HDR - Taking and processing photographs. HDR using Adobe Photoshop Processing hdr photos in Photoshop

I am glad to welcome you to my blog. I’m in touch with you, Timur Mustaev. All of us photographers have an endless love for photography. And who doesn’t want to end up with a perfect picture!

As soon as the words “ideal”, “maximally realistic”, “in high resolution” are heard regarding a photo, I immediately want to talk about a wonderful invention called hdr. The term “bracketing” is closely related to this. Let's look at all the new concepts in order. So, what is hdr photography?

What is hdr photography?

HDR photography– this is a high resolution and large image. This means that you can become the proud owner of a photo in which all colors and lights are clearly represented, including very bright and dark areas.

At the same time, your equipment will not tell you that in some places of the frame information is lost due to illumination or a catastrophic lack of light rays.

The fact is that most often, using a conventional camera it is almost impossible to take such a picture. And it’s not about the capabilities of the camera or the skills of the photographer, although these are significant factors influencing the result.

Unlike the human eye, the camera has a very difficult time with high-contrast scenes. We can perceive all the shades of blue sky and gray or brown earth, for example, but technology cannot.

She will definitely either make the sky overexposed somewhere, or the earth's surface will be taken into darkness, or she will choose some middle option. None of them would suit me. Here I see only a few options:

1. know exactly how to set up the camera, which most likely will be completely manual;
2. pull out light areas or work out shadows in Lightroom/Photoshop;
3. take a photo using HDR technology.

How is an HDR image created?

To create the kind of photo I talk about in the third point above, you need to superimpose several photos taken with slight differences: overexposed, normal, underexposed. They mainly combine photographs taken using exposure compensation. But there are other options.

Most often these are three photos, but sometimes there are more - a whole series. Naturally, in the latter case, more patience and skills will be required to turn, in fact, raw material from many photographs into just one, so to speak, ideal one.

It is in the camera that it will be more convenient for professionals to work. If you are more comfortable and accustomed to operating in semi-automatic styles (,), then choose them.

The main thing here is to change only one of the main parameters from frame to frame, and usually only by one or a couple of steps, which depends on the general lighting.

Example with: f=7,1 f=8 and f=9; s: t=1/100, 1/160 and 1/250. Take photos and look at the results. In principle, you can try to shift it a little and play with the focus. But these are other types of bracketing that also exist.

Below is an example where different shutter speeds were used, but the aperture and were left unchanged. After combining these three photos, we get a wonderful photo.

Note. Taking a photo like this with extremely high dynamic range isn't always appropriate and won't always look the way you originally thought. Neither a computer nor a printing press can fully reflect the richness of light and shadow.

It is also possible to strengthen the so-called unwanted halos around objects, and they will have to be actively corrected in graphic editors.

Of course, the image in any case will be more colorful and incredibly clear, if everything is done correctly, than a regular photograph, say, in jpeg.

Also keep in mind that while hdr will look adequate when shooting landscapes, architecture, or interiors, this may not be the case when photographing movement. Overlaying a picture can give an unpredictable effect, especially when the camera is unstable.

What is HDR in a camera?

Photographers, I have good news for you! If you have a good DSLR camera, it has a wonderful feature called AEB (for Canon cameras), an acronym that stands for Automatic Exposure Bracketing.

BKT button or bracketing function in a Nikon camera.

Are you too lazy to bother with preparing hdr? So she will take all the shots for you!

Everything is very simple: you read the instructions for the camera, turn on the desired option, and when you press the shutter, the device will take three pictures. These will therefore be light, normal and dark - which is what we need.

Of course, the work doesn't end there. To our joy, the camera can shoot in beautiful, which does not compress the photo, but saves all the information about it. To create HDR photographs, you can also use the JPEG format.

But unfortunately, it won’t make an HDR image right away. Everything will have to be copied into a computer and then combined and processed in a special program. You will need Photoshop for this, in which you can select the desired parts from all the pictures and combine them beautifully, for this in the menu File – Automation choose Merge to HDR Pro.

There is also a simpler Photomatix utility, where in just a couple of mouse clicks you can get a high-quality professional photo.

If you are interested in such a concept as HDR, and you also liked the article that I wrote for you, then you will definitely be interested in the following video courses:

1. Digital SLR for a beginner 2.0(if you have NIKON) or My first MIRROR(if you have CANON) - Great course. It is necessary for those who are not very familiar with their SLR camera, and who only take photographs in automatic mode. A DSLR can do more! Everything about this is written in this course.
2. Lightroom is an indispensable tool for the modern photographer– The course will teach you how to use one of the programs beloved by photographers, Lightroom. It is very convenient to work with RAW photo formats.
3. Photoshop from scratch in VIP 3.0 video format– A course especially for beginners. As you understand, any photographer should be able to process photographs after shooting, but without the basics it is simply impossible to achieve the desired results. If you are completely new to Photoshop, then you should start with this video course.
4. Photoshop for the photographer 3.0. VIP– The latest video course in my arsenal, which is intended specifically for photographers. All the tricks and subtleties are described to create a masterpiece from a simple photograph.

Bye, readers! That's all for me. Don't miss my articles - and you will know everything about photography! Please note: you can subscribe to blog news - very convenient. Share the article, I will be very pleased.

All the best to you, Timur Mustaev.

The main thing is to specify the file on your computer or phone and click OK. The rest of the settings are set to default.

An example of a photograph of the sky without changes and with HDR processing version 1.1 on this site:

An example of a photograph of Neuschwanstein Castle without changes and after HDR processing version 2.0 with increased power:

Please note that for now you can process an image up to 40 Megapixels (7200x5600), and after processing any image with this HDR effect for one jpg image always turns out to be no more than 1.5 megapixels or approximately 1800x800. Treatment usually lasts 5-60 seconds . So patience is required here! If you really need to process a large image without reducing it, then write to the contact box, it will be done free of charge.

HDR effect from JPG works best high-quality and unexposed photographs inside dark abandoned buildings, shiny cars in the city or on the street, wildlife. In general, you can try to process whatever your heart desires. HDR version 2 with increased power looks the most plausible. If the power of the HDR effect turns out to be insufficient, you can download an already processed image and process it again.

Only keep in mind that if the picture is of poor quality, highly compressed or small, then instead of HDR and dark areas there will be squares and pronounced artifacts. If this happens, then it’s worth trying HDR 1.1(previous version) or HDR 2.5 with moderate power. HDR 2.5 It is better than version 2.0 in that it looks better, works twice as fast and is more forgiving of highly compressed jpeg images.

The original image is not changed in any way. You will be provided with another processed image.

1) Specify an image in BMP, GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF format:

2) High Dynamic Range Effect Settings
HDR version: 1.1 2.0 2.5

HDR Power: Increased Normal Moderate

3) Additional settings for image correction after HDR processing
Automatic normalization Color saturation: ; Luminosity: ; Brightness: ; Contrast:

As you know, on our website we publish only the best and most accessible articles, without techno-fetishism or delving into the wilds of theory. We post some articles with the permission of the authors.

Shooting and processing HDR is a very complex topic, and truly interesting articles on HDR are extremely rare.

Alexander Voitekhovich’s article “HDR and what it comes with” is one of the best articles about HDR photography. This article covers almost all aspects of creating an HDR image - from taking photographs to the nuances of HDR processing. It is impossible to fit such a volume of material into one article, so the article is divided into four parts. We are publishing the first part of the article today, and the remaining parts will be published over the next week.

The first part of the article by Alexander Voitekhovich “HDR and what you eat it with”.

A few years ago I started collecting information and results from my experiments related to HDR technology. Over time, this information took shape in an article and all that remained was to bring it into decent form so that it would not be embarrassing to show it to the world.

I deliberately chose the mixture of languages ​​in the names Photoshop and Photomatix to make it easier to read. All photographs in the article were taken by the author, that is, by me.

I'll start with a few terms that will appear in the article. And those readers who are not interested in the technical aspects of the issue can immediately skip to Chapter 3.1 for creating HDR in Photoshop or to Chapter 3.2 for a description of Photomatix.

Dynamic range- the ratio of the minimum to maximum value of any physical quantity. In photography, it is used as a synonym for the concept of “photographic latitude,” that is, the range of brightness that can be recorded on film or on a matrix. In the context of HDR, the dynamic range of a motif is the ratio of the brightness of the lightest part of the motif to the darkest part.

LDR (Low Dynamic Range)- low dynamic range image, ordinary photographs. This can be an eight-bit JPG or a 16-bit TIF image.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)- high dynamic range. Usually this refers to the technology for creating HDRI. Sometimes used as a synonym for HDRI.

HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image)- an image with greater dynamic range than conventional 8/16-bit images. Some sources call the limit at which HDRI begins 13.3 exposure stops (brightness range 1:10000). HDRI uses a 32-bit floating point format, such as the Radiance (.hdr) format, which was developed in the mid-80s. A description of the format in .pdf can be found.

Tone Mapping— tone compression. A technique for converting an HDR image into a format that a regular monitor can display, that is, into an eight- or 16-bit image. In the English-speaking sector of the Internet, the concepts of Tone Mapping and Tonal Compression in the context of HDRI are most often not distinguished. At the same time, in RuNet there is a tendency to understand the first definition as tone mapping, in which each pixel of a 32-bit HDRI is non-linearly translated into a pixel of an eight- or 16-bit image, taking into account the brightness of the surrounding pixels, and tone mapping is understood as a linear compression of the entire range brightness of the HDRI image.

DRI (Dynamic Range Increase)- a technique used to increase the dynamic range of a photograph.

1. A little about dynamic range and the fight for it

Anyone who has ever held a camera in their hands is familiar with photographs in which vague silhouettes are a dark spot clustered against the backdrop of a beautifully lit blue sky, or the foreground - buildings, people and cats are captured against a uniform white background. Despite the fact that there, in place, both the foreground and the clouds in the blue sky were equally distinguishable. This happens due to the fact that the matrix of a digital camera is unable to simultaneously record information both in the dark areas of the image, for which a larger exposure is needed, and in the light areas, where a lower exposure is sufficient. The difference between these exposure values ​​is called the dynamic range of the motif.

Analog and digital cameras also have dynamic range, which is the difference in exposure stops between the darkest and lightest parts of an image that can be reproduced without losing information. This loss is expressed either in completely black areas of the image or in overexposed ones. Information in over- and underexposed areas cannot be restored. Dark areas of the image can be lightened to some extent, but this is most often due to the appearance of noise.

Human vision is capable of recording information in areas with a difference of 10-14 steps without adaptation and up to 24 steps with the ability to adapt the pupil to different areas of illumination, which corresponds to the difference between illumination in bright sunlight and dim starlight. Usually this is more than enough, since the dynamic range of real motives is rarely more than 14 steps. But capturing even part of this range can be difficult. The dynamic range of a regular negative film is about 9-11 exposure stops, a slide film is 5-6 stops, and a digital camera sensor is theoretically 8 to 11 stops, although in practice most digital cameras are capable of capturing much less information.

It is difficult not only to capture, but also to reproduce the real dynamic range of a motif. Photo paper is capable of reproducing only 7-8 stops of exposure, while modern monitors are capable of displaying images with a contrast of up to 1:600 ​​(9 stops), plasma TVs - up to 13 stops (1:10000).

Since the invention of photography, attempts have been made to combat these limitations. When shooting, gradient filters were and are now often used, which are produced with different densities and different smoothness of the transition from the dark to the transparent part. When projecting an image onto photographic paper, they used masks cut out of cardboard to cover parts of the image. At one time, the idea of ​​dividing each of the three light-sensitive layers of film into two - fine-grained, sensitive to bright light, and coarse-grained, sensitive to a small amount of light, became revolutionary. I think this idea was first implemented on Fuji film, but I'm not sure.

Some craftsmen made themselves filters for the conditions of a certain motive. About twenty years ago, while relaxing at the dacha, I saw a man standing in front of a camera on a tripod and selflessly drawing something on the lens. When I asked him why he was dirtying a good thing, he replied that he was applying some kind of gray substance, like dust, the name of which I, of course, have already forgotten, to the glass filter in order to darken the too bright areas of the motif. That's how I first became acquainted with HDR technology.

With the advent of digital photography, various image manipulations require less time, knowledge and effort, but limitations in dynamic range reproduction continue to exist. When shooting motifs with a not very high dynamic range, shooting in RAW format can be of great help, allowing you to darken too light areas to a certain extent and lighten dark ones in the RAW converter. In my opinion, Adobe's Lightroom is especially good at highlighting shadows. But here a lot depends on how the camera itself copes with brightness and chromatic noise in the shadows. For example, when brightening RAW photos from a 350D, even increasing the exposure by two stops results in too much noise in the dark areas, while in photos taken from a Canon 5D it is possible to extend the shadows by three stops.

To solve the problem of dynamic range, Fuji camera manufacturers released a new type of matrix in 2003 - SuperCCD SR. When developing this matrix, we used the same principle that at one time made it possible to increase the dynamic range of color film. Each photosensitive element actually consists of two elements. The main element, which has a fairly low dynamic range, reproduces dark and mid-tones. The secondary element is much less light sensitive, but has about four times the dynamic range. According to manufacturers, the dynamic range of the matrix is ​​thereby increased by two steps compared to cameras using conventional Bayer matrices. There is no reason not to believe this information.

In 2005, the Loglux i5 camera was released in Dresden, allowing it to take 60 pictures per second with a contrast ratio of 1:100,000 (17 steps). True, the camera is intended for use in industry and is not designed for purposes familiar to most photographers. I didn’t really want to, considering that it shoots with a resolution of 1.3 megapixels.

Those willing to pay around $65,000 for the HDR hobby can shoot directly in HDR format with 26 stops of dynamic range with the SpheroCam HDR camera.

For those photographers who do not use SpheroCam HDR and for whom the capabilities of the RAW format are not enough, only the HDR technique will help. With this method, information from several photographs taken at different exposures is combined into one 32-bit file. Unfortunately, such an image cannot be seen on a monitor, since even plasma TVs with high contrast values ​​cannot display the entire dynamic range of HDR. For these purposes, there are Sunnybrook HDR monitors, with a contrast of 40,000:1 (>15 steps) and BrightSide DR37-P with a contrast, according to the manufacturer, 200,000 (>17 steps), costing 49,000 dead presidents. If you don't have one of these monitors in front of you, tone mapping must be done to ensure that HDR images can be viewed and printed.

I have heard the opinion that since the camera matrix is ​​capable of recording up to 11 levels of illumination, then when shooting in RAW format there is no point in using HDR, since the information can be restored in a RAW converter. The best way to test this statement is with an example. The photos below were shot in RAW on a Canon 5D, which has a relatively high dynamic range compared to many DSLRs. Photos were taken at shutter speeds of 1/800, 1/50, 1/3 second.

The average photo's exposure is reduced by four stops in Lightroom.

The exposure of the middle photo is increased by four stops, and the shadows are brightened slightly with the Fill Light option.

As can be seen from this example, it is impossible to restore the overexposed areas, and the information in the shadows in the highlighted photograph is only partially restored, and even then with a lot of noise. It is impossible to turn the minced meat back, and you cannot restore the meat from the cutlets.

2. Shooting for HDR

To create an HDR image, you need to take several photos at different exposures, capturing detail in both the dark and light parts of the motif. As you know, you can change the exposure in different ways, but in the case of HDR this should be done by changing the shutter speed. Let me remind you, just in case, that doubling the shutter speed increases the exposure by one stop. To change the exposure by two stops, the exposure time must be changed four times, and so on.

Photos for HDR can be taken in two ways: labor-intensive and fast. With the first method you can always be sure of optimal results, but with the second method you can achieve good results in most situations with minimal effort.

The labor-intensive method looks like this:

• 1. Set the camera to aperture priority (AV) mode and select the desired aperture number;
• 2. Set the exposure metering mode to the minimum area that the camera allows. Spot or partial metering would be optimal, but in a pinch, center-weighted metering is also suitable for most motifs;
• 3. We measure the exposure in the darkest and lightest areas. We remember these values;
• 4. Install the camera on a tripod, switch to manual mode (M), set the same aperture number at which the measurements were taken, and raise the shutter speed from the lowest value to the highest (or vice versa) with a difference of one or two steps when shooting in JPG- format or two or three steps about shooting in RAW.

Example: in AV mode, select f9 and make sure that the darkest area is in the center of the viewfinder. The camera shows that it takes 1/16 of a second for a normal exposure. We do the same with the light area - we get 1/1000 of a second. We install the camera on a tripod, select mode M, set the aperture to f9 and shutter speed to 1/16. For the next frame, we reduce the shutter speed by two steps, that is, four times: set it to 1/64, the next frames - 1/250 and 1/1000. When shooting in RAW, in principle, it would be enough to take frames with shutter speeds of 1/16, 1/128 and 1/1000 seconds.

With the fast method, over- and underexposed frames are taken using exposure bracketing (AEB). Setting the exposure bracket to +/- two stops is usually sufficient to create quality HDR for most subjects. This method is also good because it allows you to often shoot without a tripod. To do this, with the exposure bracket set, the camera is set to continuous shooting mode and three frames are taken with different exposures. With this method, it must be taken into account that the anti-shake rule of 1/(focal length) applies to the maximum shutter speed, that is, to the last frame. Thus, when shooting with a 50 mm lens and a two-stop exposure bracket, the camera should show a shutter speed of 1/200 of a second on a full-frame camera or 1/320 on cameras with a 1.6 crop, since the last frame will be exactly 1/50 or 1/ 80 seconds respectively.

Another problem that can arise with this method is that the exposure can be determined for a part of the motif that is too light, then as a result the three resulting frames will be too dark and it will be impossible to restore information in the shadows. When determining the exposure based on a too dark area of ​​the frame, the light areas will be overexposed. To prevent this from happening, it is better to first set the shutter speed to an area of ​​average illumination using AE lock, then select a composition and take three frames. An alternative would be to shoot with matrix metering.

Shooting using this method looks like this:
• 1. The camera is set to exposure bracketing and continuous shooting mode;
• 2. The composition is selected so that there is an area of ​​average illumination in the center and the exposure is fixed;
• 3. The frame is composed and three frames are taken. In this case, it is advisable not to jump too much, otherwise it will be difficult to align the frames later.

3. HDR in action

HDR technology has long turned into an independent direction in photography, with its own laws and concepts of beauty. I can’t say anything bad about such preferences, but I myself am one of those people who see HDR only as a convenient tool for creating realistic photographs. For my taste, the left photo, which has not lost its realism, is preferable. The second processing option, although not devoid of originality, has little in common with what a person can see.

I'm writing this to make it clear what I mean by bad and good HDR processing, without wanting to offend anyone's photographic preferences.

Among the many programs for creating HDR, I reviewed only the two most famous and most often used. However, there are other programs for creating HDR that are in no way inferior to Photoshop and Photomatix. A list of some of them and a brief description is given at the end of the fourth part. I advise you to pay special attention to easyHDR And Artizen HDR.

3.1. Creating HDR and tone mapping in Photoshop

To create HDRI you need to either select files through the menu “File->Automate->Merge to HDR...”, or use the option "Add open files", if the photos are already opened in Photoshop. You can create HDR from JPG, TIF or RAW files. The color profile of the original photos does not matter, since Photoshop converts HDR to 8/16-bit only with the sRGB profile.

You can check the option "Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images". When shooting handheld, there is always a high probability of image shifts, but even when using a tripod, carelessly changing the settings on the camera can slightly change its position. Aligning an image takes a very long time in Photoshop, up to 45 minutes for HDR from three RAW files. Moreover, during operation, the program crushes all the computer resources it can find, so you won’t be able to do anything else. Although at this time you can read a book. Or sleep. In short, if you are sure that the camera position has not changed, then it is better not to check this option.

If Photoshop can't find the EXIF ​​data, it will ask you to enter it manually. It is advisable to enter the correct numbers, because if you set some nonsense in these parameters, the resulting HDR will be appropriate.

Unlike the CS2 version, Photoshop CS3 allows you to make HDR from images created in a RAW converter with exposure corrections. In this case, it is necessary to convert from RAW to JPG or TIF without saving EXIF ​​data, otherwise Photoshop, having found the same shutter speed values, will create some kind of nonsense instead of HDR and will not allow any interference in the process. You can remove EXIF ​​data from JPG photos using programs like Exifer, either by copying the photos into new files in Photoshop, or by converting them to non-EXIF photos and back to the original format. EXIF only supports JPG and TIF formats, so converting, for example, to PNG and back to JPG erases this data.

After the calculations, the HDRI preview window will appear. Since regular monitors are not designed to view 32-bit images, only a portion of the entire light range of this HDRI will be visible. On the left side you can see all the photos included in the process with exposure values ​​relative to one of them. At this stage, you can exclude any of the HDRI creation if for some reason this is required. On the right is a histogram of the resulting HDRI. By moving the carriage, you can change the gamma of the image and view parts of the photo with different lighting. It doesn't matter what value you set the carriage to for the final result. Leave a value "Bit Depth" to 32 and click OK.

Now we have an HDR file. But for the reasons described above, it cannot be considered. Just in case, you can save it in the format Radiance(.hdr), which accepts both Photoshop and Photomatix, or immediately begin bringing it into human form. Theoretically, Photoshop allows you to do some processing of 32-bit images, but these capabilities are too limited, so it is better to switch it to 16 or 8-bit mode. I usually only convert to 16 bits to reduce possible losses during further processing. For this we choose Image->Mode->16 Bits/Channel.

A window will now appear with four options at the top. For most cases, only the last option is of interest "Local Adaptation", but for the sake of completeness the others should be briefly mentioned.

Exposure and Gamma: Allows you to change the exposure and gamma value of an image. May be useful for some images with relatively low dynamic range. For those who choose to use this option, tone mapping is best done as follows:

• 1. Change the exposure value so that the image has medium brightness;
• 2. Increase the gamma value so that all parts of the image are visible. The contrast will be very low;
• 3. Adjust the exposure value if necessary.
• 4. After tone mapping, increase the contrast with levels or curves.

Highlight Compression: Compresses the light range of the image to fit into 16-bit space. If used correctly, this method is quite labor-intensive, and the final result can only be predicted by having sufficient experience with it. First you need to prepare the image:

• 1. Open the 32-bit preview dialog: View->32-bit Preview Options…. The exposure carriage in the window that opens must be in the middle. Set preview method Highlight Compression.
• 2. Open a dialogue Image->Adjustment->Exposure and set the parameters at which the image will look optimal. It is better not to change the Offset value. In this form, the image will be converted to 8 or 16 bits.
• 3. In the window Image->Mode->16 bit choose Highlight Compression.

Equalize Histogram: Compresses the dynamic range of the image taking into account local contrast. Contrast varies depending on the number of pixels in a certain area of ​​the histogram. With this method, areas of the histogram with a large number of pixels are expanded at the expense of areas with a small number of pixels, which are compressed. As a result, the image histogram is smoothed and the local image contrast is increased. The option, in my opinion, is interesting, but rather useless.

Local Adaptation: The option that should be used in most cases. It allows you to convert a 32-bit HDRI to an 8/16-bit image using curves familiar to most Photoshop users.

Two additional parameters that are not present in regular curves are − Radius And Threshold. While the curve is responsible for changing global contrast, these two parameters determine local contrast, the contrast of details.

Radius: Defines how many pixels to consider as a "local" area when changing contrast. Too low values ​​make the image flat, too high can lead to the appearance of light halos, especially with high values ​​of the second parameter, Threshold. I usually set the radius values ​​to 1-7, depending on the size of the image. But it is possible that someone will like the results that give higher values ​​of this parameter more.

Threshold: Determines how pronounced this local contrast will be. I usually leave this value small or minimal. A similar effect can be achieved later, if necessary, using Highpass or high parameter Radius filter Unsharp Mask, although of course the mechanism of operation of the parameter Threshold somewhat different.

Now all that remains is to work with the curve. As a last resort, you can take several images with different tone mapping parameters, then combine them with different overlay modes or hide parts of the layers with masks.

In order to find out where the light value of an image area lies on the curve, you should, as in ordinary curves, move the cursor over this area of ​​the image. There is one catch in these curves - the usual S-curve, which increases the contrast of the image, at the same time again brightens the light parts and darkens the dark ones, that is, it does the opposite of what the whole mess with HDR was started for. At the same time, the inverted S-curve, which distributes light values ​​evenly in the image, reduces contrast. I advise you to start by moving the bottom black point on the curve to the beginning of the histogram. How to distribute the remaining points depends on the image. One should not neglect the possibility of defining any point on the curve as a “corner”, making the tonal transition sharp rather than smooth. To do this, select a point and check the “Corner” option in the lower right corner. This option works well on images of architectural structures, where sharp lighting transitions can add volume.

3.2. HDR and Tone Mapping in Photomatix

All examples shown are with Photomatix version 2.4.1. I don't really like the tone mapping dialog in the latest version 2.3, because now you can't see the micro-contrast and White/Black Clip settings at the same time.

Let's create an HDR file from several photos. To do this you can either:

a) Select HDR-Generate->Browse and mark the required files;

b) Open the desired photos via File->Open, then select menu HDR->Generate ((Ctrl+G) And Use opened images. This feature is useful because it allows you to check whether the correct files were selected. It is extremely unpleasant if, after long calculations, it turns out that a photograph that is not related to this series was included in the list. This option does not work for RAW files, since Photomatix automatically creates pseudo-HDRI from them.

If Photomatix cannot find the EXIF ​​data, it will try to approximate it. Most often he does this quite well, but you can correct the exposure data at this stage. As in Photoshop, you don’t need to write nonsense, I tried it - it turns out nonsense instead of HDR.

Once the files are selected, the following window will appear. In it you can select various settings for creating HDR.

If there is a possibility that the camera position was slightly changed during shooting, then you can check Align source images. It's possible, but not necessary. Adjusting photos lengthens the HDR creation process by about 30%. Most often this option works very well, straightening out misaligned photos, but oddly enough, sometimes in those series of photos where I knew for sure that the camera position had been slightly changed, the results were better when I did not select this option and, conversely, In a series of photographs taken from a tripod, Photomatix quite shamelessly shifted the photographs relative to each other. But this happens quite rarely.

When selecting the option "Attempt to reduce ghosting artifacts" Photomatix will try to minimize differences in shots due to moving objects. If these objects are in the foreground, such as people or swaying branches, then it is better to select Moving objects/people, on the menu Detection choose High. Option Normal, in my experience, most often gives poor results. If the differences in the photos include backgrounds such as sea waves or waving grass, then it is better to select the option Ripples, and in the menu Detection also just High. Although most often the best results are obtained if the wave correction option is not activated at all, as will be discussed in the second part of the article.

If you create HDR from JPG or TIF files, you will be able to select tone curve settings. This term refers to the tonal response curve. The program documentation advises choosing Take tone curve of color profile. The resulting HDR image in this case is almost identical to an HDRI created directly from RAW files. The last option is deactivated when creating HDR from JPG files.

When creating HDR from TIF files created by converting from RAW, all three tone curve options are available. The Photomatix documentation advises selecting No tone curve applied only in cases where you are sure that no tone curves were used when converting from RAW.

When using RAW files to create HDR, there are two additional settings you can change. One of them is white balance. The convenience of the latest versions of Photomatix is ​​that it allows you to select one of the photos involved in creating HDR and see how it will look at different white balance values.

The last option is to select the color profile of the HDR image. If you understand this, then you yourself know what would be better to choose. If you are new to the topic of color profiles, then it is better to choose sRGB. It is also important to remember that when creating HDR in Photomatix, the color profile of the original photographs is used, that is, from photographs with the AdobeRGB profile, after subsequent tone mapping, a photograph in AdobeRGB will be obtained.

After the calculations are completed, the image can be rotated using the menu Utilities->Rotate->Clockwise/Counterclockwise.

Regular monitors cannot display the full dynamic range of a created HDR image, but parts of it can be viewed using the HDR Viewer window. This window quite well imitates the principle of human vision, adapting the brightness of image areas to 60%. Through View->Default Options->HDR You can configure whether this window will appear or not. HDR Viewer can also be launched using the Ctrl+V key combination.

Now, out of curiosity, you can find out the dynamic range of the created HDRI through File->Image Properties(Ctrl+I).

Whether we like it or not, among the thousands of images we look at, our eyes will definitely stop at a catchy HDR photograph. We are attracted by the clarity of the photograph, the drawn lines, the brightness and volume of the image. These photos are the most prized, but creating true HDR photos is a labor-intensive process that requires multiple photos at once. At the same time, today we often find photos from pseudo-HDR photographs created using simple effects in Photoshop. The difference between real and fake HDR photos is significant. Well, it’s worth understanding these subtleties in more detail.

What is HDR and what is it used for?

HDR photography (High Dynamic Range) literally means “extended dynamic range”. In fact, dynamic range is the range between the darkest and lightest tones. In this case, dark tones in the photograph appear almost black, and light tones appear almost white. Let's give a classic example. Entering a room illuminated by sunlight from a window, we clearly see the entire interior - both what is in partial shade and those objects on which the light falls. However, as soon as we want to photograph this beauty, we are faced with the problem that the camera only captures certain objects. In some photographs, objects are visible in the shadows, but in place of the window there is a white highlight, or vice versa - the window is clearly visible in the photo, and the objects in the back of the room are completely dark. The thing is that the human eye is a more advanced instrument and is capable of “capturing” a wider range of shades, compared to even the best camera. The same thing happens when we look at a building – with our eyes we take in all the details of the building’s facade and the amazing sunset over the building.

However, this is not something the camera can boast about. In this regard, in order to display in a photo all the details of the picture that we perceive with our eyes, there is a need to take several pictures or one RAW and ultimately combine everything into one beautiful HDR photograph. However, you can simplify the task and make fake HDR. Let's consider all types in order.

Creating pseudo-HDR

In addition to real HDR photography, there is also the concept of fake HDR photography. It couldn't be easier. To create such a photo, you don't need several photos or a RAW file. One photo is enough.

At the same time, for such processing, to put it mildly, the most ordinary photograph taken on any digital camera is suitable. In this case, a photo of one of the Oxford colleges. Easily and quickly, using HDR Photoshop effects you can create an original, bright photo.

1. Perhaps the most important step is the first step - the basics. Use the Image >>Adjustment>>Shadow/Highlight command and set the following values:

2. The next step is to duplicate the base layer and set the blending on the Color Dodge layer. This mixing makes the colors brighter, and turns very light areas into white.

2. Also duplicate the base layer, but this time set the layer blending to Linear Burn. Set the main color to black via Select >> Color Range (Selection) and check the Invert option (we are interested in everything except the black areas). Fuzziness is best set to 100. Now add a new layer mask. This way the black areas will disappear.

3. However, there will still be some “unattractive areas” in the image, which can be eliminated using the Gaussian Blur filter, adjusting the radius to 25-35 pixels (at your discretion).

4. Duplicate the Linear Burn layer and set the overlay to Overlay. Next, select the layer mask and invert (Ctrl+I). This blending will darken the lightest shadows and also increase contrast.

5. The next step is to experiment with the transparency of the layer. In this case, the Overlay layer was set to 45% and the Linear Burn to 65%.

6. Via Select >> Color Range, set White Matte, and set Fuzziness to level 100. The lightest areas of the image will be highlighted. Duplicate the base layer and move it up, then create a layer mask and soften it through the Gaussian Blur filter.

7. You can also work with the image through the Gradient Map and “tint” the image depending on the suppressive colors at the bottom of the image. After working with the gradient map, select Select >> Color Range, check Invert. Create a layer mask. Set the layer blending to Hard Light and the layer opacity to 70%.

8. Experiment with the transparency of all layers and the contrast of the image. Pseudo-HDR photo is ready.

However, it is worth noting that in some cases it is still necessary to pull out objects separately and edit the sea or sky separately. In general, the main lesson of Photoshop is to experiment, change and select the most optimal values ​​​​to make the photo look beautiful and bright.

How to Create an HDR Photo from a Single RAW File

To begin with (as they say, just in case) let’s clarify what RAW is. RAW – translated from English means “raw”. This term refers to information obtained directly from a digital matrix, that is, an image without being processed by a camera. The RAW file also contains EXIF ​​data (shutter speed, aperture, etc.). Conventionally, a RAW file can be equated to film in film cameras. Such a file requires “development” on a computer using special converters. This allows you to get all the information about the photo and maximum quality.

Let's look at all the details of creating an HDR photo from one RAW file. To do this, here is a wonderful and very simple lesson by Lars Kahrel. He uses a single image of a monument in Edinburgh to create an HDR photograph. Technical parameters of the camera - PENTAX K200D with Tamron 18-200 lens, 1/160s, f 6.3; ISO 100, 28mm.

The DNG format allows you to conveniently extract all the details of a photo from one RAW file and process the photo. This format allows photographers to easily access their files. You can easily convert your file to DNG format using the free Adobe Camera Raw and DNG Converter (Windows/Mac OS). The photo is saved in DNG format and also as JPG.

To create an HDR photograph, first open the DNG format in Photoshop (Photoshop Elements 6.0). We leave 3 different photos and set different exposures for them (for example, -2 EV / normal / +2 E).

Then you need to open the Dynamic Photo HDR program (in Russian).

Having opened a photo in this program, you need to work a little with Curve and the Color Equalizer. At the same time, we will slightly “correct” the yellow color, reduce the red color, and enhance the blue. Dramatic Light Strength, Radius, Saturation are also subject to change.

The HDR photo is ready.

Excursion V HDR photography

If we look a little into history, it is worth noting that high dynamic range (HDR) images were previously used in 3D, but have now become extremely popular in photography.

Let's take a closer look at working with multiple images, and how exactly these photos are combined into a single HDR photograph.

Some shooting details:

• set the exposure bracket, select continuous shooting mode;
• choose a composition, taking into account the fact that there should be an area of ​​average illumination in the center of the photo;
• fix the exposure;
• take at least 3 frames.

First, we need to take several pictures of the same object from the same position. In this sense, a tripod plays an important role in photography. It is because of the need to photograph a static subject that most HDR photographs depict static subjects - nature or buildings. The photographer's next task is to take a series of photographs (3 photographs) with different exposures. For example, if we expose a building, then the sky becomes overexposed, and if we expose the sky (sunset), then the building darkens. Classically, Adobe recommends varying bracketing (shooting a series of frames with different values ​​at intervals - exposure, white balance, etc.) by one exposure level.

NB! The brightest exposure should show the darkest objects with enough brightness to make those objects clearly visible.

The photographer's task is to combine these three photographs into a single one. On average, they take 3-5 pictures with different exposures. We will limit ourselves to three photographs.

-2 0 +2

There is one trick: when shooting flat surfaces, bracketing is often done at intervals of 2 steps. If the subject of photography is uneven surfaces and rounded and convex objects, then in order for the transition to be smoother, it is better to set a smaller interval. It is best to shoot in manual mode.

The next stage is combining the photographs into a single 32-bit image, which will bring it as close as possible to what we see with our own eyes. To do this, you need to select files through the menu “File->Automate->Merge to HDR...”, another option is through the “Add open files” function if the files selected for work are already opened in Photoshop.

If you used a tripod, the changes in the position of the photo will be minor. However, if a series of photographs were taken “manually” or the position of the camera on a tripod changed while changing settings, then it is better to select the “Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images” alignment option. We warn you that such alignment can take up to 40-50 minutes, and Photoshop will require all PC resources, so you are unlikely to be able to do anything else on your computer.

If you are confident in the same shooting position, then in order to save effort and time, you can refuse the “Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images” function. In some cases, Photoshop may ask you to manually enter EXIF ​​data. It goes without saying that the data should be as accurate as possible. After all the calculations have been carried out and the photos have been combined, an HDR preview will appear. A window with a combined histogram will appear. You can move the white point slider to the right edge of the histogram to see all the bright detail. This is just a preview for now, more precise values ​​can be set later. After clicking the OK button, we get a 32-bit HDR image, which can now be saved.

At this stage, very few image processing functions can be applied to the 32-bit image. By and large, it is of little use - except for archival purposes. One of the available functions is exposure adjustment (Image> Adjustments> Exposure). You can try changing the exposure to bring out hidden highlights or detail in dark areas. The next step is to convert the 32-bit HDR image to a 16 or 8-bit LDR file using tone mapping. Let's convert the image to 16-bit.

After the completed operations, a dialog box will appear - HDR Conservation in Method, select Local Adaptation. Next, we work with the histogram - we move the straight line closer to the shadow zone. Next, you can play a little with the curves. It is difficult to talk about any clear meanings, since each image requires a separate approach.

Next, we convert the image to 16-bit and tint it to our taste. We moved on to the tone mapping stage (tone mapping). To do this, look at the Image –Adjustment menu. Set Exposure first and then Gamma. To reduce contrast, increase the gamma value. Using the Photomatix tone mapping plugin, you can detail the texture of a photo. You can also work with the Gradient Map and "touch up" the image and tint the image. In general, it all depends on your imagination and experiments, because before you is a whole world of Photoshop tools.

You can watch the video in more detail about how HDR photography is created. True, this is a completely different lesson.

Comments

1. Arthur
   February 22, 2012 at 08:42 pm