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DPChallenge Forums >> Tips, Tricks, and Q&A >> HDR?
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09/06/2012 12:57:35 PM · #1
I have noticed that I have a very hard time making the sky look right in HDR shots when I have trees in the skyline. The open portions of the sky will look fine but the little bits of sky showing through the trees never match the rest of the sky.

I wonder if anyone knows a fix for this or even knows what I'm talking about? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
09/06/2012 01:02:28 PM · #2
It's because of the way tonemapping works.

Essentially, the image is divided into a checkerboard, then each square is adjusted, since the squares aren't as small as the areas of the sky showing through the tree you'll find this happening, since effectively that whole area is being adjusted together.

The fix, if there is one (there's not), is to try using the shadow/highlight tool instead of tonemapping the image. I find that some combo of the two tools will usually give me what I'm after, or at least improve the results enough for me to not wretch.

Message edited by author 2012-09-06 13:03:06.
09/06/2012 01:07:36 PM · #3
You can manually blend in an overlay of a non-HDR sky layer and try different layer blending modes. Mask out the parts you don't need. That often does the trick.
09/06/2012 01:07:37 PM · #4
Originally posted by Cory:

It's because of the way tonemapping works.

Essentially, the image is divided into a checkerboard, then each square is adjusted, since the squares aren't as small as the areas of the sky showing through the tree you'll find this happening, since effectively that whole area is being adjusted together.

The fix, if there is one (there's not), is to try using the shadow/highlight tool instead of tonemapping the image. I find that some combo of the two tools will usually give me what I'm after, or at least improve the results enough for me to not wretch.


Not exactly the answer I was hoping for. Lol. I will try the combo next time.

I wonder if Nik's newest version of HDR software deals with this issue better than Photomatix does?
09/06/2012 01:08:32 PM · #5
Originally posted by Bear_Music:

You can manually blend in an overlay of a non-HDR sky layer and try different layer blending modes. Mask out the parts you don't need. That often does the trick.


Thanks Bear. What HDR software do you use?
09/06/2012 01:09:28 PM · #6
Originally posted by chazoe:

I wonder if Nik's newest version of HDR software deals with this issue better than Photomatix does?


I've stopped using Photomatix, in favor of Nik's HDR Efex Pro. But no matter how you do it, if you're pushing the HDR very far you are going to have to do manual adjusting at some point.
09/06/2012 02:31:48 PM · #7
Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by chazoe:

I wonder if Nik's newest version of HDR software deals with this issue better than Photomatix does?


I've stopped using Photomatix, in favor of Nik's HDR Efex Pro. But no matter how you do it, if you're pushing the HDR very far you are going to have to do manual adjusting at some point.


I will need to check that out. I have been on the fence on moving to HDR Efex Pro, but I have not been happy with Photomatix to 'finish' photos. I know I am extremely happy with NIKs other software packages.
09/17/2012 12:57:23 PM · #8
in super agreement with bears suggestion. blending in an original shot makes hdr look superior imo.
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