Calgary Sunset HDR

[Matt K.]

Since this is my first attempt @ HDR, I would welcome any comments to help me improve myself.

Was driving home from the south of town when I spotted the sunset over the city. Was on frigging Deadfoot Trail, the high speed commuter raceway. So I had to find my way back to a place where I would not be killed by traffic. Unfortunately, the damn mosquitos killed me, anyway.

[Mad Aussie]

Sometimes it's easier to give advice on HDR if we can see the original exposures and know what program(s) you used to create this.

At first glance it appears as though your exposures were not stopped far enough apart or you used 3 when maybe 4 or 5 were needed. The sky looks like it could have had more darker areas in it and the dark foreground could have been lighter. That's assuming you were after a strong HDR image for the purposes of keeping bright detail and opening up shadows to show detail in the dark as well.

In the end this one looks a bit too washed out across the whole photo to me.

[Matt K.]

Thanks MA ... here is the low down: I did three exposures, one +1.7 stops, andone -1.7 stops. Used Photoshop to create the HDR. I am also not very happy with this, and there are so many damn things one has to learn when creating the HDR, that I am wondering if it is worth it.

So i took one of the images and just did it like I would normally do, except I added color correction into it a bit. I like it better, but then again

The city scape is still washed out ... I tried a bit of the dodge tool, one time over it, thought it might help

[Mad Aussie]

Your first mistake ... you used Photoshop to create an HDR. Everything after that was a waste of time I'm afraid.

If you like ... send me the 3 exposures and I'll run it through Photomatix and we'll see what is possible.

[Matt K.]

Your first mistake ... you used Photoshop to create an HDR. Everything after that was a waste of time I'm afraid.

If you like ... send me the 3 exposures and I'll run it through Photomatix and we'll see what is possible.

How would I go about sending you the RAW files?

[Mad Aussie]

How would I go about sending you the RAW files?

Well if it were me ... I'd email them

steveatastrovisual.com.au

[Mad Aussie]

You didn't send me the same files you made that photo with, and as they are Nikon files I don't have the software to view them raw. However, Photomatix handles them fine of course and I was able to get an idea what you were up against.

So, I can say this .... don't be dis-heartened by your first attempt. Some images just don't work for HDR, simple as that. And these ones aren't ideal at all. Below is what I managed to get out of it after Photomatix and then taking it into Photoshop for a bit more tweaking.

My suggestion is to learn .... pick easier subjects .. like at home ... take a shot of your loungeroom with the curtains open and try to get the outside exposed as well as the inside. You don't have to leave home and you can keep taking shots until you get them right and learn as you go.

[Matt K.]

Hey thanks a bunch MA, and I am sure you are right. These ones just are not really suited for this. I will take your advise and try some other stuff first. Your result looks, awesome, though. Mind you, if my mind serves me correct, the skies were neither yellow/gold (as in my rendition) nor quite as red as in yours. They were a bit of an orangy colour, quite hard to capture when the sun is still pretty bright behind the clouds. Anyway, thanks so much fo the try, and I will check subjects with some easier light.

[ericmark]

I was forced to use Photoshop CS4 for HDR as it was the only program available in the exam. I will admit often the free Picturenaut works better but the instructions for HDR with Photoshop were the main problem.
I normally use three RAW shots with the max auto bracket my Pentax will allow +/- 2EV stops.
The first screen does not matter where you set slider it is just for pre-view and some times one finds removing one image does help.
Once in 32 bit mode next step is to reduce to 16 bit Photoshop call it HDR Conversion others call it tone mapping. At top of the controller you need to select "Local Adaptation" bottom of list and I often find better if radius is reduced to half default setting around 4px clicking to open the Toning Curve and Histogram you can then start to play. At bottom the little red marks are the EV stops. As with levels flat line where there is no image information top right and bottom left and often a slight S curve rather than straight line. Where there is a two stage image like in a room looking out of window one can click on corner and have two distinct slops with a flat area between although it gives a pre-view one has to remember once you click OK it's not finished so don't over do it.
Once you do click OK then save as a Tiff file. Then close and re-open tiff using open as and select camera RAW. This allows you to use all the RAW tools.
Biggest problem with Photoshop it seems to mess up colours you get purple sky's.
As I said to start with not best HDR program but only one I could use for exam so had to learn how to do it with photoshop. Picturenaut in the main is better and free but with one or two sets of images that has also messed up the colours and Photoshop did a better job. However many times I have also tried using one image with better results than with HDR.
Clouds, Wind farms, and people will move and even using auto bracket one can still have problems. However to take three or five shots with 2EV between even if not used with HDR does allow you to select best later so I take with HDR in mind even if I don't in the end use it.