HDR Tip (or cheat)

[DigiDiva]

Not sure if this will be read, as there hasn't been an entry here in 2 years!!!! I bet this isn't a tip at all, as everyone probably knows but I didn't......

When shooting in RAW, you don't need to take three or more images for HDR. You can use your one RAW image, and save it as different exposures. Then when combining them for HDR, there is no movement to contend with, like when you take seperate images.

Or is this common practice that I'm just finding out now??

[Beaux Reflets]

Does that not mean that the three simulated exposure adjustments are only as good as the post processing software's programming; rather than working directly with camera caught variants which may provide better "depth" because of the increase in volume of digital information available, using three separate photographs? 

[Beryl]

I have CS5 extended  but you can also do similar cheets on Capture NX 2. Usually bought by Nikon users. Not as powerful as CS 5 but it's good

I'm not into HD. I like some of them

[Hinfrance]

Andy, most decent RAW processors can easily add or subtract one or two stops without any problems. You can create the fake bracketed photos with just about every RAW editor, although I would not recommend Photoplus for this. Lightroom, Aftershot Pro, Silky Pix, ACR (in Elements too) are all fine for the job.

Chris is right, it is a good and easy way to get a no wobble HDR, the sole proviso being that the starting shot is exposed for the mid range. I find that this method often gives better results than using the tripod and five bracketed photos - often there is less noise too.

Personally I would not use Photoshop's HDR merge to create any HDR - the performance is nowhere near as good as Photomatix or Dynamic Photo IMHO, but I have only had trial versions of CS as I didn't want to sell any body parts to get an image editor.

[Beaux Reflets]

Andy, most decent RAW processors can easily add or subtract one or two stops without any problems. You can create the fake bracketed photos with just about every RAW editor, although I would not recommend Photoplus for this. Lightroom, Aftershot Pro, Silky Pix, ACR (in Elements too) are all fine for the job.

Chris is right, it is a good and easy way to get a no wobble HDR, the sole proviso being that the starting shot is exposed for the mid range. I find that this method often gives better results than using the tripod and five bracketed photos - often there is less noise too.

Personally I would not use Photoshop's HDR merge to create any HDR - the performance is nowhere near as good as Photomatix or Dynamic Photo IMHO, but I have only had trial versions of CS as I didn't want to sell any body parts to get an image editor.

I can see it would be time saving, and I have used the method of combining the same image as it were, from adjusted for exposure files using Silky Pix, while editing and combining them as layers in Serif.    I considered that as just getting added depth into a shot rather than full blown HDR, but then I am not tech' minded.

[DigiDiva]

ooo, glad there's a debate going! I not sure about HDR either, but when I do try, my efforts are pants

[jinky]

I`ve done less hdr since getting my d700 but likely to do some more with my back up D7000 as it has bracketing better suited to HDR. Of course one reason for using 3 separate shots in hdrs is when you want to show movement. Examples that have worked well for me are wind turbines and long hay in the foreground of shots. Of course moving people and cars etc are another matter. gets a lot of bad press HDR but when done well is a great tool. I like doing OTT stuff for some subjects and more subtle in landscapes. In a flickr Leeds session one guy that expressed his contempt for HDR on a regular basis on ce bagged my HDR landscape in a print swap session. I had such pleasure i telling him it was an HDR when he asked about my settings to get movement in  the field of hay.

[DigiDiva]

Well Im pants at it!

[Oldboy]

Well Im pants at it!

No you're not - just need more practice at it. 

[jinky]

What software you using DD - I agree with H that Photomatix is hard to beat. Just cannot get the same results with Photoshop. Doing some now with my table Mountain shots - will share if any good though hand held in low light they seem noisy just now.

[DigiDiva]

I don't have a clarity slider in my adobe camera raw......this seems to make a massive difference, as I tried it on my son's photoshop (newer version, Im CS3) and it seems to play an important part. Don't understand why I don't have a clarity slider as it seems to be part of my version. (I have a CS3 book and it refers to it in there).

[Hinfrance]

Jinky - I've never used bracketed exposure to capture movement; I'll have to try that. One of the reasons that I went for the Pentax K5 rather than the Nikon 7000 at last 'upgrade' was the fact that the Pentax has 5 frame auto bracketing. As I was used to using that from earlier Pentax models the 3 frames offered by Nikon seemed a bit mean.

DD, have you got the latest version of ACR compatible with your CS3? You should have the clarity slider in there somewhere. If you want very fine control over clarity then Topaz do a clarity plugin. I find that the best clarity tool I have is in Photoplus X6, for some reason that one works so well it has cut a lot of my editing down to clarity 15% and cropping

[DigiDiva]

I have issues downloading upgrades as my MacPro has an ancient processor and theres not much I can upload. Will have a word with my son ans see what he thinks, he's the IT geek of the family

[Hinfrance]

Ah, sorry didn't realise you were using a niche computer. 

Serif Photoplus and the full version of Dynamic Photo don't (like maybe 90% of non major company stuff) run on Macs.  Topaz runs on 10.6 upwards on Macs.

You should definitely get the latest compatible version of ACR if you can.

[donoreo]

I have issues downloading upgrades as my MacPro has an ancient processor and theres not much I can upload. Will have a word with my son ans see what he thinks, he's the IT geek of the family

Yours is a PowerMac G5 (I am assuming a G5 and not a G4), if I recall correctly.  A MacPro is the Intel based version.  I have meant to mention this before as people try to help you but they think you have a different machine when you call it a MacPro and they give incorrect advice.

If I am wrong, just tell me, but I think I recall this from when you got it over on the DCW forums.