. In some cases, two shots may be enough. Basically, start at a regular metered exposure, and just keep shooting 2 stops apart until you see that the darkest areas are well exposed, and likewise for the highlights. Merge as many as you want; my last HDR (HDR at Bridge Street on my Flickr) I used 9 different exposures on it just to suppress the highlights on the carousel and the street lamps.

Thanks a lot. I will shoot again, keeping that in mind.

[Krusty79]

There are a lot of Photomatix tutorials on YouTube. I would check those out also.

[Tito87]

Originally Posted by Krusty79

There are a lot of Photomatix tutorials on YouTube. I would check those out also.

Thanks, Krusty.

[milosh]

I totally agree with everything guys already said here. One more suggestion: try to shoot and process a different scene, one with less dynamic range. It should be far easier. Try to find a scene that doesn't include the Sun (a room interior with window comes to mind). Photomatix has so many sliders and it is often too difficult to know and follow what each of them does, so, take it slowly, take your time, push one by one from one end to another and try to note what is it exactly that it does. When you get a sense of the effect a slider has, then experiment with different values and try to position it so it's effect is present but still controlled.