Merge to HDR
 

Just been playing around with 'Merge to HDR' in CS2. took three shot from a tripod with ev comp -1, 0, +1. I choose this view because it had sky + a lot of shadow area. The end image is completely untouched apart from compressing for the web. Seems to work to a certain degree what to you think ?

Roy,

This is something I have never got round to having ago at.

Not quite sure about how the shadow from the plant by the wall looks. It does suggest the light was quite strong.

Any chance of posting image at ' 0 ' as a comparison.

Don

Ok Don, here is the ev 0 that I used. From what I can read it is better to take 5 to 7 images at different ev values rather thatn the minimum 3 which I have used.

Don, For info here is the +1 shot that I used,

Thanks Roy.

I have just done a touch of curves on the HDR one and am impressed. Not too much darkening of the shadow or loss of highlight detail.

Altogether much improved over the shot at ' 0 ' setting.

So I rate your effort as a success.

Don

HDR is another major break through, that has emerged with the Tsunami wave of digital photography and digital darkroom.

Looking around flickr there are a whole lot of HDR images being produced. On the one hand they are pretty impressive, but they do seem to have an other-world quality which after the novelty value I'm not too sure I actually like. Still they are impressive though.

What is HDR,please.High definition resolution?.Is that correct ,or somewhat near.How does one obtain it?.Is it similar to RAW?.

High Dynamic Range. Basically its taking 3 or more exposures at: normal exposure, 2 stops under exposed, 2 stops over exposed. Then the three photos are combined together to give you a photograph with highlight, shadows, and mid range. Then people tend to tone map the result.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynchburgvirginia/

If taking three photos you need a tripod. But you can have software create the three exposures. Most use photomatrix.

Walwyn has explained what it is. Photomatrix seems the best software for it.
In CS2 there is a 'merge to HDR' in the File > Automate menu. You select the images and the merge is automated - you can then Tone map the final image.