what do you use for HDR work?

[memole]

Starting to get into my new camera a little. I have been reading alot about HDR work and was curious what people here use for it, and post some pics of there work? thanks again

[btuner]

photoshop or photomatix

if you shoot in raw, you can use photomatix to make an pseudo HDR from a single picture like so
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3207/2397054778_71d1e35c85.jpg

[memole]

ok because i was trying to import a jpeg and it doesnt in photomatix... so the only way to use it is in raw format. and that pic above was a single pic? i heard you need at least three.. I tried something last night... did the three shot thing but when i merged them all together they looked like ass and nothing lined up... I think my tripod sucks and it shakes too much...

[memole]

where in CS2 can you do the same thing with a jpeg>?

[btuner]

ok because i was trying to import a jpeg and it doesnt in photomatix... so the only way to use it is in raw format. and that pic above was a single pic? i heard you need at least three.. I tried something last night... did the three shot thing but when i merged them all together they looked like ass and nothing lined up... I think my tripod sucks and it shakes too much...

yeah that was just a single picture shot in raw, yeah it has to be shot in raw to use only one pic.

and in cs2 file>automate>merge to hdr

[IncredibleHulk]

after that image>mode>16 bits/channel> then i forget somone help from there

[budakinns]

Backing Winds: How to Create Professional HDR Images (http://backingwinds.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-create-professional-hdr-images.html)

[memole]

thanks for the site...
I did a couple photos i raw format..did the Auto Bracketing thing.. i used the above link as a guide.. and my pics look like they did if i would have just taken a pic with point and shoot camera...lol... i guess HDR isnt for me.. but ill keep plugging away

[btuner]

sorry i didnt explain very well, if your trying to make a fake hdr from a single raw photo on photomatix you should look here Daifuku Sensei Images : Photography - Basic HDR Tutorial browse (http://missioncomplete.ca/wiki/index.php?n=Photography.TutorialsHDRHDRBasic1)
otherwise you dont have to shoot in raw

[memole]

Ill give that a try. Im using the free version of photomatix..so it will imprint the watermark crap... but i would like to see if i can use it with good success before i buy it....

[SaturnTypeR]

HDR some can come out really great - Like what Btuner posted. and Others i have seen are just straight garbage.

[memole]

Yeah his looks great... I wondering, if I send him three raw pics...if he can do anything with it... then maybe I have a refrence... I was trying again...and again looks like the first pic I took..lol..

[btuner]

how far apart were the exposures you were using?^

and remember the pic i posted was made from only one photo

[memole]

Well here are two version of the same three raw shots i took this morning at 530... one in CS2 and one in Photomatix. and one is somewhat a regular point and shoot with the same canon. Let me know what you think about it. thanks
Point and shoot set in night mode:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/IMG_0265.jpg

CS2:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/April15morning.jpg

Photomatix:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/April15thmorningphotomatix2.jpg

[.:Chris:.]

While your original picture is a deent compromise between the dark shadows and bright highlights, your highest exposure just isn't high enough. There's not enough detail there, you may need to use more than three exposures for that scene.

If you used one exposure, that's why it didn't work very well. HDR with one exposure generally needs to be quite evenly and exposed very well. If you look at btuner's image he doesn't have any deep shadows, the whole scene is lit pretty well.

Are you using a tripod? Watch you rhorizon, it's way off in this one.

[memole]

yes useing a tripod...and used 3 raw exposures. My iso speed was set to 200, I can go lower (100) but left it at 200. first pic is at 200 as well. Also it was pretty much pitch black out besides the lights you see in the pic. Im just starting out and im trying to figure this stuff out.. thanks..

[.:Chris:.]

Ok well, in such a dimly lit scene, you're going to have to extend your dynamic range a lot more in order to capture the highlight and shadow areas. In order to get the darkest areas you'll probably need 30sec exposure or more, but to avoid blowing the highlights your shortest exposure will probably be pretty shot (ie 1/60 maybe?). You probably want to shoot an exposure for every two stops between there to get good detail.

If you don't already know the ideas behind this, you might understand more if you learn the concept of dynamic range (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_range) and what you're dong (http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/hdr.shtml) when you create an HDR image. Not sure how well versed you are in photo lingo, but you may need to read up on f-stops and such.

Let me know if you have further questions, I'll see if I can answer them for you.

[memole]

ok great.. I am in the process of learning and learning how the camera works. the manual for the camera isnt too clear as far as setting things up for night shots stuff like that. it says to put the wheel here for night shots.. lol.. and as far as bracketing there is a dial and i turn it to the longest exposure it has. doesnt tell me what the numbers are. still figureing that out. but i did turn the ISO speed down to 200. i know this camera can get some great pics i just have to better understand how the thing works and the settings. Im learning this for my own pics. I dont plan on doing this for poeple because i really dont have anytime...anyone offer a camera 101 lesson.... or maybe 110 lesson...lol... thanks for the help

[memole]

Also I forgot to mention that behind that treeline is a small power plant... the amberish orange glow is from the lights there... it wasn't suppose to be like a sunrise or something... and I was trying to highlight that..I guess next time I won't..lol.. Thanks again for the help

[EroticA]

the lights in the sky look good but i thinnk you should have toned it down some on the car, it would have looked alot better had the car not been so..... out there with the color.

[memole]

ok cool beans ill work on that part. I went to a parking garage tonight and took some shots.. man there is ALOT of amberish lighting from the light poles..trying to figure out how to tone that down... lol

[btuner]

color balance^

[memole]

Well I took some shots last night and I think im understanding a little more about realism...lol... these are the product of last nights shoot.

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/Sophiesworkgarage5.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/Sophiesworkgarage3.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/causeway.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/Sophiesworkgarage2.jpg

[btuner]

the background on the third one is better but the car is too dark, you need some place with lots of light on your car

[.:Chris:.]

Again you're using very high contrast scenes. That's fine, but you're going to need more exposures. What are you using for a camera?

[memole]

The lightning is yellowish orange. I was goig to try some day shots today if i get a chance. its just i love night shots..lol..

im using the canon EOS Rebel XT 350D
it can only do 3 auto bracketing pics. was thinking about taking three at one exposure setting ad 3 more at another setting then 3 more at yet another settting. When i bought this camera i didnt think i would be into it, just a couple shots down by the beach or something..but the more i searched and dug around...i was really liking what i was seeing. and to be honest im figureing out the different exposure settings it can do. like
-2 0 +2 and i set the iso to 100 instead of 200.. which the lowest it can go...

[btuner]

are you shooting in auto? thats probably why you can only go down and up 2 stops

[memole]

the focus is auto..but i can change the setting 4 times.. that was an example -2 0 +2
it doesnt actually tell me where its at..its a small bar graph.. sometimes it wont take the pics becuase it cant focus on the car or whatever.. I am thinking its too dark and it wont snap the pics

Thanks again for your help on this...

[.:Chris:.]

Once you focus the camera, switch it to manual focus and don't adjust the focus. That will solve your issue with hunting focus.

Take a reading (half press the shutter) in whatever mode you like. Write down the f-stop and shutter speed that the camera shows you. Switch to manual exposure, set the camera to use the settings you wrote down. That's your base picture. From there, adjust the shutter speed up a couple of clicks on the dial for your next exposure, then do it again. From there, go back to your original settings that you wrote down. This time, adjust the dial a couple of clicks the other way, take a pic and repeat.

That method will yield five exposures. You'll have your base exposure, plus two above and two below. Try that with photomatix and see what happens. I've tried to be as specific as I can, but without personal knowledge of Canon cameras it's a bit difficult for me.

[memole]

you know what scares me on what you said...it that I understand it...lol... i like the night shots because there is more of a difference on the pics. where as during the day there isnt any difference on the exposures. even though they are set at different stops. does that make sense?

[.:Chris:.]

It doesn't make sense because you're using an automatic mode. When you adjust the shutter speed, the camera's adjusting the aperture to compensate. It's trying to repeat your base exposure every time, and it's avoiding over exposure or under exposure.

Set it to manual and give it a whirl. You need to overexpose shots and underexpose shots to get good detail in shadows and highlights. Four of your five shots will look too dark or light - don't worry about it, that's how they should be.

[memole]

ok
will try that. thanks for the help

[.:Chris:.]

Sounds good, post up your next attempts!

[memole]

I will..hopefully will be day shots
lol

[memole]

well I went out again today..actually around 8 and took some more shots with alot more exposures..(at least 6 per pic)and its very very hard to lighten up the car and the sand and rocks are more redish orange..i cant get them out of the spectrum without making the pic look black and white... it kind of looks like something from the cover of a batman comic book..lol...

[memole]

ok here a couple more attempts.. still night shots though..thats usually when i find time to get out and take some pics. I think the car looks more natural
here they are
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/shop23.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/shop22.jpg
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/shopnight.jpg

[memole]

Ok got some day shots... how are these looking???

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/Bothwithwall.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/ChriswallXtreme.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/Chriswooded1.jpg


http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/Austin.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/Bothwall2Xtreme.jpg

[btuner]

better better. its hard to do that with a black car though, but your car looks good in them, the night shots are looking better too!

[FrodoGT]

Wow those are starting to look really great! I particularly like the last one, with the black car half in shadow. very sinister.

[memole]

thanks.. still working on it..lol..

[.:Chris:.]

Looking great memole, you're really getting close. The only issue I see is that your shadows are still very much in the dark. Try taking more exposures on the minus side, maybe try three stops under your base exposure if you've been trying two.

I'm impressed that you've improved so much so quickly.

[memole]

Looking great memole, you're really getting close. The only issue I see is that your shadows are still very much in the dark. Try taking more exposures on the minus side, maybe try three stops under your base exposure if you've been trying two.

I'm impressed that you've improved so much so quickly.

Thanks..ive been trying..lol... its not that hard after you get some base settings.. which im finding out...i still need to learn CS2 better.. I have to figure out how to import my HDR pic with the lightest exposure and my darkest one and try to make some layers and get the lighter details and darker ones... im sure you know what im trying to say... then merge them together kind of thing... and i want to learn that engine bay thing.. where the hood is shut but you still see the engine.. lol.. thanks pretty cool...
taking pics seems to be addicting..lol...

[CanTheWhales]

I haven't posted in here in a while and it's a little late for this thread, but I did a quick step-by-step for the tech thread on here about HDR. I took every thing straight from that Adobe in a book or whatever it's called....



here it is..<LINK (http://www.tamparacing.com/forums/photography-graphics/427804-hdr-2.html)>

[memole]

well to be honest i like the darker areas...meaning more shadows.. BUT.. I think i have this one looking pretty good...everything looks realistic and no too over done. Sometimes you start working on something and you try to make this area better but mess up that area..lol.. so this one i think is the one... Its not my car.. but it still looks nice...

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q298/zayfman/austintunneloftrees.jpg

[.:Chris:.]

Looks great, much better. You will still have shadows regardless of where/when you shoot, you just need to get some detail into your shadows in your night shots.

[memole]

Sweet.. thanks again for all your help...

[.:Chris:.]

No problem. :bigthumb:

[Kirk]

I can show you a couple of tricks sometime... I haven't done HDR in a LONG time but these are a couple of pics I did back then...

http://www.clubna-t.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/hdr%20014_5_6_71111.jpg
http://www.clubna-t.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/hdr12.jpg

[.:Chris:.]

Uh oh, Kirk's here. I'm out, he knows more about this stuff than I do. :grin:

[MMShaggy]

Wow Kirk that looks amazing.

Great tips everyone. i just picked up a Nikon D80 a few weeks back, and am still trying to learn stuff. this thread is great.

Think I'm going to try some HDR photos tonight.

[memole]

Good luck and post up those pics!!!!!

[96whiteknight]

Is this what it's supposed to look like?
http://www.sunbelt-software.com/ihs/alex/hdr0000123.PNG







Kidding. :P Sorry. :D

[memole]

i would say that looks great... to me the clouds look kind of washed out..but im still new myself to this....one of the pros will probably chime in, and offer some great advice and stuff like that...

[.:Chris:.]

Is this what it's supposed to look like?
Kidding. :P Sorry. :D

That bridge is in Miami. :grin:
South Florida Stangs on Flickr - Photo Sharing! (http://www.flickr.com/photos/rmcd/2092274904/in/set-72157603294287476/)

[memole]

Next time Im in Miami...I am finding that bridge!!!!....lol......

[skunkdSiR]

i say we get and HDR shoot! hahaha.. im learnin, your learning.. why not? lmk

[btuner]

i say we get and HDR shoot! hahaha.. im learnin, your learning.. why not? lmk

check here
http://www.tamparacing.com/forums/photography-graphics/471664-tr-p-g-meet-date-availability-poll-6.html

[skunkdSiR]

i was only meaning a few people/cars.. not a ton.. too crowded =/ that and i know he lives only like 15 min. from my house..

[btuner]

lol theres only like 4 people going and no "cars" other than what were driving in