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HDR Workflow – Should you convert to Jpegs before processing

September 19, 2011 / posted in Announcements, Learning, Photomatix / No Comments

I’ve heard it said a number of times, but I just don’t understand it. Why would you do this? What I’m referring to is converting your images to jpegs before processing them for HDR in Photomatix. I’ve had a number of people tell me that you should convert to jpegs prior to merging to HDR in Photomatix because you’ll get a better result and because the software converts to jpeg before processing anyway! Let me tell you here and now – this is hogwash!! The answer is “NO”! You should not convert from RAW or Tiffs to jpegs prior to processing the HDR, regardless of what you may have read or been told, you should not do this!

 

57 Chevy Bel Air Convertible

 

In a recent conversation with an individual from Canada I was told I should try the above because that is what “Trey Ratcliff” recommends and he has been doing HDR for years, therefore he should know what he is talking about. My response was simply “that doesn’t make sense. Why would you ever convert to a format that throws away a significant amount of data before making use of the data? I’ve always used the Tiff file format and have gotten great results in my HDR images (see the image above).”

Well my friend from Canada posed the question to the makers of Photomatix (HDRSoft) and received a definitive answer from Geraldine of the Photomatix Engineering Team that should put an end to this nonsense:

“Photomatix does NOT convert the images you are importing to JPEG for internal processing, and never did it. It would not make any sense to do this…

The only moment Photomatix converts to JPEG is when you want to save the image created by Photomatix and choose to save it as JPEG. This applies to an image created by Photomatix, not to an image you imported.

Regarding whether it is better to convert RAWs in Photoshop before processing in Photomatix, you will find a detailed discussion on this on the FAQ here:
www.hdrsoft.com/support/faq_photomatix.html#process_raw

However, converting TIFF files to JPEGs in Photoshop before processing in Photomatix is a bad idea, given the loss of quality due to the conversion to JPEG.”

Please take note of that last sentence again “converting TIFF files to JPEGs in Photoshop before processing in Photomatix is a BAD (emphasis added) idea…”.

Thanks Geraldine!

If you shot your image sequence as jpeg files, then you should process them as jpeg files because you’ve already thrown away 1/3 to 1/2 of the available data by shooting in jpeg format. However, if you shot your image sequence in RAW or Tiff, then it is recommended that you process the HDR sequence as a series of Tiff files. Why not RAW files, please refer to the link above for information on RAW processing in photomatix. In short, yes you can and Photomatix does support it, however you might get better results if you convert the RAW files to Tiffs using Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, or other more sophisticated RAW processor.

With that said, I would ask that you share this post with everyone you know – tweet it, retweet it, share it on facebook, and any other social media site you might participate in, and let’s put an end to the myth that “you should convert to jpegs prior to HDR processing”!

Lightroom 3.4 update

April 27, 2011 / posted in Lightroom, Photomatix / 1 Comment

For those of you that use Lightroom, Adobe has released an update version 3.4. This update fixes bugs that were identified and/or introduced in earlier versions. It adds additional camera support and includes additional lens profiles. This was a big one for me. This release included the lens profile for the Nikon 24-120mm f/4G ED VRII lens which I have.

It’s true there was a lens profile available for this lens prior to this update, and I had downloaded and installed it, but it wasn’t as good as what is included in this update. So if you have a lens that you need a profile for, check the list to see if your lens is included.

This update also includes some enhancements to Camera Raw.

Now for the problem (you knew there was going to be a problem didn’t you?) – If you are like me and do a lot of HDR processing and use Photomatix, you might run into a problem after upgrading Lightroom. The issue I had was Lightroom was unable to communicate with Photomatix. Photomatix did start, but none of the images where loaded. So what do you do? Here’s the fix, reinstall Photomatix and make sure that you also install the Photomatix plugin for Lightroom. This should resolve the problem. At least it did for me.

Here’s the HDR image I was working on at the time I discovered the communication issue with Lightroom and Photomatix:

20110422-1-01041

Thanks for the update Adobe – and the little gotcha with Photomatix!

HDR without the “look”?

January 31, 2011 / posted in Informative, Thoughts / 1 Comment

Yes, I seem to be harping on this issue some, but I feel it is an important issue. Although you can achieve a number of different looks with HDR photography from very natural to surreal and beyond, the technique was developed to allow photographers to capture and render a scene that couldn’t be captured before due to limitations within the camera. However, the technique also opened up the ability to apply a creative and artistic twist to the image that was very difficult to do otherwise.

I tend to prefer a more realistic look in my HDR images. Realistic to the point that the only way you would know HDR was used in the creation of the image is if 1) you are a photographer and recognize the dynamic range of the image is more than a single frame can capture, or 2) I tell you it is an HDR image. My preference is just that, my preference or stylistic choice. It is what I feel presents the image in a way that is representative of my vision when I captured the image on my camera.

Church on the corner

I could have presented this image in any number of stylistic possibilities that the HDR technique opens up, but this is the presentation I chose for this image because it matches my vision.

Because HDR photography has many different “looks”, it would be improper to categorize HDR as “a” look, which is what people tend to want to do. My argument is simple, HDR is not a single look, but many looks! So please don’t say an image has or does not have the “HDR Look”. Doing so demonstrates a lack of understanding in relation to HDR photography. Enjoy the image the way the photographer chose to present it, and not critique it for the technique that was used to create the image. This is what it is all about – really!

Photomatix Pro 4 – Short Review

October 20, 2010 / posted in Impressions, Photomatix, Reviews / No Comments

Photomatix Pro version 4 has been available for about a month now, and I’ve been using it since it was in beta. Yes, even the beta version with all it’s bugs and quirks was better than version 3, and I dare say better than most of the competitors products. I have looked at and used a few of the competitors products, but my preference is still Photomatix. It is hands down the best HDR tool available and is the choice for most professional photographers.

I have written a couple of tutorial/references for Photomatix version 3 which are available on this site…

Exposure Fusion in Photomatix – A Reference

Tone Mapping in Photomatix – A Reference

Most of what is written in these references is still valid and applicable to version 4 as the basic controls did not change. However, there are a few new features worthy of mention.

  • Selective deghosting. ghosting occurs due to movement in the scene, either in the background such a leaves blowing in the wind, or in the scene itself such as people moving through the scene. In version 3, the automatic deghosting worked pretty well, but in some cases it would not remove all the ghosting from the scene. In version 4, the selective deghosting allows you to select the areas of concern and specify which image of the set to use for the deghosting. The results are well worth the upgrade. Oh, did I mention that the upgrade is free for owners of Photomatix Pro version 3! Well it is!
  • Improved noise reduction. one of the facts of life in HDR Photography is noise. When combining multiple images together noise becomes a factor especially in the darker images. Photomatix version 4 now addresses the noise issue upfront by applying noise reduction technology to the source images so that the resultant image has less noise. Very cool when you think about the time savings realized.
  • Thumbnail previews! this is one of my favorite additions to the new version. You can now scroll through the thumbnail previews and select the one that closely resembles the look you are after. It is then a short set of tweaking the settings for just the right look and your done. Also, if you create a preset and save it, Photomatix creates a thumbnail view of your preset for the next time you use the program. Very cool!

These are the most notable additions to the new version, but that is not all. There have also been some adjustments to existing functionality and additional improvements added. They even increased the speed which is a very big deal that we are all happy with. Creating HDR imagery takes time and any reduction in the time to create the image means more time available to shoot more images! Yea! :)

Here’s a basic summary of Photomatix Pro 4 features: Tone mapping and exposure fusion methods are now accessible from the same area allowing you to switch back and forth before deciding on which method is best for your image, there are two methods available for tone mapping and six methods for exposure blending, semi-manual or automatic deghosting, 16 bit support, tone mapping a single 8 bit image, alignment tool, batch processing, and full support for both Mac and Windows environments.

If you are contemplating HDR photography, or you are into HDR photography, I highly recommend getting Photomatix Pro version 4. If you are purchasing for the first time use code “HDRPhotoZone” to receive a 15% discount off the already amazing price of just $99. If you already have version 3, what are you waiting for? Here’s the link: Photomatix Pro 4

Exposure Fusion in Photomatix – A Reference

August 12, 2010 / posted in Photomatix, Tutorial / 4 Comments

If you are looking for a good way combine multiple exposures to achieve dynamic range in a natural or realistic maner, you should give the exposure fusion method a try. Although you can achieve realistic looking images using the tone mapping options, exposure fusion will give very good results with a lot less work on your part. The exception is that if you have moving objects in your scene, you might want to use the tone mapping option to take advantage of the deghosting feature. Additionally, for really high dynamic range images, tone mapping will be the better option as exposure fusion doesn’t handle really high dynamic range very well – i.e. it won’t look natural.

The first options you have within exposure fusion allows you to select how the exposure fusion should work or which method you want to use. There are five options.

Average will average the exposures together based on the available information in the exposures. You do not have any options available to you with this method and I find it rare that you would ever want to use it. After all, when would you want a straight average of anything?

Highlights & Shadows – Auto looks at the highlights and shadow information in each of the exposures and blends these exposures together to achieve a natural and realistic look. Again, there are no adjustments that you can make with this method. Although the results look pretty good, I would rather have some control over the outcome rather than letting the computer decide what the final image should look like. So again, it is rare that I would use this method.

Highlights & Shadows – 2 Images allows you to select which two images of your set to use then applies the “auto” method to blend these images together for the final result. There are no adjustments available other than selecting which two images to use. This method may get you the result you’re looking for, but if you want to tweak your image, this is not the method to use.

Highlights & Shadows – Intensive applies a rather aggressive blending or fusing method that often causes banding or an unnatural look in clouds. Luckily, this option gives us three sliders for some control of the final look. Of the three sliders, Radius has the most effect on the image because it sets the weighting amount to use when fusing the images together. The higher the number the less banding and haloing you will see, but it takes significantly longer to process the image. If you use this method, and you should try it, adjust the radius first to dail in the overall look of your image, then adjust the local contrast using the Strength slider. Negative numbers on the strength slider will flatten your image by removing contrast and positive numbers will punch up the contrast and increase depth. Lastly adjust Color Saturation to your desired amount. Just remember, too much of a good thing is not good – make small adjustments and maybe don’t adjust the color at all within photomatix. Save the color adjustments for photoshop, lightroom, or other photo editing software used in your post processing work flow.

Highlights & Shadows – Adjust applies the same blending or fusing of the auto method, but allows you to make a number of adjustments to the final image. This is the default method for exposure fusion and is the method you will end up using for more than 90% of your images for which you use exposure fusion.

At left you see the adjustment panel for the adjust method. I will go through each of these controls in the order in which you should use them (which is not the order – top to bottom – they are presented). Although I am suggesting a certain order for using these controls which I hope will make sense, you can use them in any order you choose. So let’s get started.

Blending Point – this controls the weighting given to the under exposed images versus the over exposed images. If you want the fusion to use more information from the underexposed images, move this slider to the left or into the negative numbers. Likewise, move the slider to the right or into the positive numbers if you want to include more information from the over exposed images. Another way to think of this control is to think of it as an exposure control – negative numbers will under expose where positive numbers will over expose your image.

Accentuation – this is the same as the Strength slider in the intensive method. It controls local contrast. Moving the slider to the left into negative numbers will remove contrast and flatten the look of your image. Moving the slider to the right into the positive numbers will punch up the contrast and increase depth.

Shadows – this controls the brightness of the shadow areas without affecting the highlights. If the shadow areas in your image are too dark, move this slider to the right to brighten up the shadows. Again, remember a little adjustment goes a long ways. Don’t over do it.

White Clip – Think of this as a fine tune adjustment for contrast in the highlight regions of your image. Increasing this slider – moving it to the right – will increase contrast in the image but does it at the expense of detail in the highlights. You will lose detail in the highlight regions when increasing the white clip slider.

Black Clip – works the same way as the white clip, just does it’s work in the shadow regions of your image. Increasing this slider – moving it to the right – will increase contrast in the image at the expense of detail in the shadow regions, i.e. you will lose detail in the shadows when increasing this slider.

Midtone – controls the overall brightness of the image but also affects contrast. Moving the slider to the left reduces brightness in the image and increases contrast. Moving the slider to the right will brighten the image but reduce overall contrast. To dial in just the right look may require multiple adjustments to Accentuation, White & Black Clip, and Midtone sliders. Just make small adjustments as you dial in the right look.

Color Saturation – does just what the name suggests, it adjusts the saturation of the color in the image. This is a global control and as such you may want to consider making color adjustments in photoshop, lightroom, or other photo editing software that is designed specifically to work with color. I have at times increased this slider to add just a little more color to my image, but I will always fine tune the color in other photo editing software.

360 degree image – removes the seam from a 360 degree panorama. This is another option that is probably better left to another application that is designed specifically for processing panoramas.

Presets – allows you to select and/or save presets for use. If you have dialed in a specific look that you like, save it as a preset. Then on the next image all you need to do is select your preset and your done!

Again, remember that when you click on the process button, you are not done. Your image is now at that RAW stage and additional post processing is needed to finish up and give the image it’s final look.

That’s all! Hope you find this reference of use.

Tone Mapping in Photomatix – A Reference

July 24, 2010 / posted in Photomatix, Tutorial / 3 Comments

Tone mapping using the details enhancer in Photomatix Pro 3 can be a confusing prospect. How are you supposed to know what settings to use on each of the many controls? This was a question I asked many times when I started using Photomatix. Refering to the manual gave me some indication of what the controls did, but I was still left without any idea how or when I should use them.

After much experimentation and reviewing multiple sources of information on the subject, I have come up with what I believe will be a helpful reference. A reference that should be a big help to those just starting out in the world of HDRI photography, and a good refesher for everyone else.

Photomatix Tone Mapping

So lets get started. The image to the left shows the details enhancer controls in the tone mapping option of Photomatix. You will notice that the color settings section is not expanded. The reason for this is simple – making changes to the color of an image is better done in Photoshop, Lightroom, or other image editing software specifically designed for this purpose. Therefore, we will not cover the color settings here.

At the top of the details enhancer controls are five sliders that will control the overall look of your image. Let’s look at each of these controls in the order of impact (could also think of this as the order to apply these controls).

Smoothing – This controls the transitions between the edges in your image. So what does that mean? It means that the more you increase this setting (move the slider to the right) the sharper the definition of the edges in your image. Another way to think of this – the higher the number, the more photo realistic your image. The lower the number (moving the slider to the left), the more painterly or grungy your image will look.

Strength – This controls how strong the overall contrast enhancement effect will be. If you are familiar with Photoshop, think of this as opacity. The higher the number (slider to the right), the stronger the effect. You may end up adjusting this slider multiple times as you dial in the look you want for your image.

Luminosity – This controls how bright the shadow areas of your image will be. The higher the number the lighter the shadows, and the lower the number the darker the shadows. For a more photo realistic image move this slider to the left. This control along with Smoothing and Highlight Smoothing is what you will use to control “halos” in your image. Halos are areas of light around edges and are typically found in the transitions between buildings and the sky. Adjusting the strength may also be necessary if you wish to remove the halos compeletly.

Microcontrast – This controls how exagerated the fine details are in the image. The higher the number, the more exagerated the fine detail becomes, and the lower the number the less exagerated the fine details. For a photo realistic image, this slider should be kept towards the middle range and will depend on the image.

Color Saturation – This control does pretty much what the name suggests – it controls the intensity of the color and affects all colors in the image equally. Warning, it is very easy to over do it with this control. Make small adjustments only, or leave as is and do all color adjusting in Photoshop, Lightroom, or other editing software.

After adjusting these five controls you will have dialed in about 90% of the overall look of your image, and in some cases, no additional adjustment in Photomatix is needed. However, there will be some images that will need additional fine tunning. That is what the remainder of the controls are for. We go through these from top to bottom starting with the White Point adjustment in Tone Settings.

Note of Particular interest: if the control in Photomatix has “smoothing” in the name of the control, then the higher you adjust this control the more photo realistic your image will become. The lower the number the more illustrative the look. However, like with all things good, you can over do it so make small adjustments.

White Point – This controls how bright the brightest point in the image will be. As you adjust this, watch the effect on the histogram. You should see the histogram move to the right as you adjust this control to a higher number. Adjusting too far will cause clipping (a loss of detail) in the highlights.

Black Point – This controls how dark the darkest point in the image will be. Again, as you adjust this, watch the effect on the histogram. You should see the histogram move to the left as you adjust this control to a higher number. Adjusting too far will cause clipping (a loss of detail) in the shadows.

Gamma – This controls the overall brightness of the image. Moving the slider to the left (to a higher number) darkens the image, and moving the slider to the right (to a lower number) lightens the image. After making an adjustment to the Gamma, you might need to go back and adjust the Strength slider.

Now we move into the Miscellaneous Settings.

Micro-Smoothing – This control smoothes out local detail enhancements and tends to reduce noise giving your image a cleaner look. The higher the number the stronger this effect.

Highlights Smoothing – This control determines how much to reduce the contrast enhancements in the highlight areas of the image. The higher the number the larger the area of highlights are affected. This control also has the effect of preventing white areas from turning grey and for light blue areas from turning dark blue or grey. This control also helps to reduce the halo effect where bright areas come in contact with darker objects.

Shadows Smoothing – This control reduces contrast enhancements in the shadow areas and will help to reduce noise in the darker regions of your image.

Shadows Clipping – Can you guess what this control does? I’ll bet you can – it controls the amount of clipping in the shadow regions of your image. The higher the number, the more shadow detail is clipped. This can be useful in reducing noise in these areas, but it comes at the cost of detail – so use sparingly.

That’s it! At this point you have merged multiple images together and mapped them to the point of a RAW image straight out of the camera. What do I mean by this? Simple, once you have made all your adjustments in Photomatix, you are now at a starting point of post processing your image in the same manner as you would with a single image straight out of the camera. You should not make the mistake of thinking you are done when you save the image in Photomatix, because you are not. You are just beginning.

Hope you find this as useful as I do. I refer to my cheat sheet everytime I begin a tone mapping process. Oh, one other thing. Determine what type of look you want for your image, then select a preset that gets you close to that look. Then go through the controls and dial in the look you really want. This is the easiest and fastest way to tone map an image.

Have fun!

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