Some help on how to merge pictures in PS CS

RuiMLopes

Currently, I am using photomatiz for HDR. However, sometimes I find the results "overdone" and unreal.
I read somewhere that there´s an alternative doing it with PS. However mine is the CS version and I do not know how to do it. I believe that it must be done using layers but, I never learned how to use layers properly...
May I ask for some help from you, pro´s on how to do it, if possible detailing everything step by step, controls and keys to be used, etc.?
Let´s imahine an example in which I got 5 bracketed night different exposures of an illuminated nighscape, on tripod. How would you handle it with PS CS?
Many thanks for your help

Richard

Have you tried the merge to HDR function in Photoshop? It might give you results more to your liking.

BinaryFx

If I recall correctly, merge to HDR is not available in CS (CS does not support 32bpc mode). If you use the DigitalGrin search feature you can find some previous topic threads on HDR.

I prefer "exposure blending" which results in more natural images than most HDR+Tone Mapping methods.

Some random links on the subject include:

[SIZE=-1]http://www.cybergrain.com/tech/hdr/index.html
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...amic-range.htm
http://www.anyhere.com/gward/hdrenc/hdr_encodings.html
http://www.cs.huji.ac.il/%7Edanix/hdr/results.html
http://www.cs.huji.ac.il/%7Edanix/hdr/panorama.html[/SIZE]

This is a random sampling of both Mac OS and Win OS or perhaps Linux - commercial and opensource:
[SIZE=-1]
[/SIZE]http://reindeergraphics.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=153&Itemid=101 (Optipix from ReindeerGraphics)

http://enblend.sourceforge.net/ (Enblend/Enfuse)

http://www.tawbaware.com/tufuse.htm

http://www.pangeasoft.net/pano/bracketeer/index.html

http://tir.astro.utoledo.edu/jdsmith/code/exposure_blend.php (GIMP)

http://www.bracketmerge.com/index.html


Hope this helps,

Stephen Marsh

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/

Richard

BinaryFx wrote:

If I recall correctly, merge to HDR is not available in CS (CS does not support 32bpc mode).

Ooops, my mistake. I went from PS7 to CS2, so I didn't think of that.

Carry on.

RuiMLopes

Thanks for the input. Yes, unfortunately CS doesn´t allow that feature..
I´ll check the links Stephen sent me.
Thanks again

BinaryFx

RuiMLopes wrote:

Thanks for the input. Yes, unfortunately CS doesn´t allow that feature..
I´ll check the links Stephen sent me.
Thanks again

Don't forget to Google for "Enfuse GUI" or "EnfuseGUI" or "Enfuse Front End" or similar terms, the freeware/opensource community has a lot to offer and one can easily see if the workflow and results are right for them, before looking at commercial offerings.

Of course, if you were going to upgrade Photoshop at some future point in time, you would get the Adobe HDR option included, which you can try before you buy with a full working demo (I personally would try to avoid buying close to the approx. 18 month Adobe upgrade cycle).

Stephen Marsh

http://members.ozemail.com.au/~binaryfx/
http://prepression.blogspot.com/

TW0R

You can also just down down the hdr in photomatix, or try tone compressing instead of tone mapping.