A high dynamic range image of a swamp locally. . .

[HN]

Originally posted by: Specop 007
I am obviously not a photographer.
I compare the "HDR" to the "original" and all I think it "Gee, its a bit darker...."

Sorry, I'm a photo noob.

i've noted somethings here:
http://img116.imageshack.us/img116/9797/orig2fs.jpg

now, in the blown out white areas, if you were to under expose to try to preserve what's there, you'd lose even more detail in the darker areas. taking multiple shots at varying exposures and doing the merge-to-hdr process brings it all together into one shot.

 

[tfinch2]

Originally posted by: mugs
I'm not entirely familiar with HDR, but my understanding is that you take a group of pictures and merge them into one, and I take from your OP that you adjust the exposure on each one...

Question - exposure is something you can adjust in post-processing with a RAW image, is it not? So could you take one picture in RAW format, create 3 or 5 or however many TIFFs/JPEGs you want, and then use photoshop to create an HDR image out of a single source image essentially?

Because that would really kick ass.

Also, do you have a link to a good tutorial on HDR?

Yes, you could do that, but it's better to use the bracket feature if your camera has one. When you manipulate exposure to the extremes (IE taking a properly exposed image to extreme dark or light) you introduce noise into the image. It's not really noticeably on websized images, but it can effect prints.

 

[AbAbber2k]

Originally posted by: Specop 007
I am obviously not a photographer.
I compare the "HDR" to the "original" and all I think it "Gee, its a bit darker...."

Sorry, I'm a photo noob.

I don't think having no experience with photography is your issue.