First Attempt at HDR

[Lraccomando]

Hey Everyone, I decided to try my hand at HDR the other morning, and dragged myself out of bed for sunrise. Both shots below are five frame HDR's taken between -2 and +2 EV. They were processed in Nik HDR EFex demo with tweaked versions of the "Realistic Balanced" Preset. I then finished tweaking them in Lightroom. I was trying to make them realistic and merely extend my tonal range, not attempt a "grunge" look. Please C&C


Pickering Lighthouse at Dawn by laccomando, on Flickr


Sunrise and Seagrass by laccomando, on Flickr

Thanks!

 

[amandalee]

Can you explain what HDR is? I LOVE these pictures tho!

 

[Lraccomando]

First of all thank you!

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. A camera sensor can only record about 5 stops (someone correct me if thats wrong, that number is from memory) of detailed difference between the lightest and darkest areas of an image in a single exposure. With HDR photography you take many different exposure of a scene (In the cases above I did 5 different exposures with a 1 stop difference between them) and then use software to combine the exposures. This allows you to retain detail in the both the highlights and the shadows of your images. It is extremely useful in landscapes when the sky is several stops brighter than the land.

Hope thats helpful, if you have any other questions please ask

 

[willis_927]

I like them, great job.

 

[D-B-J]

First of all thank you!

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. A camera sensor can only record about 5 stops (someone correct me if thats wrong, that number is from memory) of detailed difference between the lightest and darkest areas of an image in a single exposure. With HDR photography you take many different exposure of a scene (In the cases above I did 5 different exposures with a 1 stop difference between them) and then use software to combine the exposures. This allows you to retain detail in the both the highlights and the shadows of your images. It is extremely useful in landscapes when the sky is several stops brighter than the land.

Hope thats helpful, if you have any other questions please ask

Correct.

 

[kbasdeo]

Wow, that looks great!

 

[480sparky]

.................. A camera sensor can only record about 5 stops (someone correct me if thats wrong, that number is from memory) .......

Most DSLRs have 10-16 stop capability.

 

[Lraccomando]

Most DSLRs have 10-16 stop capability.

In a single exposure?

 

[480sparky]

Most DSLRs have 10-16 stop capability.

In a single exposure?

From the reviews & tests I've read, yes.

 

[AgentDrex]

Wait wait wait...

I think you just mentioned a camera sensor is limited to 5-stops but then you take five photos at one stop a piece...would not that be the five stops its limited to in the first place?

 

[480sparky]

Wait wait wait...

I think you just mentioned a camera sensor is limited to 5-stops but then you take five photos at one stop a piece...would not that be the five stops its limited to in the first place?

No, because four of the shots would extend the range captured.... two by -2 EVs and two by +2 EVs.

If the range a given camera is capable of is 5 stops, the -1 EV would extend the total range captured by 1, and the -2 E would extend it one more stop, for a total of 7. Then the same would apply to the +EV shots to extend the range captured to 9.

 

[levinest]

Beautiful shots!

 

[Compaq]

Most DSLRs have 10-16 stop capability.

Isn't that our eyes?

 

[Lraccomando]

Most DSLRs have 10-16 stop capability.

Isn't that our eyes?

That had been my understanding, I did some quick googling on the subject and modern high end DSLRs can get into the 10-12 stop range which is close to what our eyes can see. Unfortunately my little Nikon d3100 does not have quite that range, ah well HDR it is then.

Also, thank you everyone for the comments

 

[fredricfei]

both are nice shots!