The June Competiton Theme is HDR Images.

[PuppyBismark]

I will post a submission thread about June 12th. Use this time to go out and shoot or rummage through your images to find "that shot." Any subject matter is appropriate as long as the image is an HDR image.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. To create an HDR image, one must take multiple shots of the same scene at different f stops and use the appropriate software to combine all shots into one final image.

To learn more, I would invite you to go to http://www.hdrsoft.com/ which is one of the vendors of HDR software. In addition Adobe Photoshop and NIK Software market software for HDR processing.

Use of Photoshop or other computer image manipulation is also encouraged. All the general rules for past competitions will apply.

To see some examples of very good HDR images go to: http://www.hdrsoft.com/gallery/index.php

[handmade34]

1. of interest...

http://www.stuckincustoms.com

[Pharaoh]

2. well then...

I can't believe your going to get many of those ........

[Mira]

3. WOW - I'm going to be more than fascinated

watching this contest unfold.
In general I'm open to learning new things. In particular I am not fond of most of the images that are done this way, and consider many of them contrived. Many look to me more like forced "creations" than photographs as I understand the basic medium.

But then, that's just my taste, and I'm open to have my mind changed or my horizon widened which is why I am going to be watching with interest.

Since I barely understand the process and have never done it I am all but positive that my first efforts won't be submittable

As I understand it I need to buy software to do this?!

[handmade34]

5. lots of free software available

some discussion http://www.dpreview.com/forums/post/38543673

http://qtpfsgui.sourceforge.net

etc, etc...

[Mira]

6. Great! Thanks.

Live and learn

[handmade34]

7. "live and learn"

[groundloop]

14. Agree with your point about "forced creations"

Many of the examples of HDR I've seen include a sky full of clouds and landscape (pasture, mountains, building, etc.) that is all bright and cheery looking. That just doesn't feel right to me when viewing those images.

[a la izquierda]

4. Bowing out of this one.

Neat concept, but well beyond my abilities.

[PuppyBismark]

8. It is really not that difficult, but does require software

If you have a fairly new version of Photoshop, you have the tool to do it. It requires a camera that can bracket exposures and you should use a tripod. Follow the tutorials in http://www.hdrsoft.com/ to learn more about it.

I would like to know who plans to enter. If we don't get any interest, I can change the topic.

Regards,
PuppyBismark.

[a la izquierda]

15. Okay, I changed my mind.

I think I'll try to figure this out.

[Mira]

16. Proud of you.

I am looking at clouds etc. with the idea of giving it a try. It's step one.

[rdking647]

19. im in for sure... i love hdr

[MattSh]

32. I'm in too.

[ManiacJoe]

9. This could be fun as a learning experience!

There are two sides to the HDR world: (1) those looking to create realistic looking images, and (2) those wanting to create the grungy and/or artistic images. The problem usually comes in where folks in camp 2 were trying for camp 1.

Note: The output of the HDR software is the input to the rest of the post-processing work-flow.

Slight correction on the "how-to". Changing the f-stop is bad in that it messes up the depth of field between the shots. You want to change the shutter speeds instead.

[Crepuscular]

10. At first I was thinking

that this was way past my pay grade, never done anything along these lines before and I was planning to sit this one out but then I decided, what the heck, I'll break out of my curmudgeonly shell and give it a whirl. First lesson learned is that using a tripod will be essential, otherwise the final image is going to end up slightly blurry. Using some free software I gave it a shot but I'm pretty unimpressed with my initial attempt. Going to be big learning curve I suspect but sometimes it worth getting out of a rut and trying something new.

Hopefully things will improve with more practice.

[rdking647]

17. it can be done w/o a tripod. its just a little tougher

one hint is shoot wide angle,and if you camera allows it set the moto drive for high speed continous mode to reel off the shots in a hurry

[handmade34]

11. photomatix gets good reviews

http://photomatix-pro.en.softonic.com ...haven't tried it

I haven't found anything that works for me yet... Luminance tended to reduce my pixels which made it impossible to use... I am re-installing Photoshop on my PC so maybe that will work

[rdking647]

20. im not a photomatrix fan

i have it and hde efex by nix labs. I much prefer hdr efex

[Stevenmarc]

22. Nik is the best

for a variety of reasons but mostly for the control points.

[groundloop]

12. Would a single image shot in RAW but 'developed' at different exposures be considered HDR?

After combining the developed images using GIMP, photoshop, etc. of course.

[ManiacJoe]

21. That works as HDR and is a common method.

[alfredo]

34. I used GIMP and a plugin to combine the three images, but that has just changed.

Last edited Sun Jun 2, 2013, 11:57 PM - Edit history (1)

I have found a bit of free software called, HDRist (for OSX). I that does a better job of HDR. I then export it to GIMP for touchups.

[handmade34]

13. So...

Last edited Thu May 30, 2013, 05:56 PM - Edit history (1)

having serious troubles getting Photoshop (my PC is failing) downloaded the free Photomatix (leaves a watermark but just to play; no matter) and playing... took a quick photo (3 to be exact) from my front door

(alas, my beloved Elm is dead )


without processing

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]



HDR with processing

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]



OK, so I finally got Photoshop to work and processed same photos in HDR... the product

[URL=.html][IMG][/IMG][/URL]

[rdking647]

18. this could be fun... i love HDR (sometimes)

it can make a good shot great (or make a great shot shit)

when im shooting landscape id gues si shoot 70-70% of them planning on HDR,and then i see which will really benefit from it after i download them

[Stevenmarc]

23. When it's used correctly it's a great tool.

Unfortunately I see too many that use it like glitter on a pig, with completely overcooked results.

[alfredo]

38. I guess the best use is to recover shadows and highlights.

[Stevenmarc]

41. I tend to use it

not necessarily for recovery but as part of a preemptive strike. I know I'll be in HDR land when I can see that a shot has to be bracketed but even then I don't see HDR as a one button, final solution but part of the workflow that will be a layer of the final image.

[alfredo]

43. All I am doing is bracketing, then combining. If I get one shot that is in the goldielock zone,

why bother with making it HDR?

[Stevenmarc]

45. Because

I tend to use it as a layer and brush it in at certain opacities in areas where I want to pop a bit more detail. At the end of the day you really can't tell that I ever used it, it's a little smidgen of salt to the plate, I don't pour the whole shaker on it like most people do.

[alfredo]

46. That's a good idea. I think I will try that with some existing images.

I just now darkened a sky using that technique. I put the neutral over a dark and "erased" the lighter sky at about 20% opacity. I need to practice, but I see how it can be useful.

[Solly Mack]

39. Hush now. You'll scare me off from entering.

I don't expect my results to be all that great. I'm not very good at it.

[Stevenmarc]

40. Actually

That might be a good thing, LOL. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that subtle isn't going to win the day with this competition, just go for it.

[Solly Mack]

42. That's better! lol

I'm thinking about posting some of my efforts...but I dunno. lol

[alfredo]

44. I'm going subtle. I don't care if I win or lose. I just like taking part.

[Mz Pip]

47. Just go for it!

So far I've manage to create 2 pieces. Subtle they are not. My first couple of attempts were pretty ghastly. I left the manual at home and am hacking my way though it.

I might just go with an over the top outlandish piece just for the heck of it.

[Blue_In_AK]

24. I'll be sitting this one out.

I've got too much to do with my vacation photos, not to mention finishing the house stuff, plus I'm not really a fan of HDR. It'll be fun to see what the rest of you do.

[handmade34]

25. but....

would love to see Sitka in HDR

[Blue_In_AK]

27. It's great enough in real.

I can't do it. I didn't shoot RAW images and I didn't do three different exposures of each. It's just not my thing. But, as I said, it will be fun to see what everyone else does.

[edbermac]

26. Not really a fan of HDR

Looks too fake to me, I would be very subtle if I used it, to the point that it wouldn't look like an HDR image.

[groundloop]

28. Subltle is (IMO) the way to go with it

The image I'm working on which I think I might submit probably won't stand out as being anything other than a normal photo.

It sure is taking a lot of time to do what I thought was going to be a simple image though. Oh well, I have an excuse to play with something I've only done a few times before.

[MattSh]

31. Agreed

If it looks fake, you better keep practicing.

[dballance]

29. More Links to Software Information - Some Free

Here are some links to HDR software reviews and a link to free software. I downloaded Luminance HDR since it's free. I haven't had time yet to go out with the tripod and take photos. My Nikon D40 doesn't do auto-bracketing so whatever I end up using will need to be able to do alignment adjustments. That's probably the case for most of us.

Free software (my favorite kind):

http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-high-dynamic-range-hdr-software.htm#Quick_Selection_Guide

Reviews of other software:

http://captainkimo.com/hdr-software-review-comparison/

http://www.hdrlabs.com/tools/links.html

[Mz Pip]

30. My iPhone shoots HDR.

At least it says it does. I'll have to figure this out. I've played around with it some with my Canon and Photoshop. I'm willing to give it a try again.

[dballance]

33. Here is one created with Nik Collection/Aperture

The NIK collection looks pretty dang good. I watched the intro video on YouTube (an hour long) that covered all six tools. Neat stuff for not too bad a price.

Bridge Crossing Columbia River between Portland, OR and Vancouver, WA and dock on the OR side. WA is in the distance.



This is 0 photo, or the middle one of all the exposures. What the auto on the camera did.

[Richard D]

35. HDR black and white OK?

I personally love using HDR. Glad to see a contest around it.
A horribly overused and abused technique that when done with subtlety can make some great images.

[Celebration]

36. Ordinarily I would be trying and learning this

But I have lots of family in town visiting, and I am up to my ears in diapers, LOL. I did just download some free software, though. I don't like overprocessed HDR at all but I will try anything to improve landscapes. So I like the theme, and would learn this but for my situation this particular month. Can't wait to see the results!

[Solly Mack]

37. I'll give it a lick and a promise.

[Earth_First]

48. Deadline day...

I'm sitting this one out but boy am I excited to see what eveyone came up with!

Good luck! I cannot wait!

[Max-Charles]

49. NIK vs. Aurora HDR

Google is no longer investing money into NIK development, so I consider this photo editor dead. Personally I prefer [link:https://aurorahdr.com/|for processing HDR images. However, before finding this software I used to edit pics in Machinery HDR.