HDR with CS5

[whalter]

Hi!

Is it possible to create good looking (photorealistic) HDR images with CS5 new feature? I haven't had much luck trying. They always look flat and over processed. I would like to use this for some interior photos. I found some bad tutorials that show how to do those awful "toneraped" versions.

Thanks for any advice!

[mistermonday]

Whalter, welcome to RetouchPro. If you are referring to the Image>Adjust>HDR Toning command in CS5 I find it does a great job. Certain images lend themselves better to the effects than others. Usually I find only some very minor adjustment of a slider or two perfects the results. You might want to post a sample before / after image here so it can be analysed.
Regards, Murray

[whalter]

Hi and thank you!

I'm trying to learn how to use the "merge to HDR Pro" with multiple bracketed captures with 1 stop EV shift. My results look quite bad I think. I can try to post a sample.

br W.

[mistermonday]

OK, now I understand. I tested it out on a couple of months ago on about 20 images, each bracketed 2 stops over and 2 stops under on a tripod. I was generally not pleased with the results. It depends in part on the image. Most of the time I prefer to overlay and blend the images manually in PS.
Regards, Murray

[amica999]

Some people are very pleased with this one: http://www.oloneo.com/ It's currently beta and at the best price: free

[KTG]

I, like Murray, manually blend and mask images at varying exposures. I work for a architectural photographer whose work flow is to take many exposures for his images. He wants to choose the exposure for the shadows, highlights or lights for one side of a room and then the other. I take those images and "merge" them to his specifications.
I recently did a commercial room with a high, vaulted ceiling with windows. I manually blended the exposures of six images shot at f/11 with shutter speeds from .5 to 1/20. It turned out pretty good. Then I did a test with Photomatix Pro using HDR and Tone Mapping. I was very impressed ( at least with this scene). Photomatix rendered the ceiling, windows, dark corners, sun streaks perfectly. It didn't do so well with the below the ceiling area, but I could easily mask in those areas with other exposures. But I sure liked what it did with that problem ceiling.

K

[mistermonday]

As with any set of complex adjustments that you have Photoshop perform on its own, it makes some assumptions and guesses. Sometimes it does a good job, and other times it makes a real mess. When I have an important piece of work I always do it myself.
Regards, Murray

[0lBaldy]

Originally Posted by amica999

Some people are very pleased with this one: http://www.oloneo.com/ It's currently beta and at the best price: free

Thanks for the link Amica!

[TommyO]

Originally Posted by whalter

I'm trying to learn how to use the "merge to HDR Pro" with multiple bracketed captures with 1 stop EV shift. My results look quite bad I think.

Whalter,
Another thought would be to examine your images visually first and determine what process would yield better results.

For example, merging for HDR can yield poor results when using bracketing, if the subject is moving or the depth of field is rather long. Under these circumstances, good HDR comes from maintaining a fixed aperture, and changing only the shutter speed. This is always my preferred method. It takes longer to get the shots, but the results are always superior.

[whalter]

Hi!

Thanks for your replys! I have done it earlier manually and was now thinking if some kind of automation could speed up the process or even help to improve the quality. I think I'll try the link amica gave or maby even photomatix that I have heard of before but not tried yet.

edit: it seems like oloneo dont run on a mac...

br W.

[philbach]

Re: HDR with CS5
Murray, (mrmonday) I've noticed that you prefer to blend your images manually. Just wondering how you do that. I understand that you have the images aligned in one file on several layers and probably with layer masks, but do you use different blending modes or just mask various items in your composite.
__________________
Phil

I took this photo yesterday. The Church was in the shade but photomatix produced this composite.

[mistermonday]

Hi Phil,
Only masks on aligned layers. There are some quick ways to align layers like File>Automate>Photomerge using the Reposition option. There's also File>Scripts>Load Files Into Stack with Align option selected. You can also manually load files into a single image stack and use Edit>Auto Align to line them up. The Edit>Auto Blend with the Seamless Tone and Stacked options are useful if you have already processed the layers - for example if you used the Image>Adjust>HDR Toning and you just want to blend them. Auto Blend adds a mask to each layer and sometimes if it is pretty close all you need to do is teak one or more masks.
Sometimes none of the automations help and then its stacking layers, adding layer masks, and just painting in what you need each layer to contribute much like if you were colorizing a B&W image.
Regards, Murray

[philbach]

Thanks, Murray