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Thread: HDR question

  1. #1
    Member Dubbs5050's Avatar
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    HDR question

    I am wondering how to go about making one shot into HDR. From what I understand, you are supposed to take multiple shots of something at different f-stops and merge them in photoshop, but I am seeing people come up with HDR shots that are single shots, like action shots and stuff. What do I do to make one shot HDR? Do I play with the levels and save the pic multiple times, then open all the saved files and merge? Please, any help would be great, thank you.
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    Senior Member freygr's Avatar
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    Re: HDR question

    True HDR you take from a tripod multiple exposers to get highlight and shadow detail. You can do some by remapping a RAW file when you convert it down to a 8 bit color depth of JPG (raw is in most cases 12 bit color depth), but it's NOT HDR.
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    Re: HDR question

    In Photomatix (hdrsoft.com) the program will open up a single Raw exposure it will convert it. It then lets you adjust all the same levels as if it were a multipule exposure HDR image. Yopu can use detail enhancer as well as tone mapping. Before you bein your adjustments the program makes a statement that it is a psuedo HDR exposure and that true HDR take many different exposures.
    Another method I have heard people doing is taking the single or multiple exposures in Photomatix then saving one copy as a Detail enchancement in Tiff format then saving a Map tonning copy in Tiff formatt. from there you mereg the 2 into photoshop and layer the Detail enchancement with the tone mapping. People have been getting pretty good results this way.
    Hope this helps

    Ray Still

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    Powder River Imaging EOSThree's Avatar
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    Re: HDR question

    If you are going to use a single photo to make an HDR photo from you should shoot in RAW. Then process your base exposure once for +2 EV, save as, and once for -2 EV, save as, then merge the three different exposures using an HDR program such as Photomatix or PS. After you have the HDR photo, tone map it to achieve a pleasing result.

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    Senior Member OldClicker's Avatar
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    Re: HDR question

    Quote Originally Posted by Dubbs5050
    I am wondering how to go about making one shot into HDR. From what I understand, you are supposed to take multiple shots of something at different f-stops and merge them in photoshop, but I am seeing people come up with HDR shots that are single shots, like action shots and stuff. What do I do to make one shot HDR? Do I play with the levels and save the pic multiple times, then open all the saved files and merge? Please, any help would be great, thank you.
    I think another possibility would be to take one shot with the action figure in it at the correct exposure to capture the action. Then bracket that exposure with the same scene without the action figure. - TF
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    Learning more with every "click" mjs1973's Avatar
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    Re: HDR question

    Quote Originally Posted by Dubbs5050
    From what I understand, you are supposed to take multiple shots of something at different f-stops and merge them in photoshop.
    If you're going to shoot multiple images to create an HDR image, do not change the f/ stop! Change your shutterspeed to get your separate exposures. If you change your f/ stop, your area of sharp focus (depth of field) will change with all three images the images may not blend together very well.

    As others have said, shoot in RAW, and process the RAW file to get your different exposures if you can only take one photo. I have been doing this for years using layers in Photoshop.
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    Member Dubbs5050's Avatar
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    Re: HDR question

    Quote Originally Posted by mjs1973
    If you're going to shoot multiple images to create an HDR image, do not change the f/ stop! Change your shutterspeed to get your separate exposures. If you change your f/ stop, your area of sharp focus (depth of field) will change with all three images the images may not blend together very well.

    As others have said, shoot in RAW, and process the RAW file to get your different exposures if you can only take one photo. I have been doing this for years using layers in Photoshop.

    thank you everyone for your advice. I'm sorry, I did mean exposure rather than f-stop. I will give it another shot. Thanks again.
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    Re: HDR question

    HDR only means high dynamic range ... an HDR doesn't have to be made using a particular way only. Any way that you can extend the dynamic range within a digital image is an HDR.

    Using Photomatix Pro 3, if not using a RAW file to convert to a 'Pseudo' HDR, which a single exposure HDR is often called, any two identical files will work in Photomatix, excluding PNG files.

    Try this if you are a Photomatix Pro 3 user. Modify any single exposure to two well made TIFF files. Have both TIFF files identical in every way, complete duplicates. Then tone map the 2 TIFFS.

    This gives a most spacy 3D look at times. Although I have CS3, CS3 is not considered on the same level as Photomatix for rendering HDRs.

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    Warren.

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    Re: HDR question

    Quote Originally Posted by Wild Wassa
    HDR only means high dynamic range ... an HDR doesn't have to be made using a particular way only. Any way that you can extend the dynamic range within a digital image is an HDR.

    Using Photomatix Pro 3, if not using a RAW file to convert to a 'Pseudo' HDR, which a single exposure HDR is often called, any two identical files will work in Photomatix, excluding PNG files.

    Try this if you are a Photomatix Pro 3 user. Modify any single exposure to two well made TIFF files. Have both TIFF files identical in every way, complete duplicates. Then tone map the 2 TIFFS.

    This gives a most spacy 3D look at times. Although I have CS3, CS3 is not considered on the same level as Photomatix for rendering HDRs.

    Goolwa at the mouth of the Murray River in South Australia.





    Noreen, Noreen and Naomi. The Three Sisters. Blue Mountains, New South Wales.





    Warren.
    Umm I tried same exact exposure like you stated above for a change I didn't gert that 3d look you got maybe it is just the shot I tried

    Ray Still
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails HDR question-psuedo2_1.jpg  

  10. #10
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    Re: HDR question

    looks pretty 3d to me
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