HDR with layers.

[FormElement]

In response to another request, I will try to outyline my basic process for HDR imaging, in order to get a reasnably "natural" HDR result. I cannot take credit for figuring any of this out, I actually did a lot of digging on the internet, and mixing various techniques. I really don't personally like the images that come out of "professional" HDR software, and Photoshop does a fairly weak job of blending images. One can get a lot better results I believe if one understands the process, and the why's.

To start, this can be done with any number of bracketed shots, or even with one decent RAW image. I actually use this technique to "save" the occasional blown shot that I might want to rescue from the trash bin.

You will want to start with one to five base images, shot on a tripod, preferably auto bracketed. I usually bracket -2,0,+2 for maximum range. I don't personally mess with handheld bracketed shots. For HDR I only shoot on a good tripod with a wireless release for maximum sharpness and exact alignment of the raw images straight out of the camera.

First, bring all three images into photoshop, copy them into one file as layers, with the brightest on the bottom, the middle and then the darkest on top. Hide everything but the brightest (background) layer.

1) go to your channels, command/control click your RGB channel. This creates a basic luminance selection.

2) go to layers, turn on and select layer 1 (your middle exposure), click on the add mask button, you should now have a mask on layer 1 that looks like a grayscale version of your base image.

3) click on the mask in the layers palette so that the black border shows that you are editing the mask. go to filters>blur>gaussian blur. make sure preview is checked. Adjust the gaussian blur so that you get some improved local contrast, and no funny halos form around anything. Usually this amount is between 10-40 pixels.

4) Now, with both the background, layer 1, and the layer 1 mask turned on, follow steps one and two above except for layer 2. Then for step 3, I usually halve the blur radius from whatever the blur was on my layer one mask. (this reduces halos by graduating the blend from layer to layer on a roughly gaussian ratio)

5) if you have more exposure layers (generally the more the better), continue showing everything you have done, selecting the luminance (RGB) channel, and building a new mask. halve the blur each time from the last time. I have done this with as many as five layers (processing my three raw images for -2,-1,0,+1,+2 layers)

6) at this point, the image will probably need both brightness and curves adjustment layers.

I've attached four images. One with the original and a simple shadow/highlight correction, which with this image would have been passable at least. (Since my brackets were only 1 stop.) Another with the screen grab from photoshop, one of the "final" image, and one of the original "center" image.

I should note that this is not really a great final image, but it is passable, and it was convenient for me to run up a quick tutorial. With larger brackets, the work can increase, and trial and error will be inevitable to get a clean balance. It helps a lot to understand how to exposure adjust images from RAW, in order to get the best possible color and contrast information from each layer. Sometimes I end up pulling all of my exposures up or down a fair amount before I even get into photoshop.

I learn a lot every time I do this, and I've only been doing it for about 10 months now. I learned the method, (and learn more each time), specifically for indoor architectural photography. One of the better resources for what I have learned, and one of my favorite tutorial sites is:

Tony Kuyper Photography—Hand-Blending High Dynamic Range Using Luminosity Masks

[tony12]

It is really very informative and useful for learning imaging information i started working after reading

[OmarSan]

I know this may sound dumb, but my only problem is the getting-the-pictures-into-layers part... can someone please help me

[Vrinda]

Originally Posted by OmarSan

I know this may sound dumb, but my only problem is the getting-the-pictures-into-layers part... can someone please help me

What you want to be doing is copying all the photos into the same file. I open all my photos separately, then press Ctrl-A/Cmd-A to select the whole photo, and then Ctrl-C/Cmd-C to copy it to the clipboard.

I then click File ==> New to create a new file. You can just click OK to agree to the size Photoshop suggests, because it's creating it to fit the image you've just copied to the clipboard. You can then paste the photo into this new file (Ctrl-V/Cmd-V). Then you can go though the Select All, Copy, Paste steps as many times as you need to copy and paste all the other photos into the same file. New layers will be automatically created for each one as you do this.

You can skip the whole creating a new file thing if you like, and just copy and paste the photos straight onto one of the other photos, new layers will be created just the same. But I like to start with a fresh file so things don't get confused.

[OmarSan]

Thanks! it was reaaaaaally easy. I apreciate the tip

[Margie22]

This isn't possible in PSE 8 though?

[thatBilly]

Photoshop CS5 has a script to automatically load mutliple files to a stack (layers) and align them.

See attached screenies.

Thanks for the guide. It's definitely a good process to know but I got better layering results from Photoshop's "Auto-Blend Layers".

[tinaturnip]

Thank you so much for the details and the time it took to put it all together, I\

I do agree with you on the tainted look of HDR images, I like a painterly effect but when images start to look too much alike then I step back a little.

I will keep your name in the contacts list for further updates..
Diane

[ziplock122949]

Thanks for the tips. I do manually blend images when HDR programs don't work so well. I will have to try these tips on one of my images where the HDR program didn't do so well.