Whatever happened to HDR
Feb 25, 2022 09:51:58 #
scubadoc wrote:
I’ve noticed in the last 6 months to a year that t... (show quote)
People (except for real estate photographers) finally realized that the results were so unnatural as to be cartoonish. That said, the HDR features of smartphones (at least iPhones) provide subtleties that are tolerable. It is hard to tell HDR was turned on, unless you have a frame that did not have HDR applied.
Those doing HDR, without a lot of experience, may find that subtlety is sometimes elusive.
Of course, if you record raw files and post-process, you can achieve many of the same highlight-and-shadow recovery benefits of HDR, without the fake scene look.
Feb 25, 2022 09:57:02 #
burkphoto wrote:
People (except for real estate photographers) fina... (show quote)
I've seen some done well, most others, not so much.
Feb 25, 2022 10:00:21 #
Techniques are not the be-all and end-all of photography. There is also content and composition.
Feb 25, 2022 10:06:08 #
scubadoc wrote:
I’ve noticed in the last 6 months to a year that t... (show quote)
Nothing wrong or even outdated with HDR. It's the postprocessing of the photo that pushes it to silly extrems. If you can tell it was HDR you have done too much.
Feb 25, 2022 10:11:53 #
scubadoc
Loc: Sarasota, FL
pecohen wrote:
I've never liked the garish look that is possible with HDR, but that garish look is a choice made in PP. It is not a necessary consequence of using HDR. Sharpening likewise can be over-done but we all use it. I frequently shoot using exposure bracketing when I notice high contrast in the scene and when I do I nearly always use HDR in PP, but my interest is in capturing a natural look. And I often kick myself later during PP when I realize I should have bracketed and did not think to do so.
That is a beautiful image. My question: how many steps between each exposure and what EV was your starting point?
Feb 25, 2022 10:16:21 #
pithydoug wrote:
Nothing wrong or even outdated with HDR. It's the postprocessing of the photo that pushes it to silly extrems. If you can tell it was HDR you have done too much.
Feb 25, 2022 10:20:32 #
scubadoc
Loc: Sarasota, FL
burkphoto wrote:
People (except for real estate photographers) finally realized that the results were so unnatural as to be cartoonish. That said, the HDR features of smartphones (at least iPhones) provide subtleties that are tolerable. It is hard to tell HDR was turned on, unless you have a frame that did not have HDR applied.
With your iPhone, do you keep HDR turned on by default or does it depend on the apparent dynamic range of whatever is in the viewfinder?
Feb 25, 2022 10:46:05 #
Picture Taker
Loc: Michigan Thumb
HDR is a photo technology, not a gimmick. Some pushed in to a circus type picture. Most of us that use it today see the advantage of the increased light range (IE +2. -2) and not push it to the unreal.
I for one use it a great deal, I hand hold and group process with Photomatix.
To each his or hers own. That is what makes photography as diverse as it is.
I for one use it a great deal, I hand hold and group process with Photomatix.
To each his or hers own. That is what makes photography as diverse as it is.
Feb 25, 2022 10:51:15 #
scubadoc wrote:
With your iPhone, do you keep HDR turned on by default or does it depend on the apparent dynamic range of whatever is in the viewfinder?
I turn it on when the dynamic range of the scene is extreme, as in full mid-day sun. Apple's iOS is really advanced, even when used on a five-year-old phone like my 7 Plus.
I'll rarely use an HDR technique with my dedicated camera, though I sometimes record three raw files, bracketed one stop apart, just in case.
Feb 25, 2022 10:54:49 #
Bracket then keep it natural. Some pop but probably no more than I'd do with other editing.
Shot from Sedona area and Antelope Canyon. All my shots at Antelope were 3 shot brackets.
Nikon D7200 with 10-20 lens.
Shot from Sedona area and Antelope Canyon. All my shots at Antelope were 3 shot brackets.
Nikon D7200 with 10-20 lens.
Feb 25, 2022 10:55:09 #
Fotoartist wrote:
Techniques are not the be-all and end-all of photography. There is also content and composition.
Without content we’d have a blank frame. Composition, OTOH, is highly overrated. Toss it into that same bin where you just tossed “techniques”.
Feb 25, 2022 10:56:21 #
Feb 25, 2022 11:07:09 #
About the only time I bracket is when the sun is in the photo and I need to bring out the shadows more without blowing out the sky. I similar situation occurs when I photograph the moon and its reflection in the water or the moon with clouds. HDR doesn't work for me; I need two shots with vastly different exposures. I usually put them into layers in Photoshop, mask and flatten.
Feb 25, 2022 11:08:28 #
johngault007 wrote:
Like me.."all sliders to the right" is my motto.
Do your sliders go up to 11?
Feb 25, 2022 11:12:03 #
User ID wrote:
Without content we’d have a blank frame. Composition, OTOH, is highly overrated. Toss it into that same bin where you just tossed “techniques”.
Some say Composition is the creativity and intelligence brought to the image. Very few good shots show it disregarded.
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