Persian King
Amir In Wonderland
Posted by Amir (Tehran, Iran) on 5 October 2007 in Landscape & Rural and Portfolio.
Fort Worth, TX
This was made from five bracketed images, stacked to form an HDR. Those of you who come here often, know that I don't have a DSLR and my little Canon camera is not that professional and therefore can't bracket images. But not to worry, I used the Canon Digic II hack known as CHDK to enable the camera to do just that.
I took five images, -2, -1, 0, +1, +2 and then imported them into Photomatix, which is a dedicated HDR software. I had it stack the shots, then use its Tone Mapping function to create the surreal effect. I then imported it to Photoshop and fixed the curves, levels and hue/saturation. And here you see the result.
There are two kinds of HDR. One is real HDR, like the one here, made of couple of images with varying exposure compensation levels. And there is fake HDR, which is comprised of single image, usually taken in RAW format and then manipulated.
The Fake version is usually noisy because the data is not there to begin with, but in the case of real one the image is usually data rich and you get cleaner outcome.
So why not use the real one at all times! To answer this question one has to evaluate the situation. If the subject is stationery and motionless, then bracketing is favored, considering tripod is available. But if you are intended to take an HDR image of lets say, traffic intersection, then one RAW image should be all you need, or I should say all you can have.
Obviously the bracketed HDR has better and clearer results, but has its limitations.
See the original at Flickr
If you find my photos interesting, please take a moment and vote for me at Photoblog Awards.
Visit My "TimeLaps/Panorama" Blog, Creative Camera.
If you find my photos interesting, please take a moment and vote for me at Cool Photoblogs.
@ColNed Pictures: Thanks my friend
@KMF: Thanks
Wolfgang Prigge from Canada
Very interesting work, and your explanations are tempting, but I'm not there yet...
5 Oct 2007 10:50am
@Wolfgang Prigge: It's not as hard as it sounds
@Vicki: Thanks dear
@Makoto: Thanks my friend
Twelvebit from Victoria, United States
Nice angle and mood. When I bracket I generally shoot three shots --because that's what my camera allows-- but the few times I have used more seem to have produced better results. I need to experiment some more when daylight saving time is over, but I seem to have the greatest problem with noise in night shot combinations. Or, I just notice it more because there are large areas of the image that I want to be black, or very dark, and they are salted with little specs of color.
5 Oct 2007 1:51pm
@Twelvebit: Three shots are what most cameras offer. Why do you want to make HDR at night, would you please enlighten me!
Brian from United States
I've never tried 5 images before, but I will now! Super HDR image, Amir!
5 Oct 2007 2:21pm
@Brian: Most cameras can't take five bracketed images. Maybe the top of the line D300 and Mark III can do it, but regular cameras can only take three.
Hamid from Tehran, Iran
Nice perspective Amir. You sound like a proper professional my friend. I don't know most of these methods and terminologies you talk about :-)
5 Oct 2007 2:38pm
@Hamid: Trust me, I am more amateur than most of people here. I am just experimenting and sharing the steps for the good of the public.
Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States
Very nice HDR work. The colors are stunning.
5 Oct 2007 3:23pm
@Viewfinder: Thanks for kind words
Twelvebit from Victoria, United States
Well, I guess the easy explanation is for the same reason as making a daytime hdr shot. Another reason is that where there are large areas of darkness in a night shot that cannot be lit practically with flash, hdr is a good substitute. However, a visual explanation might be better. Maybe I can put some comparison shots together this weekend. Part of the problem here may be terminology. As you say, dynamic range cannot be increased with a single exposure, and the technique I'm referring to with night shots, depending on the image, may not actually increase the dynamic range. It does, however, open up the shadows and produce an image more like what your eye actually sees.
5 Oct 2007 3:31pm
@Twelvebit: Thanks for replying so fast. I now understand.
@Shahab: Thanks Shahab
aggie from Singapore, Singapore
The technical discussion bewilders me :) but doesn't stop me from appreciating a vivid rich shot.
5 Oct 2007 4:41pm
@aggie: Is not as complicated as you might think. Glad you liked it.
Mandy from Johannesburg, South Africa
This is LOvely Amir...you are really gifted with all of this technical stuff!!! :) The greens really jump out at you.
5 Oct 2007 4:55pm
@Mandy: As I said, I am only at the beginning trying to learn this as a hubby. Thanks anyways
Quintino from Joane, Portugal
Amir in wonderland, hein? Well, I can see wonderland but where is Amir? Nice shot and well done work, but not quite for me yet.
5 Oct 2007 6:00pm
@Quintino: Well I am behind the lens, but nice point.
@Mingo: Thanks a lot
@Dawn Sutherland: I had to get dirty for this one
@Bron: Thanks
Maysam from Tehran, Iran
very nice and select the best view and color so imaginetion that is oil painting.
very good amir
6 Oct 2007 2:19am
@Maysam: Thanks a lot my dear brother. I always appreciate you coming and leaving me a comment.
amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada
I do love HDR. I've experimented with Photomatix but still haven't gotten results like this. Very nicely done Amir!!!
6 Oct 2007 4:02am
@amy: Don't worry, practice makes perfect
miu* from GA, United States
Hi,Amir.
First of all,I love today's your title.
Your angle seems to express "Wonderland".
The leaves gradually changing its'color.Beautiful autumn shot!
6 Oct 2007 2:30pm
@miu*: Thanks miu*
Twelvebit from Victoria, United States
I put together an example image that compares two versions of a night photo --one processed in Photoshop the other a 3 exposure bracket processed with hdr. See it here.
7 Oct 2007 5:53pm
@Twelvebit: I looked at it and I like the Bracketed HDR better. Thanks for sharing.
@Vahid: Thanks
