Tips on Processing? (First HDR)

[Austin Greene]

EDIT:
So I went back into CS5 and decided to use all 5 exposures. I also tried to reduce the halos I was getting while also bringing out more detail from the shadows as suggested. Oh and also, since we're talking mainly about processing, I didn't bother to crop this one. Tell me what you think! Better? Worse?

================
ORIGINAL POST:

Hey all,

So I headed onto campus today hoping to shoot another building in HDR, but the lighting was never how I wanted it, so it'll have to wait for another day. However, on my way out, I saw this building and thought "Eh, why not?" so I gave it a try. I wasn't concerned with composition, but rather just figuring out how to properly take the various exposures so when the time comes I can get the shot I really want, of that other building I mentioned.

Anyways, I'm just curious if you all have any suggestions on processing? The sun was barely up, so most of the building was a bit drab (flat tan/yellow) in color, and a gold shade was being cast on things, so I wasn't quite sure how I might process it. I suspect that there also isn't really enough range in the photo to be a good candidate for HDR in the first place, but I'm curious of your thoughts.

Any tips on processing would be greatly appreciated! With any luck, I'll get the lighting I want on my other building, and then I'll have a photo worth processing

Thanks, and no need to be gentle!

 

[HughGuessWho]

From a noob on TFP, but have done a bit of HDR.
Back off on the Tone Mapping just a bit. That will get rid of the halos just above the tall bushes.
The range looks like it was good for a test. Whites arent blown out and the shaded area at the top of the door way is not too dark and you can see details. I suspect that in a single exposure one or the other would be present. Looks like you are off to a good start.

 

[mistermonday]

Unless you have more than one exposure, you can't have true HDR. The dynamic range of a single image can not he higher than what is already in that image. All you can do is tonemap that single image but you can not exceed its dynamic range.

 

[Austin Greene]

From a noob on TFP, but have done a bit of HDR.
Back off on the Tone Mapping just a bit. That will get rid of the halos just above the tall bushes.
The range looks like it was good for a test. Whites arent blown out and the shaded area at the top of the door way is not too dark and you can see details. I suspect that in a single exposure one or the other would be present. Looks like you are off to a good start.

Well taken! I was wondering where the halos came from, so I'll be sure to back off the tone mapping. Looking forward to what others might have to say as well!

 

[Austin Greene]

Unless you have more than one exposure, you can't have true HDR. The dynamic range of a single image can not he higher than what is already in that image. All you can do is tonemap that single image but you can not exceed its dynamic range.

I appreciate the explanation, but I'm afraid there might have been some confusion. There are a total of three exposures in this image. I took 5 exposures, but only opted to use 3 (2 stops apart).

 

[mistermonday]

Unless you have more than one exposure, you can't have true HDR. The dynamic range of a single image can not he higher than what is already in that image. All you can do is tonemap that single image but you can not exceed its dynamic range.

I appreciate the explanation, but I'm afraid there might have been some confusion. There are a total of three exposures in this image. I took 5 exposures, but only opted to use 3 (2 stops apart).

OOPS, sorry, I mis-read your post. My comments are:
- Image could use a little straightening as it appears to be declining slightly from left to right.
- I think you could extract more detail in the shadows
Regards, Murray

 

[Austin Greene]

Unless you have more than one exposure, you can't have true HDR. The dynamic range of a single image can not he higher than what is already in that image. All you can do is tonemap that single image but you can not exceed its dynamic range.

I appreciate the explanation, but I'm afraid there might have been some confusion. There are a total of three exposures in this image. I took 5 exposures, but only opted to use 3 (2 stops apart).

OOPS, sorry, I mis-read your post. My comments are:
- Image could use a little straightening as it appears to be declining slightly from left to right.
- I think you could extract more detail in the shadows
Regards, Murray

No problem, I appreciate the CC!

How would I go about getting that extra detail in the shadows? Shoot an extra exposure at a stop higher or so?

As for the tilting, I'm not quite sure what to make of it. It looks slightly tilted to me as well, yet the roof is perfectly level according to CS5, lens distortion perhaps?

 

[mistermonday]

Using the auto rotate function, PS told me the image needed to be rotated just under 1 degree, which it did. You can see now that the line across the sidewalk is level with the horizon as is the line across the building shown in red on the linked image.
As for shadow detail, it may have been in your +1 image but was not not extracted in your HDR s/w. Normally to bring out the shadow details you would increase the tonemap strength slider. Alternately if the brightest image in your bracketed set was too dark, then an extra over-exposure would have resolved it.

Regards, Murray

 

[Austin Greene]

Using the auto rotate function, PS told me the image needed to be rotated just under 1 degree, which it did. You can see now that the line across the sidewalk is level with the horizon as is the line across the building shown in red on the linked image.
As for shadow detail, it may have been in your +1 image but was not not extracted in your HDR s/w. Normally to bring out the shadow details you would increase the tonemap strength slider. Alternately if the brightest image in your bracketed set was too dark, then an extra over-exposure would have resolved it.

Regards, Murray

Thanks Mister! Any suggestions or thoughts on the newly processed image? I posted it way up at the top.

 

[mistermonday]

Yes, the edit at the top is better than the orig, it has more detail and contrast.
Regards, Murray