HDR ~ The Possibilities Dooleys Camera Club 14th March 2014!1
HDR - The Possibilities Steve Mullarkey email: stevemul@ozemail.com.au website: http://www.stevemul.com.au/! A PDF copy of this presentation is available from your club.!2
HDR!! HDR = High Dynamic Range!3
HDR = High Dynamic Range!! Why use HDR Photography?!4
HDR = High Dynamic Range Add TWO New Strings to Your Photography Bow 1. Technical 2. Creative!5
HDR Examples Two Quick Examples... First... Technical!6
HDR!7
HDR!8
HDR Examples! Next... Creative!9
HDR ~ Creative!10
HDR ~ Creative!11
HDR Examples! Another Creative Example!12
HDR ~ Creative!13
HDR ~ Creative!14
HDR!! Two different uses for HDR!15
HDR - #1 Reason to Use It #1 - To Handle Bright, High Contrast Lighting n Sunsets n Sunrises n Interiors + Exteriors Combined n Bright Australian Sunlight!16
HDR - #2 Reason to Use It n #2 - To Add Creativity to your Images with : Tone-Mapping n Local Contrast n Structure n Detail n!17
What We ll Cover - I! n Discussion of Dynamic Range Film n Digital n The Human Eye n!18
What We ll Cover - II n Bracketing in Camera n Software n Audio Visual n Use of Local Contrast, Detail and Structure!19
What We ll Cover - III n Software Demos 1. Manual Blending in Photoshop 2. Auto Blending in Photoshop ~ Tonemapping in Lightroom 4.1 3. HDR and Blending with Photomatix 4. Single Image HDR 5. HDR with HDR Efex Pro n Use of Control Points!20
A Quick Survey What do you think of HDR? 1. You re very experienced in HDR 2. You shoot a medium level of HDR 3. You ve tried it a bit 4. You ve not tried it but are interested to learn 5. It s horrible - can t stand HDR!!!21
Dynamic Range n Slide Film ~ 6-7 Stops. n Negative Film ~ 10-12 Stops. n Good Digital Sensors ~ 7-10 Stops. n The Human Eye ~ 15-24 Stops. n A Bright Sunny Day ~ 12-15 Stops.!22
Dynamic Range n So. n The previous slide is very approximate, and n Non-scientific n But. n The figures do show that the human eye can see far better than even the best cameras, film or digital.!23
What Shall We Do? n How can we overcome bright light? n Use Fill-Flash n Doesn't help with Landscapes n Only shoot on dull days n Move to England!!!24
What Shall We Do? n Use Graduated Neutral Density Filters - 1 to 3 Stops Soft or Hard Transition 0 Stops!25
Graduated Neutral Density Filters Pros I. Result is obtained in a single exposure II. All the work is done in camera!26
Graduated Neutral Density Filters Cons I. Limited Control, 1 to 3 stops II. Straight Line Transitions Ok, with a simple straight horizon Otherwise it s a problem!27
Graduated Neutral Density Filters!28
Graduated Neutral Density Filters!29
Graduated Neutral Density Filters!30
Graduated Neutral Density Filters!31
What Shall We Do? n Take Multiple Bracketed Images, and n Combine the Images on your Computer!32
Combining Images 1. Manual Blending 2. Automatic Blending 3. HDR Software 4. Combinations of 1, 2 and 3!33
A High Dynamic Range Image Clipped Shadows Blown Highlights!34
Two Stops Under-Exposed No Blown Highlights!35
Two Stops Over-Exposed Full Shadow Detail!36
3 Images Combined!37
3 Originals + Blended Image!38
Types of HDR Images - Blending!39
Types of HDR Images - Over the Top!40
Types of HDR Images - A Compromise!41
Bracketing n Take Several Exposures 1 or 2 stops apart n Doing This Manually is Slow and Tedious n Most DSLRs have Automatic Bracketing n Many Higher-End P&S Cameras do too!42
Bracketing n Select the Number of Shots to Take n Usually 3 n Can be 5, 7 or even 9 n Select the Exposure Difference n 0.3, 0.7, 1 or 2 EV (aka Stops) n 3 Shots at 0, -2 and +2 EV works well for me. n Sunrise/Sunset might need more over/under exposure.!43
Automatic Exposure Bracketing (AEB) n Set Your Camera to Continuous Shooting n Set the Number of Images n Set the Exposure Difference n Hold the Trigger Down n All Shots are taken in quick succession n I know this works for Canon, Nikon and Olympus n I am pretty sure it also works for most other brands!44
Bracketing ~ Camera Settings I n Manual Focus n Tip - Focus once using Auto-Focus then set to Manual n Use RAW n Not Essential... but HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!45
Bracketing ~ Camera Settings II n Don t Use Auto-ISO (Recommended but Optional) n For best results set your ISO at your camera s lowest setting n You can use Auto-ISO but your results might not be so good n Don t use Auto White Balance (Recommended but Optional) n Chose the most appropriate, Daylight, Cloudy, etc. n You can use Auto-White Balance but your results might not be so good!46
Bracketing ~ Camera Settings III n Use Aperture Preferred Mode - Not Optional n The Aperture MUST remain the same n The Depth of Field (DOF) must not change n It s the Shutter Speed that we want to vary!47
Bracketing ~ Camera Settings IV n For Exposures longer than 1/30 sec ~ Use Mirror Lock-Up n Exposure Delay Mode on a Nikon n Recommended for all long exposures - not just Bracketing n Optional ~ use your own judgment ~ get to know your camera!48
Tripod or Hand-Held n Do I need a Tripod? n Always Preferable n Not Absolutely Necessary n Modern HDR and Blending Software can Align your Images!49
Tripod or Hand-Held - A Warning! n If you Hand-Hold - Check Your Slowest Exposure n If your standard (0 EV) exposure is 1/30th second n Your -2 stops exposure will be 1/125th second n BUT n Your +2 stops exposure will be 1/8th second!50
HDR - Camera Demonstrations n Nikon D800 n 9 Exposures, 0, -4, -3, -2, -1, +1, +2, +3, +4 EV n Olympus OM-D E-M1 n 5 Exposures, 0, -2, -4, +2, +4 EV n Note : 3 Exposures, 0, -2, +2 EV are usually!51
Watch Your Histograms Standard Exposure Mid-Range Fine but... Clipped Shadows Blown Highlights Under Exposure -2 Stops Highlights OK Clipped Shadows Over Exposure + 2 Stops Shadows OK Highlights Blown!52
HDR - Post-Processing 32-Bit HDR File RAW Files Tone-Mapped File Underexposure -2 Stops Standard Exposure 16-Bit Tiff File, or Overexposure + 2 Stops Exposures Blended Images Aligned De-Ghosting (Movement) Reduce Noise and CA 8-Bit Jpeg File Exposure Contrast Saturation, etc..!53
HDR - Post Processing n 32-Bit HDR File n Process is mostly automatic n A few user options - Align, De-Ghost, De-Noise, etc.!54
HDR - Post Processing n Tone-Mapped File n Produces JPEG or TIFF File for Further Editing n Huge Variety of User Controls n Exposure, Contrast, Saturation, Colour Temperature n HDR Strength, Detail Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, etc., etc..!55
HDR Software n Links to HDR and Blending Software :- n Adobe Photoshop CS5, CS6 and now CC n Included as standard part of CS5, CS6 and CC n Many Tutorials on the Internet n Photomatix - http://hdrsoft.com/ n The Original and still very good (since 2005) n Pro ~ USD $99 ~ Includes Batch Processing & Lightroom Plug-In n Essentials ~ USD $39 ~ Standalone Only!56
HDR Software - continued n HDR Expose and Express - http://www.unifiedcolor.com/ n Very Good for a Natural Look, from USD $99 to $149 n NIK Software HDR Efex Pro - now part of Nik Collection n http://www.niksoftware.com/nikcollection/usa/index.php? view=intro/main.shtml n Very Powerful n Includes Nik s Powerful Control Points n Now part of Nik Collection, a Bargain at $USD 149, plus discounts!57
Blending Software n LR/Enfuse Blending Software :- http://www.photographers-toolbox.com/products/lrenfuse.php n A very cheap donation-ware program n Provides a link between Lightroom and Enfuse n Enfuse is an Open Source Blending Program n I get good results from it!58
Detail, Local Contrast, Structure n Topaz Labs :- n Topaz Adjust $49.99 : http://www.topazlabs.com/adjust/ n Topaz Detail $39.99 : http://www.topazlabs.com/detail/ n Topaz Clarity $49.99 : http://www.topazlabs.com/clarity/!59
Detail, Local Contrast, Structure n Nik Software :- NIK Sharpener Pro now part of the Nik Collection, USD $149.00 n n A Bargain! n http://www.niksoftware.com/nikcollection/usa/index.php?view=intro/ main.shtml Structure, set at 100% n Local Contrast, set at 100% n Vary Opacity on Photoshop Layer n!60
Software! n There are many Programs Available n Download Trial Versions n Try them and see what results you like best!61
A Break from My Voice n TOSA n Textures of Sydney Architecture n Use of Structure and Local Contrast n Similar Effect to HDR n But on a Single Image n Sit Back, Relax - I Hope you Enjoy It!62
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Blending and HDR Demos n Photoshop Layers 3 Images - Manual Process n LR -> PS -> LR - Automatic Process n HDR and Blending with Photomatix n Photomatix n Single Image n Nik Software HDR Efex Pro!64
A Couple of Hints and Tips n Photoshop Merge Visible Layers n Shortcut Command + Option (Mac) / Control + Alt (Win) + Shift + E n http://blogs.adobe.com/jkost/2011/08/using-merge-visible-instead-of-flattening-layers-within-actions.html Align Layers - especially if images were hand-held Select 2 or more layers to align Menu->Edit->Auto-Align Layers...-> Projection->Auto!65
HDR - Additional Information! n General HDR Information n A Whole Range of HDR information is available on Digital Outback Photo s Website : n http://www.outbackphoto.com/content_2007_01/section_hdr_and_tonemapping/index.html n A new and excellent HDR website, HDR One : n http://www.hdrone.com/ n Includes a monthly magazine!66
HDR - Photomatix Information n Trey Ratcliff ~ American HDR Photographer ~ Uses Photomatix www.stuckincustoms.com/hdr-tutorial/ n Photomatix List of Online Resources, Tutorials, etc. http://www.hdrsoft.com/resources/index.html!67
HDR - HDR Efex Pro Information n HDR Efex Pro from Nik Software n Nik has a great range of video tutorials n A good starting point : n https://support.google.com/nikcollection/?hl=en#topic=2991629!68
HDR - The Possibilities n That s It!! n That s Yer Lot!! n Thank You for Watching n Thank You for Listening! n HDR - Have a Go!!69
HDR - The Possibilities Steve Mullarkey email: stevemul@ozemail.com.au website: http://www.stevemul.com.au/!!70