HDR - Beginner

[cfaulds]

So I've been using my camera for a while now, but I want to learn some new techniques.

One of the ones I would like to have a go at is HDR.

I've searched a lot about it, and I've taken lots of pictures at different exposures, but I was wondering what software you use or can recommend.

I see that Photomatix and Photoshop are the 2 popular ones.

I have Photoshop CS5 and Photomatix 3.2.9

What do you use? And any tips?

Thanks

 

[Naphtali14]

Watch this, it was really helpful for me. [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rab25UTe6HY[/ame]

 

[cfaulds]

Great video! Thanks!

 

[dak1b]

photomatix is prob ur best bet.

 

[MohaimenK]

photomatix is prob ur best bet.

Yup just saw a vid on it! Awesome and cheap too!

 

[MohaimenK]

BTW, do y ou have to take HDR photos in different exposures?

 

[OrionsByte]

BTW, do y ou have to take HDR photos in different exposures?

That's kinda the point, yeah. You can fake it from a RAW file by changing the exposure compensation and generating a few copies of the file to combine (in fact I think Photomatix lets you load the RAW file directly in order to do that), but it won't give you results nearly as good as if you took the shots at different exposures to begin with.

 

[MohaimenK]

BTW, do y ou have to take HDR photos in different exposures?

That's kinda the point, yeah. You can fake it from a RAW file by changing the exposure compensation and generating a few copies of the file to combine (in fact I think Photomatix lets you load the RAW file directly in order to do that), but it won't give you results nearly as good as if you took the shots at different exposures to begin with.

ahh I see! Yeah I kindda did the other way using photoshop to change exposure from a picture I had it didn't come out as I hoped. Looks like crap IMO I mean this was taken w/ a PS and wasn't even intended for HDR but I thought I'd give it a try.

Before:

After

 

[Naphtali14]

It would have looked a lot better if you had used a tripod.

 

[MohaimenK]

it was on a tripod lol

 

[Naphtali14]

it was on a tripod lol

Then why are the building so blurry? What was the aperture and exposure set at?

 

[MohaimenK]

it was on a tripod lol

Then why are the building so blurry? What was the aperture and exposure set at?

PS. This was before fireworks so I hit the fireworks settings. Also, I think its due to the fact that it wasn't properly focused. My fireworks pics came out a bit blurry too. Since it was a PS it probably auto focused everything wrong...

BTW, This was taken from me standing on the NY side and the buildings were probably about a mile away over hudsons on the NJ side

 

[burstintoflame81]

so you went out and bought photomatix, with never having done HDR? ::cough cough:: software pirate ::cough cough::. Either that or you have money to burn.

 

[MohaimenK]

so you went out and bought photomatix, with never having done HDR? ::cough cough:: software pirate ::cough cough::. Either that or you have money to burn.

Go here and try the tial version: Download HDR photo software Photomatix

But I did mine w/ photoshop the tial version puts a watermark

 

[burstintoflame81]

I know I know...it was a joke. Don't get the panties all bunched up now. :mrgreen: