HDR,for those that have been following

Lets see how much you've now all learnt.
Below is an image of the inside of a church.Basically untouched.
Size 800px X 532px,so it should be big enough.
Right click on the pic,then save as.
Your mission,if you want,is to download the image,then work on it.Anything you like,in any order you see fit.The only MUST,is that you have to transform it to HDR.
This is open to anyone at all.If you dont have HDR software,feel free to practice your post processing skills on it.
When done,upload it here,with a brief summary of what you did so that we can all see,compare and maybe discuss different styles and methods.
No rush,take your time.
I'll do one aswell.

 

Thanks Joe. I for one are up for it.
Robert

 

Ok here is my attempt at some HDR plus PS processing.
Following is the unconventional sequence I used to reach the end product.
First of all thanks Joe for giving us a stunning picture to start with.
Open in PS
I then used curves to adjust RGB and saved three separate images.
First curve adjusted : input 32-output 242
Second curve saved as default
Third curve saved with RGB adjusted: input 188 output 103
I now have three saved images:
First at default
Second at an effective +6EV
Third at an effective -10EV
All three images loaded in HDR and processed.
I cannot tell you how long I played with the settings or where they ended up!
Once happy with result I then saved a copy and opened it in PS again.
I had some highlights in the roof area that I removed with eyedropper+paintbrush.
Brightness to +8 and contrast to +36.
Unsharp to 195% Radius 0.2 pixels. Threshold 0 level
Final save and that it.
I would like to straighten the verticals but don’t know how to do.
What do you think?
Robert

 

Not bad Robert.
The only problem is that you're lacking depth and colour.
Good call with painting out the highlights on the ceiling.

Heres mine.


Used a single jpg in photomatix.
If you dont know how this is done,let me know.
Cloned missing corner of carpet.
Noise reduction.
Save.
Duplicated image,blended with multiply,flatten.
dup again,blend with screen,eraser tool on highlights,adj opacity.
flatten image
B&C,overall dodge and burn.
Save for web.

Using layers and multiply really brings out the colour and depth.Sometimes too much.Then simply go to Hue/Saturation,and lower the saturation.

Joe.

 

I'm impressed by both the above HDR efforts.
I'll have a go myself but keep getting distracted with taking photos - also got a lot of running around to appointments this week plus a new lens (should arrive tomorrow) to explore.

Joe - a couple of questions :

Do you usually shoot in RAW or jpg?
I noticed on one of your photos that colour space was Adobe rather than sRGB. Is this because you are aiming to print most of your photos?

 

Hi Dave.
No rush on this.Whenever you want to do it.

Ref questions.
1. I only shoot on RAW.For me,to shoot on jpeg is a waist of time.Too much detail is lost.If you think about it,a RAW image,churns out pics on my camera at aprox 23mb per image.A jpeg...not sure,but its gotta be less than 1mb.Where has the 22mb of detail gone???I supply stock agencies,and for that,max detail is a must.Plus i only ever work on tif images as these are lossless files.When done with the tif,i save it as high res tif,then shrink the file,sharpen and then save for web.Ok,once in jpeg form,i add a border and writing,but thats it.

2.Adobe RGB(1998).No particular reason.Think i was advised on that when i was learning.To be totally honest,i dont know the difference.Its not for printing,i only print for pics at home.

Joe

 

That's interesting Joe. I'm now shooting in RAW 99% and finding the tweaks that Canon DPP allows are just great, but am still trying to come to terms with the various options of tif & jpg when working on images in PS and PSP. Steadily getting there though.

Adobe v sRGB - as far as I've understood it Adobe gives a better tonal range for printing but sRGB is all that is needed for the more limited colour range of a VDU. Might be interesting to see if there is any variation in file size and/or image quality on printer and VDU.

I fully appreciate your HDR interest in churches. The light, colours, lines and atmosphere are something not encounted elsewhere. We attended a Greek Orthodox baptism in June and I'm hoping to get back into the church again in September with a tripod and with no folk milling around.

Handheld above my head - 1/25th @ f5, ISO 800, 18mm (on 18-55 ISM kit lens) Didn't want to use flash as I thought it too obtrusive. HDRd and lost a bit of clarity in reduction in size.

 

I think i'll look again at adobe/sRGB.You may well be right.

The detail that you've got is spot on.With that huge light on the left,flash is not necessary.Infact,im very unconventional.I very rarely use flash,and almost never use a tripod.Even on my night shots.They're virtually all handheld.
A stock agency that i supply is specialist in religious images,so i spend alot of time in churches etc.I find that tripods and flashguns do nothing but disturb people who are trying to pray in peace,plus i prefer to rely on ambient light,spot metering and judgement.Its more fun and a better result....for me that is.
Not a single shot in my gallery,(link below) was with tripod or flash.

EDIT.The two lightning shots were 10 sec exposures.For those two,i had to used a tripod

Joe.

 

Post Processing approach using Photoshop CS3

Firstly, I opened the photo in photoshop, changed mode to 16 bit (Image/Mode/16Bit), saved as a .tiff file. Using this tiff file I then altered the shadows (Image/Adjustments/ShadowHighlight) altered shadows by 15%. Next came a small "s" curve in (Image/Adjestments/Curves) and small saturation boost (Image/adjustments/HueSaturation) then merged the layers (Layer/Merge visible). Now convert back to 8Bit mode (Image/Mode/8Bit) Then a final sharpening using the high pass method. Described below. Then File/Save As and saved as a jpeg (quality=9)




HDR Approach

Next I simulated a bracketed approach on the original tiff file (Image/Adjustments/Exposure) changed exposure to 2 and saved a copy using a different filename, I did the same again this time setting exposure to -2. Loaded all three into Photomatix to generate a HDR image, then went to tonemapping. Settings used:

Tone tab:

Strength 99%
Colour Saturation 69%
Light Smooting (Radio Buttons) 2nd from right.
Luminosity 2
White Point 0.595%
Black Point 0%

Colour tab:

All three sliders at zero.

Micro Tab:

Microcontrast 4
Micro-smoothing 2

S/H Tab:

All three sliders at zero

Job done !

Opened once more in Photoshop, convertback to 8Bit mode (Image/Mode/8Bit), quick sharpen using smart sharpen (100% & 0.5 radius), saved as jpeg (quality=9).





High Pass Sharpening method (* sharpening is ALWAYS the very last thing you do before saving *)

Duplicate your photo, select duplicated layer and click "Filter/Other/High Pass", your photo will turn either partly of mostly grey. Move the slider left and right and colour will appear and dissappear,adjust this slider untill the picture is all grey and all colour has gone..thats the maximum ammount for this effect and that ammount will vary from photo to photo. I've had it as low as 0.1 and as high as over 10, the point is, its like Unsharp mask, there is no "majic numbers". See what I mean below, colour and grey in the first shot, grey in the second.





When you have removed all colour and your photo is all grey, click ok. Now choose a blending mode from the layer palette, either overlay hard or soft light works well on this...but you can experiment with it.




Steve...

 

Steve
Wonderful
This is like going back to school.
Great tutorial, and for me I have picked up a load of hints and tips when using HDR and PS. Many thanks
Robert

 

Thanks Steve & Joe.
Now all I need is time. I seemed to have more 'free' time BEFORE I stopped being a wage slave!

 

Good image Steve.
Nice and light.
Just be aware of noise on the back wall and maybe burn/colour the door and the book stand thing on the left.
Thanks for the high pass tutorial.Sometimes i use that,sometimes the unsharp mask.
Is one better than the other......in your opinion...?
Joe

 

I wasn't too worried about noise as it was a small/low res photo to start with, I think working with the RAW from start that that would be less of an issue anyway. This was just a testing thingy after all.

As for sharpening, its horses for courses really, mostly I dont sharpen my photos, but if it needs it I will use one of several different methods and will try them all on the photo to see which gives the best results. The high pass is good as is using the lab mode method, but probably the most used is unsharp mask or smart sharpen to a lesser extent.

I dont like adding extras into a photo, so thats why I did not clone in the carpet (its a personal thing to me) likewise I wont remove things either, for example telephone poles and wires.

Steve...

 

Here's an HDR of mine and is how I think it should be used.



High Dynamic Range captures the image information that digital camera sensors cannot, but to my mind should reflect how the scene looked, not how I see many these days that are completely surreal and unrealistic.

When I use HDR I'm mindfull that it is a photograph and the finished photo should be exactly that, anything else is an image. Now dont get me wrong, if thats what floats your boat then thats fine with me, but too many HDR's have OTT skies and the effect is overdone. The photo above is a bracketed set of three +/- 2 stops, taken early morning, the finished shot is exactly as I saw it that morning, but the camera would never have recorded it as such (expecially from the angle and position I shot it from) This then is the perfect scenario to bracket and convert to hdr, tonemap and finish in Photoshop.

The end result I'm sure you'll agree is a stimulating shot with good depth, colour and clarity.

Steve...

 

Steve
Love the way this thread is going.
I like your "boat house"
Im beginning to think subject matter is all important for an HDR project.
There are lots of situations that require over/under highlights/lowlights to add atmosphere and impact which I believe HDR would not improve and indeed take away from the image.
As i said before it is now my intention to get out and start bracketing and fill my 8GB card full of possible HDR process pictures.
I believe that now I am retired I shall need something to do in the long winter months. Seems like the ideal time to settle around the fire, some scottish wine to hand and a nice warm laptop.
Happy days
Robert