Stylizing photographs and images under HDR is becoming not only a tribute to fashion, but also provokes Photoshoppers to discover new processing methods. One of them is pseudo-HDR. Let's look at this processing option as an example.

Open the image (example) and make a copy of the layer.

For the copy layer, apply the “Shadows / Highlights” setting: “Image” tab - “Adjustments”.

At this stage, you should emphasize the shadows where they exist and add more light.

We make a copy of this layer, to which we added “Shadows / Highlights” and resort to the “Color Range” correction. On the toolbar, you need to set the colors so that black is at the top.

We choose the best option that will emphasize the shadows. Click "OK".

After this, a dotted selection of this area will appear on the image.

At the bottom of the layers window, click on the “Add layer mask” icon. Add a layer mask to the layer.

Next, click on the layer mask in the layers window so that it is the one that is active and applied to it. next action. Go to the “Filter” – “Blur” – “Gaussian Blur” tab and add a blur to the layer mask. Change the blending mode of this layer to “Soft Light” and reduce the opacity to 80%.

We make a duplicate of this layer and perform an inversion for the layer mask by pressing the key combination: CTRL and I. But before that, we should make sure that we have the layer mask active, and not the layer. Let's change the blending mode of this layer to Overlay and reduce the opacity to 50%.

Place it on the background layer and make it the top layer in the toolbar White color. Again we resort to “Color Range” and select the lightest place. In this case, this is an area in the sky.

Let's copy it. Paste it into a separate layer on top of all layers.

Give this layer a blur.

Create a Gradient adjustment layer and set colors that will give the image a bright tone. Change the blending mode of this layer to “Soft Light”.

Create a “Photo Filter” adjustment layer and select the desired type. Change the blending mode of this layer to “Soft Light”.

Select the entire image with the “Rectangular Area” tool and perform the following action: “Editing” tab - “Copy combined data” - “Paste”.

Let's insert two layers with combined data. Let's number one of them 1, it will be bottom, and the second - 2, it will be on top.

For layer 1, perform a Gaussian Blur.

For layer 2, perform the following action: tab “Filter” - “Other” - “Color Contrast”. Change the blending mode of this layer to Overlay.

We copy the combined data again.

For this layer we also add “Color Contrast”, but with a larger range to give it a highlight effect. Change the layer's blending mode to Soft Light.

With the help of such actions we get the result.

Such contrasting shots with backlit light are excellent candidates forHDR processing, but it's always easy to overdo it. Our final result shows just the right amount of restraint, creating a rich image with good dynamic range.

We've all probably heard the marketing gimmick: HDR has solved photography's last greatest problem, creating beautiful, realistic photos with high contrast. In most situations, one photograph cannot convey the full range of tones that we see with our own eyes. You can bring the result as close to reality as possible by using exposure bracketing and combining images in special software.

Do you believe this? Many of my students do not. They are interested in the potential of HDR photography, but are unhappy unnatural results and give up because of the boredom and complexity (not to mention the cost) of learning new programs.

Imagine an approach to HDR that was cheap, used software you already know, worked non-destructively, and produced the most realistic results. Do you think this is some kind of trick? Not at all.

The solution is simple - you need to use Lightroom. All of its usual tools work for HDR in the same way as for regular RAW images. All your edits are non-destructive, which means you can change your mind and re-edit the same file as many times as you like. Adjusting a photo in Lightroom does not affect the pixels. Instead, it changes the set of instructions that the program uses when exporting a photo to JPEG for online publishing or TIFF for printing. These instructions can be changed at any time.

Lightroom is relatively cheap and has many features beyond just HDR. The best thing is that the results are better than using Photomatix Pro 5, HDR Efex Pro 2 or HDR Expose 3. In our case, the simple way is the best.

However, there are a couple of small tricks. First, you need to use Lightroom version 4.1 or higher. Earlier versions cannot handle tone mapping (the technical term that describes the editing process) of 32-bit files. To understand the second trick, you need to know a little more about how HDR works.

The process begins with an autofork. It is advisable to place the camera on a tripod so that the pictures are the same in everything except exposure. I typically take five photos one stop apart, so my exposure ranges from two stops below optimal (EV -2) to two stops above (EV +2). The next step is to combine all these photos into a 32-bit high dynamic range TIFF, which brings us to the second trick. Lightroom versions 5.3 and earlier cannot create 32-bit files from a photo set. To do this you need to use additional software.

However, there is a simple solution. You can create this file when Photoshop help CS5 or higher, Photomatix Pro or Lightroom plugin Merge to 32-bit HDR from HDRsoft.

• Translator's note- in the sixth versionLightroom now has a merging featureHDR. To use it you need to open the moduleDevelop, select the necessary images, then open the context menu and in the sectionPhotoMerge find the required function.

1. Get good local contrast in highlights and shadows to maintain a realistic appearance.
2. Definition (Clarity - great way breathe life into areas that are looking flat, but don't go overboard. Quantities (Amount) in the range of 10-30 is usually enough. Remember that with this tool you can use Regulatory brush(Adjustment Brush) to limit the effect to the desired areas.

The simplest solution is the Merge to 32-bit HDR plugin, available at www.hdrsoft.com. Once it's installed, simply select all your photos in Lightroom, right-click, then select Export > Merge to 32-bitHDR(Export > Merge to 32-bit HDR). In the dialog box that appears, I always check the box Noise reduction(Reduce Noise).

Also, if any objects (for example, tree branches) moved during shooting, select Reducing ghosting(Remove Ghosts). Check the box Alignment(Align Images) if you were shooting handheld or on a shaky tripod. Once you click the Merge button, the 32-bit TIFF will automatically open in the Lightroom window.

If you already have Photomatix Pro, you don't even need a plugin. Just open the program separately (not through Lightroom). Click on the button Upload photos(Load Bracketed Photos). In the window that appears, check the box next to the item Show 32-bit raw image(Show 32-bit Unprocessed Image). Set the settings described above by analogy with the plugin, then click Merge(Merge). If you select Show options ( Show Options) for the Remove Ghosts tool, you will be able to specify the areas where you want to remove moving objects.

This is a more advanced technique than what is available in the plugin. You can also choose automatic cleaning. If there were no moving objects in the pictures, it is better not to check the box. When the merge is complete, go to File > Save As. Select the Floating Point TIFF format and click OK. You can close Photomatix as we will be using Lightroom for tone matching. Import the saved TIFF file into Lightroom.

If you save it in the source folder, as I usually do, you just need to right-click on the folder name in the panel Library(Library) and select Sync folder(Synchronize Folder). Make sure the checkbox is checked Show import dialog (Show Import Dialog Before Importing) active When a new window appears, deactivate all Develop presets and click Synchronize(Synchronize).

WITHHDR can be very easy to overdo, especially when trying to bring out detail in shadowed areas. Let the shadows be shadows and stop in time. We need a realistic final result.

If necessary, you can create a 32-bit TIFF using Photoshop, but I don't recommend doing this if there is sun in the frame. In my experience file that As a result, it has a strange, almost irremovable banding, while the Merge to 32-bit HDR plug-in or Photomatix do not have such artifacts. But just in case, I’ll give you a working algorithm for Photoshop.

First, go to Lightroom Options using the menu Editing > Options(Edit > Preferences) and select External editing(External Editing). Select TIFF from the format drop-down menu as PSD files will not work for this procedure. Select all the photos you want in Lightroom and go to the menu Photography > Edit in > MergeHDRPro inPhotoshop(Photo > Edit In > Merge to HDR Pro in Photoshop).

When the dialog box opens, opposite the line Mode(Mode) select 32 Bit. All editing options will disappear and the photo will look terrible. Don't worry, just click OK and Photoshop will create a 32-bit file. Save it. No need to change the name or location, it will appear in the directory next to the original RAW files.

• Translator's note- it may seem to you that it is pointless to describe so many methods for combining images to work withHDR. However, each of them has its own characteristics and advantages, so the question of choosing a tool, as always, remains a matter of personal taste.

Tone Matching in Lightroom

Regardless of the method you used to obtain the 32-bit file, the next step is to open it in the Develop module. First of all, the Exposure slider now shows +/- 10 stops of exposure instead of the usual five. While you won't need to go to that extreme, it does give you an idea of ​​just how wide a range of light intensities there is in a 32-bit file.

I usually start with the slider Exposition(Exposure) to adjust the overall “feel” of the photo, the balance of highlights and shadows, without worrying too much about losing data at one end of the tonal scale. More often than not, 32-bit TIFFs have a "heavy" feel with very strong shadows, so I start by brightening them up a bit.

1. Let the light areas remain light. Allowing bright areas to become almost white will enhance realism.
2. Keep textural contrast enhancement under control. Creating an undesirable "grunge" look immediately indicates that it is HDR.
3. Let the shadows remain shadows. Leave small areas completely black, increasing the dynamic range of the photo and making the highlights appear brighter with contrast.

Moving on to the sliders Shadows(Shadows) and Glare(Highlights), I start with careful movements. Values ​​greater than 50 for the former will make the shadows look flat and unrealistic. Going too bold with Highlights is less likely to lead to problems. Remember that having small areas of absolute white and black makes the photo more realistic. Light shades appear brighter next to pitch blacks, increasing the dynamic range present. Most high-contrast shots have an element that has the highest possible light tone without being blown out to white. The sun is an exception in itself; it is always completely white. The need to keep some areas black and some almost white is the main reason for using sliders Black(Blacks) and White(Whites). I prefer to set my Lightroom background color to white so I have something to compare the highlights to. To follow my example, go to the menu Editing > Options > Interface(Edit > Preferences > Interface) Also keep an eye on the histogram as you make changes. This is your best assistant who will tell you what is happening in the picture.

Most 32-bit images benefit greatly from adding contrast to the panels Tonal curve(Tone Curve). This brought out the midtones and made the photo look more vibrant, while also enhancing the highlights and shadows. Instead of go back, try to correct the situation with Gradient filter(Graduated Filter) and Adjustment brush(Adjustment Brush), which will help maintain the local contrast of the desired areas better than global corrections with Shadows and Highlights.

The Merge to 32-bit plugin tends to enhance saturation. If your photo has become too colorful, reduce the Saturation by 5 or 10 points.

Using Lightroom to work with HDR will allow you to get cleaner, more visible detail, even with the darkest and brightest areas preserved in the RAW file. This approach creates a memorable, vibrant, and high-contrast image better than any other, working great for landscape photos.

The Merge in HDR Pro command combines multiple images with different types one scene, capturing full dynamic range in a single HDR image.

The Merge in HDR Pro command combines multiple images from different views of the same scene, capturing the full dynamic range in a single HDR image. The merged image can be output to a file with a color depth of 32, 16 or 8 bits. However, HDR image data is only fully preserved in 32-bit files.

HDR merging produces optimal results when photos are specifically prepared for this processing.

Options for 32-bit images

Move the slider below the histogram to adjust the appearance of the white point in the merged image. When you move the slider, only the preview of the image is adjusted. All HDR image data is saved in a combined file.

The preview adjustment is stored in the HDR file and applied each time the file is opened in Photoshop. The white point preview can be re-adjusted at any time by choosing View > 32-Bit Preview Options.

Options for 16- or 8-bit images

HDR images contain luminosity levels that far exceed the available dynamic range of 16- or 8-bit images. To create an image with the desired dynamic range, adjust exposure and contrast as you convert the image from 32-bit to a lower bit depth image.

Select one of the following tone matching methods.

Local adaptation corrects HDR tonality by adjusting local areas of brightness throughout the image Edge glow The radius determines the size of the local brightness areas. Intensity determines how much the hue values ​​of two pixels must differ before they are identified as belonging to the same luminance region. Tone and details Dynamic range is maximized when Gamma is set to 1.0. Lower values ​​highlight the midtones, while higher values ​​highlight the highlights. Exposure values ​​reflect aperture stops. To adjust sharpness, drag the Detail slider, and to lighten or darken these areas, move the Shadow and Highlight sliders. Color Vibration adjusts the intensity of subtle colors, reducing clipping of very saturated colors. Saturation adjusts the intensity of all colors from –100 (monochrome) to +100 (double saturation). Toning curve displays the adjusted curve on a histogram representing the luminosity values ​​in the original 32-bit HDR image. Red markers on the horizontal axis indicate steps of one stop (approximately one aperture step).

Note. By default, the toning curve and histogram limit and equalize changes from point to point. To remove the constraint and apply more extreme adjustments, select the Angle option after inserting a point on the curve. After inserting and moving the second point, the curve becomes a polyline.

Adjust the tone curve and histogram using the Angle option

A. Setting a point and selecting the “Angle” option. B. Setting a new point bends the curve at an angle at the point where this parameter is used. Histogram equalization Compresses the dynamic range of an HDR image while preserving contrast. No further settings are required, this method is automatic. Exposure and gamma Manually adjust the brightness and contrast of an HDR image. To adjust gain, move the Exposure slider, and to change contrast, move the Gamma slider. Backlight compression Compresses the luminance values ​​of an HDR image to an 8-bit or 16-bit-per-channel image range. No further settings are required, this method is automatic.

Moving Object Compensation

If your images have different content due to the presence of moving objects such as cars, people, or tree foliage, select the Remove Ghosting option in the Merge to HDR Pro dialog box.

Photoshop displays a green outline around the thumbnail with optimal tonal balance, indicating the base image. Moving objects detected in other images are removed. (If there is movement in very light or very dark areas, it is recommended to select a thumbnail with good exposure of the moving objects for best results.)

If the merging process in HDR Pro originally created a 32-bit image, it can then be converted to 16- or 8-bit.

1. In Photoshop, open a 32 bpc image and choose Image > Mode > 16 bpc or 8 bpc.
2. Adjust exposure and contrast to achieve an image with the desired dynamic range.
3. To convert the 32-bit image, click OK.

As you know, on our website we publish only the best and most accessible articles, without techno-fetishism or delving into the wilds of theory. We post some articles with the permission of the authors.

Shooting and processing HDR is a very complex topic, and truly interesting articles on HDR are extremely rare.

Alexander Voitekhovich’s article “HDR and what you eat it with” is one of best articles about HDR photography. This article covers almost all aspects of creating an HDR image - from taking photographs to the nuances of HDR processing. It is impossible to fit such a volume of material into one article, so the article is divided into four parts. We are publishing the first part of the article today, and the remaining parts will be published over the next week.

The first part of the article by Alexander Voitekhovich “HDR and what you eat it with”.

A few years ago I started collecting information and results from my experiments related to HDR technology. Over time, this information took shape in an article and all that remained was to bring it into decent form so that it would not be embarrassing to show it to the world.

I deliberately chose the mixture of languages ​​in the names Photoshop and Photomatix to make it easier to read. All photographs in the article were taken by the author, that is, by me.

I'll start with a few terms that will appear in the article. And those readers who are not interested in the technical aspects of the issue can immediately skip to Chapter 3.1 for creating HDR in Photoshop or to Chapter 3.2 for a description of Photomatix.

Dynamic range- the ratio of the minimum to maximum value of any physical quantity. In photography, it is used as a synonym for the concept of “photographic latitude,” that is, the range of brightness that can be recorded on film or on a matrix. In the context of HDR, the dynamic range of a motif is the ratio of the brightness of the lightest part of the motif to the darkest part.

LDR (Low Dynamic Range)- low dynamic range image, ordinary photographs. This can be an eight-bit JPG or a 16-bit TIF image.

HDR (High Dynamic Range)- high dynamic range. Usually this refers to the technology for creating HDRI. Sometimes used as a synonym for HDRI.

HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image)- an image with greater dynamic range than conventional 8/16-bit images. Some sources call the limit at which HDRI begins 13.3 exposure stops (brightness range 1:10000). HDRI uses a 32-bit floating point format, such as the Radiance (.hdr) format, which was developed in the mid-80s. A description of the format in .pdf can be found.

Tone Mapping— tone compression. A technique for converting an HDR image into a format that a regular monitor can display, that is, into an eight- or 16-bit image. In the English-speaking sector of the Internet, the concepts of Tone Mapping and Tonal Compression in the context of HDRI are most often not distinguished. At the same time, in RuNet there is a tendency to understand the first definition as tone mapping, in which each pixel of a 32-bit HDRI is non-linearly translated into a pixel of an eight- or 16-bit image, taking into account the brightness of the surrounding pixels, and tone mapping is understood as a linear compression of the entire range brightness of the HDRI image.

DRI (Dynamic Range Increase)- a technique used to increase the dynamic range of a photograph.

1. A little about dynamic range and the fight for it

Anyone who has ever held a camera in their hands is familiar with photographs in which vague silhouettes are a dark spot clustered against the backdrop of a beautifully lit blue sky, or the foreground - buildings, people and cats are captured against a uniform white background. Despite the fact that there, in place, both the foreground and the clouds in the blue sky were equally distinguishable. This happens due to the fact that the matrix of a digital camera is unable to simultaneously record information both in the dark areas of the image, for which a larger exposure is needed, and in the light areas, where a lower exposure is sufficient. The difference between these exposure values ​​is called the dynamic range of the motif.

Analog and digital cameras also have dynamic range, which is the difference in exposure stops between the darkest and lightest parts of an image that can be reproduced without losing information. This loss is expressed either in completely black areas of the image or in overexposed areas. Information in over- and underexposed areas cannot be restored. Dark areas of the image can be lightened to some extent, but this is most often due to the appearance of noise.

Human vision is capable of recording information in areas with a difference of 10-14 steps without adaptation and up to 24 steps with the ability to adapt the pupil to different areas of illumination, which corresponds to the difference between illumination in bright sunlight and dim starlight. Usually this is more than enough, since the dynamic range of real motives is rarely more than 14 steps. But capturing even part of this range can be difficult. The dynamic range of a regular negative film is about 9-11 exposure stops, a slide film is 5-6 stops, and a digital camera sensor is theoretically 8 to 11 stops, although in practice most digital cameras are capable of capturing much less information.

It is difficult not only to capture, but also to reproduce the real dynamic range of a motif. Photo paper is capable of reproducing only 7-8 stops of exposure, while modern monitors are capable of displaying images with a contrast of up to 1:600 ​​(9 stops), plasma TVs - up to 13 stops (1:10000).

Since the invention of photography, attempts have been made to combat these limitations. When shooting, gradient filters were and are now often used, which are produced with different densities and different smoothness of the transition from the dark to the transparent part. When projecting an image onto photographic paper, they used masks cut out of cardboard to cover parts of the image. At one time, the idea of ​​dividing each of the three light-sensitive layers of film into two - fine-grained, sensitive to bright light, and coarse-grained, sensitive to a small amount of light, became revolutionary. I think this idea was first implemented on Fuji film, but I'm not sure.

Some craftsmen made themselves filters for the conditions of a certain motive. About twenty years ago, while relaxing at the dacha, I saw a man standing in front of a camera on a tripod and selflessly drawing something on the lens. When I asked him why he was dirtying a good thing, he replied that he was applying some kind of gray substance, like dust, the name of which I, of course, have already forgotten, to the glass filter in order to darken the too bright areas of the motif. That's how I first became acquainted with HDR technology.

With the advent of digital photography, various image manipulations require less time, knowledge and effort, but limitations in dynamic range reproduction continue to exist. When shooting motifs with a not very high dynamic range, shooting in RAW format can be of great help, allowing you to darken too light areas to a certain extent and lighten dark ones in the RAW converter. In my opinion, Adobe's Lightroom is especially good at highlighting shadows. But here a lot depends on how the camera itself copes with brightness and chromatic noise in the shadows. For example, when brightening RAW photos from a 350D, even increasing the exposure by two stops results in too much noise in the dark areas, while in photos taken from a Canon 5D it is possible to extend the shadows by three stops.

To solve the problem of dynamic range, Fuji camera manufacturers released a new type of matrix in 2003 - SuperCCD SR. When developing this matrix, we used the same principle that at one time made it possible to increase the dynamic range of color film. Each photosensitive element actually consists of two elements. The main element, which has a fairly low dynamic range, reproduces dark and mid-tones. The secondary element is much less light sensitive, but has about four times the dynamic range. According to manufacturers, the dynamic range of the matrix is ​​thereby increased by two steps compared to cameras using conventional Bayer matrices. There is no reason not to believe this information.

In 2005, the Loglux i5 camera was released in Dresden, allowing it to take 60 pictures per second with a contrast ratio of 1:100,000 (17 steps). True, the camera is intended for use in industry and is not designed for purposes familiar to most photographers. I didn’t really want to, considering that it shoots with a resolution of 1.3 megapixels.

Those willing to pay around $65,000 for the HDR hobby can shoot directly in HDR format with 26 stops of dynamic range with the SpheroCam HDR camera.

For those photographers who do not use SpheroCam HDR and for whom the capabilities of the RAW format are not enough, only the HDR technique will help. With this method, information from several photographs taken at different exposures is combined into one 32-bit file. Unfortunately, such an image cannot be seen on a monitor, since even plasma TVs with large values contrasts cannot display the full dynamic range of HDR. For these purposes, there are Sunnybrook HDR monitors, with a contrast of 40,000:1 (>15 steps) and BrightSide DR37-P with a contrast, according to the manufacturer, 200,000 (>17 steps), costing 49,000 dead presidents. If you don't have one of these monitors in front of you, tone mapping must be done to ensure that HDR images can be viewed and printed.

I have heard the opinion that since the camera matrix is ​​capable of recording up to 11 levels of illumination, then when shooting in RAW format there is no point in using HDR, since the information can be restored in a RAW converter. The best way to test this statement is with an example. The photos below were shot in RAW on a Canon 5D, which has a relatively high dynamic range compared to many DSLRs. Photos were taken at shutter speeds of 1/800, 1/50, 1/3 second.

Exposition average photo reduced by four stops in Lightroom.

The exposure of the middle photo is increased by four stops, and the shadows are brightened slightly with the Fill Light option.

As can be seen from this example, it is impossible to restore the overexposed areas, and the information in the shadows in the highlighted photograph is only partially restored, and even then with a lot of noise. It is impossible to turn the minced meat back, and you cannot restore the meat from the cutlets.

2. Shooting for HDR

To create an HDR image, you need to take several photos at different exposures, capturing detail in both the dark and light parts of the motif. As you know, you can change the exposure different ways, but in the case of HDR this should be done by changing the shutter speed. Let me remind you, just in case, that doubling the shutter speed increases the exposure by one stop. To change the exposure by two stops, the exposure time must be changed four times, and so on.

Photos for HDR can be taken in two ways: labor-intensive and fast. With the first method you can always be sure of optimal results, but with the second method you can achieve good results in most situations with minimal effort.

The labor-intensive method looks like this:

• 1. Set the camera to aperture priority (AV) mode and select the desired aperture number;
• 2. Set the exposure metering mode to the minimum area that the camera allows. Spot or partial metering would be optimal, but in a pinch, center-weighted metering is also suitable for most motifs;
• 3. We measure the exposure in the darkest and lightest areas. We remember these values;
• 4. Install the camera on a tripod, switch to manual mode (M), set the same aperture number at which the measurements were taken, and raise the shutter speed from lowest value to the greatest (or vice versa) with a difference of one or two steps when shooting in JPG format or two or three steps when shooting in RAW.

Example: in AV mode, select f9 and make sure that the darkest area is in the center of the viewfinder. The camera shows that it takes 1/16 of a second for a normal exposure. We do the same with the light area - we get 1/1000 of a second. We install the camera on a tripod, select mode M, set the aperture to f9 and shutter speed to 1/16. For the next frame, we reduce the shutter speed by two steps, that is, four times: set it to 1/64, the next frames - 1/250 and 1/1000. When shooting in RAW, in principle, it would be enough to take frames with shutter speeds of 1/16, 1/128 and 1/1000 seconds.

At fast way Over- and underexposed shots are taken using exposure bracketing (AEB). Setting the exposure bracket to +/- two stops is usually sufficient to create quality HDR for most subjects. This method is also good because it allows you to often shoot without a tripod. To do this, with the exposure bracket set, the camera is set to continuous shooting mode and three frames are taken with different exposures. With this method, it must be taken into account that the anti-shake rule of 1/(focal length) applies to the maximum shutter speed, that is, to the last frame. Thus, when shooting with a 50 mm lens and a two-stop exposure bracket, the camera should show a shutter speed of 1/200 second on a full-frame camera or 1/320 on cameras with a 1.6 cropped crop, since last frame will be just 1/50 or 1/80 of a second, respectively.

Another problem that can arise with this method is that the exposure can be determined for a part of the motif that is too light, then as a result the three resulting frames will be too dark and it will be impossible to restore information in the shadows. When determining the exposure based on a too dark area of ​​the frame, the light areas will be overexposed. To prevent this from happening, it is better to first set the shutter speed to an area of ​​average illumination using AE lock, then select a composition and take three frames. An alternative would be to shoot with matrix metering.

Shooting using this method looks like this:
• 1. The camera is set to exposure bracketing and continuous shooting mode;
• 2. The composition is selected so that there is an area of ​​average illumination in the center and the exposure is fixed;
• 3. The frame is composed and three frames are taken. In this case, it is advisable not to jump too much, otherwise it will be difficult to align the frames later.

3. HDR in action

HDR technology has long turned into an independent direction in photography, with its own laws and concepts of beauty. I can’t say anything bad about such preferences, but I myself am one of those people who see only convenience in HDR improvised means to create realistic photos. To my taste left photo, which has not lost its realism, is preferable. The second processing option, although not devoid of originality, has little in common with what a person can see.

I'm writing this to make it clear what I mean by bad and good HDR processing, without wanting to offend anyone's photographic preferences.

Among the many programs for creating HDR, I reviewed only the two most famous and most often used. However, there are other programs for creating HDR that are in no way inferior to Photoshop and Photomatix. List of some of them and short description is given at the end of the fourth part. I advise you to apply Special attention on easyHDR And Artizen HDR.

3.1. Creating HDR and tone mapping in Photoshop

To create HDRI you need to either select files through the menu “File->Automate->Merge to HDR...”, or use the option "Add open files", if the photos are already opened in Photoshop. You can create HDR from JPG, TIF or RAW files. The color profile of the original photos does not matter, since Photoshop converts HDR to 8/16-bit only with the sRGB profile.

You can check the option "Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images". When shooting handheld, there is always a high probability of image shifts, but even when using a tripod, carelessly changing the settings on the camera can slightly change its position. Aligning an image takes a very long time in Photoshop, up to 45 minutes for HDR from three RAW files. Moreover, during operation, the program crushes all the computer resources it can find, so you won’t be able to do anything else. Although at this time you can read a book. Or sleep. In short, if you are sure that the camera position has not changed, then it is better not to check this option.

If Photoshop can't find the EXIF ​​data, it will ask you to enter it manually. It is advisable to enter the correct numbers, because if you set some nonsense in these parameters, the resulting HDR will be appropriate.

Unlike the CS2 version, Photoshop CS3 allows you to make HDR from images created in a RAW converter with exposure corrections. In this case, you need to convert from RAW to JPG or TIF without saving EXIF ​​data, otherwise Photoshop, having found same values shutter speed, will create some nonsense instead of HDR and will not allow any interference in the process. You can remove EXIF ​​data from JPG photos using programs like Exifer, either by copying the photos into new files in Photoshop, or by converting them to non-EXIF photos and back to the original format. EXIF only supports JPG and TIF formats, so converting, for example, to PNG and back to JPG erases this data.

After the calculations, the HDRI preview window will appear. Since regular monitors are not designed to view 32-bit images, only a portion of the entire light range of this HDRI will be visible. On the left side you can see all the photos included in the process with exposure values ​​relative to one of them. At this stage, you can exclude any of the HDRI creation if for some reason this is required. On the right is a histogram of the resulting HDRI. By moving the carriage, you can change the gamma of the image and view parts of the photo with different lighting. It doesn't matter what value you set the carriage to for the final result. Leave a value "Bit Depth" to 32 and click OK.

Now we have an HDR file. But for the reasons described above, it cannot be considered. Just in case, you can save it in the format Radiance(.hdr), which accepts both Photoshop and Photomatix, or immediately begin bringing it into human form. Theoretically, Photoshop allows you to do some processing of 32-bit images, but these capabilities are too limited, so it is better to switch it to 16 or 8-bit mode. I usually only convert to 16 bits to reduce possible losses during further processing. For this we choose Image->Mode->16 Bits/Channel.

A window will now appear with four options at the top. For most cases, only the last option is of interest "Local Adaptation", but for the sake of completeness the others should be briefly mentioned.

Exposure and Gamma: Allows you to change the exposure and gamma value of an image. May be useful for some images with relatively low dynamic range. For those who choose to use this option, tone mapping is best done as follows:

• 1. Change the exposure value so that the image has medium brightness;
• 2. Increase the gamma value so that all parts of the image are visible. The contrast will be very low;
• 3. Adjust the exposure value if necessary.
• 4. After tone mapping, increase the contrast with levels or curves.

Highlight Compression: Compresses the light range of the image to fit into 16-bit space. If used correctly, this method is quite labor-intensive, and the final result can only be predicted by having sufficient experience with it. First you need to prepare the image:

• 1. Open the 32-bit preview dialog: View->32-bit Preview Options…. The exposure carriage in the window that opens must be in the middle. Set preview method Highlight Compression.
• 2. Open a dialogue Image->Adjustment->Exposure and set the parameters at which the image will look optimal. It is better not to change the Offset value. In this form, the image will be converted to 8 or 16 bits.
• 3. In the window Image->Mode->16 bit choose Highlight Compression.

Equalize Histogram: Compresses the dynamic range of the image taking into account local contrast. Contrast varies depending on the number of pixels in a certain area of ​​the histogram. With this method, areas of the histogram with a large number of pixels are expanded at the expense of areas with a small number of pixels, which are compressed. As a result, the image histogram is smoothed and the local image contrast is increased. The option, in my opinion, is interesting, but rather useless.

Local Adaptation: The option that should be used in most cases. It allows you to convert a 32-bit HDRI to an 8/16-bit image using curves familiar to most Photoshop users.

Two additional parameters that are not present in regular curves are − Radius And Threshold. While the curve is responsible for changing global contrast, these two parameters determine local contrast, the contrast of details.

Radius: Defines how many pixels to consider as a "local" area when changing contrast. Too low values ​​make the image flat, too high can lead to the appearance of light halos, especially with high values ​​of the second parameter, Threshold. I usually set the radius values ​​to 1-7, depending on the size of the image. But it is possible that someone will like results that give more high values this parameter.

Threshold: Determines how pronounced this local contrast will be. I usually leave this value small or minimal. A similar effect can be achieved later, if necessary, using Highpass or high parameter Radius filter Unsharp Mask, although of course the mechanism of operation of the parameter Threshold somewhat different.

Now all that remains is to work with the curve. As a last resort, you can take several images with different tone mapping parameters, then combine them with different overlay modes or hide parts of the layers with masks.

In order to find out where the light value of an image area lies on the curve, you should, as in ordinary curves, move the cursor over this area of ​​the image. There is one catch in these curves - the usual S-curve, which increases the contrast of the image, at the same time again brightens the light parts and darkens the dark ones, that is, it does the opposite of what the whole mess with HDR was started for. At the same time, the inverted S-curve, which distributes light values ​​evenly in the image, reduces contrast. I advise you to start with the fact that the bottom black dot on the curve will be moved to the beginning of the histogram. How to distribute the remaining points depends on the image. One should not neglect the possibility of defining any point on the curve as a “corner”, making the tonal transition sharp rather than smooth. To do this, select a point and check the “Corner” option in the lower right corner. This option works well on images of architectural structures, where sharp lighting transitions can add volume.

3.2. HDR and Tone Mapping in Photomatix

All examples shown are with Photomatix version 2.4.1. I don't really like the tone mapping dialog in the latest version 2.3, because now you can't see the micro-contrast and White/Black Clip settings at the same time.

Let's create an HDR file from several photos. To do this you can either:

a) Select HDR-Generate->Browse and mark the required files;

b) Open necessary photos through File->Open, then select menu HDR->Generate ((Ctrl+G) And Use opened images. This feature is useful because it allows you to check whether the correct files were selected. It is extremely unpleasant if, after long calculations, it turns out that a photograph that is not related to this series was included in the list. This option does not work for RAW files, since Photomatix automatically creates pseudo-HDRI from them.

If Photomatix cannot find the EXIF ​​data, it will try to approximate it. Most often he does this quite well, but you can correct the exposure data at this stage. As in Photoshop, you don’t need to write nonsense, I tried it - it turns out nonsense instead of HDR.

Once the files are selected, the following window will appear. In it you can choose various settings to create HDR.

If there is a possibility that the camera position was slightly changed during shooting, then you can check Align source images. It's possible, but not necessary. Adjusting photos lengthens the HDR creation process by about 30%. Most often this option works very well, straightening out misaligned photos, but oddly enough, sometimes in those series of photos where I knew for sure that the camera position had been slightly changed, the results were better when I did not select this option and, conversely, In a series of photographs taken from a tripod, Photomatix quite shamelessly shifted the photographs relative to each other. But this happens quite rarely.

When selecting the option "Attempt to reduce ghosting artifacts" Photomatix will try to minimize differences in shots due to moving objects. If these objects are in the foreground, such as people or swaying branches, then it is better to select Moving objects/people, on the menu Detection choose High. Option Normal, in my experience, most often gives poor results. If the differences in the photos include backgrounds such as sea waves or waving grass, then it is better to select the option Ripples, and in the menu Detection also only High. Although most often the best results are obtained if the wave correction option is not activated at all, as will be discussed in the second part of the article.

If you create HDR from JPG or TIF files, you will be able to select tone curve settings. This term refers to the tonal response curve. The program documentation advises choosing Take tone curve of color profile. The resulting HDR image in this case is almost identical to an HDRI created directly from RAW files. The last option is deactivated when creating HDR from JPG files.

When creating HDR from TIF files created by converting from RAW, all three tone curve options are available. The Photomatix documentation advises selecting No tone curve applied only in cases where you are sure that no tone curves were used when converting from RAW.

When using RAW files to create HDR, there are two additional settings you can change. One of them is white balance. Convenience latest versions Photomatix is ​​that it allows you to select one of the photos involved in creating HDR and see how it will look when different meanings white balance.

The last option is to select the color profile of the HDR image. If you understand this, then you yourself know what would be better to choose. If you are new to the topic of color profiles, then it is better to choose sRGB. It is also important to remember that when creating HDR in Photomatix, the color profile of the original photographs is used, that is, from photographs with the AdobeRGB profile, after subsequent tone mapping, a photograph in AdobeRGB will be obtained.

After the calculations are completed, the image can be rotated using the menu Utilities->Rotate->Clockwise/Counterclockwise.

Regular monitors cannot display the full dynamic range of a created HDR image, but parts of it can be viewed using the HDR Viewer window. This window quite well imitates the principle of human vision, adapting the brightness of image areas to 60%. Through View->Default Options->HDR You can configure whether this window will appear or not. HDR Viewer can also be launched using the Ctrl+V key combination.

Now, out of curiosity, you can find out the dynamic range of the created HDRI through File->Image Properties(Ctrl+I).

Many of you, of course, are already familiar with HDR-images. HDR stands for high dynamic range (high dynamic range). This is a technique that is used to combine photographs taken at different exposures. In this tutorial we'll discuss what it is and how to take multiple photos at different exposures and then combine them into one. HDR-image. We'll also talk about pseudo HDR-effect called " HDR toning", for which you only need one photo. So let's get started!

The main reason why many resort to HDR processing is shooting in difficult lighting, when we need to capture all the illuminated and darkened areas without overexposure or failure, preserving all the details in both light and dark areas. In front of you 3 photographs that serve as excellent examples for creating HDR-Images:

1 – overexposed photograph;

2 – photograph with normal exposure;

3 – underexposed photograph;

Objectively– of these three photographs, photograph no. 2 , looks pretty good, but, nevertheless, there are overexposed areas and small dips in dark areas. That is why in this case we will need photographs with different exposures in order to combine them into one HDR image.

The technique of taking such photographs is called “ bracketing", i.e. shooting one composition with different exposures. If you have DSLR-camera, it is recommended to shoot in manual mode, changing only the shutter speed, while the focus and aperture remain unchanged. In this example the author uses 5 photographs taken with different exposures.

Before us 5 frames taken at different shutter speeds:

We see that the shutter speed value of the first file = 1/40 sec.

Shutter speed for the second frame = 1/80 sec, the third - 1/160 sec, at the fourth - 1/400 , in the fifth, underexposed frame – 1/800 sec.

That's all we need to create HDR-Images. One more small note - if you shoot several frames in a row, it is advisable that your camera be mounted on a tripod. Try to change the exposure value and take shots quickly, since the landscape you are shooting may change (for example, floating clouds).

On some DSLR-cameras have an automatic bracketing function, in which the camera takes a series of frames, changing the shutter speed automatically, but this, of course, depends on the model of your camera. If you don't have this feature, you can easily change the exposure manually.

For those who don't understand what I'm talking about we're talking about, I’ll explain in more detail - you need to shoot several frames with different exposures. On cameras, the button that is responsible for this is designated as “ +/- ", the abbreviation for this action is " EV" The exposure value varies from – 2 EV before +2EV. The step depends on your camera model, usually it is 1/3 . You need to make multiple frames with values ​​for example –2EV, -1EV, 0 EV, +1EV, +2EV.

So, you have shot the required number of frames. Open Photoshop and select through the menu (File - Automation - Merge to HDR Pro):

In the window that opens, you will be asked to select the files from which you want to make HDR image:

To select images from your computer, click " Browse.."(View). If your photos are already open in Photoshop, then select " Add open files" (Add open files). It is recommended to check the box “ Attempt to Automatically Align Source Images» (Automatic alignment of images) to allow the program to automatically align when overlapping (if possible) the footage you captured.

If you didn't have a tripod handy when shooting, this feature will help you a lot.

After you click " OK", the program will open your photos and prompt you to adjust the settings of the resulting image.

So, at the bottom you see your photos with different exposure values, in the middle is the resulting image. By unchecking the checkbox under your photos, you can disable or enable a particular photo.

Below the photos you also see different meanings exposures at which the photographs were taken.

To the right of the resulting image, you see settings that will determine the final appearance of your image.

To get rid of this effect, check the box next to " Remove ghosts» (Remove casts) in the upper right corner of the menu:

As you can see, " ghosts"disappeared:

Now let's look at the settings menu:

To start, you can choose mode(Mode) in which you will work: 8/16/32 Bit and modes " Local adaptation"(Local adaptation), " Equalize Histogram» (Equalize histogram), Exposure and Gamma(Exposure and Gamma), Highlight Compression(Compression of lights). In this case we will work with 16 -bit image, since it has the most settings, and in the “ Local adaptation» (Local Adaptation), in which you can achieve both realistic and surreal effect (or an effect that imitates an oil painting).

If you want your image to be more detailed, move the option slider Detail(Details) to the right, so your image will look more like a painting:

If you want your image to look more realistic, leave the slider around the middle of the scale.

You can increase the parameter value Exposure(Exposure) if you want your image to become brighter.

Moving the parameter slider Gamma(Gamma) to the right, you will darken the light areas and lighten the dark areas (works the same as the Shadows/Highlights in Photoshop).

Accordingly, if you move the slider to the left, the effect will be the opposite.

Settings Highlights(light colors) and Shadows(Shadows) are similar to the settings of the same name in Photoshop. Be careful with settings " Gamma"(Gamma), " Highlights» (Light colors) and Shadows(Shadow), since increasing the values ​​of these parameters leads to a loss of contrast.

But you can always compensate for the loss of contrast by adjusting Detail(Details).
If you want to make a photo more saturated in color, use the settings Vibrance(Vibration) and (Saturation) in the submenu Color(Color):

If you are not yet completely satisfied with the result, then try “playing” with , increasing or decreasing the brightness (to do this, pull the point in the middle of the curve up or down):

If you want to make the image more contrast, then add a curve S-shape, as in the picture below.
To reset settings crooked, click on the icon “ Reset Curve» (Restore curve) under the curve:

Now let's look at the submenu " Edge glow"(Edge Glow), this setting affects the edges of objects in your image. If you want the edges to remain clear, then set the parameter value Radius(Radius) close to 0 .

To get softer, " dreamy» effect similar to an oil painting, increase the radius value:

If you want to leave this " dreamy effect, but at the same time increase the contrast, increase the parameter value Strength(Force):

As you can see, the light areas have become brighter and the dark areas have become more saturated.

So, we looked at the main parameters HDR-Images. If you like the effect you get, you can save these settings as " Preset"(Blanks). To save the current settings, click on the “ Preset options" (Preset Options) in the upper right corner and select " Save Preset» (Save the workpiece).

Your settings will be saved in the format *.hdt. Let's call the current set of settings " mountain", and once you save this " Preset"(Blank), it will appear in your list " Presets"(i.e. at any time you can use the saved settings):

In the list " Presets» (Presets) There are also other saved settings, you can also experiment with them.

So, after you have set the desired settings for your image, click " OK" in the lower right corner. Your image will appear in the usual Photoshop window, and you can save it in the format you need.

HDR Toning in Photoshop CS5

In version Photoshop CS5 the function " HDR Toning", which allows you to create " pseudo-HDR effect" from one image. Remember that not every photo pseudo-HDR the effect will look good.

Let's look at this feature in more detail.

Open the image you need in Photoshop and select (Image - Correction - HDR Toning):

You will see the same menu with settings as for frames with different exposures.

Please note that at the top of this menu you can also select the same " Presets"(Blanks) with settings, including our " Preset 'mountain'" We won't go into detail about each setting individually - they are identical to the settings used for frames with different exposures.

The effect obtained using the option HDR Toning is destructive, now we will consider a way in which this effect will not be destructive. To do this, use HDR effect to your image and open the " History"((Window - History)) - the original image was preserved in it.

Create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N), switch mode History Brush(History Brush) in the panel History(History) on the original image and go to a new layer: