HDR/Tone Mapping - DPChallenge Forums

11/09/2007 07:45:53 AM · #1

For those of you that use this method...
-What are the advantages?
-What are the disadvantages?
-What kind of subjects do you usually use this for?
-What is your opinion on it taking the reality factor away from a photo?

I am very interested in this process and just want to learn as much about it as possible.

Thanks!

11/09/2007 08:00:21 AM · #2

Advantages: increases usable tonal range, allows you to shoot very contrasty scenes without sacrificing shadow detail or blowing highlights.

Disadvantages: tends to make things noisy, especially in the blues, and can create "smooth tone artifacts" if overdone.

Subjects: wherever you have an extreme tonal range to cover, works very well with backlighting and for landscapes.

Reality factor: that's mostly because people overuse it for effect. Some like the effect, some hate it. When used "photographically", or "realistically", you can't tell the image is tone mapped.

R.

11/09/2007 08:02:56 AM · #3

Thank you!!

11/09/2007 08:03:27 AM · #4

Do you prefer photoshop or photomatix?

11/09/2007 08:03:38 AM · #5

For discussion of the making of a "portrait" tone mapped for effect, see this thread:

Tone mapped "dirt" entry

11/09/2007 08:04:18 AM · #6

Photomatix Pro is far superior to Photoshop's HDR feature, in my opinion.

R.

Olympus 12-40mm f/2.8 Pro

11/09/2007 08:09:10 AM · #7

This one is true HDRI imaging from 4 separate exposures in Photomatix Pro; impossible to make this image without HDRI. The birds were added, btw, in expert editing.

slickchik

Olympus OM-D E-M1

11/09/2007 08:18:57 AM · #8

This is an HDR image from 3 images...

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

11/09/2007 08:33:48 AM · #9

Here is one I did the other day...still haven't purchased the key.
Please comment on this, what I did right/wrong. Thanks

//i158.photobucket.com/albums/t116/xsanoukx/IA_tone.jpg

Message edited by frisca - large photo changed to link .

Photologist

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

11/09/2007 08:49:31 AM · #10

Originally posted by mattj06:

Do you prefer photoshop or photomatix?

Matt,

If you have Photoshop (and wish to remain "legal" in DPC challenges), try my Tone Mapping Emulation tutorial.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

11/09/2007 09:03:15 AM · #11

Originally posted by mattj06:

Here is one I did the other day...still haven't purchased the key.
Please comment on this, what I did right/wrong. Thanks

//i158.photobucket.com/albums/t116/xsanoukx/IA_tone.jpg

This is a really good early attempt. If you are going for the natural look, then it's overcooked a bit. You also are getting a bit of the dreaded "dirty sky" effect.

Try opening this image in PS, then open the original, copy it, and overlay it on the tone mapped image and set layer mode to "lighten", then fade opacity of that layer. This will pop the sky back to more neutral.

From a reality POV, your biggest problem here is that the foreground is unnaturally light. You can fix that easily by using new layer in overlay mode, clicking the box for "overlay neutral color", and then drawing from the bottom up a black-to-transparent gradient, which will progressively burn the foreground very nicely.

R.

Message edited by frisca - large photo changed to link .

david_c

Canon EOS-7D

11/09/2007 09:05:46 AM · #12

Originally posted by mattj06:

Do you prefer photoshop or photomatix?

Photomatix...without a doubt. Much more fine-tune control over your final result.

hihosilver

Nikon D200

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED

11/09/2007 09:09:26 AM · #13

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

Matt,

If you have Photoshop (and wish to remain "legal" in DPC challenges), try my Tone Mapping Emulation tutorial.

This tutorial was incredibly helpful. I read that tutorial and used it for the first time on this photo to explore the technique...THANK YOU!!!

Jimbo_for_life

Olympus E-500 EVOLT

Olympus 14-45mm f/3.5-5.6 Zuiko Digital ED

11/09/2007 09:17:50 AM · #14

how come i tend to see photomatrix leaving like, a gradient over the image, dark on one side and bright on the other? like in mattj06's

Message edited by author 2007-11-09 14:18:07.

david_c

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM

11/09/2007 09:40:03 AM · #15

Originally posted by hihosilver:

8.

:-P

glad2badad

DJI Mavic Air 2

Sears 55mm f/1.4 M42

11/09/2007 09:43:18 AM · #16

Originally posted by Jimbo_for_life:

how come i tend to see photomatrix leaving like, a gradient over the image, dark on one side and bright on the other? like in mattj06's

It would be helpful to see the original - Matt, how about it? Care to share? :-)

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

11/09/2007 09:44:05 AM · #17

Originally posted by Jimbo_for_life:

how come i tend to see photomatrix leaving like, a gradient over the image, dark on one side and bright on the other? like in mattj06's

Why it happens I don't know, but it's one of the things that happens when you overcook it.

R.

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

11/09/2007 09:49:07 AM · #18

I have recently started experimenting with HDR/Tonemapping. So far I have only used it to bring out more detail (range). Here's an example from one of my challenges. I have re-edited with HDR/Tonemapping.

- Entry

- Re-Edit with HDR/Tonemapping.

Hope that give you a good example.
SDW

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

11/09/2007 10:13:23 AM · #19

Originally posted by swhiddon:

I have recently started experimenting with HDR/Tonemapping. So far I have only used it to bring out more detail (range).

You're seeing a gain in noise and that smooth-field blotchiness so associated with direct tone-mapping of non-HDR images, especially underexposed ones.

R.

Photologist

Apple iPhone 14 Pro Max

11/09/2007 10:45:06 AM · #20

Originally posted by hihosilver:

Originally posted by AperturePriority:

Matt,

If you have Photoshop (and wish to remain "legal" in DPC challenges), try my Tone Mapping Emulation tutorial.

This tutorial was incredibly helpful. I read that tutorial and used it for the first time on this photo to explore the technique...THANK YOU!!!

You are quite welcome!

pssst...did you give the tutorial a good rating? :-)

SDW

Canon EOS-60D

Tamron AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical IF for Canon

11/09/2007 10:50:18 AM · #21

Originally posted by Bear_Music:

Originally posted by swhiddon:
I have recently started experimenting with HDR/Tonemapping. So far I have only used it to bring out more detail (range).

You're seeing a gain in noise and that smooth-field blotchiness so associated with direct tone-mapping of non-HDR images, especially underexposed ones.

R.

Your right. For some reason I am having a hard time getting a good HDR version of a single photograph. I have not tried using it with multiple exposures.

So far this is what I have been doing.
1. use RawEssentials to get seven exposures from one photo. (-3,-2,-1,0,+1,+2,+3). Leaving all other adjustments the same.

2. Then I go to Photomatrix Pro and HDR images with alignment.

3. Tonemapping to what I think looks good (I need to underderstand each tool better than I do know).

4. Open in CS3e and PP.

11/09/2007 10:55:24 AM · #22

here are the three exposures I took...

Message edited by author 2007-11-09 15:55:47.

11/09/2007 10:59:37 AM · #23

Bear_Music...how do I accomplish what you explained with three exposures rather than a single?