Adventures in High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography

[rattler]

while i think the effect is cool i agree most of the time it looks just like what it is an effect and not natural, that said the one place where i really think it looks more natural than alot of normal photography is recreating some of the weird light before a early evening summer thunder storm

 

[hcarlton]

Finally! Someone has found a positive side to the fire! I just got back to Greeley from Georgia, and MAN is there a lot of smoke here!

 

[Devon]

If it's too late to bring back this thread. . . lemme know.

I gave it a try with landscape photography. Here they are!

I also did it with a plant or two with my old camera. This one was taken in July.

 

[Peatmoss]

Those first two are super subtle. I assume the changes mostly applied to the sky? I really like the reflections of the sky, trees, and shrubbery in the water.

That is at Mer Bleu right?

 

[31drew31]

amazing Devon. Those first two shots are magazine worthy IMO.

 

[Whimgrinder]

Kudos, Devon: you have made these scenes look natural/believable, rather than embracing the trendy gimmick of exaggerated and unrealistic tonality that so often mars HDR work. Nicely done, sir.

 

[Peatmoss]

Exactly my point whim, Devon did a great job using HDR in the circumstance of shooting towards the sun, when getting equal exposure would be difficult. And used it to produce a very nice landscape image!

What program did you use Devon?

 

[Lil Stinkpot]

Very, very nice.

I think my Olympus has ISO priority. It sounds like I want it set on aperture priority, though.

I second the question: what software? Or better, what software is out there, that won't cost an arm and a leg.

 

[Devon]

amazing Devon. Those first two shots are magazine worthy IMO.

Thank you so much!

Kudos, Devon: you have made these scenes look natural/believable, rather than embracing the trendy gimmick of exaggerated and unrealistic tonality that so often mars HDR work. Nicely done, sir.

Thanks you, sir! That was my goal. It was tricky making them look at least semi-natural. I think there is a little bit of edge glow around the top left part, but other than that, these are probably the best landscapes shots for me yet!

Exactly my point whim, Devon did a great job using HDR in the circumstance of shooting towards the sun, when getting equal exposure would be difficult. And used it to produce a very nice landscape image!

What program did you use Devon?

Thanks Peat! Yes, you are right about the first one with the sun facing towards the lens. Before I put the pictures together, the reeds were very black and the sky was very bright. If I had not used HDR, you would not be able to see the little lilly things and reeds in the water with colour. I used photoshop cs5 (Which I am so happy to have now), and yes, it is indeed the Mer Bleue.

Very, very nice.

I think my Olympus has ISO priority. It sounds like I want it set on aperture priority, though.

I second the question: what software? Or better, what software is out there, that won't cost an arm and a leg.

Thank you! I changed the shutter speed and kept the iso at 100 and the aperture at 22. I think I could have gotten more detail with a lower aperture like 10 or something, but it's too late now!

As Petmantis said on ocps a while back, Gimp (Which is free) might allow hdr - I'm sure there are free trials online for hdr programs too.

Thanks for the comments everyone.