hdr images - DPChallenge Forums

01/16/2007 03:04:43 AM · #1

I am just really starting to play with tone mapping and HDR
and I wanted to get some feedback on these ... tell me what ya think

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED

01/16/2007 11:33:10 PM · #2

bumping

phatphoto

Nikon D200

01/16/2007 11:43:24 PM · #3

Hey Dave. Looked through your HDR photos. First of all, I know very little regarding post-processing, etc., and very much a newbie to photography so hopefully someone will really critique and give you the advice you're seeking. The photos looked crisped but didn't have that HDR feel that I've seen others do. Hopefully, one of the DPC gurus will get a chance to look through them and help you out! So, I guess I'm pretty much just "bumping" this so that someone else can give you better constructive criticism.

Good luck!

kirsty_mcn

Olympus E-500 EVOLT

Olympus 17.5-45mm f/3.5-5.6

01/17/2007 08:23:50 AM · #4

It would help if you could post the originals (or, at least, an "average" original), the HDR is pretty subtle from my point of view - not a bad thing at all, but hard to critique for sure.

typos

Message edited by author 2007-01-17 08:24:13.

justamistere

Nikon D3s

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

01/17/2007 10:26:23 AM · #5

In order of appearence.
1) I'd like to see the top of the high rise, it's almost there.
also a color rendition may be interesting.
2) Typical sepia tone, uninteresting, my preferenc is fall colors.
3) Suitable picture for a rigging challenge, I see the HDR brought out background colors more, the original may have been a silhouette.
4) This is more sureal, the buildings look like a prison, the greenery in the forground is a great contrast.
5) The HDR gave it an f/x like a Postcard. Maybe more fountains or none may have a better effect.
my favorites are the last 2.

I just combined my second HDR in Photomix last Sunday and found the TM Tone mapping the most useful. HDR can bring out the bright skies and the deatail of dark shadows at the same time.

dwterry

Canon EOS-1D Mark III

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

01/17/2007 11:17:25 AM · #6

Originally posted by kirsty_mcn:

It would help if you could post the originals (or, at least, an "average" original), the HDR is pretty subtle from my point of view - not a bad thing at all, but hard to critique for sure.

I agree with this statement.

For me, the reason to use HDR is because there was "too much dynamic range" in the original scene. And so you use HDR techniques in order to bring highlights and shadows that your eye could see but no camera could ever capture into a single frame.

If that's what you've done here, then you have indeed managed to hide it well with your HDR processing. But to me it looks as if HDR processing may not have been necessary here.

Bernard_Marx

Canon EOS-40D

Tamron SP AF 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di for Canon

01/17/2007 11:18:55 AM · #7

I really like number 4. For some reason I think that HDR looks best on buildings as subjects.

dmadden

Canon EOS-40D

Sigma 24-35mm f/2.0 DG HSM A

01/17/2007 11:36:08 AM · #8

I'm no expert on HDR, but I don't think there's much dynamic range in these photos.
To put it simply IMHO,i think an image that would otherwise come out as a silhouette would be the best application for HDR.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/17/2007 11:44:14 AM · #9

Originally posted by dmadden:

That's a pretty extreme point of view. Sunsets and sunrises, for example, aren't even CLOSE to silhouettes most of the time but they work VERY well in HDRI. Then there are shots that are pretty evenly lit throughout the main subject but with very dark shadow areas that HDRI can help recover detail in. And so forth and so on...

R.

ursula

Fujifilm X-T2

Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

01/17/2007 11:50:36 AM · #10

Originally posted by dmadden:

I've been experimenting a fair bit with (fake) HDR here, and images that otherwise come out as a silhouette are not working all that well. So far, for me, images that have a fair bit of dynamic range already come out best - but the range is sort of evened out, where the darks come out clearer and the lights not as bright. And contrary to my expectations, HDR isn't only bringing out the red tones, but it also works wonders for blues and greens.

Edit: "evened out" is probably the wrong way to put it, but I can't think of how to put it. It's more like details come out in both the dark and the light areas. Like in this one:

Message edited by author 2007-01-17 11:52:50.

dmadden

Canon EOS-40D

Sigma 24-35mm f/2.0 DG HSM A

01/17/2007 11:56:04 AM · #11

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by dmadden:
I'm no expert on HDR, but I don't think there's much dynamic range in these photos.
To put it simply IMHO,i think an image that would otherwise come out as a silhouette would be the best application for HDR.

That's a pretty extreme point of view. Sunsets and sunrises, for example, aren't even CLOSE to silhouettes most of the time but they work VERY well in HDRI. Then there are shots that are pretty evenly lit throughout the main subject but with very dark shadow areas that HDRI can help recover detail in. And so forth and so on...

R.

But would'nt a subject like a building with sunset in the background have an extreme lighting range from dark to light. And be a likely candidate for HDR? If not! what would be the best way to display this picture the way the human eye would view it?

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/17/2007 11:58:44 AM · #12

Originally posted by dmadden:

Oh, sure. It's a good reason to use HDRI. I was taking exception to your use of the adjective "best". There are a lot of good situations in which to employ HDRI imaging.

R.

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

01/17/2007 12:03:23 PM · #13

Originally posted by ursula:

Edit: "evened out" is probably the wrong way to put it, but I can't think of how to put it. It's more like details come out in both the dark and the light areas. Like in this one:

Look at it this way: you can take an image and adjust the CONTRAST of it to control how dark the darks are and how bright the brights are, but when you compress contrast this way you get a "flat" image. With HDRI and tone mapping, you are compressing the tonal range but you are increasing the local contrast as well, something that is difficult (but not impossible) to do with conventional processing. So you have overall compression coupled with local enhancement. I don't know a good word for what happens...

R.

and yeah, welcome to the dark side, sister!

ursula

Fujifilm X-T2

Fujifilm XF 55-200mm f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS

01/17/2007 12:21:08 PM · #14

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by ursula:

Edit: "evened out" is probably the wrong way to put it, but I can't think of how to put it. It's more like details come out in both the dark and the light areas. Like in this one:

Look at it this way: you can take an image and adjust the CONTRAST of it to control how dark the darks are and how bright the brights are, but when you compress contrast this way you get a "flat" image. With HDRI and tone mapping, you are compressing the tonal range but you are increasing the local contrast as well, something that is difficult (but not impossible) to do with conventional processing. So you have overall compression coupled with local enhancement. I don't know a good word for what happens...

R.

and yeah, welcome to the dark side, sister!

Or the "evened out" side :)

01/17/2007 03:08:33 PM · #15

Ok here is the unmodified average images

And the HDR (or tone mapped)

Message edited by author 2007-01-17 15:09:22.

Sigma 30mm f/1.4 EX DC HSM for Nikon

01/17/2007 03:34:38 PM · #16

Bear ... are you there

jdannels

Nikon D300s

01/17/2007 03:51:25 PM · #17

I am curious if you use a circular polarizer. Number 2 and 5 look like there effects could be achieved with this, as they would darken the sky and saturate the greens like in example 5. I think the best use pf HDR was of the building. Sorry not much help, I am procrastinating the first day of school...

justamistere

Nikon D3s

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 17-55mm f/2.8G IF-ED

01/17/2007 04:47:45 PM · #18

I'm curious what software you used to create your HDR images.
And if the were combined from separate, bracketed, exposers.

Phtomix reccommends taking about 5-7 photographes underexposed and overexposed differently, I think .5 - 1.0 ev apart.

xxsprint

Canon PowerShot SD630

01/17/2007 08:25:20 PM · #19

i have been wondering...

i see what HDR images are, but how do you do them? is it something with the camera, photoshop, or what? i only have a very basic idea of it right now..

thanks :)