W7MEV

This is my first attempt at HDR. Specs: Camera is a Cannon EOS Rebel in Aperature Priority (AP) set at F-16 with ISO 200. I chose a lower ISO rating than the brightness of the day might dictate in order to get the fastest shutter speeds to minimize camera shake since I was using a mini tripod resting by hand on whatever was handy. Camera was set to multi exposure mode which took 3 exposures with each shutter release. Shutter speed was ("X" being "normal" exposure) sequenced as: X; 1/2X; 2X so I got 1 normal, 1 underexposed, and 1 overexposed by one stop for each shot.

Processing was in PhotoShop CC using the "export to HDR Pro" mode. Once merged, I messed with available controls to get what I thought I wanted as a final product.

Note that Canyon2 BEFORE is cropped slightly differently that the final version. Don't know why but I enlarged it slightly after doing the HDR while I was messing with the originals. Sorry about that.

I am open to all comments / suggestions / corrections you care to offer. You cannot insult me or hurt my feelings with negative comments since I here to learn and freely admit I don't quite know what I am doing!

Mike V.

Canyon1 AFTER

(Download)

Canyon1 BEFORE


Canyon2 AFTER

(Download)

Canyon2 BEFORE


Canyon4 AFTER

(Download)

Csnyon4 BEFORE

jeep_daddy Loc: Prescott AZ

Yup, #2 is messed up and the horizon is very crooked. I'll say this, the landscapes you took have no need for HDR. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range which is used so that you can take a photo where the camera doesn't have enough dynamic range to get a properly exposed image. In other words, if you take a shot and no matter what, your foreground will be underexposed and the background overexposed, then you could use HDR. So if you take a picture and see that your sky area is almost white but your subject is exposed properly try HDR. Otherwise, forget it. Looking at your non HDR images I think I could make them pop with a little post production to look much better than your HDR images.

But I will say this, it doesn't hurt to practice so keep doing that. Practice makes perfect. One other thing, go easy on those sliders. It's not natural looking to have an overly blue sky or to have a sky that goes from blue to turquoise etc. Try to imagine what you really saw the day you took the image and improve on that.

JimH123 Loc: Morgan Hill, CA

Not always correct to say that picture can't benefit from HDR when the dynamic range is not extreme enough. Sometimes I find that I just like the colors better in the HDR image, even if the dynamic range was not extreme. And I also find that I often can't duplicate the HDR colors I like if I just work on the middle image.

One more comment. I hate the over-cooked look, and I find that sometimes just reducing the color saturation a bit can make a big difference. It may benefit from all colors being desaturated a bit, or perhaps some color is over the top and to reduce just that color.
This helps to bring the colors back to the range of expected values in your mind as you look at the image.

RixPix Loc: Miami, Florida

I have done quite a few HDR shots and I still have mixed feelings regarding the process. The Grand Canyon as a subject seems like it would be a good one for HDR. The original image doesn't appear as crisp as one would want it to be. It may the equipment or it may be you had the image stabilizer set incorrectly. If the mini tripod is fairly stable, the stabilizer should be off. You don't mention the lens model. Canon has many adjustments beyond the exposure settings and you may want to look into those settings. The photos just are not as crisp as they need to be.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Love 'em 🌀💞🏆💞🌀