Extra – HDR Video Tutorials

Some of you have asked how to learn more about making HDR photos. I use Photomatix Pro to merge and tone map photos, then finish them in Photoshop Elements.

My HDRs improved dramatically after a recent Photoshop seminar where  Ben Willmore shared his process in Photoshop and Photomatix Pro.

He recommended two videos he made for Pixelperfect. In the videos, he explains the whole process from capturing photos to what Photomatix settings to use for tome mapping. While he uses Photoshop to merge the photos, you can use Photomatix to merge them also.

Here’s a link to the first video.

Photo #298 – 94 Fasteners

94 Fasteners, originally uploaded by brockney52.

Fastener on the side of a rusty box outside the laundromat. This is another Photomatix Pro HDR.

Photo #297 – 186 Mismatched

186 Mismatched, originally uploaded by brockney52.

This collection of gourds is mismatched. With their infinite variety, no two of these fall beauties ever match!

I used an Orange rust texture by Pareeerica on flickr as an overlay. Check out her marvelous free textures that you can use under a Creative Commons license.

Photo #296 – 26 Big Events

26 Big Events, originally uploaded by brockney52.

Big events are held in the Boston Convention Center. This is a view of South Boston from inside the center.

Sheila and I recently went to a marvelous Photoshop Seminar led by Scott Kelby here.

Photo #295 – 227 Past Its Prime

227 Past Its Prime, originally uploaded by brockney52.

This weed/wildflower is past its prime. I experimented with giving it a tinted, faded look in Photoshop Elements by applying a few Photo Filter Adjustments, reducing the saturation and burning the edges.

Here is the colorful original:

Photo #294 – 22 Barren

22 Barren, originally uploaded by brockney52.

Some people think the land looks barren after the leaves have fallen, but you couldn’t prove that by this autumn field yesterday afternoon.

Photo #293 – 345 Upside Down or Inside Out

 

345 Upside Down, originally uploaded by brockney52.

I found this interesting seed pod on one of my walks recently. Does anyone know what this is?

Another photo:

P.S. We looked it up in a wildflower book – it’s called wild cucumber.