If you spend a lot of time on photo sites, you've probably noticed a lot of photos that are overly bright. This is an HDR photograph. Let's figure out what this term means.
HDR (High Dynamic Range) is an imaging technique that allows for a wider dynamic range of exposure than would be possible with conventional photography. accessible ways. HDR is commonly used for landscape photography to enhance the visual impact of light and shadow with a larger range.
by Helmut R. Kahr
No one person can be credited with inventing HDR photography. It is rather an evolution in photography that began with Ansel Adams' zonal system and continues through modern programs post-processing of photographic images.
During the reign of film photography, they added a wider range of light and shade by changing the negatives when printing. We darkened or lightened the necessary places in the image in order to ultimately get a picture that was well-developed in all problem areas.
by Ansel Adams. Nevada Falls. Rainbow. Yosemite National Park. California. 1946.
When digital photography took over the world, users quickly figured out how to increase the dynamic range of an image by shooting multiple exposures of the same frame. You can love or even hate HDR photography, but there is no doubt that today it already firmly occupies a certain niche. 
by Marc Perrella
Characterized by this type photographic images with “heavy” color saturation, a strong halo along the border of contrasting shades and an overall surreal look at the image. Most viewers, having seen enough HDR images, say that: “It looks like painting!” It could have been taken as a compliment if it hadn't been added: "This is not a photograph."
Meanwhile, more and more new photographers are emerging who often use HDR in their work to great effect. As with any form of art, it should not be overused, then even the bilious criticism that HDR is destroying photography as an art form will not be taken so seriously by those who are just taking their first steps in mastering photography.
by Basile Francesco
It is important to know that increased brightness and expressiveness of the image is not a prerequisite for the HDR process. The term HDR applies to all images in which . The original purpose of HDR photography is to look at the world in terms of creating a fantastic image while remaining within the range of balance between light and shadow.
by Danny Xeero
Traditional HDR is achieved by taking multiple frames at different exposures. You need to take 3-7 photos, each with a slightly different shutter speed. After the resulting images are combined into a single image, a result arises in which the dynamic range becomes much greater than can be provided by the most modern digital technology, which is sometimes unable to reproduce even a semblance of what it sees human eye.
HDR photographs themselves are designed to bring the digital image closer in saturation and detail in highlights and shadows to how a person sees and perceives the surroundings. And as in any creative process- a lot depends on the taste of the photographer, on his preparedness and ability to distinguish a good photograph from a bad one. Essentially, you need to know when you can use HDR without harming the final result.
Landscapes HDR photography
Whenever a photographer is dealing with Mother Nature's expansive scene, it's a good time to take multiple shots of the same scene at different exposures. When there is a large contrast difference between sky and ground in a landscape, it creates a problem for the camera, which cannot decipher how to properly process the image entering the viewfinder due to conflicting data. By exposing first to the ground (water) and then to the sky, the photographer, when overlaid, will end up with an image that is more true to the dynamic range.
by Karl Williams
Lighting
When you have to shoot in low light or a backlit subject, it can end up with an image that is darker than you hoped. In this case, using HDR may be the best option.
When not to use HDR
Just as there are situations where HDR can be best used, there are also times when it shouldn't be used at all.
Movement
There are several reasons why objects in motion don't translate well to HDR. If your subject is working or running or moving around, say, on a horse, using HDR techniques, you will most likely end up with a blurry photo. Why? It is because the object is moving. Remember that for HDR you need to take at least three photos? In this case, the moving object will appear in a completely different place in each subsequent image in a split second. With a high degree of probability, blurring will occur when combined.
Bright colors
If the scene you're shooting has too many dark or too many light areas, HDR will "invent" some of the colors in those areas where it's missing. And if there are a lot of bright colors, then with a high degree of probability it will lighten and “wash” them.
HDR can be an excellent tool for producing artistically interesting photographs, as well as better technical ones, when you have to photograph in bright sun with dark (failing) shadows. How this tool is used largely depends on the photographer. It is necessary to try, experiment and learn to implement new skills in reality in order to raise the level of your skills and be able to find a way out of seemingly hopeless situations from the point of view of photography.
prepared the material
Rodion Danilov
Owners of the latest smartphone models have probably seen that they have a photo application with HDR (High Dynamic Range) support ). More experienced users know what HDR is, but not everyone understands how and in what cases this function is best used. In the “Instructions” section we will try to clear up some of the confusion and show how to make the most of HDR when shooting with a mobile phone.
As you know, the human eye can see much more “high dynamic range” of a scene than any camera, let alone a cell phone camera. We can equally well distinguish small details of a dark building against the background bright sky and, for example, a plane flying high above him. But we all know what happens if you take a picture of a building with your phone: it turns out to be too dark with very hard to see details.
Photo with sky exposure
Of course, we could try to fix this problem by setting the exposure on the building itself, highlighting the area with it on the screen. With this approach, the decor of the building is visible well, but the sky in the photo has turned into an overexposed, blurry white spot.
Photo with exposition of the building
Our goal is to combine the best features of the two photos, creating one image where both the building and the clouds look great. This is exactly what HDR technology offers. Photos taken with HDR are essentially several shots combined at different exposures.
The default iPhone app for taking photos has built-in HDR functionality. You can enable HDR by clicking on the option button in the “camera”. When HDR mode is turned on, iPhone will automatically take HDR photos. Please note that this takes longer than normal shooting.
However, the built-in iPhone application gives rather “weak” results, and you can take much better pictures using special programs.
Photo taken with Pro HDR on iPhone 5
Photo taken using the default application on iPhone 5
One of the most popular and convenient photo applications with HDR function is Pro HDR(for iOS - 66 rubles; for Android - 61.75 rubles). However, there are also free versions with limited functionality.
The Pro HDR app offers two modes: automatic and manual. If you select Auto, the app will analyze the scene, take a photo with a dark exposure (with detailed highlights, but less detail in the shadows) and a light exposure (with detailed shadows, but little detail in the highlights), and combine the two images.
Some photos may not look natural enough. To add realism to your photo, use five sliders in a simple and intuitive settings panel. They allow you to adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, warmth and tint. Automatic mode is quite suitable for most situations; Manual mode is only necessary when shooting the most contrasting scenes.
Settings panel interface in Pro HDR
Please note that HDR photos do not always look better than those taken in standard mode. Try to save both HDR and “normal” shots so you can choose the best ones later.
It is inappropriate to use HDR mode when shooting in motion. Due to the fact that HDR combines multiple exposures of the same scene; and if these very scenes change, you will end up with the most unpredictable results. Try to shoot while leaning on something stable or using a tripod.
HDR photo taken in motion
A quick guide to creating high dynamic range photos. The article discusses the main points of HDR shooting - choosing a scene, setting up the camera for shooting with bracketing, a short overview of programs for HDR stitching, and alternative methods expanding the dynamic range, working with filters, as well as shooting HDR panoramas and working in the multiple exposure style. The material is designed for beginner amateur photographers who know how to use a digital camera and have the skills to process images on a computer.
What is HDR?
Every amateur photographer who is interested in landscape photography faces the same problem - photographs of a picturesque place or city landmark are often far from reality and turn out either overexposed or, conversely, too dark.
In the first case, in the picture the sky with clouds is greatly overexposed or absent altogether; in the second, the sky is well detailed, but all other details of the landscape are so dark that they are practically invisible. Trying to change the exposure settings does not change the situation in any way. The fact is that, unlike photographic equipment, the human eye is capable of perceiving a wider range of brightness gradations.
The answer must be sought in the limited dynamic range of modern digital cameras. The camera's light meter measures exposure either in light areas (sky) or, conversely, in dark areas (buildings, trees, ground). That's why the only way out from the current situation - shooting in exposure bracketing mode and then combining images in a graphics editor.
Technology HDR(High Dynamic Range) combines the light, mid and dark tones of a series of images into a single high dynamic range shot. Most often, the photographer does this using a special computer program; Some cameras have similar functionality built into them; they allow you to take HDR photos without using a computer.
In order for the program to correctly combine the images, it is very important that they are as identical as possible and differ only in the exposure parameters. When shooting handheld, even on a bright sunny day with a fast shutter speed, it is not always possible to hold the camera still, which leads to a slight shift, as a result of which the final HDR image will be blurry. Shooting from a tripod will help - the photographer will receive a series of images that, in theory, should match perfectly. However, in practice, the same pictures will only be taken in a deserted place with complete calm - the wind sways the branches of the trees, passers-by, passing cars, as well as birds and other objects get into the frame. In this case, software algorithms take over to help fight blur; in the language of the developers, this technology is called Ghost Reduction, or “fighting ghosts.”
If you don’t have a tripod with you, or the shooting conditions do not allow you to tinker with it (during an excursion, or if shooting from a tripod is prohibited), it is quite possible to shoot handheld in bracketing mode, if you find good support and hold the camera firmly.
Another option for creating HDR is to process one image taken in RAW format in 2 stages: first, a virtual copy of the file is made, then in one image they work with highlights, in the other with shadows, after which the two files are merged into the final image. And finally, another technique is to create a “pseudo-HDR” from a single file using processing in a specialized program, such as Topaz Adjust.
In any case, competently stitched HDR images look very impressive and undoubtedly attract the attention of viewers.
Should you take a regular photo or shoot HDR?
Determining whether a scene is suitable for HDR is very simple - just take a test shot of the landscape you like in creative mode, for example A, and immediately evaluate the result on the screen. Is the sky overexposed and the shadows in the picture littered, while in reality everything around looks stunningly beautiful? You can safely shoot HDR, this story is just our case.
Oddly enough, storm waves with a stormy sky come out very beautifully - despite the fact that the three exposures will be radically different from each other, when stitched together in Lightroom 6 you can get an unexpectedly dramatic and interesting photo.
It is quite difficult to shoot HDR at sunset, especially if there are beautifully illuminated clouds in the sky, often the sky is even traced by the rays of the sun through the clouds - in this case, the dynamic range of the scene is not so wide, the HDR technique is of no use here, a single RAW frame is quite enough. It’s better to concentrate on shooting and capture the moment before the sun disappears behind the horizon!
However, even at sunset, if you have a tripod with you, it always makes sense to take a couple of series, because you can get very interesting pictures by deliberately darkening the sky and highlighting objects in the foreground. In addition, a tripod will allow you to more carefully consider the angle, as well as close the aperture to f/11-16 and work more interestingly with depth of field.
Scenes that are not suitable for HDR shooting:
- Portrait. There are exceptions, but in most cases a portrait should be shot using the portrait technique.
- Night or evening city.
- Fog. In theory, you can try shooting fog in HDR style, but only with a narrow lens and as an addition to regular shots.
- Long exposure with tracers or mirror water.
- Studio photography and all kinds of items.
- Report, street, although street is a very broad and experimental direction, there may be options here.
- Dynamics, sports, children's games, animals, macro.
- Cloudy gloomy rainy weather with a milky sky, in this case it is better to look for interesting angles; most often, the HDR technique will not make the landscape more interesting.
- Winter landscape. The plot is controversial, the author did not create a single interesting winter HDR, but it would be wrong to give up so easily and stop trying.
Expanding dynamic range undoubtedly requires creativity, experience and a willingness to experiment.
Setting up your camera for HDR shooting
Almost everything digital cameras allow you to shoot with exposure bracketing, this function is available not only in SLR or mirrorless cameras, but also in many compacts, it has even appeared in smartphones. We will look at the settings using the example of Canon and Nikon DSLRs. Setting up bracketed shooting varies quite a bit depending on the camera manufacturer and model.
In any case, the camera should be configured like this:
- Set to RAW format and aperture priority mode A, or full manual mode M.
- Set the exposure as if we were shooting one frame. For example, for a landscape during the day it will be a sensitivity of ISO 100 and an aperture of F/11; the shutter speed in mode A will be set by the camera itself.
- In the camera menu, select the order of shooting exposures (minus) - (zero) - (plus), so it's easier later sort series on the computer.
- Set up bracketing - select the number of exposures and bracketing. For beginners, it makes sense to first try 3 exposures with a bracket of ±2 or ±3EV.
- Set a timer, it’s better to set it to 2 seconds - this time is enough; if the camera does not have a choice of several intervals, set which one is available. If you have a cable release with you, now is the time to use it.
- Create a frame, perform automatic focusing (or focus manually), after which it is better to turn off autofocus.
- Press the shutter button, let's go!
Canon cameras
Canon DSLR cameras allow you to shoot quickly, with bracketing, and with a timer at the same time.
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There is no separate button to turn on bracketing; you need to enter the menu and select the exposure. Next, use the wheel to adjust the bracketing fork and press SET. Attention! Bracketing is turned on in this way, that is, there is no item in the menu like ON/OFF. The camera can remember this setting and will take bracketed shots until the photographer sets the bracket to zero.
The timer starts as usual: pressing the DRIVE button and turning the wheel allows you to select an hour with the number 2 or 10. You can use a cable to release the shutter. The three images above illustrate the Canon 5D Mark III camera setup.
Nikon cameras
Nikon DSLRs have a BKT button, you need to hold it pressed, then use the control wheels to set the number of exposures and the bracket (Step). To turn off bracketing, you need to set the number of shots to zero.
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If you use the self-timer, the camera will count a certain delta in time between exposures, as a result of which dynamic objects may move from exposure to exposure. To turn on the self-timer, you need to turn the left control wheel to the clock icon (see photo below).
To shoot the entire series like a machine gun, without a time delta, you need to turn on high-speed shooting (Ch on the lower control wheel for selecting the drive mode, see photo below). Then keep the shutter button pressed - the series is ready, but you can easily move the camera, even when mounted on a tripod. In this case, you cannot use the timer, since high-speed shooting is activated by the same wheel as the self-timer.
Thus, it will not be possible to shoot with bracketing both quickly and with a timer on Nikon SLR cameras. Most likely, this will be fixed in future models. The examples above show the Nikon D610 setup.
Shoot with a tripod or handheld?
This example shows shooting of an urban HDR landscape. Shooting was carried out in exposure bracketing mode in increments of ±2 EV in aperture priority mode (A). To achieve good depth of field in the foreground and background, the aperture was selected at F/10. A tripod was used to perfectly align the images, since the minus exposure time turned out to be too long for confident handheld shooting.
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The arch in the courtyard of a house on Nevsky Prospekt in St. Petersburg was not chosen by chance - using the example of filming this scene, the capabilities of HDR technology can be clearly demonstrated. Since the shooting took place during the day, the street was very well lit, while the space inside the arch was in shadow.
If you shoot, measuring the exposure of a house in the background, only the areas in the daylight area will be processed in the image; the dynamic range of the camera is clearly not enough to work out the highlights and midtones within the arc of the camera.
To expand the dynamic range, bracketing mode was used. There was heavy traffic on Nevsky Prospekt, a car passing by was caught in one of the shots, and pedestrians did not stand still and moved. Therefore, in order to achieve perfect merging of three images, it is better to choose the morning hours for shooting, when traffic on the avenue is not so active, or rely on automation when merging HDR, as was done in this example.
Many tripods, such as those from Manfrotto, are equipped with one or more level indicators - one on the tripod body, the other on the tripod head, which will allow you to set the horizon very level.
Of course, HDR technology involves shooting from a tripod, but if using a tripod is not possible, it is acceptable to shoot handheld, especially during the day. An image stabilizer will be useful here, as well as a good support, such as a column, railing, your own knee or other techniques. However, you need to carefully monitor the ISO sensitivity and not set high values, since nothing good will come of gluing together three “noisy” frames.
How many exposures should I take?
Beginners can be safely advised to initially choose the classic HDR option with three exposures and a bracket of ±2 EV or ±3 EV, depending on the scene or lighting situation.
Professional photographers who specialize in shooting interiors talk about 9 exposures, which allows them to work out maximum detail in highlights, shadows and midtones. Professional cameras easily allow you to shoot 9 exposures, and the photographer can shoot a series of frames in M mode, simply changing the shutter speed to get the number of exposures he needs. This technique is suitable for leisurely shooting indoors, when no one is bothering you and there is enough time. In addition, for important shootings, the photographer takes a computer with him, on which he can immediately check the result of gluing and make adjustments if necessary.
A classic example, with three exposures, and therefore classic because it is suitable for most shooting situations:
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Five exposures will create an even wider dynamic range, which will allow you to more interestingly process the photo when stitching, very finely working out the details in the highlights and shadows. In theory, you can always make 5 exposures, however, firstly, three exposures are often quite enough, and, secondly, working with three is faster and more convenient.
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The scene above was filmed in Pavlovsk on a Sony a7 camera, which can automatically shoot in a series of 5 exposures. Gluing in HDR Efex Pro.
Also, 5 exposures can be useful if there is a lot of detail in the deep shadows, midtones and highlights, as in the example of the stone bridge in the forest. Here you can’t see the sky with clouds at all, but the summer day was very bright, and the shadows in the forest thicket were deep, and the HDR stitching of five frames made it possible to work out all the halftones and get an image very similar to how we would see this scene with our own eyes.
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This scene was shot in Sergievka Park (Peterhof, a suburb of St. Petersburg) on a Canon 5D Mark II camera, which cannot automatically shoot 5 exposures in a series, so different exposures were obtained in M mode by changing the shutter speed. In this case, the focal length is 17 mm, ISO 100, F/10 and shutter speed from left to right: 1/25, 1/13, 1/6, 0.3 and 0.5 seconds. Merging in Lightroom 6.
Now pay attention to the winter photograph of the same bridge. The shooting was carried out in the same place with the same equipment, but it was not possible to convey the winter mood; the photo was not interesting. Obviously, the HDR technique is completely useless here; you could just take one frame in RAW format.
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How to choose exposure bracket?
First of all, it makes sense to evaluate the contrast of the scene, perhaps take a couple of test frames to visually assess the gaps in highlights and shadows. In practice, you most often have to choose between ±2 and ±3 EV. The abbreviation EV, by the way, stands for Exposure Values, exposure values, in the jargon of “feet”.
If we have installed a tripod and configured the camera, it is best to make two series - both with a ±2 and ±3 EV plug, and at home, when processing images, select best option, because it’s always good when there is a choice. It may well turn out that some story will be better put together from photographs taken with a wider fork, and some from a series with a narrower one.
The professionals at HDRsoft recommend always using the minimum ISO value and a ±2 EV bracket. From the experience of shooting HDR, we can say that the first statement is beyond doubt, while in the case of a fork, various options are possible and there is a huge scope for creativity.
±3 EV plug
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The maximum bracket of ±3 EV should be chosen for high-contrast scenes in order to work out fine details in the shadows and highlights well. In this example, such a wide fork is completely unnecessary; ±2 EV could have been done. These settings were chosen intentionally to demonstrate the development of halftones.
±2 EV plug
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The ±2 EV plug can be safely chosen for shooting any landscapes at any time of the year. In many cameras, you can set not only integer values, but also intermediate values between 2 and 3, thus selecting the ideal settings for each specific scene, based on personal experience and intuition.
±1 EV plug
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The ±1 EV bracket in the case of HDR makes virtually no sense - the same effect can be easily achieved in a graphics editor when processing RAW, since within ±1 EV you can easily process any photo with virtually no losses. This option is useful if you are not sure about the exact choice of exposure pair, but want to work out the details.
Programs for merging HDR images
Adobe Lightroom 6
The HDR merging tool appeared only in the 6th version of this wonderful RAW converter, users have been waiting for it for a long time and patiently. In fact, with the advent of the ability to stitch panoramas and HDR in Lightroom, the need for Photoshop for photo processing has been virtually eliminated.
The dialog box is simple and clear, nothing superfluous, no settings. As a result, the program will create a merged file in DNG format (this is a raw data format developed by Adobe). The file will be in the thumbnail feed next to the original exposures.
When should photos be processed - before gluing or after? Adobe engineers advise processing after stitching, since all information from all exposures will be contained in the glued DNG, and we will have the widest possibilities for tonal processing of any area of the photo - both in shadows and in highlights or midtones. The profile for correcting optical distortions can also be connected after gluing, the same applies to editing the horizon and crop. Of course, any processing will be non-destructive; you can return to the glued original at any time.
Advantages
- Perhaps the best HDR stitching tool to date.
- Simple and clear interface, nothing superfluous.
- In the dialog box, you can view the objects that will be processed by the anti-samaz tool in the form of a mask.
- It will be simple and understandable for beginners.
Flaws
- It is quite difficult to somehow influence the operation of the anti-lubrication algorithm.
- In some places in the photo, artifacts appear in the form of stripes or noise, most likely due to the operation of this same anti-blur algorithm.
Adobe Photoshop CC
MacOS, Windows, subscription 300 rubles per month
The Merge to HDR tool of Photoshop CC, which is shown on the screen below, appeared a long time ago, in previous versions of the program, and for a long time served faithfully, it still works today, but with the release of Lightroom version 6 its functionality is greatly reduced.
The peculiarity of the tool is that all processing has to be done in two places - first in the gluing dialog box, and then the photo is processed until it is converted from 16 to 8 bits per channel.
Advantages
- The ability to select the exposure based on which the program will combat blur; changes are displayed in the picture in real time.
- An excellent HDR gluing algorithm that allows you to get professional results.
Flaws
- There are few tonal processing tools in the program's dialog box.
- The need for additional processing before converting from 16 to 8 bits per channel, for example using curves.
- Skills in working with Photoshop curves are required.
HDR Efex Pro 2
MacOS and Windows, price 5490 rubles per set of programs.
HDR Efex Pro is a plugin and is one of several plugins in a bundle called the NIK Collection. The development is carried out by NIK Software, this company was recently acquired by Google.
Advantages
- Large collection of ready-made presets. Import presets, create custom ones.
- A large number of tonal settings for HDR fusion.
- Nice simple interface.
- Plugin for many programs: Photoshop/Bridge, Lightroom, Apple Aperture.
- Working with “smart filters” - it is possible to use Smart Filters in Photoshop.
- Local adjustments.
- Perfect for beginners for their first steps in HDR merging.
Flaws
- Uncertain work with a monochromatic section of the sky with no clouds - this section will almost certainly turn out to be a dark spot.
- Ready-made presets often make the picture too rough and the HDR effect too pronounced.
- The algorithm for combating blurring of objects during gluing is not always successful.
Oloneo PhotoEngine
Windows only, price $150.
Advantages
- Fast work, all adjustments are made almost in real time, no slowdowns.
- Advanced work with color.
- The program works both as a plugin for Lightroom and as a standalone application.
- Along with traditional HDR stitching, the program has a unique HDR Re-light technology, which allows you to stitch together several photos taken not with different exposures, but with different backlights.
Flaws
- The algorithm for combating blurring of objects during gluing is depressing; in fact, it simply isn’t in the program.
- The application is released for Windows only.
- The program is quite complicated for beginner amateur photographers.
Photomatix Pro 5.05
MacOS and Windows, price approximately $100
This program can safely be called a pioneer in working with HDR, because the company HDRSoft sari released the first commercial application back in 2003. By the way, the program’s interface has hardly changed since then; it is designed in the style of early versions of Windows and evokes a smile and nostalgia, but at the same time it is very convenient and simple. Another thing is the principle of operation of the program. Photomatix Pro is probably one of the most in-depth programs in terms of fine user settings, and despite the simplicity of the interface, it is not easy to understand. Beginners should definitely watch several training videos that are presented on the company’s website or on YouTube.
Advantages
- A huge number of gluing settings, including various algorithms and methods.
- The settings work fine, you can very, very accurately work out the desired parameter, for example, microcontrast, details in the shadows, and so on.
- Two operating algorithms (Exposure Fusion or HDR Tone Mapping) to choose from.
- The program works as a standalone application, or can be used as a plug-in for Lightroom/Photoshop Elements.
- Availability of interesting ready-made presets.
- Possibility of batch processing of several series.
Flaws
- The algorithm for combating blurring of objects during gluing does not always work successfully.
- The program is very difficult for beginner amateur photographers.
HDR Expose 3
MacOS and Windows, price approximately $120.
Developed by Unified Color, it is available both as a standalone application and as a plug-in for Lightroom, Photoshop and Apple Aperture.
Advantages
- Possibility of batch processing of files.
- Possibility of batch gluing of HDR panorama.
- Nice work.
- It is possible to select a frame on the basis of which the program will fight blur.
- An excellent algorithm for combating blur; it worked perfectly on all test frames.
- There are a large number of adjustments for gluing settings; the sliders work accurately, allowing you to fine-tune the desired parameters.
- Availability of versions for both Windows and MacOS.
- Availability of both an advanced version (HDR Expose) and a version with reduced functionality (HDR Express), the difference is $40.
- The program can be recommended to beginners; it is not difficult to understand.
Flaws
- The interface is not always user-friendly at least, in the version for MacOS, - some inscriptions overlap each other.
- A small number of ready-made processing presets.
Luminance HDR
Linux, MacOS, Windows, free.
This program is worth mentioning because it is probably one of the few designed for all three platforms and is the most popular HDR stitching program in operating system Linux. The issue of choosing an operating system is beyond the scope of this study, but the example of the Luminance HDR program can clearly demonstrate why photographers, and creative people in general, prefer MacOS or Windows.
The interface, functionality and overall principles of operation in the Luminance HDR program are very different from its competitors; here you won’t be able to work using the “scientific poking” method, simply going through different settings to suit your taste. The program has anti-grease algorithms that could not be tested in practice, however, it was not possible - the program crashed.
Advantages
- The most popular HDR stitching program for the Linux operating system.
- A large number of tone correction settings.
- Several different gluing algorithms.
Flaws
- Very leisurely work (the test is carried out on a mid-price office laptop, Ubuntu 15.04 system). To put it simply, the program slows down.
- The result of changing parameters is not displayed on the photo in real time; you need to press the Tonemap button and wait.
- Step-by-step algorithm of work. In other words, you will not be able to control the anti-blur method in the HDR merging dialog box; this function can only be enabled before merging, in the previous step, at the stage of selecting photos.
- Complex operating principles that even experienced users cannot understand without a description or instructions.
- Inconvenient and confusing interface.
- This program can be recommended for beginners if they have a task to work exclusively under Linux, and also as a good puzzle game.
- When I tried to enable object alignment and the anti-smear function, the program thought for about 15 minutes and crashed.
When working with the Luminance HDR program, I constantly had the desire to stop the torment and launch Lightroom 6, in which the same operations can be done an order of magnitude faster, several times more convenient, convenient and with a more predictable result.
DSLR Remote Pro
Speaking about programs for HDR stitching, we cannot fail to mention the DSLR Remote Pro program, which allows you to control the camera from a computer. With other undoubted advantages, the program allows you to automatically shoot with bracketing up to 15 frames in a series. Moreover, it is compatible with the above-mentioned Photomatix Pro program, in conjunction with which it can automatically create HDR images. Of course, Photomatix Pro must be purchased independently of DSLR Remote Pro and installed on your computer.
For the purposes of this study, there is no point in looking at the DSLR Remote Pro in depth; several years ago I wrote a large review of this program, it is a very interesting and unique product of its kind. I recommend that anyone interested visit the Breeze Systems website, find out the compatibility of the program with your camera and try the demo version in action.
Processing one photo, or creating “pseudo-HDR”
Almost without exception, programs for creating HDR images, along with their direct function, also offer the function of creating a so-called “pseudo-HDR” image. The essence this method is that the program allows a user who does not have a series of HDR photographs to create a high dynamic range photo effect from a single photo.
The most common example is shooting in gray cloudy weather, shooting from under an arch, and so on. In this case, the sky will almost certainly be the color of milk, and the foreground will be dark. Of course, competent shooting of a series of pictures with a tripod and subsequent gluing would save the situation, but often we simply do not have enough time, patience and perseverance to do such things. A group of tourists leaves, friends call to keep up, the barbecue gets cold, and walking companions are most often very annoyed by a companion who is constantly fiddling with his tripod, isn’t it? Surely many have felt this themselves, and more than once...
Here it is appropriate to note once again that shooting in RAW format is needed specifically for subsequent image processing. The size and resolution of the camera’s matrix also matters; modern full-frame matrices produce a very wide dynamic range, often allowing light and shadow to be “pulled” over a very wide range.
HDR Efex Pro 2
Price 5490 rubles for a set of programs.
The main purpose of the plugin, of course, is to stitch together HDR from several exposures, but you can also process a single photo.
The screenshot above shows an example of displaying two states of a photograph on the screen simultaneously - it was/was, which in the case of traditional HDR stitching does not make sense, since the “was” state does not exist. You can choose one of the ready-made presets and modify it.
Topaz Adjust 5
MacOS and Windows, price $50.
Perhaps the most effective plugin from a well-known software company. Available for Windows and MacOS and can be purchased either separately or as part of a whole package of plugins.
The main advantage of the plugin is a huge number of ready-made presets, sorted by processing topic, one might say, for all occasions. Having selected a preset, you can immediately modify its action using sliders. You shouldn't expect any special miracles from the plugin, but the processing capabilities are amazing. The disadvantage is the fact that the HDR effect in most ready-made presets is too strong, exaggerated, the processing immediately catches the eye.
HDR panorama
We often shoot both wide panoramas and breathtaking HDR, but what happens when you combine these two techniques? That's right, you'll get a beautiful panoramic photo with a wide dynamic range, that is, well-developed details in the shadows, midtones and highlights. Shooting such scenes is difficult, since you need to simultaneously use your experience of shooting in two different techniques.
Here the classic approach will come to the rescue - shoot a panorama of three series of three exposures of each frame with a bracket of ±2 or ±3 EV, depending on the lighting situation of the scene. You can make more episodes, but then with such a huge amount It is very difficult to work with images, in addition, the space on your hard drive is instantly consumed, the computer slows down, your nerves are on edge, and the result is unpredictable.
The second difficult point is the presence of dynamic objects in the frame. And if you shoot a panorama from 5 HDR frames, each of which is stitched together from three, you will end up with 15 frames, in each of which tree branches move, cars drive, people walk. And a situation can easily arise in which the same object can appear in all five frames in different places. In this case, you can either rely on the gluing program, or carefully work with a stamp in each image. In the example below, you can see that the person was moving and changing his pose, but Lightroom 6 coped with this task.
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The example shows a panorama stitched together from 5 HDR photographs, which in turn are stitched together from 3 exposures each. Lightroom 6.
Automatic HDR shooting methods
Many modern cameras allow you to shoot and post HDR automatically. The camera in this mode will usually take a series of frames, after which it will stitch together the final HDR. In the vast majority of cases, shooting must be done in JPEG format, and at the output we will also get a ready-made JPEG, which cannot be “re-glued”.
Some cameras allow you, along with the stitched JPEG, to also record the original exposures on the memory card, which you can try to stitch together on your computer at home. Whether this or that camera supports this function, you need to look in the instructions or carefully read reviews; the specifications usually do not reflect such subtleties.
For example, the Pentax k3 camera does it differently - it stitches three exposures into one file in RAW (DNG) format, the volume of which is close to 100 megabytes. The raw format and large amount of data will allow you to edit the image within a very wide range if desired. Moreover, the proprietary Digital Camera Utility is capable of extracting individual exposures from this file, after which the photographer can “re-glue” them again, using different algorithms than the one used by the camera. Of course, it is impossible to test this functionality in practice without having the camera itself in your hands; you just have to take its word for it.
Active D-Lightning
This is a feature of all modern Nikon DSLRs. There is no particular drama in the photo, and when processing RAW in a graphics editor, you can easily achieve more interesting results. The six images below were taken with a Nikon D610.
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| ADL AUTO | ADL moderate | ADL normal |
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| ADL reinforced | ADL super reinforced | ADL Off |
And another strange point: this function has no effect on the raw file, only on JPEG. Or rather, not quite like that: when you open NEF in Nikon’s program, Capture NX-D, information about Active D-Lightning will be read and the file will be displayed according to the specified settings for this parameter. If you work with this NEF in any other editor, there is no point in using this function; it is better to disable it so as not to waste energy.
HDR
Many cameras have an automatic HDR stitching mode, it is included in the menu and only works when shooting in JPEG - the camera itself will take a series of several frames and stitch the finished file. IN Nikon cameras In order for the camera to remember the fact that this mode is turned on, you need to set it to “series”, otherwise before each next HDR-style shot, this function will have to be re-activated in the menu.
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| Extra High | High | Normal | Low | OFF |
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You can adjust the bracketing (in the menu it’s called “Exposure Differential”) and the processing hardness (for some reason it’s called “Softening”). As practice shows, you shouldn’t expect any special miracles from shooting in this mode.
Special effects
A special scene mode or special effect will allow you to take photos in the HDR style, but they are unlikely to be interesting except for fun. A similar special effect may be called something like “HDR painting”.
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| Nikon D5300 | Sony a5000 |
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Filming in automatic mode will help a novice photographer when choosing a shooting angle, and will also allow him to quickly decide whether it is worth shooting the selected scene with exposure bracketing. Having seen an interesting angle, you can quickly shoot an example, look at the screen, and if the result turns out to be interesting, set up a tripod and make a series slowly and thoughtfully.
Multiple exposure
This technique goes back to film days, most likely someone once forgot to translate the frame and got an interesting artistic result when one image was superimposed on another.
When shooting on film, the photographer could take the first frame in one place, then not transfer the film and take the second frame at the same place on the film, being in another city even a week or a month later, and so the number of times he needed. Of course, the result can only be seen when this film is developed.
Most modern Nikon DSLRs, such as the D7200, Df or D610, can take multiple exposure style shots. Overlay of 2 or 3 frames is available (in Nikon DF - up to 10 frames), and you can shoot in RAW. By default the maximum time between exposures is 30 seconds, this time can be increased using a custom setting. Just like for HDR, you can set it to On in the menu. (series) or On (single shot) - in the first case, the camera will take one multiple exposure, and you can start shooting the next one, while in the second case, after shooting one multiple exposure, the camera itself will switch this setting to Off mode.
There is also such a parameter as “Auto Gain”. This setting needs to be adjusted to your taste; the instructions do not give any specific recommendations in this regard, except that it suggests turning off auto gain if the background is dark.
Shooting multiple exposures is a challenging creative endeavor. If in the case of HDR you can at least roughly imagine what the future frame will look like (for example, mentally darken the sky and lighten the shadows on the ground), when shooting Time Lapse you can mentally accelerate the movement of clouds in the sky or the course of any events, then in the case of Multiple exposures make it incredibly difficult to imagine the future frame.
Anyone interested in multiple exposures can be recommended to study the works
HDR is a graphic effect for more expressive image rendering under contrasting lighting. How to take an HDR photo? Thanks to our guide, creating HDR photos is easy, and everyone who sees them will definitely tell you “Wow!” When I took my first HDR photo, I only knew how to take it and process it, so I can safely say that absolutely any photographer can do this. Follow these simple steps and you'll be creating an HDR masterpiece today. But first, a little theory.
HDR stands for high dynamic range. This is the result of processing one or a series (which is better) of images with different . The problem with modern digital cameras is their narrow dynamic range of light and shadow. For example, have you ever taken a photo right at sunset when the foreground is too dark to see anything? This happens because the camera adjusts its light metering to match the bright sunset, causing the foreground to appear in silhouette. But with both the foreground and the bright background will be properly exposed and combined into a wonderful picture.
Step one - take photos
Start by taking three photos with different lighting levels. You can easily do this if your camera has a multiple exposure mode. Set the increment to 2 EV so that the first photo is very dark (at -2EV), the second photo is properly exposed (at 0EV), and the third is very light or overexposed (at +2EV). If your camera doesn't have bracketing settings, you can go into the menu and manually adjust the aperture or exposure value (EV) between shots.
But there is one point here. Your camera should be set to aperture priority if it has this feature. It is usually indicated on the camera as “ A" This is done so that throughout all three photos the shutter speed does not change, which, in turn, will lead to different depths of field and blurriness of the image. In addition, you need to make sure that it is set to the lowest value in order to ultimately reduce noise in the already completed . At ISO 100 the shutter speed will be slow, but if you have a tripod this shouldn't be a problem. Plus, it comes in handy to keep the camera from moving between shots.
Let's summarize:
- Set ISO to lowest.
- Use aperture priority mode.
- Set exposure bracketing (AEB) to take three frames at 2EV bracketing increments or five frames at 1EV.
- Use a tripod if possible.
The second block will open. I always choose " Align source images» ( Align source images) And " Through comparison of features» ( By matching features). This neat feature will straighten your images so that slight frame imperfections are compensated for. I use these features even when I'm shooting on a tripod because there's always a tiny amount of shift between shots. Aligning images through juxtaposition will perfectly line up all the frames into one.
I also use " Reduce chromatic aberration» ( Reduce chromatic aberrations) And " Reduce noise» ( Reduce noise).
Next, if the objects in the three pictures were moving, you need to select " Reduce extraneous images» ( Attempt to reduce ghosting artifacts) And " Background movements» ( Background movement"). You'll be surprised to see how much even a small breeze can affect the grass and leaves, causing blur. At the same time, this function will not remove significant differences in images.
Set the default color profile tone curve and click OK. The program will now start working. This may take a minute or five, you need to be patient. It all depends on the processor, the number of photos and the size of the images.
The result will not be good enough, and this is expected. However, at this stage you can already save the image in the .hdr extension so that later, if you wish, you can work with the image again without creating another HDR version.
When processing is finished, click on the “ Tone conversion” (Tone Mapping) And " Show original» ( Show Original) to compare the resulting image with the original one. You will see a difference in the shadows and highlights.
To add a surreal effect, in " Processing options» ( Smoothing options) select small values - the lower the value, the more unrealistic the picture, the higher - the more realistic the result.
Use " Color saturation» ( Color Saturation) to adjust the color saturation, and " Brightness» ( Luminosity) to adjust the overall lighting of the picture.
You also have options for the sky: natural dark, etc. When you are happy with the result, select " Handle» ( Process).
After saving, the resulting file can be loaded into a graphics editor and further processed.
HDR - "high dynamic range" in photography - is a way of preserving detail in the lightest and darkest areas of an image. Essentially, it involves creating and combining two or more images of the same scene to take advantage of each one.
Watch this video to see how HDR can improve your photos
There are many scenes in which the dynamic range is too wide for the camera to capture all the detail in a single frame. For example, a landscape on a sunny day, shooting a bright scene through a window, or photographing a building in the shade against a bright blue sky.
In this scene, the clouds in the sky are lost in detail in one shot, and the base of the mill is lost in another. The final HDR image is created in-camera. The image is now more detailed, with details visible in both the dark and light areas of the image. The camera balanced the exposure to create an image close to how the human eye sees it.
Many compact cameras and smartphones have built-in HDR functionality. Usually there is little control over the result - you just select a function and shoot. Often the camera will prompt you to hold it still while it takes a series of images at different exposures and automatically combines them to create the final HDR image.
A DSLR camera with HDR capability gives you more shooting options. You can choose how many images the camera will take and set the range of applicable exposure values. This will allow you to get exactly the shot you intended.
Use a tripod. One important point Something to keep in mind is that when the camera exposes for dark areas, the shutter speed will increase. Additionally, keeping the camera in a fixed position while shooting is always an advantage since it is easier for the camera to optimize exposure values if the composition of the shots is very close.
You can create your own HDR image. All you need is basic knowledge of exposure control.
1. Select Aperture Priority Shooting Mode and set the ISO and aperture values.
2. Switch exposure metering mode to integral or evaluative. With these settings, the camera will choose an average exposure based on an assessment of all the tones in the scene.
3. Use the exposure compensation dial to under- or over-expose a scene. The degree used depends on the amount of light and shadow in the scene.
4. Start with 1 step change. Take a photo with the exposure compensation dial set to -1, then rotate the dial to -2 and then to -3. Now repeat the same for overexposure with values of +1, +2 and +3. You don't need to use all of these images in your final HDR photo, but it's good to have them on hand just in case.
5. Another method is to use Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB), which allows you to choose the degree of under- and overexposure, and then immediately create a series of photos
Use a computer program to combine frames into a single image. Many Canon cameras come with Digital Photo Professional (DPP), which has a dedicated HDR tool. If you don't have this program, use the HDR merging feature in Adobe Photoshop or free program Microsoft Image Composite Editor (ICE).
Try to create an image that is close to how you saw the scene you were filming. Our vision has a much greater dynamic range than cameras, so this technique can be used to recreate a scene as you saw it and remember it.
Look for opportunities to use this feature. Knowing when to use HDR is just as important a skill as being able to produce good HDR images. Practice shooting simple landscapes and skies, but remember that HDR is useful trick for capturing scenes with a lot of detail and for macro photography where you can show off subtle details to make the image more interesting.
Often scenes with a lot of detail make for interesting HDR images. Using the HDR feature to capture this image provided greater depth as you can now see the mill mechanism almost as the photographer saw it.
Using the HDR feature is a great way to add texture to your images. Don't forget to upload your best photos to
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