Beginning with HDR

jammy_c

jammy_c

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991
Name
James
Edit My Images
Yes
Ok, so i have been looking at some pretty impressive HDR shots recently, and fancy giving it a try myself.

Are there any good tutorials about to help me learn?

I generally use GIMP, is this alright for creating HDR stuff? and is it best to shoot in RAW for this type of editing? if so, why?

Regards,
James.
 
You can also download Photomatix Basic which is not bad for free of the site.
 
jammy_c said:
Ok, so i have been looking at some pretty impressive HDR shots recently, and fancy giving it a try myself.

Are there any good tutorials about to help me learn?

I generally use GIMP, is this alright for creating HDR stuff? and is it best to shoot in RAW for this type of editing? if so, why?

Regards,
James.
Click to expand...

I use Gimp but I havn`t seen anywhere to produce HDR on there. As others have said Photomatix is free to try, but will watermark your images until you buy the program.

I now use http://www.mediachance.com/hdri/index.html which also watermarks your image until you buy.
 
jammy_c said:
So is DynamicPhoto better than PhotoMatrix?
Click to expand...

I don`t know about better (many people swear by Photomatix) but I like it but i`m not very experienced, it`s a bit more of a faf to line images up than Photomatix.

I guess you should download both and give em a try before buying. With current exchange rate with the US dollar, Photomatix is pretty expensive, three weeks ago it was gonna cost around £85 for the software. If you do go down the Photomatix route PM me as there is a 15% discount code. I don`t know if I should post it on here or not.
 
Cool! Cheers.

Is the £85 a one-off fee for the software or an annual licence?
How long is the free trial?
and; Is there any free HDR software about to have a decent play around?
 
I find photomatix better than Dynamic HDR which is a bit more aggressive although they are both good programs. They key to a decent HDR - take lots of the same shot at different exposures (bracketing helps here). I have had some good HDR shots with 1 or 2 pictures though. A couple of examples below done with photomatix and 3 exposures at a 2-stop interval.

3232954720_c01094d032.jpg


3232908650_d3fef3c98b.jpg
 
Fair enough, sounds good. :)

I have seen action shots that are turned into HDR, so how is that done? obviously not by bracketing several compositions? are they altered on the camera after the exposure has been taken to lighten/darken the subject, then saved as different files, or one action shot is taken, then 3 more for bracketing, with the subject in question layered in afterwards?:thinking:
 
Things become a bit more complicated when you are trying to HDR different shots where anything in the shot has moved a bit. It can be done and both programs try to match images so that you don't get any ghosting. Sometimes it is successful, sometimes not. The best HDR's are done with a tripod so that there is less chance of the frame moving.
 
jammy_c said:
Cool! Cheers.

Is the £85 a one-off fee for the software or an annual licence?
How long is the free trial?
and; Is there any free HDR software about to have a decent play around?
Click to expand...

I think it`s $99 + vat, but the exchange rate is so bad at the moment it makes it pricey. The trial doesn`t expire so there`s plenty of time to play. Someone did recommend a free one to me (I can`t remember what it was), but I didn`t think it was very good.
 
You can just shoot in RAW, and from that create three+ JPEGS with seperate exposures and then merge them in Photomatix, Photoshop etc.

I would personally recommend that you try out Photomatix.
 
cheers. I think I will. When I get my head round it i'll post some shots on here and get some c+c from u guys.
 
I dont know if theres anything in the new gimphoto software to create HDR. Might be worth a look.
 
Shot 1 - Overexposed
DSC_3183.jpg


Shot 2 - Normal
DSC_3180.jpg


Shot 3 - Underexposed
DSC_3179.jpg


Shot 4 - HDR Generated Image
ShedHDR.jpg


C+C Welcome...
 
I would definately advise Photomatix
 
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