beginner questions on HDR

[PhilBurton]

I'm using LR 6 perpetual on a Windows 10 system.

I recently shot some beach scenics with bracketing metered exposure + / - .7 and 1.4 stops. Each sequence was shot at 5 fps, so I can expect some differences due to wave motion.

To create an HDR image:

• Should I use just two images, or can I use more than 2? All 5?
• If only 2 images, should I use the highest and lowest exposure shots, or can I/ should I use an intermediate exposure?

thanks,

Phil

 

[tspear]

Try and see. It varies for me what is the best combination.
Sometimes it was the lightest and mid tone, other times all three, or five (never did go higher); other occasions it was the lightest and the darkest.

The only thing I can say is that for me it seems like picking the images which have the target zone in the best light. But I still end up trying a few of them.

 

[clee01l]

LR HDR is quick and painless enough that you can try several options I've shot and processed a series of nine. Three is the useful minimum But anything in between is fine. Odd numbers allow you to bracket the correct exposure in the middle.
LR will compensate for camera movement aligning each shot in the same frame. Any ghosting of the wave motion will be indicated on the deghosting overlay and can be automatically handled by LR.

 

[LouieSherwin]

I would also suggest that you look at your captures and examine each histogram carefully to see how much or even if each image is clipped either in the highlights or shadows. I frequently find that one of the images in the HDR set has all the detail I need.

If this is a sunrise or sunset shot then you might try using just two images and rather than merging in HDR use Photoshop layers and blend the two together using a layer mask. This way you can avoid any strange anomalies due to movement between shots.

-louie

 

[PhilBurton]

I would also suggest that you look at your captures and examine each histogram carefully to see how much or even if each image is clipped either in the highlights or shadows. I frequently find that one of the images in the HDR set has all the detail I need.

If this is a sunrise or sunset shot then you might try using just two images and rather than merging in HDR use Photoshop layers and blend the two together using a layer mask. This way you can avoid any strange anomalies due to movement between shots.

-louie

Thank you tim,louie and cletus

Phil