Nighttime HDR - first set of tests

[dmanning11]

Hi All,

As with most long exposure night shots if there are any bright lights in frame they tend to blow out the picture, resulting in lost definition and detail.
So after reading some web how to's I have taken some HDR's pics of some street scapes with both pitch black covered areas and ultra bright streetlights.
I simply took a series of different length exposures from a tripod carefully watching the EV meter in multimeter mode to make sure I got an accurate spread of light, then used Photoshop to combine.
Once I have the technique down I will move on to some more artistic shots, but for the moment can I get comments and tips on the test shots.

If this works well I can help but think back on all the missed opportunities... sigh

 

[that1guy]

pretty well done but missing a lot of shadow areas

 

[Bynx]

Other than perhaps an additional shorter exposure for each of the main light sources, you have done an exceptional job. The movement of the stars shows your longer exposures, but not a problem. HDR doesnt get much better than this.

 

[pixmedic]

Other than perhaps an additional shorter exposure for each of the main light sources, you have done an exceptional job. The movement of the stars shows your longer exposures, but not a problem. HDR doesnt get much better than this.

holy crap dude...you have no idea what kind of compliment you just got! gratz!
Very well done BTW. my favorite is the last one. nice wide shot.

 

[dmanning11]

I started out with 3-4 exposures, but tomorrow night I might try to get HDR with motion blur, like at the beach... I wonder if it will work with ghost removal?

 

[dmanning11]

Thanks for the positive comments everyone... Makes me want to experiment more

 

[Bynx]

When you say you started out with 3-4 exposures, how many fstops between those exposures? Surely it wasnt just 1. And no, Im not calling you Shirley.

 

[FanBoy]

Nice work with exposure and controlling the street lamps.

 

[dmanning11]

Ummm I used a range of 1-30sec for the exposures, constant ISO of 400, constant F6.3, 55-200mm lens

So.... That should be a range of 6 EV, and by translation 6 Fstops, if I calculated that right.

 

[jake337]

Ummm I used a range of 1-30sec for the exposures, constant ISO of 400, constant F6.3, 55-200mm lens

So.... That should be a range of 6 EV, and by translation 6 Fstops, if I calculated that right.

I think he was asking what your range of stops in between each exposure was. Did you meter certain areas and then use those metered shutter speeds for each of those areas? Or did you just start at 1 second SP and work your way to 30 second SP?

 

[jamesbjenkins]

...you have done an exceptional job.

OP, print this page, frame it, quit your job. You have reached the pinnacle of human achievement: a genuine compliment from Bynx.

 

[Bynx]

...you have done an exceptional job.

OP, print this page, frame it, quit your job. You have reached the pinnacle of human achievement: a genuine compliment from Bynx.

Its nice to say it for a change considering all the crap that gets posted here. I dont make it up, but just comment on what my eyes see.

 

[DGMPhotography]

This inspires me to try even harder to impress Bynx!