hdr photography
DESCRIPTION
HDR PHOTOGRAPHY. BY PHILIP VENABLE. WHAT IS HDR?. HDR- H igh D ynamic R ange A process to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from bright sunlight to deep shadows. WHAT YOU WILL LEARN. How to bracket exposures in the camera - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
HDR
PHOTO
GRAPHY
BY
PHILI
P VENABLE
WHAT IS HDR?
HDR-High Dynamic Range
A process to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from bright sunlight to deep shadows.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
How to bracket exposures in the camera
Use software to combine a series of images into a single image
Use software to manipulate the single image into a work of art
TOOLS NEEDED
A camera that allows you to bracket exposures, either automatically or manually. Photos captured in camera should be RAW or TIFF. JPEG captures tend to lose image quality when manipulated and resaved.
A tripod
Software-Photomatix, Nik Software HDR Efex Pro, Topaz Adjust HDR, Photoshop, Photoshop Elements
Photomatix can be used as a standalone product, then the resulting image can be imported into Photoshop or Elements, or exported directly from Lightroom. The Nik and Topaz products are plugins for Photoshop.
TYPES OF SCENES FOR HDR TO WORK BESTHigh contrast scenes-lots of highlights and shadows
High detailed scenes-lots of textures such as brick or wood grain
Any scene you want to bring out as much detail , color, or texture in regardless of lighting
HDR GETS A BAD RAP
Most people tend to shy away from HDR due to a “cartoonish” look as a result from bad software rendering, or over manipulation of the image. The end result can look like:
LET’S START
SET UP CAMERA
Use a tripod-compose your image
Set optimum exposure-Photo was set at ISO 200, F11, 1/200 sec
Use finger as a marker to start series, snap two photos. First is your series marker, with finger, second is your median exposure image, without finger.
Next image 1 stop under expose (adjust shutter speed only, leave at F11 through entire series), next image 2 stops under. Shoot another 1 stop over exposed, next shot 2 stops over. Then shoot another with your finger to mark the end of the series.
FIRST MARKER
MEDIAN EXPOSURE SHOT
1 STOP UNDEREXPOSED
2 STOPS UNDEREXPOSED
1 STOP OVEREXPOSED
2 STOPS OVEREXPOSED
END OF SERIES MARKER
NOW WHAT?
Upload photos to computer.
Photomatix works as a standalone program
Nik HDR Efex Pro works as a plugin within Photoshop
We will start with Photomatix
PHOTOMATIX 4.0
LOAD THE BRACKETED IMAGES
INITIAL SETTINGS
PREVIEW IMAGE
TONE MAP VS EXPOSURE FUSION
Exposure Fusion Combination of photos of the same scene taken under different exposure settings in such a way that highlight details are taken from the underexposed photos and shadow details from the overexposed ones.
Tone Mapping Processing a 32-bit HDR image into an image that can be properly viewed on monitors and in prints.
FINAL IMAGE
MY FINAL IMAGE
HDR EFEX PRO BY NIK SOFTWARE
5 SHOT SELECTION
PHOTO SELECTION
PHOTOS SELECTED
PREVIEW SCREEN
SETTINGS AND ADJUSTMENTS
NAVIGATOR AND CONTROL POINTS
USING CONTROL POINTS
FINAL IMAGE
COSTS
Photomatix Pro $99
HDR Efex Pro $99.95