Whats the best way blend these three Photos

[philbach]

Just wondering what would be the best way to deal with these three photos. One was taken at +2 stops exposure, the second at +0 and the third at -2. Let me know how you blended these or perhaps, just take one of these three and process it.

Thanks

[Tulack]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

Use luminosity masks.

[mikemorrell]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

Photoshop also has a HDR function (I've never it): File/Automate/Merge to HDR Pro.

There's a video on it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCteSD9oYT0

There are a lot of other articles/video's available via Google. I've never used HDR but for manual blending, I think Tulack's tip would be the way to go.What I'd add is: automatically align layers first and use layer curves & masks to fine-tune the luminosity blend.

[Tulack]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

Something like that maybe?

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...6c&oe=5A1D3005

[mikemorrell]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

I usually hate anything with obvious HDR but this is really good, Tulack! Very natural looking.

Something like that maybe?

https://scontent-lax3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...6c&oe=5A1D3005

[Wolfman]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

I used 2 of the 3 images...I eliminated the brightest one. I stacked them as layers and used blend if sliders to blend the brighter sky with the lower exposed sky. Then I opened that image in camera raw and did some fine tuning with contrast and color.
http://imgur.com/a/xZ2CX

[philbach]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

It would be great if you would upload your photos directly to the site. So Tulack how did you blend the photos with Luminosity masks. Perhaps you could upload a screen dump of your layers.

[philbach]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

This was done by using photomatix 6 Tone Balancer. I did copy the layer and use multiply blending mode to decrease the highlights.

[Tulack]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

I usually hate anything with obvious HDR but this is really good, Tulack! Very natural looking.

Just manual blending. Didn't touch the sky at all. Think it need to be replaced.

[Tulack]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

It would be great if you would upload your photos directly to the site. So Tulack how did you blend the photos with Luminosity masks. Perhaps you could upload a screen dump of your layers.

I already delete it. If you familiar with luminosity masking, shouldn't be complicated. Similar to this video.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXyr2SWV5lc

[Jerry1]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

Luminosity masks are great, but you'll probably get ghosting where the waves have moved between exposures. I would use Capture One on the middle exposure to recover some of the shadow detail (assuming you have RAW files) then use the luminosity mask only on the sky to bring in burnt out highlights. That should give a natural looking result if that's to your taste.

[Shoku]

Re: Whats the best way blend these three Photos

Processed with HDR Efex Pro 2. Selected one in the list of auto possibilities made with a setting of 1EV.