Best way to get realistic HDR shots

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SacrificeTheory

Senior Member
I'm looking into taking some HDR shots when I'm on vacation with my D7100. Is there any advice you can give to get great shots that don't look too cartoonish? Any settings I should set it at?
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
It's usually the post processing that leads to the overcooked look. The "average" settings are usually +- 2 EV. Speed can become an issue on your overexposed shot, so make sure you are shooting faster, use continuous high to shoot the group fast. Definitely use a tripod.
 
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Rick M

Senior Member
You have a bracketing mode built in, once you find it, adjust the settings. From there, in continuous high, it will shoot a three shot burst capturing the -2, 0, +2 exposures.
 
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Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
SacrificeTheory said:
How do you get to the settings for +- 2 EV?
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When you set your camera on Bracket it will let you set it then. At least that is the way the D5100 operates. I shot some today without a tripod. If you use Photoshop it will align them pretty good even if they are not perfect. I used Nic Tools to do my HDR today and it has many presets to give you the look you want. I wanted a higher contrast and bright colors on the one I did today

dsc_6375_hdr.jpg
 
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Nathan Lanni

Senior Member
If you don't have one already, do a search for HDR programs. Some produce intense but more realistic results, whereas other produce the stronger result that many people like. I'm a fan of both methods, but prefer the intense realism HDR can produce.

EDIT: This site has some interesting info about various HDR programs.

Top 10 Best HDR Software Review 2013
 
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Ste Booth

New member
Rick M said:
You have a bracketing mode built in, once you find it, adjust the settings. From there, in continuous high, it will shoot a three shot burst capturing the -2, 0, +2 exposures.
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If you hold the bracketing button and use the adjustment slider, you can specify how much exposure compensation you want. Think it's set at +/-1 default.
 
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Nathan Lanni

Senior Member
Whiskeyman said:
I took an HDR Panorama class last year and the instructor recommended the following site:farbspiel photography - View. Learn. Connect.

Be advised that HDR isn't something that you learn everything about in a week. While some HDR presentations are easily rendered, some are quite painstaking.

WM
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Whiskeyman said:
Here is another one of my favorite HDR tutorial website links: Before The Coffee » Photography

Ferrell McCollough is also the author of a very good book on HDR that is linked in the site.

WM
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Thanks Whiskeyman - great resources.
 
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nikonos

Senior Member
Rick M said:
You have a bracketing mode built in, once you find it, adjust the settings. From there, in continuous high, it will shoot a three shot burst capturing the -2, 0, +2 exposures.
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and what process you are doing to the picture ? because i see your website (BTW AMAZING photos) and its not look like you are using built in HDR .... im using Photoshop BTW...:)
 
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Don Kuykendall_RIP

RIP :(
I have been using HDR Efex Pro 2 which is a Plug In for PhotoShop and it give excellent right out of the box. Can give you very Natural results all the way to the overcooked if that is what you want. The thing I like about it is that they have a number of preset that you can click on and see what it would do and then you pick the one you like best and then tweak it from there to suit you exactly.

Nik Collection - HDR Efex Pro 2

dsc_6494_hdr.jpg
 
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