4 March 2008
TWIP Podcast Episode #9 - HDR Primer
Posted by
Scott under:
Screencast
Description: Alex shows how you can get the most out of exposure using Photoshop, Photomatix, and Braketeer to edit HDR images. Download or subscribe via iTunes.
Hosts: Alex Lindsay
Location: San Francisco
Show notes by Aaron Mahler
In this video mini-episode, Alex introduces the concept of High Dynamic Range photography and tone mapping.
- HDR is a little bit esoteric. That said, it is heavily used in the visual effects industry and interest in it is rapidly growing among even amateur photographers.
- Alex’s first demonstration involves a sample image that comes with Photoshop CS3, so feel free to experiment with the same photos if you are a current Photoshop owner.
- The HDR process involves combining multiple photos, ideally ranging from very dark to very light, to create one image with a tremendous dynamic range that is far wider than the camera can naturally capture in a single image.
- Generally, HDR images are shot from a tripod since keeping them aligned pixel-for-pixel is critical. If there are alignment variations in your images, though, good HDR applications can try to correct the alignment for you and gloss over the misalignments as much as possible.
- Most HDR images will, initially, look quite odd or possibly relatively unchanged. This is the image prior to running it through a process called “tone mapping”.
- Alex first demonstrates tone mapping using the Photoshop plug-in version of Photomatix Pro.
- Since an HDR image contains a range of exposure far wider than a standard computer monitor can display, the tone mapping process provides a set of tools to “compress” this range into that visible space. Tools include adjustments for luminosity, light smoothing, “strength”, saturation and many more parameters. (editorial note: this process is, admittedly, easier to see than read about… do watch the video for clarity).
- Improper tone mapping can lead to edges that appear to be over-sharpened, so keep an eye out for halo effects along contrasting edges.
- Alex’s next demonstration moves the complete HDR process out of Photoshop and into the stand-alone, full application version of Photomatix Pro which sells for $99 and is available for both Windows and Macintosh.
- HDR photography has a tendency to create surrealstic images, especially in terms of color saturation. During the tone mapping process, it’s up to you to adjust the balance toward realism or creative surrealism.
- Alex’s final application to demonstrate is Bracketeer by Pangea Software. He demonstrates the composite of a hand-held, bracketed shot he took of his beautiful wife drinking a latte in a local coffeeshop. Bracketeer is the simplest but also least expensive starting place for HDR photography (Macintosh Only).
- HDR is a ton of fun, so experiment and post your images to the TWiP Flickr Group.
- Editorial Note: For an extensive (albeit rather technical) book about HDR, check out Christian Bloch’s “The HDRI Handbook: High Dynamic Range Imaging for Photographers and CG Artists +DVD“.
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Share photos with your fellow TWiP listeners through the TWiP Flickr Feed
32 Comments so far...
Kennon Says:
4 March 2008 at 3:23 pm.
Hey guys! I just wanted to say a hearty, “THANKS!” for doing this podcast. I have always wondered what HDR was and what it involved and this was a wonderful intro tutorial on HDR.
Thanks for all the hard work that you guys do!
Alex Says:
4 March 2008 at 4:24 pm.
Thanks!
I will probably do another on shooting in a few weeks.
Shooting Panos is next!
Paul Says:
4 March 2008 at 5:20 pm.
Thanks for this podcast. You’ve made me really want to go out and give this a try. Keep up the great work!
subcorpus Says:
4 March 2008 at 5:33 pm.
this podcast episode is great …
understood a lot watching that …
thanks you guys … great job …
Mary Says:
4 March 2008 at 6:50 pm.
Thanks, Alex. I’m really looking forward to trying this out.
Michael Says:
4 March 2008 at 7:45 pm.
Great intro to HDR! Might have to go fetch my D80 now. More of these please.
Zack Says:
5 March 2008 at 12:12 am.
I’m looking forward to the pano podcast as that’s what I’m most interested in shooting right now. After watching this episode I’m glad I have the next couple days off, I’m going to have to get out and try this. Keep up the video podcasts, I’m loving them so far.
Dennis Cadorniga Says:
5 March 2008 at 12:24 am.
This is great Alex and we need more of these mini casts. I too use CS3 and Photomatix Pro and for HDR, there is nothing better.
Janne Says:
5 March 2008 at 2:30 am.
I don’t get it. I have plaed around with HDR and Photomatix. And whenever I combine differently exposed pictures in to one HDR, by default the HDR-image looks weird. I mean, it looks grainy and the colors are all messed up. But when Alex does the same in his primer, the image looks pretty good by default. It takes me lot of time and effort to make the image look at least somewhat normal, whereas in this primer, they look pretty normal by default, and all that there’s left is some tweaks and minor adjustments.
I could try to post some examples a bit later to demonstrate what my images look after they have been merged in Photomatix. And I can tell you that they look nowhere as good as Alex’s pictures do. And I don’t think that’s solely because he’s a better photographer tham I am. It’s just that for some reason Photomatix does something strange to my pictures, whereas with Alsex it doesn’t do that.
Nathan Says:
5 March 2008 at 6:58 am.
I have reccomended you all my photo buddies.
Thanks for the info and shows!!
Alex Says:
5 March 2008 at 9:09 am.
Thanks everyone!
If you’ve had trouble with Photomatix in the past, try it again…remember to make sure you are set to Aperture Priority and on a tripod…only change the shutter speed.
a
Andrew Says:
5 March 2008 at 9:11 am.
Excellent cast, thanks for the straight forward intro to HDR.
Ben Says:
5 March 2008 at 10:14 am.
thanks alex for the wonderful primer. I’m really looking forward to you teaching us the shooting part of HDR as well. Keep up the good work
Ben
TWIP Podcast Episode #9 Now Available « Ramblings Of A Photographic Geek Says:
5 March 2008 at 9:23 pm.
[...] Download Tutorial Video Here. [...]
Scott Says:
6 March 2008 at 7:44 am.
Great primer. In general what type of bracketing do you use? f-stop or shutter speed? and how many stops do you use?
joanlvh Says:
6 March 2008 at 1:27 pm.
thank you for the HDR tutorial. Alex does a wonderful job of presenting.
mjharps Says:
6 March 2008 at 8:10 pm.
Great job Alex.
Awesome podcast and great website - keep it up.
Photography For Real Estate » A Introduction to HDR On TWIP Podcast #9 Says:
6 March 2008 at 11:55 pm.
[...] Alex Linsey has created a nice little introduction video to HDR software and processing. You can download it or get it as a podcast via [...]
James Says:
7 March 2008 at 2:35 am.
Hey guys, What happened to the album art? for the past few shows there has not been any nice album art to show on my shiny iPod Touch.
Great show
James
James Says:
7 March 2008 at 2:39 am.
Also is the Twitter posts from Scott or from all of you? Just a recommendation, you might want to initial the end of the post.
Cheers
Leland R. Beaumont Says:
7 March 2008 at 11:51 am.
Raw mode and HDR
When the individual component images used to make up an HDR composite are shot in raw mode, when do you apply the raw mode adjustments? Do you adjust each individual image before combining them? If so, do certain parameters such as color temperature have to match on each image? Or do you adjust the final composite HDR image?
O.J. Aldrich Says:
8 March 2008 at 5:27 pm.
Thanks for the primer. I created my first HDR with photomatix pro in less than 15 minutes including the time it took me to download the software and shoot a bracketed photo. This will change the way I shoot in the future. Thanks for making it easy and making sense of it for me.
James Taylor Says:
10 March 2008 at 12:06 pm.
Hello,
I noticed that I can purchase the stand alone version or just the plugin for CS3. Does one setup do a better job? I would rather have the plugin and not leave Photoshop, but if the standalone version dies a better job I may go that rout. Anyone compared both?
Thanks,
James Taylor
Gus SOS Brasil » | » Tutorial Para Photoshop Com HDR Says:
12 March 2008 at 9:20 am.
[...] TWIP HDR Primer [...]
Jeffery Luhn Says:
13 March 2008 at 1:11 am.
Thanks for the concise podcast on HDR. I’ve been shooting interiors professionally since 1979, so you know I’ve developed lots ‘o techniques to balance windows with fireplaces with desklamps, ad nauseum… Since going digital I’ve played with HDR but my shots looked bad, so I just kept cutting and pasting in my windows as before! I didn’t get it. Now I understand the basic procedure thanks to you. Much obliged. Jeff
UNSHUTTER – Photomatix Pro and More on HDR Says:
13 March 2008 at 10:32 am.
[...] If you’re looking for a video walkthrough of HDR (including a demonstration of Photomatix Pro), definitely check out TWIP’s video here. [...]
Agris Krusts Nature Photography » Programma HDR bilžu taisÄ«Å¡anai Says:
16 March 2008 at 2:13 pm.
[...] nedēļu atpakaļ nokalusÄ«jos “This Week in Photography” podkÄsta devÄ«to epizodi, kur tika parÄdÄ«tas dažas programmas ar kurÄm var iegÅ«t HDR bildes. HDR nozÄ«mÄ“ “high [...]
decemberdotnet » HDR Primer Says:
16 March 2008 at 9:29 pm.
[...] in the feed are video screencasts, which make for great visual explanations of various techniques. This HDR episode (#9) has reminded me to get back to using the bracket features of my camera to produce some visually [...]
HDR with a Nikon D40, Bracketeer & iPhoto : Bart Busschots Says:
17 March 2008 at 5:01 pm.
[...] $20. There are loads of other options for the software end of things and they are well explained in Episode 9 of the TWIP [...]
Graeme Smith Says:
25 March 2008 at 4:49 am.
Hey Alex - what are all those extras you have in your menu bar? In particular, what is the processor status graph? And the overlay around your open dialog box?
Rich Says:
6 April 2008 at 11:11 am.
fyi…
Bracketeer is on sale at Maczot today (4/6) for $14.97
Cheap way to try out HDR if you’re on a Mac.
Cheers,
Rich
