Check point

[Mino]

This shot has a tiny bit of HDR treatment to help show off the truck. I think HDR is a handy tool but can be way overused, one should use it like salt in a stew, just a hint to bring out the flavor.

http://www.mindtapmedia.com/pics/Check%20Point.jpg

[DivotDan]

When you do your HDR, are you shooting in RAW and exporting various exposure adjustments? I've only ever attempted HDR when I took pictures via tripod and adjusted the exposure on camera. I just didn't see any way you could have done that with this photo.

I like all the stuff I've seen you post so far. Only really started looking in this part of DVXUser today.

[Mino]

Thanks, I used a jpg here and got Photomatics to process it as an HDR image

[THoff]

Photomatix can take a single RAW file and develop a HDR image from that. For scenes with motion, that's very convenient, although you can achieve the same effect by adjusting the exposure in the RAW developer of your choice and outputting multiple JPEG images, and loading those into Photomatix.

[Mino]

You lost me?

[THoff]

RAW images allow you to recover information from the shadow and highlight areas that are clipped in JPEG images.

In essence, Photomatix can do the exposure bracketing using a single RAW file. Because you are dealing with a single image, there are no issues with motion artifacts, but on the downside, it is not as effective as having three or more true bracketed images that are at least +/- 1 EV.

[Mino]

I see what you're saying now. My version of Photomatix won't read a RAW file from the new Olympus e-510 Unfortunately, neither will my version of PS (PS7) So I'm stuck shooting jpgs at this time.

[pest22o]

I'm sorry to sound so crappy but whats HDR?

[triplej96]

I'm sorry to sound so crappy but whats HDR?

High Dynamic Range. Look it up on ps help or google.

[DivotDan]

pest22o, HDR is very cool. You will not find out about it unless ask.

As triplej96 said, if you look it up on Google you can find some awesome examples and a far better explanations than I can offer. Be ready to spend hours looking at photos though. It is kinda mind blowing the first time you check them out.

[alwayslearning]

There is pretty good info here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_dynamic_range_imaging

It is hard to find a book with info on it, but after much searching, I found one:

The Complete Guide to Light & Lighting in Digital Photography by Michael Freeman

Starting at page 128. It's a Lark Photography Book.

If you get into it, you'll have a blast. I started doing it with Photoshop 7.0 but several months ago I was able to upgrade to CS3 and it is easier.

Basically, you set your camera on a tripod so it cannot move at all. Take at least 3 shots of the same scene with good exposure on the dark areas, knowing you'll blow out the light areas. Then a shot with mids exposed good and the dark areas too dark and the light areas too light. Then another with the light areas with good exposure and the dark areas basically just look black. Get some in between if your scene has a great amount of dynamic range. Then in photoshop .... or some use photomatrix ... you stack the shots on top of one another and play with the opacity of layers. Read at the above link and you'll see what I mean. Theoretically, you can achieve perfect dynamic range but in practice, you'll get some very interesting dynamic range.

Larry

[alwayslearning]

BTW, while the function of HDRI is not too hard to grasp, the more difficult part to understand, but not too hard to do, is the part of tone mapping. It is part and parcel with HDR.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_mapping

Larry

[alwayslearning]

An example of a tone mapped HDR image from the above link:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/48/Old_saint_pauls_2.jpg/400px-

Larry

[pest22o]

thanks guys I will definetly look it up.