Poll - HDR techniques

[Damien_Demolder]

As we have a test of Photomatix Pro v3.0 in this week's magazine, I though it would be interesting to see how many of the readers have actually tried high dynamic range (HDR) photography. You might love it and attempt to make everything into an HDR image, or of course you might hate the way HDR photographs look and feel sick every time you see one.

So, have you tried it, what do you think of HDR and what can you share with the other forum users about this technique?

Head to the home page to take part in the poll (Have you tried HDR techniques in any form?), and then discuss the subject below.

Thanks for taking part.

Damien

[APchris]

Haven't tried it yet Some HDR images I've seen do look good but others look decidedly odd.

[bob58]

Some HDR images I've seen do look good but others look decidedly odd.

agree have seen some stunners and the other end of the spectrum but then again i could say that about what is percieved as normal photography

[beejaybee]

Some HDR images I've seen do look good but others look decidedly odd.

Exactly. If you can see the effect, it's been overdone....

There are some subjects you simply can't capture properly without using some composite image method ... but IMO it's a (usually unnecessary) evil & should be used with great restraint.

[Tickhiller]

Some HDR images I've seen do look good but others look decidedly odd.

Exactly. If you can see the effect, it's been overdone....

There are some subjects you simply can't capture properly without using some composite image method ... but IMO it's a (usually unnecessary) evil & should be used with great restraint.

I agree, I have seen some fantastic landscape images that appear to be so subtle HDR. It is the plastic looking images I don't like.

[Nod]

As the mother of the only child said, "Tried it once and didn't like it."

As a rule, I dislike the images produced by it but I'm sure there have been images I've liked as well, where the effect has been used with restraint - more like clever and subtle dodging and burning than full blown, over tone-mapped HDR.

[DaveS]

Done a few, still trying to make them look convincing. I only use it to give a slight "stretch" to my camera's dynamic range, to bring it closer to film.
Dave

[TimF]

Not my thing at all. All this high contrast, high saturation stuff is this year's fad.

I reckon it'll mostly look incredibly dated in a few years (and for me, does now!)

[DaveS]

I'm not a high saturation person at all, more Astia than Velvia.
As soon as camera manufactures come up with a dynamic range like film, I will be able to consign HDR to the dustbin of history .
Dave

[Wheelu]

It's a technique that's almost as old as photography. The most successful early seascapes were normally compound images as the emulsions of the day could not cope with the range of tones. I have not tried any of the specialist software but occasionally combine different RAW exposures or bracketed shots. I find that the HDR feature in PS is not much to my liking, and that you can get better results by doing the job by combining layers "manually".

I do like to see the odd eye popping radical application of HDR, but, for most purposes, think it's best used in moderation.

[parisian]

All this high contrast, high saturation stuff is this year's fad.

A bit like Velvia then which had as many who loved it as those who didn't.
(I don't like HDR either)

[TimF]

A bit yeah! I always preferred Velvia for when the weather was dull as it would give it a lift. Under sunny conditions it was often too much though.

[daft_biker]

I haven't found a reason to try HDR myself but from what I've seen it's just like anything else...some folk can do it well and do it well consistantly.

[Benchista]

I've been fiddling at HDR-style stuff for years, and done subtly, there are great benefits. Overdone, as it usually is at the moment, it's awful. IMVHO, it's best if you only try to increase the dynamic range by 2 stops with most camera output - beyond that, it seldom looks realistic or effective as a photograph, although on occasion it can work as a piece of graphic art.

[El_Sid]

So, have you tried it, what do you think of HDR and what can you share with the other forum users about this technique?

Sort of...

Not used any of the HDR programs but have combined multiple exposures or multiple RAW developments manually in PS.

I'm very much of the opinion that if you can see it's been done then it's not been done right. To me a lot of HDR program users appear to think that the output from the HDR mapping is the finished product. The net result is they present an image that has an unnatural tonal gradient being practically all mid-tone with few areas of highlight or shadow. With some images this can be quite effective as a way making the image a little out of the ordinary and adding impact but, all too often, it just looks plain horrible...

[SteveMilner]

I've done some exposure blending with a raw image that I've used to make extra bracketed exposures out of.

I have done this and managed to get a bit more detail in the photographs, especially with rather flat skies.

I've not done the full HDR and to be honest, I generally find it looks too artificial for me to appreciate the shot.

So not for me really.

Regards,

Steve

[Terrywoodenpic]

I quite often use Max Lyons Tufuse pro.
It increases the dynamic with out giving that HDR look.
Very useful indoors using existing light, as it helps to solve the included window problem.
You can either use multiple exposures or developments from raw files.
Before that I use an action in photoshop that worked well on combining two developments from raw files.

I have never used HDR as such as I have not been keen on those I have seen so far.

I have not voted on the question, as Fusion is in reality a different technique to HDR. Though may be the questioner might think it should be included.

[Hotblack]

I use a sort of HDR regularly. I quite often process the same raw file twice (or sometimes take 2 raw shots), once for the sky, once for the ground, and combine for effect. I prefer to use ND grads in the main. Done subtly HDR works fine. I'm not a big fan of the highly saturated overblown images that are seen regularly though.

[TimF]

That sounds like the exposure blending LL was on about some years ago. No problem with that, but not the kind of Franken-photos we seem to be drowning under these days. [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

[Zou]

Tried it, liked it enough to use on occasion, but generally find it unecessary. I tend to appreciate it most in black and white as you can get a really nice tonality.

If you can see the effect, it is overdone. I cannot stand the garish end of the HDR world.