Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

This photo was one of 3 exposures taken with a view to producing an HDR image which we all know accentuates halo's like crazy.
This is the normal exposure with NO processing whatsoever opened as a Raw in Camera Raw and then Photoshop. The second image is the same file but with a High Pass Filter at 149 pixels applied to better show up the problem.
The dark image of the three taken also shows the same halo. In the slightly underexposed version the sky is blown so its not apparent.
I always take a Raw and a jpeg together and the halo shows up on the jpeg just the same

Never had halos in straight from camera image before. Anyone got an idea why this occurred?

Normal exposure

(Download)

High Pass Image

(Download)

wisner Loc: The planet Twylo

if you applied the High Pass Filter you image after processing the RAW file, it woukd produce that halo? Did you bracket the three exposures and then process them in 'Merge to HDR Pro' in Photoshop? If so, use the edge glow slider to reduce the glow.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

The High Pass Filter was only applied so that you and others would see the halo more clearly.

The original image here HAS NOT BEEN PROCESSED with anything. Straight out of camera complete with halo. HDR software will remove a halo put there by the process if you know which sliders to use but it will not remove a halo introduced from the original images.

Question is and was why did I get a halo in an image straight out of a camera with NO processing of any description applied.

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

When I download the original I don't see any halo's??

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

Its not easy to spot but its there as shown by the same image with High Pass added.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Added question: Why would the same treatment show different results?
I dowloaded your first image, applied the high pass filter at 149 pixels, and while there was a very, very slight halo added, it was nowhere what you show in your second photo.
In fact, even when I zoom in on the first photo, the only lightening I see is between the trees on the horizon.

Have you made an HDR from your three images without doing any corrections first? How did that turn out?

"which we all know accentuates halo's like crazy" - I don't know that HDR accentuates halos, "like crazy" or otherwise. Personally, I do not like HDRs because too often they are overcooked, although I agree that, if handled well they can make for good photos that overcome the shortcomings of just one shot.

BTW, you may want to straighten your image: look at the horizon on the left. Sure that makes the boat in front look like it may want straightening, but really, with one end on shore and the other end in the water, that's as it should be.

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

I completed an HDR image which you can view here

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-264345-1.html

It has the dreaded halo. Oh by the way it also has a straight horizon lol

My main work is HDR and I can assure you however lightly you apply the process the software will accentuate halos and noise. Normally easy enough to overcome except for this image.

If you downloaded it, did what I did and got a different result then the mystery just took on a whole new dimension to which I have no answer at all.

Madman Loc: Gulf Coast, Florida USA

I have zero experience with HDR processing, but I do have a question or two for you. Do you have a filter on the lens? If so, do you get the same result without it? Are the front and rear elements of your lens spotlessly clean - same for the filter if used? Is there any moisture or other foreign matter like mold or mildew in the lens?

I have observed that your problem is not just a halo but a loss of contrast easily visible in the center of the image.

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

The high pass filter isn't proving anything. High pass filters perform an algorithm on the edges and all you've done is over do the filter proving and showing nothing worth noting.

The picture you took is not worthy of performing HDR functions on. The normal exposure has plenty of dynamic range to see detail in the highlights, mid-tones, and shadows. Therefore your image doesn't need all this extra work. It would be fine with a little normal post processing. HDR is a technique that should be used when you can't get close to proper exposures with your camera like your eyes sees. Often your sky is blown out to get the shadows exposed correctly etc.

wisner Loc: The planet Twylo

👏👏👏👏

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Billy, I saw he halo issue in your initial presentation in the HDR group. I'm not a huge fan of most HDR images, the halo issue being one of them. The other is overcooking the effect.

That being said, it appears that there is a significant amount of haze starting at the ground/horizon level and going upward. There is a tendency for jpg compression to introduce artifacts under certain conditions and I wonder if that isn't what caused the issue. Those artifacts occur most often where a dark part of the image meets a light part of the image. The dark leaves and the white haze would be a good "breeding ground" for such a halo.

Although I'm don't use HDR very much, I've been working on a method of avoiding the pitfalls of most HDR images, halos included. If I get around to taking some I'll post them and let you know.
--Bob

Kristoes

:thumbup: :thumbup:

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

I think you have discovered the reason behind this halo Bob. That makes absolute sense all round. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
I would read what you have to say on getting rid of halos with pleasure and hopefully gain something from it. Im a died in wood HDR freak and can normally shift them easily but not of course when they are introduced from the original image as in this case.

Once again thank you for your help and I look forward to hearing from you.

Billyspad

Billyspad Loc: The Philippines

HDR covers a multitude of sins and careful use of the software with a bit of experience and practice can yield good results. Yes I did take 3 exposures of the fishing village and yes I did put it through HDR software with a gentle touch to bring out the sky and the reflections on the white boat mainly. Then the finished result is a mix of tone mapped areas and areas brushed through from the original. In the HDR version I posted only the clouds in the sky are HDR the rest of the sky is from the original exposure brushed through using a layer mask.
There are no rules only good pictures. And that rests in the eyes of the beholder.
I post in the Critique section here as well mainly portraits but occasional landscape. Both of the links below have been touched during processing by Photomatix. Used to bring out detail not for HDR purposes but I suppose in reality they are HDR pictures. You decide whether the software has been used well here or not.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-265097-1.html

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-261985-1.html

Re halos I think malarz has solved the problem.

Thanks for dropping by by and taking the trouble to comment. Your input is appreciated

Billyspad

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Billy,

I agree, HDR can be used for artistic results and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So in theory, HDR techniques can and will be used for this purpose. Many people simply don't know what H.D.R. actually means and therefore they try using it on images and don't understand what is happening with the sliders.

I like the first example you posted. Very artistic black and white or grey scale image. Well done. I'm not a fan of your second image as in my opinion it looks over sharpened. Just my humble opinion Billy.

Keep up the good work.