HDR and RAW: Assume your goal is an HDR image. After shooting your image series in RAW, when you take them into the RAW converter (I use Elements 8), do you do any RAW adjustments...

lfdaly

Assume your goal is an HDR image. After shooting your image series in RAW, when you take them into the RAW converter (I use Elements 8), do you do any RAW adjustments before opening into your HDR software program (Photomatix)? Seems like you shouldn't do anything because it might defeat what the HDR software is going to do. Anyone???

Willy Loc: Alaska

Good question. I don't have an answer but I would like to add to the question. When I open a photo with photoshop, the first thing I do is apply the "unsharp mask" to the photo.
I do this to all of my photos. Should I do this for HDR photos? Will photoshop import the .xmp file when working with HDR.

Willy Loc: Alaska

Hi lfdaly,
After re-reading my previous post, I think I answered my own question and yours.
When a change is made in the raw data, the image is not changed. In photoshop a file of the same name with a .xmp extension is created. This is where all the changes are saved. When you open the image, photoshop looks for this .xmp file and applies any changes that are in it to the image file.
Try this; open a photo and make some extreme changes that are very obvious and save the file. Close the image and re-open it. The changes are still there. Close the image again and in windows explorer (if your using windows) open the folder that contains the image. Find the .xmp file and change its name. Now re-open the image and you will find the changes are not there. Go back and re-name the .xmp file to its original name and you will see the changes when you open the image again.
Unless the HDR program imports the .xmp file along with the image I don't see any reason to make any changes to the image.

Well, that was kind of long winded but I hope it helps.
Regards.

phoneguy55 Loc: upstate NY

I have not done too many HDR conversions, but in general I understand that the very last post processing step should be "sharpening". Since sharpening is a slightly "destructive" action ( removing pixels ) , other processing steps would be done first while the most pixel information is still present. ( just what I have read regarding sharpening) I'll be curious about other opinions with regard to HDR also.

EDIT: of course the RAW data will always still be there in the original file as Willy described so eloquently....should one need to backtrack

cgchief Loc: Jarrettsville

Willy wrote:

Good question. I don't have an answer but I would like to add to the question. When I open a photo with photoshop, the first thing I do is apply the "unsharp mask" to the photo.
I do this to all of my photos. Should I do this for HDR photos? Will photoshop import the .xmp file when working with HDR.

All the information I have on sharpening suggest using
'unsharp mask' last.

cgchief Loc: Jarrettsville

lfdaly wrote:

Assume your goal is an HDR image. After shooting your image series in RAW, when you take them into the RAW converter (I use Elements 8), do you do any RAW adjustments before opening into your HDR software program (Photomatix)? Seems like you shouldn't do anything because it might defeat what the HDR software is going to do. Anyone???

Have you tried the HDR in Photoshop Elements 8 with raw?
I have used it JPGs, but not RAW. One advantage is you don't have to safe as a TIFF, and then convert it in PSE8.

SpiffyPhoto Loc: Southern Wisconsin

lfdaly wrote:

Assume your goal is an HDR image. After shooting your image series in RAW, when you take them into the RAW converter (I use Elements 8), do you do any RAW adjustments before opening into your HDR software program (Photomatix)? Seems like you shouldn't do anything because it might defeat what the HDR software is going to do. Anyone???

I have photomatix HDR software and I just load the 3 or more raw images directly into the software with no corrections ...... your software may be different .....

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

Speaking of RAW, I have a Nikon 5100. I can't open any RAW pix from this camera in PS 7. Is there a filter or add-on I can get for PS 7. Perhaps a converter?
Sorry, I know this is slightly off-topic but reading this thread reminded me of it.

MtnMan Loc: ID

I too have a 5100 and am interested in the question.

You can use the included Nikon ViewNX2 software that came with your camera to export the image in other formats. Based on a suggestion in this group I also have downloaded a free software that does the conversion, but haven't used it: FastStone Photo Resizer. At least I think it works with Nikon RAW.

http://www.faststone.org/

Regards,
Larry Leach

(e.g. jpeg).

Indi wrote:

Speaking of RAW, I have a Nikon 5100. I can't open any RAW pix from this camera in PS 7. Is there a filter or add-on I can get for PS 7. Perhaps a converter?
Sorry, I know this is slightly off-topic but reading this thread reminded me of it.

Indi Loc: L. I., NY, Palm Beach Cty when it's cold.

lleach wrote:

I too have a 5100 and am interested in the questio... (show quote)

I have the ViewNX2 from the Nikon Package, and a free program called RawTherapee.

I guess I'll have to try and open a picture in RawTherapee, save it, and see if it opens in PS7.
Thanks, Larry.

Mr.Ed Loc: Houston, Texas

I use Photomatix, and generally just load three raw files into it. It is possible to get more detail by loading TIFFs where you process the outside brackets more than once to add higher and lower exposures.

I also like to color balance the shots (exporting TIFFs to Photomatix) on interiors, warming the underexposed shot that get the scene outside the window and cooling the overexposed shot that get inside areas dimly lit by incandescent.

If I don't have a color balance issue, or a scene that pushes the limit of my dynamic range even bracketed, I just load the raw files.

robert-photos Loc: Chicago

lfdaly wrote:

Assume your goal is an HDR image. After shooting your image series in RAW, when you take them into the RAW converter (I use Elements 8), do you do any RAW adjustments before opening into your HDR software program (Photomatix)? Seems like you shouldn't do anything because it might defeat what the HDR software is going to do. Anyone???

For photo merge or HDR when correcting RAW files in Adobe Bridge just synchronize your correction so that whatever is done to one is done to all. The dynamic range (exposure) of the multiple exposures remains the same.

Although I'm not familiar with other RAW editing programs it would be logical that they too would contain a method of synchronizing your corrections across multiple photos.

Happy HDR :-D

guy145 Loc: Norridge IL

I understand that your are to use 3 photos. One pohoto dead on with the correct exposure and two other photos 1.5 to 2 stops over and under. You than aply the shots to your HDR pgrm. You can use jpg or tif. Tif is preferred because its an uncompress image. After your images are combined you export your HDR photo to a tif file were you can make further adjustments and refinements.

You don"t adjust your photo before you use your HDR pgrm unless you are working with only one photo. Trying to make a HDR photo with one photo does'nt sound right. The pictures just don't look real.

2 Dog Don Loc: Virginia Beach VA

Regardelss of any of the above, be sure to take pcis for HDR using Apature priority so that the depth of field does not vary from image to image

Old Marine

Hello...I use HDR Expose or HDR Express to convert my RAW images. Either of these programs are great, with HDR Express much easier to use. I NEVER do anything to the images before taking them to the HDR program. I also am an Apple freak and use Aperture 3 with a HDR Plug In for conversion.
Google the HDR Express and you can download a 30 day trial to play with.
Hope this helps. BTW, I shoot with a Nikon D90.