HDR Photos Workflow help!!

[Fireman77]

Hi guys, well i´m quite sad here ´cause i cant achieve a decent hdr pic with my canon 60D and my lenses, i spend some money in SNS-HDR Home software to try to mage a nice hdr photos but i cant do it, also i tried the Photomatix Pro software and nothing, i need some help here with the details about how can i use correctly my camera, i have those lenses:

Canon 50mm f/1.4
Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 VC version, and a tripod and a remote shutter

Please help me guys with this, the ML correct workflow for do it right, i like to shoot landscapes mostly.

[Schloime]

Hi,

the question is: What do you consider a decent HDR-pic?
The workflow would be: Put your camera on a mount, activate the HDR-bracketing function in ML, either in automatic or set some manual values (automatic works pretty good), choose your camera settings, then have everything on manual (autofocus off, IS off) and press the shutter once. Then your camera should click a few times.
At home just drag and drop those pics into SNS or select them via the "open" dialogue, SNS will sort them by itself into the right order, then make some coffee and after about ten minutes get back to your computer (it takes a while for SNS to load, sort, overlap, de-ghost and tonemap the pics). Then either choose one of the presets or start pushing the sliders.
If that was too detailed, please forgive me, but your question was a bit vague.

Personal thought: I tried quite a few HDR-progs, but for that pricetag SNS seemed to be the best one for me. Plus, the author of the program is very active in a german "DSLR-forum". He writes in english, so even non-germans could take some advantage of it (him being polish by nature).

Hope I could help.

[Fireman77]

Thank you for your answer Schloime, those pics for example:

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=1080.0

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=1072.0

Or this:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1211886


Sorry for my vague question, but i cant to get a photos like this, and those guys explain it as simply and then I try to do the same thing but do not get results like those.

[weldroid]

you might want to post some examples of individual images and assembled hdr images.... a lot can depend on the proper settings for the tone mapping algo suitable for the given scene. So far I yave managed to get nice results wity both Photomatix and Luminance Hdr, but I mostly use tyem for HDR timelapses...

[Schloime]

OK, after reading my post again I have to admit I forgot something.
Lots of people recommend (assuming you shoot RAW) to go through the raw-converter of your choice (DPP, Lightroom....) and correct the pics: lens-corrections, de-noise as good as possible (since HDR multiplies noise somehow), and whitebalance them.
Don't do any exposure corrections. Then save as lossless as possible (tiff?) and proceed with SNS.

But then, I am still learning, too. 

[screamer]

the basic workflow written by Schloime is perfect. And should give you nice and natural results. And using automatic hdr in magic lantern correctly assures you that you have all the dynamic range you will need.
anyway should help us to see your results, and what you don't like of it

[Fireman77]

you might want to post some examples of individual images and assembled hdr images.... a lot can depend on the proper settings for the tone mapping algo suitable for the given scene. So far I yave managed to get nice results wity both Photomatix and Luminance Hdr, but I mostly use tyem for HDR timelapses...

How can i share with you guys the images that i take with my 60D? When i use the Photomatrix (x64) my results has to noise, i use the SNS-HDR Home.

OK, after reading my post again I have to admit I forgot something.
Lots of people recommend (assuming you shoot RAW) to go through the raw-converter of your choice (DPP, Lightroom....) and correct the pics: lens-corrections, de-noise as good as possible (since HDR multiplies noise somehow), and whitebalance them.
Don't do any exposure corrections. Then save as lossless as possible (tiff?) and proceed with SNS.

But then, I am still learning, too. 

Actually i shoot in raw, always, I think perhaps my mistake is to put the photos directly without using the Lightroom or maybe Photoshop for correct some isues and details for enhance each photo, is this a different workflow maybe?

I think that after the merge the three images with the SNS-HDR and look the final result then i have to make the tone mapping i guess, and i have here a final result with no tone mapping.

Thank you for your answer Schloime, those pics for example:

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=1080.0

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=1072.0

Or this:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1211886


Sorry for my vague question, but i cant to get a photos like this, and those guys explain it as simply and then I try to do the same thing but do not get results like those.

Why those guys show their pics as a simple process, and using ML,  i really dont get it =(

[Schloime]

Maybe there is a misunderstanding. Please disregard if I'm wrong.

The automatic HDR-bracketing in ML does NOT make a perfect HDR automatically, it just decides, how many pictures in which EV-spacing it needs to cover the whole dynamic range. No program will know, what looks perfect for YOU. You still have to play with the sliders (and hopefully understand what they do) to get the result you like. ML helps you in getting the pictures, and SNS gives you a good starting point.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think NO HDR-pic on this website was straight out of the box.

[Fireman77]

Maybe there is a misunderstanding. Please disregard if I'm wrong.

The automatic HDR-bracketing in ML does NOT make a perfect HDR automatically, it just decides, how many pictures in which EV-spacing it needs to cover the whole dynamic range. No program will know, what looks perfect for YOU. You still have to play with the sliders (and hopefully understand what they do) to get the result you like. ML helps you in getting the pictures, and SNS gives you a good starting point.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think NO HDR-pic on this website was straight out of the box.

Yes my friend, you are so right,  i know that i have to do some work or maybe a lot to get a very nice results, but i dont know how to get a nice photo before to join the photos with the differents exposures, when i play with the sliders i cant get a nice photo.

Look this photo please, a very sharp and clean, I would like get the same result no matter what if i have to do some hard work, my problem is HOW!! 

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1211886

[Malcolm Debono]

There are way too many HDR workflows out there which involve a multitude of applications.

I am currently using this workflow:
- Processing RAW files to 16-bit TIFFs (you can also adjust WB at this stage - make sure to do it for all shots)
- Aligning (if shot handheld) and merging to HDR using applications such as Photomatix or HDRengine (you need to try out each of these software to determine which works best for you; up till this day I still think that there isn't a single app which is good for all types of photos, so I vary when I see that one of them doesn't give me good results)
- Open the original exposures and the tonemapped HDR as layers in Photoshop to blend in areas from the original exposures using masks (for example I always pick the sky from one of the original exposures since most times the sky in the tonemapped HDR looks overcooked compared to the rest of the image)

The key to finding the right workflow is to practice and experiment. Remember that while there are many more workflows out there, they may not be the right ones for you, so in the end you will need to find out which workflow and tools suit you best!

[Fireman77]

There are way too many HDR workflows out there which involve a multitude of applications.

I am currently using this workflow:
- Processing RAW files to 16-bit TIFFs (you can also adjust WB at this stage - make sure to do it for all shots)
- Aligning (if shot handheld) and merging to HDR using applications such as Photomatix or HDRengine (you need to try out each of these software to determine which works best for you; up till this day I still think that there isn't a single app which is good for all types of photos, so I vary when I see that one of them doesn't give me good results)
- Open the original exposures and the tonemapped HDR as layers in Photoshop to blend in areas from the original exposures using masks (for example I always pick the sky from one of the original exposures since most times the sky in the tonemapped HDR looks overcooked compared to the rest of the image)

The key to finding the right workflow is to practice and experiment. Remember that while there are many more workflows out there, they may not be the right ones for you, so in the end you will need to find out which workflow and tools suit you best!

Thank you Malcolm for your advice, im going to try it, and still investigating?

[weldroid]

Basically, any HDR workflow consists of two consecutive tasks:
I. Generating a HDR image, usually by merging several photos taken with different exposures (or ISO).
    - please note that technically even one single RAW (.CR2) file contains "high enough" dynamic range that is worth converting into HDR because it contains more dynamics than one can be displayed on a regular computer screen

II. tone mapping the HDR image into a low dynamic range image (LDR). This involves some kind of clever algorithm (Mantiuk, Reinhard, Fattal, etc...) that maps the HDR data to LDR.

My recommendation is to try Luminance HDR: http://qtpfsgui.sourceforge.net/ it comes with a wizard that does both steps, and helps choosing the right tone mapping algorithm by showing how your photo will look like on little thumbnails. It is also free software.

[Fireman77]

Please tell me your opinions about my final HDR test.


Rio Mayo FINAL por Fireman777, en Flickr

Proccesed 3 RAW files to 16-bit TIFFs in Adobe Camera Raw, merged in SNS HDR with corrected WB, in all the shoots, with the original exposures, i use the "natural" preset in this software and slide some controls, like contrast, shadows, saturation and a WB again, well testing here.

This are the 3 Raw files, converted to Tiff for SNS-HDR:


Canon 60D, Av Mode, Automatic WB, Using ML 2.3 HDR, -6.94EV Lanscape Picture Style por Fireman777, en Flickr


Canon 60D, Av Mode, Automatic WB, Using ML 2.3 HDR, -10EV, Lanscape Picture Style por Fireman777, en Flickr


Canon 60D, Av Mode, Automatic WB, Using ML 2.3 HDR, -4.03EV, Lanscape Picture Style por Fireman777, en Flickr

I have followed many of the tips posted here, is there more to be done?

[Schloime]

I like it. If you compare the final with the three single shots, then you have the best part of each captured in one. The clouds have detail and texture, the river looks crisp and the vegetation has a fresh green and is visible in all detail.
But the point is, YOU have to like it (or your customer, if it is commercial).
HDR is mostly about enhancing details: details in the lighting, details in the colour and details in the texture. For example your sky: It is mostly grey clouds, so in the HDR they will still be grey clouds. Many HDR seem to look good, because they have some sunset or sunlit clouds in them.
Another idea: In SNS you can use masks to work on selected parts of the picture. If the sky is to bright, then put a mask over it and make it darker without affecting the landscape.
But again, just my ideas, no hard rules here.

[Fireman77]

I like it. If you compare the final with the three single shots, then you have the best part of each captured in one. The clouds have detail and texture, the river looks crisp and the vegetation has a fresh green and is visible in all detail.
But the point is, YOU have to like it (or your customer, if it is commercial).
HDR is mostly about enhancing details: details in the lighting, details in the colour and details in the texture. For example your sky: It is mostly grey clouds, so in the HDR they will still be grey clouds. Many HDR seem to look good, because they have some sunset or sunlit clouds in them.
Another idea: In SNS you can use masks to work on selected parts of the picture. If the sky is to bright, then put a mask over it and make it darker without affecting the landscape.
But again, just my ideas, no hard rules here.

Thank you Schloime, i really apreciatte your opinion. I´m going to practice the use of mask in SNS.