Andy Smylie

HDR

I finally started to edit my shots from my Sydney trip.

I am hooked on HDR and maybe going a little overboard as I see an awful lot of them are bracketed ready for Photomatix…......

I am finding the colours in some a little unreal. Especially the blues of the skies. Not sure if that is the effect of the HDR of use of the circular polariser – maybe a little of both.

I like the oversaturated colours on the old machines etc – some good examples here on RB. Seems to look a little cartoonish but I think that adds to the style of the image.

The effect on the landscapes is good but I have to watch for the “halo” effect that occurs some times. Easily fixed with a little burning – if my old eyes can see it (mental note to get my glasses checked).

Anyway, I will let this mania run it’s course and try a few of the different tutorial about. The learning is fun. :)

Cheers til next time. :)

tonilouise, about 1 year ago

You’ll have to give me a few lessons when I come down Andy. Mine always look terrible and I’ve tried it a few different ways. Bracketting the shots in camera and shooting raw then processing the images at 3 different exposures.They all look really horrible…I use Photomatix and I’ve seen the ones you and a few others have done, mine look nothing like it…
Toni
Sharon Hammond, about 1 year ago

i’ll be wanting a lesson too
tonilouise, about 1 year ago

I think Andy’s going to have to start taking names and putting classes together…What do you reckon Andy
Mel Brackstone, about 1 year ago

I’m going to get howled down here, for sure, but I find that jpgs processed in photomatix always seem to look better than the ones straight from raw…..This is just a visual thing, there’s no basis or fact in my statement….I’m keen to see what others think. Looking forward to seeing your Sydney shots, Andy.
Andy Smylie, about 1 year ago

How can I teach when I am so much a learner myself?? Photomatrix seems to do all the work….......with a little help in PS afterwards.

Now if we can get into Mel’s ear for an hour or so that would be a lesson I would love to be part of. Love the work she is posting at the moment.

Toni, your welcome to get together for an avo when you come down (any news on a DDO yet?) and I will show you what I know in all of 5 minutes :) and Sharon the more the merrier :) :) :)
Andy Smylie, about 1 year ago

You must have telepathy Mel…...I was just “talking” about you.

I have read else where that the results from Phtomatix are better from .jpg than single images processed in raw.

Surely the visual think is what we are on about Mel. If you can see the difference and you consider one “better” than the other then we should go the way of the “better” image. (that sounds Irish…....but hey, why does that not suprise me?? :) )

Cheers :)
Sharon Hammond, about 1 year ago

Bill R said the CS3 has a good HDR feature…mine just arrived so I’ll have a play in the next few days….better take some bracketed shots first
tonilouise, about 1 year ago

Andy you could teach me something cause I know nothing about it, other than its extremely frustrating trying to get the look I want. I’d definitely be in on those lessons from Mel as well..I’ll email in regards to my visit..
Mel Brackstone, about 1 year ago

I shoot raw and jpg, so that I can have a quick squiz through my shots after a day’s shoot. My little notebook just can’t run the 12+Mb raw files easily. If I had a bit of spare time I ran photomatix and blended the jpgs rather than waste the time and ram trying to process raw through PM. The results (I thought) were marvellous!
When I returned home, and started running the batch of 3 raw files at a time through PM the resulting HDR files still looked ok, but when tone mapped they just didn’t have the same impact, or detail, for that matter. They also seemed more grainy…..so now I’m converting my raw files to jpg, so they can then be processed through PM. Results are much more pleasing…..to my eye.
Here’s a link for processing that has been useful to me in working out one of the best ways of getting a decent result. Hope it helps you guys. Other than that, all I can suggest is faff around with the sliders, which is what I do in my totally scientific way :)
Andy Smylie, about 1 year ago

“faff” now that is a good word…......sounds like fun.

Thanks for a little of your insight Mel. Your link looks like a good tut. I wll try maybe this weekend if I have a bit of spare time…...after my chores and gardening of course.

Cheers :)
tonilouise, about 1 year ago

Gee you’re a wealth of information. This one makes it sound pretty easy. It also proves that I was doing everything wrong
Disenchanted, about 1 year ago

I have recently discovered the wonderous world of HDR as well. I have had some good results with it… I use the bracketed method with photomatix. The three newest shots load to RB are all HDR to varying degrees.

My advice is to simply stick at it. Perserverance is a great tool.

As for the ‘cartoony’ effect… for me, that is a big part of the appeal but as already stated… it’s damn easy to get carried away. My advise:

Use this format… but you should constrain yourself.

Cheers.
Matt
robert murray, about 1 year ago

what is HDR for the ignorant one
Craig Watson, about 1 year ago

I have often asked that question myself so did a search on google and came up with this so go and have a look!
Craig Watson, about 1 year ago

Woop, forgot to add that it means “H*igh *Dynamic Range”.
Craig Watson, about 1 year ago

...and I typed a few too many ’s and ’s if you get what I mean… also left an “s” off the woops*_ …anyway, I am sure you will be able to sort it out!!!
Craig Watson, about 1 year ago

Oh Damn!!!!!!!! I give up on this for now!!!!
Mel Brackstone, about 1 year ago

yup, high dynamic range, where you shoot three exposures of the same scene, and blend them together to be able to display all the shadow detail as well as the highlight detail. There’s plenty of info on the net, just google it.
John Conway, about 1 year ago

If I might put “my oar” in on this one. I have found creating HDR from 3 exposed RAW files, seem to allow for a richer colour (and also allow you to be over the top if you wish) whereas, as Mel’s preference, I have found using jpg, offers a cleaner, fresher finish. I guess it all depends on what subject you have shot.

Johno
Mel Brackstone, about 1 year ago

I’m glad I’m not alone in finding there’s a big difference. I’ll keep testing my theories :)
Andy Smylie, about 1 year ago

John, are you using three raw exposures (batch processing) or creating three files from the one raw exposure?
Andy Smylie, about 1 year ago

Here is an url for a whole heap of tutorials using differing methods for thos of us who are just learning.

http://tutorialblog.org/hdr-tutorials-roundup/

Have fun and faff around. :) :)
Melinda Kerr, about 1 year ago

This is so cool. I’ve never even heard of HDR until now! I’m really enjoying this post! So here’s a big beginners question. Um er (blush) what’s photomatix??
Melinda Kerr, about 1 year ago

Ok I’ve answered my own question! If anyone else is a beginner this is a good link.
It is a tutorial from the photomatix site. I gotta buy this!!!!! Do you experts use the pro version??
Andy Smylie, about 1 year ago

Hey Melinda I look forward to see what HDR images you produce.

I think the Pro version is the way to go as a stand alone programme.

I have not tried the plug in to PS.
Melinda Kerr, about 1 year ago

Thanks Smylie-now I’ve gotta save up for photomatix AND a tripod! :0)
Mel Brackstone, about 1 year ago

Alexkess has a bit of info
and then there’s a link that goes further…
John Conway, about 1 year ago

Andy, sorry for the slow reply. I have been using both techniques

Initially I had been shooting three RAW files ( usually +2, -2 and 0 ) but to do that, it’s best to use a tripod (something I keep forgetting to leave in the car).

Now I’m creating 3 exposures from the one RAW shot (exporting a darker and a lighter version from Capture One). As I mentioned earlier, I find the 3 RAW shots seem to be richer while from the one file they seem to be cleaner and crisper, I’ve no idea why that is so.

If it hasn’t been listed, here’s a handy site Vanilla

hope that works!