First attempt at HDR

[mintscorpion]

[bimma360]

Not bad for a start.... the sky looks great, i really like it. The darker areas are a bit grainy, what ISO were you shooting with?

Dave

[e30_kid]

I'd imagine the ISO was set pretty high to get it that grainy...how are you doing HDR and what program are you using to create it?

[m3clutch]

iso looks like it's too high...whip out a trip pod bro and shoot at a lower iso...i like to use the 100/200 if the camera permits with good aperature/exposer length

[mintscorpion]

I think you are definitely right on the ISO. I'm shooting with a Canon Rebel XTI. I think the iso only goes down to 400, although I could be wrong, I just got it. To create the image, I start with cs4 to merge the raw files, then I put it in photomatrix to do the the tone mapping. Should I set the AEB to take more extreme over and under exposures?

It actually goes dwon to iso 100.

[bimma360]

Matt,
Hey here is an HDR article that i found very very helpful...

http://backingwinds.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-create-professional-hdr-images.html

Dave

[DatUtahGuy]

Are you merging 3 pictures or working with 1?

To get a proper result, take an overxposed, underxposed and regular and go from there.
For sure get a tripod and lower your ISO, 100 should be good enough.

[mintscorpion]

I re-shot it with iso 100. Looks much better.

[m3clutch]

oh yea much better. looks clean. I'm sure the rebel has something called autobracket. if you shoot in P (programmable mode) and go into the menu, and look for something called autobracket, atbrkt, something like that, select it and a typical x-y graph plane should show up...with the rolly selector wheel you should be able to adjust the bracket, that is what exposers the camera with automatcially generate with the click of the shutter once. try it out, it's great for HDR and for getting accurate images.

i love this website and learned many many things from it. Here is an article about HDR that should give you a better idea of bracketing.

http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/Glos...cketing_01.htm

[E30_Pare]

first pic looks like an old bmw add.

[Philo]

On the XTi i usually shoot around 100 or 200. If you use the M (manual) mode, set the aperture according to your desired depth of field, and then use the shutter speed to vary your light/exposure. I recommend using the manual mode for HDR vs the AEB that the XTi has as you will get better "depth/range" of light. The AEB, which M3clutch was alluding to, will only give you a certain amount of exposure difference. Also, there is no need to merge in PS. Photomatix should be able to merge the images and map them. BTW, RAW is somewhat unnecessary unless you really know what you're doing in PS.

[solxe]

You have to have a good eye and play a lot with the settings to get a good looking HDR photo.
Most come out too bland for my taste, like yours did. Just keep working it and maybe try more exposures and environments with a lot of contrast like your first picture.