In the right-hand hands , high dynamic compass imaging can blend multiple exposures of the same aspect to more close procreate what your eye can see . Here ’s how to do HDR the correct way .
So when should you habituate HDR ? It ’s simple : when you ’re trying to capture a scene with a encompassing range between its lightest and darkest orbit ( aka dynamic kitchen range ) as accurately as potential . Your camera ’s sensor can only capture a low portion of the light that your eye can take in and process , so to make up for that , HDR images are created by combining the pixel information from several painting into one 32 - bit Voltron - file that contain the full active reach of each of the item-by-item shots used to produce it .
Take this range of shots of the Cairo skyline I took last workweek from the top of the highest minaret of the Al Azhar mosque in that lovely city . Neither one of the three accurately exposes the whole scene — in the shot that catch the sky correctly , the building below are too dark , and when the buildings are exposed accurately , the Sunday behind the clouds gets blown out , losing all detail . So this is the perfect berth for an HDR epitome .
What You ’ll Need :
• A photographic camera that has auto photograph bracketing ( not essential , but without it , you ’ll have to arrange the range of exposures manually and will need a tripod ) . At the very least you ’ll need manual exposure controls .
• Photoshop CS2 or higher ( you may also use specialized HDR software system likePhotomatix , but for this templet I ’m using Photoshop CS4 ) .
• Some cognition of curves and histograms in Photoshop . This telecasting tutorialis a great start for curves .
Take Your Shots
As mentioned before , you ’ll get the most bang for your HDR buck with scenes that have both extremely bright and extremely dark domain of interesting item to bring in out . So opt the proper aspect is an obvious first footmark .
1 . Set your photographic camera to auto pic bracket mode , which take three ( usually ) successive shot at three unlike photo levels : one correctly exposed , one overexposed , and one underexposed . you may usually specifiy the amount of exposure stops to under- and overexpose — you probably want the maximum range , which is normally a full two stops in either direction .
2 . You want to take the three shots in the ready chronological succession potential since we ’ll be merging them later and you do n’t need move object to foul that up . So turn your camera on salvo spud where potential and hold down the button , firing off three quicky without move . This is where you ’ll need a tripod for camera without AEB to keep the shots uniform .
Note : If you may , shoot in RAW . Photoshop can manage RAW files just fine , and the extra exposure information within compared to JPEG will make your HDR images all the more juicy . Also , the more source images you have the safe , so if you do have a tripod and are shooting an immoveable scene , bringing more than 3 images to your HDR file will only give you more detail to work with .
Create Your HDR mental image
3 . In Photoshop , go to File - > Automate - > Merge to HDR . pick out your three figure , sink in “ Attempt to mechanically Align Source Images ” if you think they may be more or less crooked , and then strike OK . Photoshop will manducate on them for a while and then present you with your 32 - bit HDR persona .
You may remark that the file you have now does n’t look so red-hot . That ’s because a 32 - moment HDR image is n’t useful in itself unless you have a $ 50,000 HDR monitor . To look good on your blind and on paper , it must now be “ tone mapped ” into an 8 - bit simulacrum that selectively apply persona from each picture to accurately represent the aspect .
4 . Before we lead to tone map , store your HDR as a 32 - bit Portable moment Map Indian file so you could start impudent again if pauperization be .
Tone Mapping Your ikon
How you tone map the HDR file determines whether your solution will look peachy or like the aforementioned clown emesis . We ’re using Photoshop here because it ’s more intimately tune , in my opinion , to achieving real - worldly concern results than HDR - specific computer software like Photomatix . Here , though , personal gustatory perception is everything , so if you like your epitome more or even less saturated and otherworldly than I do here , feel barren to try out , of course . They ’re your photos ! It also serve to keep an middle on your originals as you ’re doing this to check that you do n’t stray too far from realness .
To become a skilled HDR jockey in the tone mapping section , you ’ll necessitate to be at least a little piece familiar with two fundamentals of digital tomography that run to hide in the background for most substance abuser — the scary - looking graph known as histogram and curve , both of which look like they belong in your shoal school text Holy Scripture .
But no need to cower in care ! observe this video right now to get the basic gist of curves ( and also , essentially , histogram ) .
Now , armed with that noesis , to tone - chromosome mapping !
5 . With your 32 - bit HDR Indian file open , go to trope - > Mode - > 8 Bits / Channel . This will bring up the tone mapping window , which has four choice in the drop - down : Exposure and Gamma , Highlight Compression , Equalize Histogram and Local Adaptation . The first three , to varying point , are automatic preferences . To say I realise the specific difference between all four would be lie , but I do know this : Local Adaptation is the only one that lets you manually futz with the image curve , giving you the most creative control . Choose that one ( but feel innocent to try out with the others , of course ) .
6 . Here ’s where thing get kind of nonfigurative . If you watched your tutorial video , you ’ll know you want to practice the eyedropper pecker to isolate areas of the look-alike you want to work with , then create an anchor point and move that part of the curve ball into the ligher or darker area of the graph . you may start with the easiest readjustment , which is dragging the lower - left share of the curve to where the histogram begins — this will make the dark portion of your image pure Joseph Black , which you want for good dividing line .
7 . Your next finish should be to fiddle with a point higher on the curve to make your whites whiter . So grab a point up there and move it into the top portion of the graphical record until the whiteness are to your liking in the live preview .
8 . And finally , choose a detail in the middle and exploit the midtones . Again , preference is key , but you ’ll need something that , in the remnant , represents a classic siemens - curve for the best contrast . In the end , you desire an image that has black Negroid , whitened flannel ( but few to zero completely washed out area ) , and detail through the midrange . Your image may still depend not so practiced when your curve is done , but that ’s OK .
9 . The last step in the step chromosome mapping process is to mess with the in force ol’ Radius and Threshold sliders . Again , like many things in Photoshop , I have no musical theme precisely what ’s being jiggered here , but these essentially insure how HDR - ed out your HDR images will look , if that makes horse sense . The amiss setting will peg the trope ’s sharpness contingent , resulting in some repellent looking mess . I like to keep a piffling moment of blown - out highlights in the look-alike too , to remind everyone it ’s still a photo .
So fiddle with these sliders until the resilient preview looks good in your honored opinion . Again , your image wo n’t attend perfect , even now . The object here is to strike the proper balance between item and a natural look .
Toning Your Image
Now you have a good honest-to-god fashioned 8 - routine persona that curb some elements of all three of your original source files , tone map . The final step is apply some of Photoshop ’s canonical tools used for any exposure so as to take out the most detail possible .
10 . First , Levels . Even though you set contrast with your tone curve , you may still be able to ticket air it with levels . So under Image - > Adjustments - > Levels , verify the black and white sliders are line up with the left and right bound of your histogram wad to the extent that it pleases you .
11 . Next , Image - > Adjustments - > Shadows / Highlights , one of Photoshop ’s most wizardly shaft . Here is where the areas of your image that antecedently appear too dark will reveal their brilliant hidden detail . tardily raise the Amount and Tonal Width yellow-bellied terrapin under Shadows until the detail comes out , but not too far into ugly promote - out soil . Do the same for Highlights .
12 . And last , figure - > Adjustments - > Hue / Saturation , where you probably want to boost the Saturation just a little bite to get the colors popping to your liking .
And that ’s it ! You should now have an HDR image that capture that amazing aspect like you remembered it , without the clown nauseant !
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