First HDR Shots

[HughGuessWho107 22]

I didn't realize that converting to 16 bit tiff sacrificed data, is that a fact?

This is what HDRSoft says:

"The answer depends on your needs and preferences. If the quality of raw demosaicing/debayering or proper white balance adjustments are important to you, it is better to first process your bracketed RAW files in your favorite RAW converter, and then combine the converted TIFF or JPEG files in Photomatix. Additionally, Photomatix transfers less metadata when the source files are RAWs than when they are TIFFs or JPEGs.

Did I miss something? Or just not understand English very well? Doesnt the first sentence of statement contradict your point?

 

[Trever1t]

When I make changes to my files in ACR I SYNC all files before export. I did mention that in my original post.

 

[HughGuessWho107 22]

I guess the problem that I see is if you make changes to white balance or crop or whatever, and the same change isn't applied to all the bracketed photos, you could end up with some strange results. I've never edited the individual images to say it does I've only tried conversions first vs after. I guess if you converted to DNG instead of Tiff prior you could retain the information within the RAW exposure.

I never touch exposure related settings or crop prior. I only adjust clarity and saturation and whatever the other one is... I forgot at the moment.

 

[BlueMeanieTSi]

I would think adjusting saturation prior to merging would cause unexpected results when merging. That's just my opinion.

 

[HughGuessWho107 22]

I would think adjusting saturation prior to merging would cause unexpected results when merging. That's just my opinion.

I'm with you, my friend. I am a long way from and HDR expert. I'm still trying to figure it all out. I cant remember where I read the suggestion for those steps, maybe one of my many books on the subject. Regardless, I have had zero luck getting a nice HDR working with RAW in Photomatix. They always look quite strange. Instead, I run my RAW's through ACR, adjusting only Clarity, Vibrance and Saturation on the normal exposed picture, taking note of the settings. Then, I process the over and unders with the same settings. Then save them as TIFF and process them in Photomatix. I have found that to be a pretty good workflow for me. I may try your way out and see how that goes.

 

[BlueMeanieTSi]

Throw up some results when you do

 

[amolitor]

You almost don't need HDR here. Image 4934 has pretty much all the information present in any of the images. You might want to pull in one darker image to fill in the brighter areas in the distance, but you're just heaping redundant information together here.

You're massively overcooking these things, see the white foglike crap along the edges? Too much HDR. Well, unless you like that loo, and a lot of people do. If that's the case, proceed and ignore everyone on here -- you're doing digital art, not really photography at that point, but there's not a single thing wrong with that. I personally don't like it, but who the hell cares what I think?

HDR as originally conceived is a way to combine the information from several images into a single one with enormous tonal range, capturing highlights and shadows well above and below what can actually be rendered on paper or on a screen. Then you apply tonemapping to produce a renderable image from that digital one. Since your original scene doesn't actually have that much range to start with, you don't really need to do this. Everything you need is actually probably in the RAW file for 4934 - just tonemap that one lightly, then push the sliders around until you get a look the way you like.

 

[Trever1t]

All of my HDRs have been created in that manner. You do know that in ACR top left you can select all and Sync, right? If you have your settings correct all the images will change exactly the same amount as you have applied to the "normal" exposure.