Welcome to the this page about HDR and Photoshop. I put it together based on many questions I get about how to create an HDR in Photoshop.
Many regular readers here who have seen my full HDR Tutorial know that Photoshop is a major part of the equation. However, I would caution people against only using Photoshop to create an HDR.
I have created thousands and thousands of HDR Photographs. This site is extremely popular both with professional and amateur photographers that are into cutting-edge visualization. As such, I get many offers from dozens of software packages to product HDR images. I try all the software, including every version of Photoshop, so I am very comfortable in stating judgments on the matter.
My Recommendation
I recommend that Photoshop is very much part of the process, but the first step should be to process the photo using Photomatix (see my Photomatix Review). The Photoshop Merge to HDR functionality is lacking, confusing, and produces a lackluster image.
You’ve already spent significant money to get CS4, and if you want your experiments in HDR to be the best possible to impress your friends and loved ones, I strongly suggest you buy Photomatix from the HDR Soft website. It’s only about $99 and you can use the Photomatix Coupon Code of “STUCKINCUSTOMS” to get another 15% off. I think you’ll be very happy!
After you have Photomatix, my full tutorial explains how you go about taking the result of that and then perfect it with Photoshop.
HDR Photo Equipment
As for I have a Nikon D3X, but it does not require a camera that beefy to make photos like the ones you see on the site. In fact, many of my photos were taken with a camera that only costs a fraction of this beast. I have a full rundown of Camera Equipment recommendations here on the site as well.
What is HDR?
HDR is short for High Dynamic Range. It is a post-processing of taking either one image or a series of images, combining them, and adjusting the contrast ratios to do things that are virtually impossible with a single aperture and shutter speed. I would say that about 75% of my images use the technique, and if you are new to it, then you may notice a slightly different “look and feel” to my photographs. You should also probably note that HDR is a very broad categorization, and I really hate categorization. My process starts with using basic HDR techniques, but then there are many more steps to help the photos look more… let’s say… evocative.
I can talk a little bit more about the philosophy behind the photography style here for a quick moment. You might consider that the way the human brain keeps track of imagery is not the same way your computer keeps track of picture files. There is not one aperture, shutter speed, etc. In fact, sometimes when you are in a beautiful place or with special people and you take photos — have you ever noticed when you get back and show them to people you have to say, “Well, you really had to be there.” Even great photographers with amazing cameras can only very rarely grab the scene exactly as they saw it. Cameras, by their basic-machine-nature, are very good at capturing “images”, lines, shadows, shapes — but they are not good at capturing a scene the way the mind remembers and maps it. When you are actually there on the scene, your eye travels back and forth, letting in more light in some areas, less light in others, and you create a “patchwork-quilt” of the scene. Furthermore, you will tie in many emotions and feelings into the imagery as well, and those get associated right there beside the scene. Now, you will find that as you explore the HDR process, that photos can start to evoke those deep memories and emotions in a more tangible way. It’s really a wonderful way of “tricking” your brain into experiencing much more than a normal photograph.
I will post a few interesting HDR photographs that I have taken that people seem to like. This first image below is the first HDR photograph ever to hang in the Smithsonian Institution in D.C. and many of the others are represented by Getty. I think this goes to show how mainstream and accepted HDR can be, if the technique is properly applied.
May 19th, 2009 01:14 | HDR Tutorial Part 3
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October 25th, 2009 23:12 | Donald Patrick
I’m new to HDR. I have used a pair of Ashi Spotmatic F’s, followed by a Nikon F3, then a Sony DSC 707, and now a Olympus Pen EP1 over the course of some years now.
What are your opinions of Qtpfsgui and GIMP , in lieu of Photomatix and Photoshop? I ask because they are free and seem robust for the tasks.