HDR Photos in Photoshop CS3

Former Member

Hi All

Just wondering how everyone else makes their HDR photos using Photoshop CS3.

Does anyone else have any wishy-washy photos as the end result?

Former Member

You can use some software called Photomatix. Otherwise there is a function to merge HDR images in PS (file... automate... merge to HDR), not sure if you've been using that or doing it manually somehow?

Anyway what do you mean by wishy-washy? Do you mean the objects have halos around them? If so you might need to turn down the local contrast. I use Photomatix so I'm not 100% sure about how PS does it.

There are plenty of tutorials, like this one.

Former Member

I wouldn't expect wishy-washy colours. The exact opposite is the concept.

Former Member

I can't stand the HDR function within Photoshop so I did it manually. Took 5 photos of different exposures then layered them. Then I used the erase tool and a graphics tablet and just exposed the correctly exposed parts of the image.

I'd show you, but for some reason uploads won't work.

Former Member

Sounds like a lot of effort mate! Photomatix works well enough for me.

Former Member

wooooooooah wrote: »

Sounds like a lot of effort mate! Photomatix works well enough for me.

I won't disagree with you, the bonus is though that you get a perfectly exposed photo that doesn't look fake.

I know some HDR photos look amazing in terms of the vividness of the colours, it's not an effect i'm too bothered about reproducing though.

Former Member

Whowhere wrote: »

I won't disagree with you, the bonus is though that you get a perfectly exposed photo that doesn't look fake.

I know some HDR photos look amazing in terms of the vividness of the colours, it's not an effect i'm too bothered about reproducing though.

I agree, I don't like the "HDR effect" some people try to achieve - I see it simply as way of capturing more dynamic range than you could otherwise using one exposure.

Former Member

Photos I wanted to 'Merge-to-HDR'




Result


Added more Hue/Saturation