Single HDR Photo

[Argranade]

This is my first real try at HDR, no tripod but I still love it.


http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd78/Rainbowhuggs/phpVrDmdiPM.jpg

[Karen]

For what does HDR stand?

[Alysser]

Wow, that's beautiful! It almost looks like a painting ;)

[Catlady711]

For what does HDR stand?

From Wikipedia:
High dynamic range imaging (HDR)- is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of exposures (the range of values between light and dark areas) than normal digital imaging techniques. The intention of HDR is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to shadows.

HDR was originally developed for use with purely computer-generated images. Later, methods were developed to produce a high dynamic range image from a set of photographs taken with a range of exposures.

[andrea2712]

It is beautiful!!

[Jessika]

I looked it up, but couldn't really find anywhere describing the technique. How do you go about doing this?

[Argranade]

I looked it up, but couldn't really find anywhere describing the technique. How do you go about doing this?
I use this thing on my camera that takes 3 photos at once in 3 different ways, one normal, one darker and one lighter, after I use photo matrix pro (free download) and upload all 3 photos which makes them into one and you can adjust the contrast, white tones ect... to make it how you want.

Thanks everyone.

[dukedogsmom]

That is beautiful! I just love it. More please? I wonder if my camera does that?

Look what I found in the Flickr HDR pool
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiedmann/2189122953/sizes/l/in/pool-89888984@N00/

I still don't understand the process, though.

[Jessika]

I use this thing on my camera that takes 3 photos at once in 3 different ways, one normal, one darker and one lighter, after I use photo matrix pro (free download) and upload all 3 photos which makes them into one and you can adjust the contrast, white tones ect... to make it how you want.

Thanks everyone.
So you have a feature on your camera itself that does it and you just combine them later, ok.

So I guess my next question is do you have to have a specific type of camera to be able to do this?

This is odd I've never heard of this before... but now I really want to look into it. I hope I'm able to with my camera :( But I doubt it (Canon Digital Rebel XTi)

[AlleyCat]

It's an awesome photo !! Great job !!

One question .. Near the upper left corner, I can faintly see the words "photo" something in the clouds .. What's that about?

It's still awesome!

[kittycats_delight]

The feature you are referring to on your camera is called bracketing. On my D80 it is a small button that had BKT on it on the side on the camera. On my fujifilm S700 it is a symbol that looks like a camera with others beneath it. It differs from camera to camera but it is on most digital cameras.

This is the symbol on the D80.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/PTCRAZY/Nikon-D80-Bracketing-Button.jpg
It is the small button near the top on the side in the last picture.

This is the symbol on the Fujifilm S700.
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b74/PTCRAZY/Fujifilm-S700-Bracketing-Button.jpg
It is the small button with the camera on it near the rear of the camera on the top.

[kittycats_delight]

This is odd I've never heard of this before... but now I really want to look into it. I hope I'm able to with my camera :( But I doubt it (Canon Digital Rebel XTi)

I am attaching the pic of your camera where the bracketing button is placed. Photobucket is being difficult and won't upload pics again. So here is the bracketing button on your camera.

[kittycats_delight]

That is beautiful! I just love it. More please? I wonder if my camera does that?

Look what I found in the Flickr HDR pool
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wiedmann/2189122953/sizes/l/in/pool-89888984@N00/

I still don't understand the process, though.

What camera do you have Val? I can search it and post a pic of where the button is located for you.

Michelle

[dukedogsmom]

Well, that's one thing my camera won't do :( Too bad. I was looking forward to experimenting with it.

I've got a Canon A630. From what I can tell, mine won't do it. I'm getting sleepy trying to find it.

[kittycats_delight]

Well, that's one thing my camera won't do :( Too bad. I was looking forward to experimenting with it.

I've got a Canon A630. From what I can tell, mine won't do it. I'm getting sleepy trying to find it.


Val I am sorry to say your camera doesn't have built-in bracketing. You can do it manually though.

Here is an explaination I found on a forum on how to do it manually.

You need to do that "manually". The top left button on the back of the cam. (E.C/trash icons) activates the exposure compensation. You then use the left and right arrow buttons to change the offset up to 2 stops above or below the "normal" exposure. You need to change it to the desired offset, take the photo and reset to the next "bracket" step. P. 57 of the "Advanced" manual. E.C. isn't available in all modes.

White Balance (p. 58, "Advanced") is on the "Func." menu. Use the various arrow keys to choose it and choose the desired white balance if AWB isn't working for you. Again, it's not available for all modes.

[Lilith Cherry]

That is a beautiful photograph! Well done! It makes me feel homesick for Ontario...

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

Though I don't understand one bit of the explanation, I want to say that I LOVE the result!!!

[Kfamr]

So you have a feature on your camera itself that does it and you just combine them later, ok.

So I guess my next question is do you have to have a specific type of camera to be able to do this?

This is odd I've never heard of this before... but now I really want to look into it. I hope I'm able to with my camera :( But I doubt it (Canon Digital Rebel XTi)



Your camera has the setting - press menu, go to the second menu, and it should be the first option - AEB (auto exposure bracketing.) Press OK and then the right arrow until all three brackets are at the settings you want. Press OK to set.

It's best the mount the camera on a tripod. The setting takes three different photos are three different exposures, so it's best to take a picture of a still object.

Do a good search - there's a good torturial somewhere that I used a while back for my first HDR for the XTi. :)

[Argranade]

It's an awesome photo !! Great job !!

One question .. Near the upper left corner, I can faintly see the words "photo" something in the clouds .. What's that about?

It's still awesome!
That's the photo matrix's words from the program that lets me do an HDR photo.

I'm going to be getting a tripod so the HDR photos will be allot more clear.

Would be nice to see other PT members doing HDR photos if they can! :)

[Randi]

Wow, a beautiful winter scenery!


Near the upper left corner, I can faintly see the words "photo" something in the clouds .. What's that about?

I was wondering the same, so I opened it in Photoshop to see it better. I was able to get a little more detail out of the text. It says "Photomatrix".

The link below is a HDR application that makes this type of photo processing easy - there are examples. It's not free though. Until you pay for it, it'll insert a watermark on the images you create with it.

http://www.hdrsoft.com/

[Jessika]

OH I understand how to do it manually; I always mess with my white balance. :)

But I will look for that button right now... I had no idea it was even there (goes to show I read the manual, eh? Actually normally I read manuals for EVERYTHING, but for this camera there's just so many features it can be confusing.)

Thank you SO MUCH!

[Suki Wingy]

You can also essentially do that to any image in photoshop. When you say the program "puts them together" that sounds like changing the blending modes on each layer.

[Crazy-Cat-Lover]

That is beautiful! I attempted making one, turned out pretty cool. :D

http://i26.tinypic.com/119xc21.jpg

Original

http://i30.tinypic.com/10endxu.jpg

[dukedogsmom]

Val I am sorry to say your camera doesn't have built-in bracketing. You can do it manually though.

Here is an explaination I found on a forum on how to do it manually.
Thanks so much! I just bought a tripod so I should be able to do it. I was also wondering why you just couldn't take the same pic and change different layers in Photoshop. I wish I had known about this for my "tree in Maryland" pics. Would have been awesome! Maybe I'll experiment in Photoshop with those pics, first.

[Jessika]

You can also essentially do that to any image in photoshop. When you say the program "puts them together" that sounds like changing the blending modes on each layer.
From my understanding, especially after reading the wikipedia article, it isnt the same as messing with the image in photoshop. Because in photoshop yes you can lighten one area and darken another, but essentially what this does is take one "base" picture, one picture overexposed and one picture underexposed so when you combine all three you have more detail in the lighter and darker areas of the picture that the "original" just wouldnt have. If this makes sense?

EDIT: After some googling I found some tutorials that really explained it... although I don't know my software well enough to combine them to play around with the levels yet (I haven't messed with image editing beyond brightness/contrast and sharpness and resizing in years...) so I'm trying to get ahold of PS CS2. But until then, I've figured out how to take the pics using my camera :)

For those that are interested:
http://backingwinds.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-create-professional-hdr-images.html
http://www.howtotakehdrphotos.com/tips-and-tricks/

Good luck!

I'll post results once I figure this out a bit more. What program are you guys using to create yours? All I have is Paint Shop Pro and Photoshop CS and I know it won't work in PSP and heck if I've NEVER been able to figure PS CS... lol.