HDR tutorial

Welcome to the world of HDR photography. HDR is not appropriate for all images, but is very effective to bring out the highlights and shadows in an image.

To process an HDR image using this tutorial, you will need Photoshop (or similar) Edition software and Photomatix (or similar) HDR software.

1. Take several images of the same scene

To achieve a HDR look, you will need at least 3 images:

Underexposed

Normal exposure

Overexposed

Ideally to begin with you should have an image of the exhibition-2, a statement correctly and one exposure of + 2.

2. The images in Photomatix merge of

Open Photomatix and choose Generate of Image HDR.

Choose your three jpeg or RAW files and press OK.

A new window will appear with options to align the images, reduce noise and to attempt to match all mobile - choose accordingly for your image. Press OK.

A version merged image will appear which seems highly unrealistic - it is because standard monitors cannot display all the details correctly, and therefore we need to continue your map image.

3 Tonemapping

After having pressed the Tonemapping button next to the merged image, a new more realistic image will appear with many options. This is where you can change the image to your favorite look.

Photomatix will automatically return the default setting, there also some predefined settings and the option to save your settings for future use (once you get the freezing it!).

These are the available parameters:

Force: this is the final appearance of the image key, a high setting will increase the "cartoon" look

Saturation of the color: stimulate the dynamism of colors throughout the image.

Brightness: a senior will stimulate the shadows and clarify the overall picture

Microcontrast: increase the contrast on the image details.

Smoothing: this is the final appearance of the image key, adjust to change the range of highlights and shadows dynamic how appears. Avoid setting this high definition where the image can look extremely realistic. Adapt to your taste

Black and white and gamma points: adjust these according to the histogram to ensure it meets the two sides all also in the chart

Temperature: increase or decrease in the overall temperature of the image.

Saturation facts highlights/shadows: increase or decrease the saturation of the shadow/highlights as the saturation point you set earlier for the image

Micro-smoothing: reduces the noise be but be careful to not lose all the details!

Facts highlights/shadows smoothing: increase this bring some facts highlights/shadows in the image, especially useful when keeping a natural look to the sky in an image

Shadows clipping: adjust the amount of shade is truncated, move with care reduce noise in the shadows

When you are happy with the appearance of the image of press process, and then save the image that appears

4. The ghosts of masking and keep a natural appearance

Finally, open Photoshop or similar software, and open your tonemapped HDR image.

Add one or more images of original exhibition as new layers in the file and use layer masks to allow original areas show through. For example if the blue of the sky on your original image has been perfect, use a layer mask and the mask brush on the HDR, allowing the blue sky perfect in the original photo coming through this area.

It is also particularly useful for HDR images with movement, for example the trees blowing in the breeze between your original images, or people.

For examples of HDR image online search, it's a massively expanding of the photograph area, and there are some beautiful to see work.

My own website http://www.lucyhillphotography.com has a few examples of my own work.

Lucy Hill
Hampshire, UK amateur photographer. Specializing in landscape and HDR photography
http://www.lucyhillphotography.com