My first try at HDR

[DustenT]

I'm looking for some feedback from anyone that's familiar with HDR. These are from my first attempt.

What do you think? I didn't do any re-touch to them, just the basic Photoshop CS2 HDR script and some minor exposure adjustments. I could have picked better backgrounds..

[larryn]

Great attempts at using HDR.

What set up are you using to take the multiple exposures? Seeing there is a tiny bit of motion blur in each, you may want to use the timer mode to minimize shake, or even weight the tripod. Also, if you have the option, shoot in camera raw.

The third one is the best, by far, HDR-wise. How many pics did you merge for that one? You might want to even add a third (more overexposed) picture, if you're only using two, to get more details, including the night sky. Have you ever had a longer exposure and just taken pics of the night sky? Add those to your shot.

Also, if using a weighted tripod, try stepping down the aperture a few steps, and use a longer exposure. You'll get more details, if you can keep things steady.

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by larryn

Great attempts at using HDR.

What set up are you using to take the multiple exposures? Seeing there is a tiny bit of motion blur in each, you may want to use the timer mode to minimize shake, or even weight the tripod. Also, if you have the option, shoot in camera raw.

The third one is the best, by far, HDR-wise. How many pics did you merge for that one? You might want to even add a third (more overexposed) picture, if you're only using two, to get more details, including the night sky. Have you ever had a longer exposure and just taken pics of the night sky? Add those to your shot.

Also, if using a weighted tripod, try stepping down the aperture a few steps, and use a longer exposure. You'll get more details, if you can keep things steady.

Thanks. I'm using an older manfrotto tripod. I don't think it's weighted, I need to make sure it's good an tight though. I noticed that motion blur, it totally makes sense that it's from pushing the button. Great idea to use the delay.

I read to use RAW, but I forgot to change the setting.

The third picture? LOL...That is 17 images blended together. I wanted to make sure I got enough of one shot to play with, since I didn't know how many I needed. Overkill?

What do you mean by this: Have you ever had a longer exposure and just taken pics of the night sky? Add those to your shot.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to try to take some more tonight and see what I can do.

[thesk8nmidget]

ya i agree the third one deff. looks amazing!

[larryn]

Originally Posted by DustenT

Thanks. I'm using an older manfrotto tripod. I don't think it's weighted, I need to make sure it's good an tight though. I noticed that motion blur, it totally makes sense that it's from pushing the button. Great idea to use the delay.

I read to use RAW, but I forgot to change the setting.

The third picture? LOL...That is 17 images blended together. I wanted to make sure I got enough of one shot to play with, since I didn't know how many I needed. Overkill?

What do you mean by this: Have you ever had a longer exposure and just taken pics of the night sky? Add those to your shot.

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to try to take some more tonight and see what I can do.

17!! Yikes! That's cool you're doing that, but I wonder if CS2 is getting too much info. I've not heard of that many used before. Most that I've seen use 4-5 tops, most with just two or three.

Definitely use the timer. I bet that motion blur is from you pressing the shutter release. You can also weight the tripod by hanging a small weight (5 lbs or so) off of the bottom of the camera mount tube, so that it hangs from the middle of the tripod. It greatly minimizes shake.

Try shooting in aperture priority. The longer exposure trick is to also step down the aperture a few steps (like if you're shooting at f2.8 [wide open], try to stepping down to something like f13 and a half second exposure (or more, based on your lighting). You may get the foreground blown out, but the sky will be blue/purple, and you should be able to make out stars or clouds.

If you have adjustable EV settings, you can also use those for exposure control.

Again, great job! I bet with the use of the timer, and using camera raw you'll eliminate most (if not all) of the blur.

[roadrash]

Originally Posted by larryn

You can also weight the tripod by hanging a small weight (5 lbs or so) off of the bottom of the camera mount tube, so that it hangs from the middle of the tripod.

Oh, come on... who carries "a weight" with them to take photos? Why not just use your camera bag? If that's not heavy enough, just put your wallet, keys, etc. in it.

[larryn]

Originally Posted by roadrash

Oh, come on... who carries "a weight" with them to take photos? Why not just use your camera bag? If that's not heavy enough, just put your wallet, keys, etc. in it.

Exactly. I have used my camera bag before too. I took some panos of the Grand Canyon, and it was pretty windy on the rim, so I used the rock/hat method there. I did the same thing taking a series of HDR pics of Neuschwanstein Schloss in Germany too. If you hike up and cross the foot bridge, you get a great picture taking vantage point, but it can be pretty windy.

[ATF]

.. I wish I had money for a camera that would shoot RAWs... So jealous.

I really like the one with the Badger's stadium in the background, but don't like the reflection of you taking the picture Otherwise they look pretty good.

[DustenT]

Originally Posted by ATF

.. I wish I had money for a camera that would shoot RAWs... So jealous.

I really like the one with the Badger's stadium in the background, but don't like the reflection of you taking the picture Otherwise they look pretty good.

I'm using a Fuji FinePix S5100, nothing too fancy, I think I paid $350 for it a couple years back. I'm sure they are a lot cheaper now.

Yeah, I had just finished waxing, so there wasn't much I could do about the reflection.

[BakeR318]

Without viewing any other posts but the pictures themselves, I have to say that the last shot is the only one that strikes me as a true HDR image. The trend seems to be that some images just don't work for HDR/tonemapping, while others fit flawlessly. Not sure if you've heard of it, but a program called Photomatix is made especially for creating HDR/Tonemapping images. You can download the free trial and test it out, but any serious HDR work you do in it will be automatically water marked I just went out back and took a series of 8 exposures with a Canon Rebel XT in RAW, and used Photomatix to create an "HDR" image..I know this picture is nothing special, but it shows you what the program can do. It'd be worth your while to look into it, and the full version is surprisingly cheap; around $120 for the tonemapping AND HDR software together. Oh..and how could I forget. Heres a link to the website: http://www.hdrsoft.com/index.html
Hope this helps a little? Maybe?

[thesk8nmidget]

bake i like your album picture a lot! both the bmws have matching wheels and look very clean

[BakeR318]

Thanks Thats my ti facing off with my dad's 2002 330i. Oh how I enjoy driving the 330 Anyways, back to HDR..haha.

[BakeR318]

I went on an outing today and decided to try my hand at HDR again, so heres a little taste DustenT. It's not my best work, as I was trying to do it before company arrived..but hey. Again this was done with PhotoMatix Pro; the more I use it the more I love the results I get. This particular HDR image was done differently than I normally would..It's so fun to experiment with this schtuff.

[teetime4one]

that is an evil f***in' picture yo!
sick-sick-sick!!!
i love it!

[thesk8nmidget]

every picture you submit makes me wanna do hdr more and more, and in texas every morning at like 7 the sun rises and has super cool skys and really colorful would be a great time to do some hdr


i'll have to look more into it

(i need a tripod)