**UPDATED** Sunset Panorama HDR or no HDR? **Create your own HDR!**

[barba]

Here is my meager attempt to have it both ways and combine the two images.


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.38.06/panorama800merged.jpg[/img]

[Sheiky]

Alright here I am again. I tried to make a new HDR using different methods suggested here. The stitching 2 photos didn't really work for me. I couldn't get nice fluid transitions between the sky and the earth []


I added the new HDR version to the entry post. To be honest I think the normal one looks a lot less interesting at only 800 pixels and due to resizing contrast looks absolutely bizarre. The "earth" looks almost completely dark while there is in fact a lot of detail in it still. So that's why I also put a full-size jpeg online for that one.


I also must say that I love the enthusiasm of making your own versions of my picture.[]If there is interest, I could put the full-sized tiffs online (the 3 alligned exposures) so you guys could show me off with the same room to work with. If so, just shout it out and I will put them online, could be cool [H]

I agree with everyone else. I like the non-HDR better. The HDR version looks more like a sun-rise. Both are lovely photos though :-)

Thanks Mark [] You're absolutely right about the HDR looking like a sunrise instead of a sunset [H]

I agree with whats been said, the non-HDR is better. Great photo, and is there some trick for doing HDR panoramics in photomatix? My computer freezes everytime I try, but it might be because I'm running it on my 4 year old macbook in a virtual windows xp.

Thanks, fast answer: no there is no trick [:P] It was actually pretty hard to make the panorama's align. When first making 3 panorama's at different exposures I noticed a slight difference in imagesizes and positioning. And photomatix won't take different sizes. So I aligned all 3 of them in photoshop and made a definitive crop out of the aligned images so all three compositions were "the same". Those tiff-files were then used in photomatix to create a HDR image of them. I can say that it still was kind of a struggle for photomatix to make this 10000pixel wide HDr, even on my relatively fast pc []

I also prefer the non-HDR version. The HDR version is an example of one of the most commonly occurring problems I have when I make HDRs, which is a lack of contrast. I use Photomatix Pro fairly often, and that's one of the biggest problems I have. I can play with the White Point and Black Point, but other than I'm not sure of the best way to increase the contrast in Photomatix.


I'm pretty much in awe of your pano skills on this one. Mine never turn out this nice!

Thank you Alex, yes the loss of contrast and color was a big problem with this one. I always struggle to get the right results out of photomatix and I often do post-processing in lightroom or photoshop.

Clearly, the non hdr.

I'm glad it was so easy for you [:P] I wish it were that easy for me so I wouldn't be here asking this question[]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"]<span style="font-size:small;font-family:Times New Roman;"]I have to agree with everyone here &ndash; the non-HDR is better.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"]Personally I like HDR a lot and I know it is very tricky to produce a good HDR image.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"]Here is my re-touch of the HDR (Tonal and local contrast) to bring the dynamic and depth out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"] Ideally this adjustment should bedone in Photomarix.CC is very welcomed.
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Here is my meager attempt to have it both ways and combine the two images.

Hmm thanks for making your own versions. I really like that! It got me thinking [8-|]I will add the 3 different exposed panoramas in tiff if you guys want to? So you can try to get the most out of this picture. I sure want to see those results, seeing what you've already done to my jpeg, I'm curious what you would have made if there is more room to play with.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"]Let me know if any of you all is interested. It could be a fun adventure [H]
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin:0in 0in 0pt;"]Jan

[rzFoto]

Hmm thanks for making your own versions. I really like that! It got me thinking [img]/emoticons/emotion-15.gif[/img]I will add the 3 different exposed panoramas in tiff if you guys want to? So you can try to get the most out of this picture. I sure want to see those results, seeing what you've already done to my jpeg, I'm curious what you would have made if there is more room to play with.
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<p class="MsoNormal"]Let me know if any of you all is interested. It could be a fun adventure

I AM IN, I AM A BIG FAN OF HDR AND PHOTOSHOP.

[Sheiky]

I AM IN, I AM A BIG FAN OF HDR AND PHOTOSHOP.

[] I will update it today! [H]

[Sheiky]

Hmm why is the original post showed as quoted text?[]

[rzFoto]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"]All right, here is my try.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"] Jan, I did not use the TIF files because they are too big for my aging computer[:'(].<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"] I also happen to believe that although tif provides more detail, there is not much difference between jpeg and tif unless we need to adjust the exposure before using Photomatrix.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"]I am not fully satisfied with my results and it was harder than what I initially thought.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"] The landscape (the trees particularly) were the most difficult part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"] I think the focal point was the sky, 7.1 probably was not narrow enough to bring the DOF out for the trees that were already in the shadow and far from the sky.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"]I have made some post adjustments to bring more details out, and for #2, I added a black frame hoping that will draw more focus to the image.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"]Thank you Jan for let me play with your great photos, I really enjoyed it.
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"]<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"]Try 1
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Try 2


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.34.16/JPEGRZFrame.jpg[/img]

[Sheiky]

Great shots!! I also like the idea of a frame, it just looks cool. I really like your edit. Even this small I can see that you kept details in both light and dark area's, good job! [Y]The clouds on the left do look a little off though, I'm not sure why.

Thank you Jan for let me play with your great photos, I really enjoyed it.

Well I like it as well, so thank you!![H]

I did not use the TIF files because they are too big for my aging computer[:'(].<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"] I also happen to believe that although tif provides more detail, there is not much difference between jpeg and tif unless we need to adjust the exposure before using Photomatrix.

Hihi when I alligned them in photoshop I was playing with a 600MB+ file [] Well since you use 3 photos in jpeg I guess that way you create a lot more information and I agree that you could live without raw or tiff then. But if you only have one shot and it isn't exposed correctly I would hate it if I only had jpegs [:P]

I am not fully satisfied with my results and it was harder than what I initially thought.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"] The landscape (the trees particularly) were the most difficult part.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes;"] I think the focal point was the sky, 7.1 probably was not narrow enough to bring the DOF out for the trees that were already in the shadow and far from the sky.

Tell me about it [] Yea well since it was my first serious panorama ever I forgot a few important things. I focussed at a point I don't really like and the aperture should have been a lot bigger, I know and I will definitely think of it next time (yup I think I will try this again [:P])

Thank you Jan for let me play with your great photos, I really enjoyed it.

Thanks again for taking time and enjoying this. I will contact you next time []


Jan