An Example of HDR Photo Editing

[redwatch]

Hi guys,

Went to San Francisco this past weekend and I thought I would try my hand on some HDR editing. HDR, or High Dynamic Range photography is a post processing effect which takes multiple images and stacks and combines them using the highest contrast elements from each photograph. You can either bracket shots in a sequence, align them and then process them. In my case, I just shot everything RAW and then using Capture NX2 I made three different exposures to make an HDR image. I took the original image, and then made one copy that was set to -2 EV and then another copy that was set to +2 EV. I then loaded the three images into Photomatix Pro and with a little tone mapping, created a very, very quick HDR image.

For those of you interested in finding out more about this process, Trey Ratcliff from Stuck in Customs has an excellent tutorial which you can find here.

Here is the original RAW photograph that I took of the Port of San Francisco. Nothing special really. It was shot from the 12th floor of the Hyatt Regency thru a tinted window. The only editing I did to this photo was convert it to a JPG and make it smaller for the purpose of posting here.

Here is the exact same image after processing it with Photomatix Pro:

Please note, I literally spent 5 minutes doing this. This was my first experiment in this area, but I am pleased with the outcome so far. I am sure if I followed Trey's tutorial using Photoshop masking and layering, I could make this even more impressive

Thoughts, comments??

[redwatch]

Here's another quick example. This was taken at night and it is the interior atrium of the Hyatt Regency.

Original:

HDR Version:

[dbutlerman]

I've used Photomatix too and really like it's simplicity. I've done HDR with photoshop but found it too much work with lesser results than Photomatix. So to Photomatix

[dbutlerman]

Red- Try shooting an image with real exposure bracketing on your D90 - you'll get even better results!

[redwatch]

Red- Try shooting an image with real exposure bracketing on your D90 - you'll get even better results!

Yeah, I didn't think of that until afterwards, but I figured this was a good starting point to see how it works

[ubiquitous]

I have no idea what you guys are talking about, but I do like the results!

[redwatch]

Thanks Ubi!

Here's another one. A little more exaggerated now, so some of the noise has been increased. Of course, I could always remove some of the noise using some filters, but for the sake of speed, this is just playing around

Original:

HDR Version:

[redwatch]

Ok so this particular effect seems to work best on nicely lit, outdoor shots. Of course, as DB2 pointed out, if I actually shot with bracketing on, this would probably be better still. Anyways, here's a nice shot of the downtown core.

Original:

HDR Version:

[OSRep]

Hey Red! Great to see you playing around with HDR! I have been reading up on nearly everything on Treys site, its amazing! He creates surreal images. I think your last photo (the one of the street in daylight) shows the HDR effect alot clearly........

Whats bracketing btw? Im not having much luck with my D90 (in manual mode that is)......But practice makes perfect.

Keep these HDR's coming, im sure youll create a winner soon.

[redwatch]

From Wikipedia:

In photography, bracketing is the general technique of taking several shots of the same subject using different or the same camera settings. Bracketing is useful and often recommended in situations that make it difficult to obtain a satisfactory image with a single shot, especially when a small variation in exposure parameters has a comparatively large effect on the resulting image. Autobracketing is automatic bracketing by using a setting on the camera to take several bracketed shots (in contrast to the photographer altering the settings by hand between each shot).

There are several types, but the most common are Exposure Bracketing and White Balance Bracketing. There is also Focus Bracketing & Flash Bracketing. Check it out. Not sure if you have the exact same manual as me, but check the index in the back about Bracketing.

[dbutlerman]

Hey OSRep - Exposure bracketing is a setting on your camera that shots a series of pictures with different exposures. So, you set your Camera up on a tripod pointed at some scenery, then with bracket turned on, compose your picture and shoot it - it will then take 3 (or more) pictures based on the exposure bracketing that you setup (Ex. -2ev 0ev +2ev, or underexposed (dark), correct exposure(just right), overexposed(too bright)) Then the HDR program Photomatix in this case with then combine the 3 images into one using the best features of each photo.

As for manual mode (it can be very fun once you figure it out), I found a book called Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. It does a great job of explaining how Aperture, Shutter Speed, and all the other variables come together to take a decent picture...

[dbutlerman]

Well said Red - I've played with Bracketing on my D60 - but it (like your D40) lacks AutoBracketing - so I had to set it at each shot - which gives a couple of seconds between each picture, which leaves time for objects to move and not align perfectly when putting the HDR together...

[coolfire]

I'm floored... awesome stuff indeed!

[redwatch]

...... but it (like your D40) lacks AutoBracketing

One of the many reasons I upgraded to the D90

[Guest ThePhilosopher]

From 9 frames, 1 stop apart + sharpening. Red tinge above is light reflecting off the canvases above the bookcase.

Edited June 23, 2010 by ThePhilosopher

[OSRep]

Hey OSRep - Exposure bracketing is a setting on your camera that shots a series of pictures with different exposures. So, you set your Camera up on a tripod pointed at some scenery, then with bracket turned on, compose your picture and shoot it - it will then take 3 (or more) pictures based on the exposure bracketing that you setup (Ex. -2ev 0ev +2ev, or underexposed (dark), correct exposure(just right), overexposed(too bright)) Then the HDR program Photomatix in this case with then combine the 3 images into one using the best features of each photo.

As for manual mode (it can be very fun once you figure it out), I found a book called Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. It does a great job of explaining how Aperture, Shutter Speed, and all the other variables come together to take a decent picture...

Thanks Red and DB2! After I posted the "whats bracketing?" question, I went straight to the manual and had a little play with the camera I think the autobracketing on the D90 is flash and exposure.......?

Hey Red, have any more HDR's?

[ThinkBachs]

Here is the exact same image after processing it with Photomatix Pro:

And here's a version by me.

This took about 40 seconds all together using Photoshop and tweaking the exposure, saturation, then taking down the yellow a little.

-Had to play for a second.

[chronoluvvv]

nice shots

i've always wondered what goes on inside that building @ Fisherman's Wharf

[Guest ThePhilosopher]

Thanks Red and DB2! After I posted the "whats bracketing?" question, I went straight to the manual and had a little play with the camera I think the autobracketing on the D90 is flash and exposure.......?

Hey Red, have any more HDR's?

You should be able to set it to ae, ae+flash, and maybe wb. I can set to ae, ae+flash, flash, wb, or ae+flash+aperture.

[PowerShot]

Here's a few of mine also, beginner in these style of pictures!

And one done by my brother who got a bit more skills!

[Guest ThePhilosopher]

Holy halos Powershot. Not to double-post but here are some of my HDRs, I like to keep them subtle.

Edited July 17, 2010 by ThePhilosopher

[redwatch]

Wow Powershot! That Eiffel Tower shot your brother took is stellar!!! Your's are looking really great too! I really like the front end green motorcycle shot! Great colors!

[gliptopolis]

Here's one I did a couple years ago from a single jpg taken with my wife's P&S:

And another from the same trip:

[P4GTR]

great shots, theres so much talent lurking around here.

I feel like im the only one that praises the quick tweaking tools built into windows. This took 2 min, using the orig's...

[Guest ThePhilosopher]

P4 - your highlights are blown.