HDR (High Dynamic Range) Tutorial

Masta Squidge · 15 Nov 2007, 12:31

Yeah i heard about some of those at work tonight, i was coming on here to list a couple of the ones you just mentioned. At least I got a "very nice" out of it :egrin:

Normally im horrible at these things... as you can tell im sure. My examples are poor, but thats because i dont have much experience with SU and Kerky. But it all works, and im curious to see what some of you guys can do with this method.

mateo soletic · 15 Nov 2007, 12:32

Thanks for Your time and a great tutorial Robert.

Fletch · 15 Nov 2007, 12:33

Hi Robert and all, great that you gave this tutorial Robert, but thought I could save you some time and pain... as KT already contains all 32bits of light info in the rendering if you don't save as a .jpg you won't lose it.

Instead of going thru all that trouble to export 3 different images w/ diff. exposures and merge them inside of Pshop... in KT, when you save the image, choose to save it in HDR format.

Now, to tonemap it, in Pshop go to Image>mode>16bit, this will allow you to now Tone Map your HDR.
%(#FF0000)[EDIT
But there's a better way, and it retains the 32bits of info...

After you open the .hdr file in Photoshop CS+ go to Image>Adjust>Exposure]

see my HDR tonemapped using the Exposure control on the Beach_Probe.hdr here. using my old stand-by the "Beach_Probe.hdr "

This is by far the quickest, most direct, simplest, perfect real-time preview way I've found to tonemap an HDR. I have tried the other programs suggested on this forum, like PictureNAUT, but I like this way far better, as I can see the result in a perfect auto-preview in real time.

There may be better tonemapping proggies out there. My favorite WASPictureNAUT I have beta 2.11.

Also, If you just have a .jpg and didn't save the hdr or the 3 diff. exposure, you can tonemap a .jpg in Pshop CS with Image>Shadow/Highlights and Image>Exposure tools... these are really incredibly done and easy to use tools once you get used to them.

Masta Squidge · 15 Nov 2007, 12:35

Hey, i just noticed you dont live far from me. I live in Racine, near the mall here.

Thanks, i guess that puts my six billion word essay to shame. But, its better to make a mistake and learn then sit on your butt and know nothing. Im gonna go give that a shot.

how exactly does tonemapping work? <- New to.... everything relating to this stuff.also why is it that i cant seem to copy an HDR image onto a new canvas without losing all that HDR goodness... But if i do a print screen it works and looks just the same? Thats what i did with my second example, the far right image is the HDR that i made in Photoshop and i couldnt copy an paste it so i just hit print screen and that worked fine. Is there a way to convert it to a jpg or png or whatever without losing the look of it?

Maggy · 15 Nov 2007, 12:36

Thanks Fletch, I took a look at PictureNaut before, when all there was (or all I could find) was a German beta. I CAN read German, more or less, but I really don't like it...
I've not yet tried the English version, still downloading, but it looks good on the site!

Now hoping for a camera with built in HDR...

poster-Maggy

Fletch · 15 Nov 2007, 12:37

to save HDR in JPG, you must convert in Pshop image>mode>8bit
or in 16bit, save as png (bigger image, but more info)

Hi Maggy! Long time no speak! How's our hero Van Nistelrooy doing?
I prefer PshopCS2 very very much to any free HDR workshop... but give it a shot.
I've been using Pshop since like v.1, so it's a bit easier for me.

Maggy · 15 Nov 2007, 12:40

@fletch said:

Hi Maggy! Long time no speak! How's our hero Van Nistelrooy doing?
I prefer PshopCS2 very very much to any free HDR workshop... but give it a shot.
I've been using Pshop since like v.1, so it's a bit easier for me.

van Nistelrooy is just doing what he does best, scoring.
Photoshop never had and probably will never have a user interface I can deal with
Photoshop never had and probably will never have a price tag I can deal with
And they try to serve too big a market, HDR is specialists stuff that HDR software handles best. Just like I've never seen a decent panorama stitched using no other software than Photoshop.
Professional photographers that I know, most of them do use Photoshop, but none can do without external programs and/or plugins that add up to the price of Photoshop. These same external programs and plugins function exactly the same in any .8b* compatible software.

poster-Maggy

Fletch · 15 Nov 2007, 12:40

I enjoy watching Madrid very much... VN is really great to watch. Unfortunately for me, I've picked Barcelona as my fav spanish team

hmm... was confused by the panoramic stich comment. I stitch pans in Pshop all day long... no prob... but lately have enjoyed using Hugin(panotools front-end gui) for that... just cant get the auto point sift proggie to work and play nicely w/ it for some reason

Maggy · 15 Nov 2007, 12:41

Full 360/180 panos from Photoshop?? Including Zenith, Nadir, HDR, Ghost removal and so on?
Never tried Hugin. Use Autopano Pro, Autostitch, Enblend, Smartblend, a little good old Panotools (Dersch is still my Van Nistelrooy) and a little PTGui.

poster-Maggy

Fletch · 15 Nov 2007, 12:42

Autostich is what I've been looking for... if it's as good as it claims... I'm going to try it now.

Thanks for the tip, Maggy! and, er... don't look now, but I think a cat is sucking your face. 8O

edit
so... I tried Autostich, and I feel like a COMPLETE IDIOT! Thanks "Maggy Van Nistelrooy", you are my new hero. It did just as good of a job in 3 minutes automatically what took me more than 2.5hrs manually in Pshop.