How To: HDR images (easy way)

Ok not sure if this sub-forum was made for this but here goes.. delete thread if not. :p I imagine it prob should go in the HOW TO section but, figured the lab is better suited.

Ok programs you will need:

Photoshop

EasyHDR
or Photomatix
or HDR Max

Step 1 - Choose an image to edit, try to use high res images with lots of detail. here is an example of an image for ya (yes its not an opel, and italian alps aren't exactly easy to come by, but good example non the less) This will be your ' base pic' don't save over this one.

http://img410.imageshack.us/img410/8361/bmws.jpg


Step 2 - Take your photo and change the levels [Enhance -> Adjust Brightness/contrasted -> levels] on your first one adjust the levels so it is noticably brighter (not too bright but), save this pic as 'xxxxx-b.jpg' and once you've done that push Ctrl + Shift + Z, to return to base pic,
http://img402.imageshack.us/img402/6740/bmwbright.jpg

Step 3- Adjust levels again but this time go darker. Save again but as 'xxxxx-d.jpg'.

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/8828/bmwdark.jpg

Step 4 - Open up EasyHDR, new project and on the right you will see 'Generate HDR' click the open button, select you base/dark/bright pictures and add them in.

Step 5 - A box will open, down the bottom left select EV Spacing to be 2 if its not already. All other settings leave as is (you can change anti-blooming if you want, i reccomend put on slight). Click Generate

Step 6 - Make sure you select you picture completly by click and dragging cursor over it, zoom tool in bottom middle if it's to big to select fully. Next step is pretty much up to how you feel you want the image to look, fiddle around with the tabs adjusting the saturation and compression, etc. Put on Auto-preview tab at the top of side-bar so it updates as you go, to undo all click process all.

Step 7 - Press the 3 tab at the top then click ok. This again is up to you, just make sure picture is completely selected. A bit of gaussian blur is always good with in moderation. Color tone is probs best to fiddle with, other ones aren't worth it really other than cropping.

Step 8 - Save your picture and then share with us what you've done! Here the BMW for ya

http://img512.imageshack.us/img512/1...mwdarkeasy.jpg

hope you like!

The only down side to that is it's not true HDR.

You need to actually take the pics at different exposures or use RAW images to get a true HDR with the extra detail in it.

That guide is a good way to make an artistic looking shot tho :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by immenotu

The only down side to that is it's not true HDR.

You need to actually take the pics at different exposures or use RAW images to get a true HDR with the extra detail in it.

That guide is a good way to make an artistic looking shot tho :)

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hehe yeh i know, but this is the 'easy way'

but yeh you need to really take photos at -2, 0, +2 exposures and use something along the lines of F22 or so to get a really nice HDR :p

torrent link removed

:DHahaha :D

HDR Max dont need 3 exposures it makes them itself, thats why its rendering is delayed.
thats if you just used a jpg

IMO hdr images appear to be rather "noisy" compared to the originals, these examples anyway

its not true HDR, but using one image and changing the exposure in say photoshop has its advantages - particularly for landscape photography when its windy. its impossible to merge three separate exposures when the trees are blowing in the wind!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Manda88

hehe yeh i know, but this is the 'easy way'

but yeh you need to really take photos at -2, 0, +2 exposures and use something along the lines of F22 or so to get a really nice HDR :p

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for the sake of sounding stupid... whats F22?

pretty sure its a leens mate.
but dont take that for gospel...
im not a slr guy, yet

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Orion_996

for the sake of sounding stupid... whats F22?

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Aperture Size

ahhhhh cool, thanks.

Hi I've tried this and my pictures are previewing really pixelated, am i doing something wrong? do you add all the pictures to the EasyHDR (base, bright, dark)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hackstra

Hi I've tried this and my pictures are previewing really pixelated, am i doing something wrong? do you add all the pictures to the EasyHDR (base, bright, dark)

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yeh you add all 3 images.. you need to make sure you are using high res pics or it will pixelate... sometimes it will get a bit of noise so add like 0.4 gaussian blur.... if your pics are too dark or too light and not evenly spaced +2 0 -2 you can find that bits of one will come through in spots when blended, this might be your pixelation problem...:p

No way would I ever use this method
Sorry to kill the thread, but I wouldn't even call this a HDR image.
Reason:
- Each f-stop you choose to go above/under has a whole different level of brightness/contrast/colours/shadows, which you simply cannot try to replicate using simple adjustments.
- Doing these adjustments manually, you don't know how far above/under you have gone, so the image becomes unbalanced.

There really is no easy way to do HDR. There is a lot of time involved in getting the image right.

Another way of getting the pictures right, is to use the raw images, and not ones pre-converted to jpg. The difference is really noticable.