september 2007 creating hdr with photomatix and photoshop › flaar_report_covers › ...at this...

September 2007

Photographs and Project Concept by Nicholas Hellmuth Adobe Photoshop & Photomatix work and step-by-step description by Juan Luis Sacayon

Copyright 2007 FLAAR

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Creating HDR with Photomatix and

Photoshop

El Calvario Antigua Guatemala

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Creating HDR with Photomatix and PhotoshopEl Calvario Antigua Guatemala

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High Dynamic Range is the a process to get everything correctly exposed in a digital photograph, no underexposed shadows, no blown out highlights, this will enhance the detail in the image.There are various ways to get this process done, with special software and camera techniques. We are going to learn how to do this with Photoshop CS3 and Photomatix. First thing to do: is to take 3 different photos one for the highlights, one for the mid tones, one for the shadows, then you have to combine them in the software and get a better exposed image. In the next section we are going to explain in detail how to do this.

End Result HDR

Before HDR

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HDR Photomatix compared with Photoshop

To make HDR images first step is to take the same photo at different exposures. You can do this by applying Bracketing (AEB) to your camera set the Aperture Priority and select an exposure increment of +/-2. So your camera takes a right exposure, a overexposed photo and a underexposed photo. Remember to use the lowest ISO on your camera to avoid digital noise.

This photo is deliberately “underexposed” in order not to burn out

the whites. Actually the white is so white that it ought to have been

underexposed one more stop.

This exposure looks best for the church facade, but the top of the

walls are burned out totally

This exposure looks like either an error or incompetence, but in fact

this is deliberately exposed this manner in order to get detail

inside the lower doorway at the right. I should have taken still

another shot to get more detail inside the main doorway. But this

field trip was to do basic experiments.

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Photomatix

Here is a quick guide to do HDR photos in Photomatix

First step is to open Photomatix, go to the title menu and select HDR then click Generate.

Click the Browse button, and select the different images you want to use, then click the select but-ton.

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Now just click OK and you will go to the exposure value setting. Again click OK if the exposures are correct.

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This window lets you select options on creating your HDR Image

Here you will get a preview of the High Dynamic Range in the image.

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At this point the image is unprocessed its like having a film negative. You have to process the image to get a nice result, go to the Photomatix tile menu HDR and select Tone Mapping, This will convert 32-bit image to a ��-bit or 8-bit.

This will open a window where you can work with the photo you can convert it to a ��-bit or to a 8-bit image. Work with:

StrengthColor SaturationLight SmoothingLuminosityToneColorMicrocontrastShadows and Highlights

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Just click on the apply bottom and you will get a High Dynamic Range Image.

End Result

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HDR Photoshop

To make HDR image in Photoshop the first step is the same as in Photomatix you have take the same photo at different exposures. You can do this by applying Bracketing (AEB) to your camera set the Aperture Priority and select an exposure increment of +/-2. So your camera takes a right exposure, a overexposed photo and a underexposed photo.Remember to use the lowest ISO on your camera to avoid digital noise.

This photo is deliberately “underexposed” in order not to burn out

the whites. Actually the white is so white that it ought to have been

underexposed one more stop.

This exposure looks best for the church facade, but the top of the

walls are burned out totally

This exposure looks like either an error or incompetence, but in fact

this is deliberately exposed this manner in order to get detail

inside the lower doorway at the right. I should have taken still

another shot to get more detail inside the main doorway. But this

field trip was to do basic experiments.

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Once you got the photos, you download them and open Photoshop go to the file browser, select the photos needed, then go to the tools menu and select Photoshop, click merged to HDR, Photoshop will start to merge the pictures selected, and a window will open.

Here You have to indicate how the pictures where exposed. Because Photoshop needs to know how to build the histogram of the new image. Fill in the ISO and f-stop for each photo. Then click ok and you will have the new image.

Manually Set EV

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You will have to play with the histogram to adjust it to get a better contrast and exposure of the photo. One problem that I came upon, was that some photos came out overexposed, or underexposed. You have to be very careful not to move anything when you are taking the photos because if you do, you will get a blurred photo at the end.

Merged to HDR

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Ones you get the photo it will be a 32 bits per channels, go to the image menu, mode and select �� bits channels.

A window will open: HDR conversion:

HDR Conversion

32 Bits channels HDR

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Here we have a menu:

Exposure and GammaHighlight CompressionEqualize HistogramLocal Adaptation

I used Exposure and Gamma to give more contrast to the photo and give it a nice look, but you can use the one that better fits you.

HDR Conversion Esposure and Gamma

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The end result with HDR in Photoshop,

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Now you can use the normal Image adjustments of a photo to give it a nice look (Levels, curves, Satu-ration).

You have to work on the saturation and color channels to give it a better look.

The end result in Photoshop CS3

You can improve the image in Photoshop but you have to work on it a little more time, it depends on your Photoshop skills and ability.

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HDRPHOTOMATIX

HDRPHOTOSHOP

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HDR Samples Photomatix

End Result HDR

Before HDR

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End Result HDR

Before HDR

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End Result HDR

Before HDR

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Then here are the samples of the photographic results taken specifically for the project at hand. Keep in mind I had specific goals in mind and had already photographed this same church on several previ-ous occasions.

Photographs by Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth

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Learn more in our:

Click here to order these reports

FLAAR LEARNING UNITSCreating High Dynamic Range images step by step

http://wide-format-printers.net/digitalcameraspro_entrylevel/digital_photo.php?prod=CreatHighDynamRanImg

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To learn more click here

http://wide-format-printers.net/digitalcameraspro_entrylevel/digital_photo.php

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september 2007 creating hdr with photomatix and photoshop › flaar_report_covers › ...at this...

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