Playing with HDR

What is HDR?

High dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminance between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than current standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods. This wide dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight.

Source: Wikipedia

In short, camera processors are dumb. They can't process light and colours as our eyes and brain functions. In times with high dynamic range, such as area with great light and darkeness together, it is very hard for the camera to snap a picture with normal exposure. Thus, HDR imaging come in place.

HDR imaging involves taking few photos with different exposure values (EV), normally -2, 0 and +2. Next, you can either uses image processing software like Adobe Photoshop or Photomatrix to combine the photos together. With some tone-mapping, the results can be interesting.

For examples,
A statue of God Monkey at Broga Temple. When we arrive, it was around 3pm with strong sun light. All shots on this statue are either sky overexposed (too bright) or the statue being too dark (underexposed). So I use exposure braketing and took three photos with exposure -2, 0 +2, combine using Photomatrix Pro 4.



From left top-bottom: EV-2, 0 +2 ; Right: HDR processed.
The result is, a normal exposed photo. Brightened details of the statue from EV+2, sky with combination of EV 0 and EV-2.

Next, an example of area with high dynamic of both brightness and colour.


It was just lousy shots before processing. I can't even recognize why did i took these shots. After combination, it came out quite impressing, with the greeneries of the forest displayed, and the 'Jesus Light' nicely displayed.

Try it yourself! Photomatrix do offers free trial.
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Just a little bit of grumble too (failed version)

OK, its time to continue being a whinner.

I was expecting for a more action/movement-based competition. Its a talent show! There were so many performance throughout the peagant contest. If it's not because of the spot I stood and my gadgets I can get better shots. (sore loser's excuses...)


I'm serious. Look at the shots below:

Try to imagine how would the product be if this shot was taken from front.

OK. I admit, I don't have the skills to shoot actions like this.

I was hoping that someone in the front and centre line can have similar shots so that I can see how people take this kind of shots but I was dissapointed when the results was announced. Not-even-one-shot.

Then, can you please have some other expressions in the winning photos other than smile?
Try this. :P

Whoa!
OK, I know this is impolite to show this kind of shot.. haha..

Or, can at least be style and cool a bit???



OK la OK la. I know I was too nitpicking. Just let me grumble a bit although this is so long ago.
Coming up next, white balance.
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Just a little bit of grumble

Its already a few months back I took these photos.
All these photos were taken during a competition organized by Sin Chew Daily, namely 阳光美少女竞赛, Sunny Girl contest. Other than the peagant-like competition, they'd also organized photography competition for all those photographers out there. Of course I've participate in the competition and attended the Selangor Final and also Grand finale. Below is my entries for the competition:

My favourite shot of the day:

Just too bad that the shutter is not fast enough to freeze the movement. A bit of blurry..

Then this:


Like the expressions of both the dancers. Face underexposed. Yes, it is time for external FLASH!!! But then where is the money??


Then,


A very graceful move. Albeit looked a bit stiff...

In the end, I didn't win anything. Well, its' a competition, if there's people winning, sure got people lose. I'm the unlucky ones, and I am not so happy with those winning photo. Most of them look like stagnant portrait photos.
The scoring criteria is based on the theme, which is sunny. I understand that but I don't see the reason of those winning photos which only focused on the face of the contestant. So who gets the center post, with an L lens (tele and sharp) wins the competition?
Face-based?

10 out of 13 winning photo looks like this:


Of course, their's are sharper and the contestants are looking towards them.

So tips of the day:
1. Get an L or equivalent lens.
2. Only, i repeat, ONLY grab for those center points where the contestants will look directly at you.
3. Shot only upper body. If possible, focus only the face. Do not aim for those ACTIONs...

Haih.. I looked like a whinner now...


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