Hey HDR question

Dogmatix

Dogmatix

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Name
Martin
Edit My Images
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Hey all.

I'm very fresh with anything photograthy.

I've just started out, so far I have a Nikon D5000 with a kit lens and a Tamron 70-300mm lens.

I'm going to do a few experiments with my new camera, and want to know how to do HDR images...

Can someone explain how one does this?

Ta all
 
Well to be honest I am not not a pro at HDR neither, but I know the basics and I always keep trying to achieve a nice effect. Basically you take multiple exposures of the same photograph (preferably on a tripod, so that you get the exact same picture every time) and vary the exposure settings. Take one photograph at "0" - correct exposure, one at +1 and one at -1. Then combine them together and tonemap in a software called Photomatix or do it manually in Photoshop. You can get more advanced by doing more different exposures with -2 or +2 etc.

It is a hard process and many don't like it, but personally I love it if it is done well.

Best of Luck!
 
There is a free version which leaves a small watermark on the finished product, this can be easilly removed with the cloning tool in PS.

Although if you know a student you can use their email address and get the full version for about £30 which I did.

http://www.hdrsoft.com/order/academic.html
 
dan_yorkshire;2376183 Although if you know a student you can use their email address and get the full version for about £30 which I did. [url said:
http://www.hdrsoft.com/order/academic.html[/url]
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Thanks for that link - I am doing an OU degree atm and didnt realise there was a student discount. Have now ordered myself a copy as I'd love to try this out.
 
Hi i love hdr and i have taught myself its all about experimenting

First get a sturdy tripod

Go for f16 shoot 1 normal exposure then try 1or 2 stops down and then try 1or 2 stops up you need a minimun of 3 exposures for photo matix try and use a remote release .

check out this link of some of my hdr work and i might be able to help you with photomatix pro 3 pm me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFmlWQQGrdM :thumbs:
 
One thing worth mentioning is that if you use AEB (auto exposure bracketing) to take a series of images for HDR (-2,0,+2 stops usually) then you should use Av (Aperture value or aperture priority) mode on your camera.

This is because AEB in shutter priority mode will keep the same shutter speed and vary the aperture - resulting images will have different amounts of the picture in focus and therefore not blend well.

In aperture priority AEB varies the shutter speeds to get the three exposures and keeps the aperture value (and therefore depth of field) constant.

HTH

Phil
 
Thanks for the info Phil, i never knew that.

One thing, Do you not get the same HDR effect if you take 1 shot and create 3 or 5 o7 or whatever images using and saving at different exposures? That way the image will always be in focus and spot on regarding lining up.
 
AndyWest said:
Thanks for the info Phil, i never knew that.

One thing, Do you not get the same HDR effect if you take 1 shot and create 3 or 5 o7 or whatever images using and saving at different exposures? That way the image will always be in focus and spot on regarding lining up.
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You can tone map a single image and get an 'HDR' effect but part of the point of HDR is to capture more highlight and shadow detail than a single shot can capture - that really requires multiple exposures of the same scene.

Phil
 
Right oh Phil thanks. I'll give it a go. :)
 
I have just done a search on HDR & came up with this thread. I am allso very interested in having a go at HDR & take yor advice RE aperture priority setting. thanks.
I always shoot in raw & make slight adjustments in ACR particuarlly white bal. Do people make adjustments to the files before converting to jpeg for loading into promatrix. ? Is jpeg the best format or psd, tiff . Allso what is the best No of shots to take, & what setting 1 stop .5 .3 stop.Sorry for so many questions but I want to get out this wkend & get into it regards colin.
 
coljun said:
I have just done a search on HDR & came up with this thread. I am allso very interested in having a go at HDR & take yor advice RE aperture priority setting. thanks.
I always shoot in raw & make slight adjustments in ACR particuarlly white bal. Do people make adjustments to the files before converting to jpeg for loading into promatrix. ? Is jpeg the best format or psd, tiff . Allso what is the best No of shots to take, & what setting 1 stop .5 .3 stop.Sorry for so many questions but I want to get out this wkend & get into it regards colin.
Click to expand...

I think you'd be better off adjusting the exposure using your shutter speed, rather than the aperture. You'll keep a constant dof that way.

No hard and fast rules, but often people shoot RAW, bracket 1 stop apart, and take 5-7 shots on a tripod. If you can, set your AEB (auto exposure bracketing) to do the hard work for you. Set a "middle" exposure, and using your AEB (1 stop apart,) on 5 shots, you'd get your chosen exposure, plus 2 under exposed and 2 over exposed shots. This should give you a good start to play with in Photomatix! :)

There's plenty more experienced people with HDR than me, but hopefully this advice is along the right lines! ;)

HTH! :thumbs:
 
thanks foryour reply ian, it is most helpful, when I get into it I amsure I will find out alot myself . I am just trying to find out how other people do it to get a good start. Thanks again. colin.
 
Hey. thanks for the many replies.

Although I'm fresh and still green under the gills, I'd like to keep challenging myself.

Think I'd better make a "hi this is me page" me thinks...


Also, sorry for the edit, but does Coral Paintshop Pro X2 have a HDR processing format?
 
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