So I have been fascinated by how striking High Dynamic Range (HDR) Images can be. I recently downloaded some software (easyHDR Pro) to fool around a bit.

Usually you take take an image at a low, normal and high exposure setting, but for these tests, I simply post-altered (in Picasa) an existing photo from an overcast drab day from last year's fly in (actually Robs, AvidFlyer and my first trip to Mile Hi). You can add fill light or darken and then export the photo very simply.

The tests are overly stylized - almost painting like. You can reduce the dramaticness of the effects to give a more realistic look. I will play with that some, but there are possibilities to get some really cool images - especially on dark days with poor light/haze.

Here are the results:

Original Image:



HDR Processed Image:



Original Image:



HDR Processed Image:



Pops Original Image:



Pops in HDR!:

I think the first one works the best.

When I first read about it, it was my understanding that the photographer was shooting multiple exposures of the same composition (you say this above.) Some bodies have a feature called "auto-bracketing" which will automatically shoot 3 or more frames: One based on your current exposure settings, and 1 on each side of the exposure, so that you end up with some underexposed frames, and some overexposed frames. Theoretically, you're capturing every element of the shot at its ideal exposure, you just have to combine all the frames into one shot, and there is special software geared toward that.

I'm currently downloading Luminance HDR for the Mac to play with it.

It's a common misconception that HDR refers to high contrast, or vibrant and saturated. Really it just refers to the dynamic range of the exposure. A good HDR image uses several exposures of the same frame to build a perfectly exposed image that would otherwise be impossible with single exposures, e.g. bright sky, shaded foreground. Take two shots and mix them together to get the perfect photo.

This site offers a very simple (requires only one photo) and easy (and 100% free) HDR program. http://www.autohdr.co.uk/


The photo below was edited with AutoHDR. It took less than 5 easy mouse-clicks and 17 seconds to do it.

Cool effects Emmet. I've played around with HDR a bit as well. My Canon 40D body does auto bracketing like Z mentioned - you specify how many shots and the range of under/over exposure and fire away. The few attempts I made were under really challenging light conditions - on top of a broken layer at night with cultural lighting illuminating from underneath. Didn't come out like I had hoped but I was impressed by how easy it was to compile the shots with the software.

Yeah you are supposed to used bracketed exposures, I just haven't gotten around to doing that yet - being lazy.

Here are some others that turned out kind of cool. Sorry for the overload of pics of my plane. Someone send me some of theirs and I'll give it a whirl.

Before



After

It also does a great job of showing all the sh*&%t I have on my image sensor.

Took this on the way home tonight. Aperture priority, f/1.8, metered on the tree, +/- 2.0ev exposure bracketing, 3 frames. Aligned and processed in easyHDR PRO 2.10.2

Different processing settings

Love the pics Emmet!!

A lot of those pictures look like they'd be great to blow up, print, and frame for an office. Time to start playing with HDR I guess. Last time I looked at it it seemed too complicated to bother...

Cool program, I'll have to play around with it.

My first attempt:

These are some great shots...submit some for the photo of the month contest... http://clearontop.com/photo-of-the-month/