Single Shot HDR

[BoboBird]

I too have been playing about with this too.

Here are 3 done the other day. Just a teeny weeny bit of hdr to give the flower a neonish glow. All are 1 shot.

[Michael Tam]

Remember reading an article published in December, 2010 about the "Best Use of HDR" by an experienced professional landscape and nature photographer, there appeared harsh receptions in general about the over-use aspect of this post-processing.  Please read to refresh your memory below:

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how- ... f-hdr.html

So there is such practice in photography as "too much of a good thing".  Here is the epiphany by the same author about this realization.  One can see a humble mind allows us to move forward from lessons in life, even in photography:

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how- ... -tale.html

One good news is that a basic HDR process is emerging as a built-in function in the newest DSLRs coming onto the market.

Good birding and photography.

[Brian Bailey]

I have experimented with HDR a few times with mixed results.  I found a layer mask technique on the Luminous Landscape that is ridiculously simple and can be very effective. In this example, I got better results than HDR or a painted mask in a fraction of the time.

I'm not going to pretend to understand exactly how it works, but it does. You just follow the steps (in Photoshop) and it gives you the ability to tweak the effect to your taste.

BB

[Michael Tam]

In digital photography, post-processing replaces the complex darkroom techniques used in Ansel Adams famous landscape images.  As a result, various softwares were developed to address specific needs of post-processing.

To address the tonal dynamic range of an image, the traditional Photoshop layer masking is one of the routes available.  Assuming one does not own Photoshop CS-5, the more common and less expensive software application is undoubtedly Photomatix through the HDR route (http://www.hdrsoft.com/).  I came across this article that may be helpful to master this invaluable process:

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how- ... scape.html

Good birding and photography.

[Michael Tam]

For those who are familiar with Photoshop CS series software, this previously posted article described the workflow through a combination of Lightroom and Photoshop processing to address the dynamic range issue or exposure blending:

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=9715

Good birding and photography.

[Michael Tam]

In the taming of the light, or otherwise known as dynamic range, the old trusted path in the use of graduated ND filters together with darkroom manipulation during film development was pioneered by the father of Landscape Photography, Ansel Adams.  The digital era evolved into a new path in the use of the HDR process through muilple bracketed exposures.

However, there is the judicious choice between the use of the filter path or the HDR path for a particular situation, as described in the following article:

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/how- ... raphy.html

Good birding and photography.

[Michael Tam]

From the perspective of the oldtimers during the film days with the mantra of "do it right the first time", the use of HDR is a slippery slope into unnatural reality if diligence is not exercised in its jurdicious usage.  The following article offers thoughts into this aspect of image making:

http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/colu ... t-art.html

Good birding and photography.  Happy New Year.