Tried combining exposures...

[d70_n00b]

I'd noticed that when taking photos of the Harbour Bridge from the Opera House side, Luna Park's lighting was somewhat of an eyesore in the picture (very bright, detracting from main subject)... Someone here had suggested combining different exposures, so I gave it a try using this shot..

Original image (click to enlarge):



With another exposure of Luna Park cloned in (click to enlarge):


Comments and advice/criticism welcome.

[spartikus]

Nice work! I've been experimenting with combining exposures recently and can sure give the photo that extra edge. I think you've improved on your original shot

[LostDingo]

looks like you achieved the desired effect! I haven't really experimented much with this but you have renewed my interest

[mudder]

G'day Anthony,

I think you've done a terrific job with the merging, it's brought out the detail in Luna Park and saved it's highlights, also the bright blue neon sign on the top of the building behind the park is much clearer too... With the "low exposure" frame, I assume it's the same frame/view etc? If it is, I wonder if it's worth merging in some of the lower exposure image detail for the highlights at the bottom lights of the bridge pier?

The two image blend can save an image that's otherwise blown and can be very handy for high dynamic range stuff, and you've done it well...

[avkomp]

If you are using photoshop, you will find a built in feature to combine 2 or more exposures automatically for this effect. will save you cloning.

click on file, automate, merge to HDR

is a new feature in photoshop cs2

you have done well with the cloning though!

Steve

[Muzza22au]

I like what you have done! Exactly what you have done I am still unsure, have you taken 2 identical shots using different exposures? Or copied and adjusted the original and changed the exposure?

Cheers

Scott

[tarotastic]

Very effective. What a great idea. You've got me thinking now! Thanks.

[avkomp]

muzza: not sure if you have been to sydney or not, but standing where this pic was taken, you notice that luna park lights are much brighter than surrounding lights of the bridge and the harbour.

If you take a nicely exposed shot of the harbour, you will find that luna park is way too bright. as in the original shot.
but, if you correctly expose luna park which it the bright light mass around the centre of the frame, then the rest of the scene is way too dark.

so what he has done is take 2 shots, one exposed for the city and one exposed for luna park.

what he then did is replace the very bright luna park with the correctly exposed one.

this gives him the whole scene correctly exposed

steve

[pippin88]

If you are using photoshop, you will find a built in feature to combine 2 or more exposures automatically for this effect. will save you cloning.

click on file, automate, merge to HDR

is a new feature in photoshop cs2

you have done well with the cloning though!

Steve

I found that HDR isn't really suitable for this sort of application. Also gave me a washed out image.

I've been doing this (merging two exposures) for a series of images I took inside darkish cottages, with a brightish day outside. HDR gave a crappy washed out image (which is fair enough - it doesn't know what parts of the image I want exposed in which way). So I just layered one on top of the other and deleted the relevant sections.

Doesn't take too long and ended up with correctly exposed indoors and outdoors rather than pure white blown windows.

[avkomp]

pippin: havent personally tried merge to hdr myself, I have basically done similar stuff to you, but saw the merge to hdr and if you run adobes little demo, it works great!! nothing like some real world experience to prove otherwise I guess.

Steve

[pippin88]

I probably need to investigate it further.

For the record I was trying to merge 3 exposures, 2 stops apart. Tripod mounted.

[d70_n00b]

If you are using photoshop, you will find a built in feature to combine 2 or more exposures automatically for this effect. will save you cloning.

click on file, automate, merge to HDR

is a new feature in photoshop cs2

you have done well with the cloning though!

Thanks! I've never tried the Merge to HDR, but I'm using PSCS1 so that's probably why I haven't installed CS2 yet as many people have reviewed Adobe Bridge as totally eating their resources (and my primary computer while out here in Sydney is my laptop)... Has anyone had a different experience?

I wonder if it's worth merging in some of the lower exposure image detail for the highlights at the bottom lights of the bridge pier?

I suppose I could try to clone over those highlights, I hadn't really thought of/noticed it... If I find some time later tonight I'll give it a go.

I like what you have done! Exactly what you have done I am still unsure, have you taken 2 identical shots using different exposures? Or copied and adjusted the original and changed the exposure?

avkomp's explanation got it right... I took two shots (one metering for the bridge, one for the Luna Park lights), and cloned the cityscape/Luna Park details from the darker exposure into the bridge exposure.

Thanks again for all the great comments guys!

[avkomp]

you dont have to run the bridge if you dont want to.

CS2 has lots of new stuff in it, so you may as well have a look at it.

Steve

[mudder]

...I haven't installed CS2 yet as many people have reviewed Adobe Bridge as totally eating their resources (and my primary computer while out here in Sydney is my laptop)... Has anyone had a different experience?

G'day,

When I first loaded CS2 I thought bridge was loading up the machine but once the image thumbnail cache has been built I haven't noticed it since... Now just takes a few seconds to load, although a new directory with swags of new images takes a min or two to build the thumbnails...