Sunrise and Sumac

ksmattfish · Aug 20, 2006

The top image is HDR made from 4 exposures.

Arch · Aug 20, 2006

Nice HDR image matt, great reflection...... good job :thumbup:

nitefly · Aug 20, 2006

Do you mind telling me which parts of it are at different exposures? I'm new to the technique of HDR and haven't tried it properly yet (only in my garden)..

Stunning shots

ksmattfish · Aug 20, 2006

nitefly said:
Do you mind telling me which parts of it are at different exposures? I'm new to the technique of HDR and haven't tried it properly yet (only in my garden)..

You got me.

I'm only playing around with it too. I normally go for 3 shots at -2, N, and +2, open them in CS2 as 16 bit TIFs (unmodified from RAW), and hit 'automate' -> "merge to HDR". Then after it does it's thing, I switch the mode to 16 bit, which opens up the 32 bit HDR file conversion box. I choose the last of the 4 conversion choices, adaptive something or other, and I tweak the curve until I like it.

With this shot I took 4 exposures at -3, -2, N, and +2. In the original exposures to get the sky color meant that the land and trees were pretty much black. The HDR conversion lowered the contrast immensely letting me have the texture and green in the land, and the colors in the sky.

EDIT: I just went back and looked at the normal exposure, and where the HDR really helped me out is in the upper right corner. In the N exposure it's pretty much white. For the rest of the image the HDR effects are fairly subtle compared to the super tweaked, local contrast enhancement HDR that are very popular all over the web right now. Getting that painting-like local contrast does look cool, but my main use for HDR is to compensate for not carrying a split neutral density filter, stained glass windows in churches, etc...

LaFoto · Aug 20, 2006

Sumac!
THAT is the name of this tree.
Now I remember!
Thanks for posting this pic (second here) and the NAME of the tree!
Sumac - Sumac - Sumac (memorizing).

Tolyk · Aug 20, 2006

What does HDR stand for? I like the picture, but don't understand the technique you're discussing..

As for the Sumac.. I just took pictures of some of that a few days ago as well

Fun stuff, sumac

Antarctican · Aug 21, 2006

Oh my, that HDR shot is just breathtaking. Well done!!!

ksmattfish · Aug 21, 2006

Tolyk said:
What does HDR stand for?

High Dynamic Range. You take 3 or more exposures of the same scene, one for the shadows, one for the highlights, and one in the middle, and use software to combine them into a 32 bit HDR file. Digital cameras have a dynamic range of 5 to 6 stops, and with this technique you can double that.

Alison · Aug 21, 2006

Wow, the first shot is just stunning! Thank you for the explanation as well!

Tolyk · Aug 21, 2006

ksmattfish said:
High Dynamic Range. You take 3 or more exposures of the same scene, one for the shadows, one for the highlights, and one in the middle, and use software to combine them into a 32 bit HDR file. Digital cameras have a dynamic range of 5 to 6 stops, and with this technique you can double that.

Ahh, okay, thank you.

I use a 35mm SLR, is it still possible to do this technique with a scanner then?

mentos_007 · Aug 21, 2006

whoa! the first oneis awesome!

ksmattfish · Aug 21, 2006

Tolyk said:
I use a 35mm SLR, is it still possible to do this technique with a scanner then?

Yes, as long as you have at least 3 different exposures of the same scene.

.

cumi · Aug 22, 2006

I like these a lot!

I am also trying to make a HDR image, but I do it a simplier way: I make 1 photo in RAW, then process e.g. 2 times with different exp compensation, then merge it with gimp... This works for me fast mostly for images, where the sky is too bright... I do this instead of using a gradient filter. Unfortunatly, for more "complicated" subjects, I wouldn't be able to merge the exponates manually...

Arch · Aug 22, 2006

cumi said:
I like these a lot!

I am also trying to make a HDR image, but I do it a simplier way:

This is a useful technique, but im affraid isnt HDR.

http://www.earthboundlight.com/phototips/photoshop-cs2-hdr-32bit.html

.

ksmattfish · Aug 22, 2006

Archangel said:
This is a useful technique, but im affraid isnt HDR.

I agree that that's not really HDR, but it's a good technique, and I use it too. I think that's called "exposure blending". Using 3 different RAW conversions of the same single exposure doesn't get you the extended dynamic range that using 3 completely different exposures does.

_________

I have had decent results putting my camera on continuous drive, setting it to auto-bracket 2 stops in either direction, and using it hand held. Just make sure you check the "align images" box when doing the merge to HDR.