Paul has a lot of very good points in his guide for 10 Top Tips for Stunning HDR pictures. He covers a lot of topics that are in the How To Take HDR Photos ebook, like always using a tripod when possible, taking pictures with a lot of contrast in the lighting, and even a quick quide to create an HDR and tone-map in Photoshop!
Richard Bernabe has written a great article on ways to get the most realistic results from your nature photography. He cover’s lost dimension, color consistency, dynamic range, tonal responce, and depth of field. These are all little things that go a long way to creating a beautiful HDR picture.
Seeing what’s there by Richard Bernabe
After the last two years offering up as much support as I can through email and in person for friends and web visitors alike, my first ebook, “How To Take HDR Photography” is finished and available for purchase! It took me over a year to write and edit the book, which would have gone much faster if I had not been so busy at work! Now for a bit of marketing speak:
How To Take HDR Photos is a new eBook that simplifies the process of taking HDR pictures so that anyone can do it. You will learn everything you need to know from What Camera to Buy, to Advanced Editing Techniques. All you need is a digital camera and HDR software. With this simple guide you will be taking HDR photos in no time!
To celebrate, for the next week only you can get $10 off the purchase price of $30 by using the Discount code: FirstInLine. Get your copy of the How To Take HDR Photos eBook!
Erik writes:
“I always loved photography but never had the money to get the right camera. Now I have my very first DSLR. ‘Photography’ is my passion, it gives me a new eye to see beautiful things around us.”
“When I learned photography, I was told that one should not shoot handheld if the shutter speed is less than 1/30s. Since then, I have proven that tip false by taking clear pictures at speeds as low as 1/4s.
All it takes is a bit of concentration and proper breathing, even if you do not have a steady surface to lean against. Keep your left hand under the lens and concentrate on keeping it as steady as possible. Before you click the shutter, take a breath and hold it as you depress the button. If you are not used to this technique, it will take a few times to get it right.”
When shooing hand-held HDR pictures without a tripod breathing is the most important factor to an unblurred photo. Erik mentions holding your breath in before taking the pictures, but the same can be said about breathing out as well. The main thing to consider, is relaxing your body to focus entirely on taking the pictures.
You can find more of Erik’s HDR photography on Flickr.
What techniques do you use to take HDR pictures without using a tripod?
Taking HDR photos of the sunset is a natural choice for many people starting out taking HDR pictures. There is more dynamic range shooting into the sun than in any other situation. Shooting directly into the sun without using HDR techniques will result in an overexposed background or underexposed foreground. Luckily you have a few options to deal with such a situation.
Modern digital cameras have EV compensation which allows you to brighten or darken a photo. After you have enabled Bracketed Multiple Exposures, set the EV compensation higher then neutral. What this does is lower the dynamic range between the darkest and brightest areas in the photo.
This method will produce the best results. Using your trusty tripod, manually adjust the EV compensation up in equal increments. This will produce a higher dynamic range but requires a bit more practice manually changing the exposure values.
Sometimes when you’re aiming at the sun, what your missing is the beautiful orange glow behind you. The hour before the sun sets has a magical effect on the ambient light in a picture. You wont notice any of this great light if you’re pointing straight into the sun.
What is your favorite sunset HDR photo technique?
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