Quick HDR effect in Photoshop. How to Create an HDR Effect in Photoshop CS5 and Pseudo HDR Toning

This guide was originally written by me for Photoshop CS3, but over the course of a couple of years, the developers have released some big updates to Photoshop, and they have innovations related to HDR, and now Photoshop CC is available to us.

I studied the differences in the versions - old and new, and decided that it was time to update the manual. This tutorial will work for all versions, including CS6 and CC:

What is HDR and where can this technology be applied?

In this tutorial, we will look at the theory and practice of HDR - photo. HDRI ( High Dynamic Range Imaging) was originally used in 3D, but is now being fully applied in photography. The essence of the technology is to obtain several images with different exposures and combine them into one 32-bit image.

The camera allows you to reflect a limited number of tones in one photo ( we call this dynamic range, the range of tones that can be captured between pure black and pure white). That is, we cut off some of the elements of the photo when we set the exposure on the camera.

We measure it to display the most important elements scenes. For example, let's take a look at a series of shots I took on the Bradbury Bridge ( Bradburry) under construction in Los Angeles. The central image, shot at a normal exposure, shows the camera's capabilities well in terms of the amount of detail that is rendered.

Note that outdoor detail is lost because there is so much light. And the details on the railing of the stairs are also lost, because it is very dark there. When you look at reality with your own eyes, you see much more detail than in a photo precisely because the human eye transmits a greater range of tones than a camera can reproduce in a single picture:

The solution to the problem is to take more than one shot by bracketing. Take a photo with a normal exposure ( central photo), then with a lower exposure (photo on the left) to capture details outside the window and with a higher exposure; the photo on the right is for detailing the shadow. And finally, we combine these shots into one to get an image with a large range of tones.

In this guide, I will show you how to do all of the above in the least amount of time.

Photo Tips

First we need to capture the sources on camera. Technically, this translates into the need to take at least two shots with different exposure settings to create HDR. Personally, I achieve good results with three pictures. I like to do bracketing in 2 stops.

Yes I know what it is greater value bracketing than what most people are used to working with. But for the types of HDR images I love to create ( mostly urban landscapes), this value is the most suitable. If you are photographing people, it may be worth reducing the difference in exposure between shots to one stop.

And sometimes you need to take more than 3 shots with different exposures. It really depends on the contrast of the scene. In the Bradbury construction example, I took a series of shots of Los Angeles from inside a dark building on a sunny day through window panes. It took me as many as seven photos, 2 stops apart, to capture the full dynamic range of the scene.

In some cases, such as foggy weather, it is possible to capture all the tones in a scene in one shot. But again, mainly for HDR photography, 3 shots are necessary and sufficient. I put the camera settings in auto bracketing mode and take pictures with an exposure interval of 2 stops, one at “+” and one at “-”.

Note that only the shutter speed changes. If you change the aperture value, the depth of field will also change, resulting in an unnecessarily "blurred" final image. Use a tripod if possible, otherwise lean against a wall or something stable to prevent movement between shots.

Note: For true HDR, it's not a good idea to use one raw image and expose it with different settings. That is unnecessary. The same result can be achieved by extruding shadows and highlights using Camera Raw or Lightroom.

This method is called single shot HDR ( Single Image HDR). This is the so-called pseudo HDR. You will not be able to do HDR - an image from a single SDR snapshot ( standard dynamic range). What is it like " stereo sound from one speaker". There simply is not enough digital information. This is pseudo HDR and should not be confused with true HDR.

HDR guide in Photoshop

Step 1

Let's start with three images. One is normal exposure, one is underexposed, and one is overexposed. In this particular case, I used 2-stop bracketing. Since I shoot a lot of cityscapes, I get by with two feet, because the subjects are mostly flat surfaces, and stripes and pasteurization are not a problem.

If you are shooting round or curved surfaces, you may want to lower the bracketing interval to get smoother transitions. Keep in mind that you will most likely get a lot of tonal matches, as a good DSLR camera can capture about 11 stops.

I set the bracketing interval on my camera to 2 stops. Then I set the shooting mode to "queue". When I hold down the shutter button, 3 photos will be taken at once. I shoot in RAW for as wide a dynamic range as possible. You can create HDR even if your camera doesn't support RAW, but keep in mind that JPG is an 8-bit file.

Make sure you shoot in aperture priority or manual mode. You need to bracket the shutter speed, not the aperture. If you change the aperture, then the depth of field will not be constant, and you will get additional blur. Also, avoid the movement of objects in the photo or get "ghosts" - parts of objects that appeared in only one photo, which will lead to the appearance of unnecessary details in the final photo. If you look at the three images I used, you can see a lot of detail in the middle one.

However, shadow detail is lost on boats and city lights are too bright, which also leads to loss of information. The left image is underexposed to capture detail in the bright part of the scene ( buildings in the background).

The photo on the right is overexposed 2 stops to get shadow details like boat hulls and water reflections:

Step 2

So, it's time to combine these photos into one 32 bit image.

Go to menu File - Automation - Merge to HDR Pro (File>Automate>Merge to HDR Pro). This menu is available in versions of Photoshop CS2 - CS6 ( in CS2 there is no auto-alignment, but instead the "Merge to HDR" command in versions older than CS5).

Select all images or an entire folder. I put each set of photos in a separate folder, so I use the "Folders" value. Choose a photo to merge. Enable auto leveling ( Auto Align) in Photoshop CS3+ versions. Click OK. ( Photoshop uses auto leveling technology that allows you to create HDR images without a tripod.):

Step 3

Your images are now merged into one. You can exclude some photos by deselecting the green checkbox next to the frame. If unnecessary details appear there due to the fact that the camera moved during the shooting process, check the box “ Remove ghosting" ( Remove ghosts).

When you are working in 16 or 8 bit mode, the settings will look like this, and if in 32 bit, then like in step 4:

Step 4

The result of the merging is a 32-bit image. Change the mode to 32 bits. You can see the available tones by dragging the " Viewing white point settings» ( white point). Note that the slider does not change the image itself, it is only meant to show the full range of tones, because the monitor is not able to convey all the details of a 32-bit image at once:

Note: Photoshop CC has a new option "" (""). CS6 didn't have this option. If you are using version of Photoshop CS6 or lower, go directly to step 5.

If you have a CC version and there is a checkbox next to " Full Rendering in Adobe Camera Raw”, then dragging the slider will not work. Turn this setting off and you will be able to drag the slider bar. However, when this option is enabled, you will be able to use Camera Raw for toning instead of the HDR Pro settings. In this case, go to step 8b:

But I recommend that you explore both methods as they each have their own benefits. Toning in HDR Pro (Step 5+) gives you more control and allows you to create a surreal effect. ACR( Camera Raw) will help you achieve a realistic HDR effect without much effort.

Step 5

Shading can be done right away, but I prefer to save the 32-bit negative first. Click "OK" to merge the 32 bit image. Now you can save the file. Save as psd , tif or EXR .

If you are working in 3D and want to add IBL lighting to HDRI, then save the file as EXR ( for Maya and more software to work with 3D that supports this format).

Step 6

Depending on how you want to use this image, you need to convert it to 16 or 8 bit. When converting, the so-called interpretation of the photo takes place. The reason for this lies in the fact that there are many ways to process a photo.

Whereas in a 32-bit image we have a huge dynamic range, but after conversion it will not be available. Based personal experience, I advise you to always work with the 32 bit version and then convert it. Avoid resaving a 32 bit image. This is your original image and we may have to go back to it many times.

On the menu " Image > Mode» ( Image>Mode>) select 16 bit (or 8 bit ). Now let's experiment with the settings. Let's start with the Tone and Detail part. This is where almost all the creativity of the HDR creation process lies. ( If you want to make settings without conversion, then select the menu item “View - 32 Bit Preview Options” (view> 32 Bit Preview Options). You can use several Photoshop tools in the menu Image> Correction (Image> Adjustments menu). The most significant setting here is “ Exposure" ( exposure control).

The HDR Toning dialog box opens ( Toning Dialog box) (or "HDR conversion" (HDR Conversion) for versions below CS5). Most The best way to make the settings correctly is to set the gamma value first, then adjust the exposure value. If you need a very contrasty image, reduce the gamma value. For less contrast, increase. Finally, adjust the exposure to get the desired brightness:

Step 7

Change the way method) in meaning " Local Adaptation» ( local adaptation). There are 4 in total available methods, but only 2 of them are available for user customization.

With the help of local adaptation ( local adaptation), you will have access to several additional toning settings. The use of curves is desirable as they can help you fine-tune the parameters. If you are familiar with curves, turn this setting on.

Don't be afraid to cut off the histogram a bit because you're working with a lot of dynamic range. Keep the details of the image clear, but don't forget to add shadows, otherwise the photo will look flat and unnatural.

edge glow

Once you've set up the curves, start adjusting the radius ( radius) and intensity ( strength) to avoid ghosting in the photo. ( On poorly made HDR images, you will notice ghosting at the edges of contrast areas.). The Radius controls the blur mask, while the Intensity setting determines the amount of the effect applied.

Tone and details

Gamma: This is where you control the contrast. Extreme values ​​wash out details or highlight them very strongly.
"Exposure" (Exposure): Overall brightness control.
"Details" (Detail): Here you adjust the sharpness of the image.

Additional settings

Shadow: Restores detail in the darkest parts of a photo.
Highlight: Restores detail in the brightest parts of a photo.
"Juiciness" (Vibrance): This setting makes the photo more colorful without over-saturating it.
"Saturation" (Saturation): Increases or decreases the total amount of color. Be careful not to oversaturate the overall picture.

Click OK to apply the settings:

Step 8

We got an HDR image. Photoshop is a great tool for creating realistic HDR images:

Step 8b

HDR, Lightroom and Camera RAW (Photoshop CC)

A new feature added in Lightroom 4.2+ and Camera Raw in Photoshop CC is the ability to work with 32-bit images. This is great because you can use the brush to fine tuning areas of photography, working in a 32-bit environment. The image below shows the result of working with a brush in Lightroom. Notice how I was able to process the image. ( The same is possible in ACR).

At step 4, we are in the Merge to HDR dialog box (Merge to HDR):

1. Select "32 bit" from the "Mode" drop down menu ( mode) if something else is selected;
2. Check the box next to " Full Rendering in Adobe Camera Raw» (“ Complete Toning in Adobe Camera Raw”). The button in the lower right corner will change the name from OK to " Tone in ACR»;
3. Press the Tone to ACR button. The image will open in Camera Raw . You can apply all settings in Camera Raw, but only with the benefit of working in 32-bit. HDR - The image you get will have much more detail in light and shadow. ( Use the options for adjusting the settings for shadows and lights). You can also refer to the ACR manual;
4. Click "OK" when finished;
5. The image is still in 32-bit mode. If you're going to be toning, you can go back to step 5 and do it in advanced mode in Photoshop. By the way, you can do double toning.

If you are satisfied with the result and do not intend to continue processing the image, convert the image to 8 or 16 bits. Select a menu command Image - Mode (« Image>Mode>”) 8 or 16 bits. A pop-up window with settings will appear. To keep the same settings that were exposed in Camera Raw, choose the " Exposure and gamma» ( Exposure and Gamma). Set "Exposure" ( exposure) to 0 and "Gamma" ( gamma) to a value of 1. Click OK. The image is ready!

Note: If you can't open the HDR toning settings ( toning tools) in Photoshop CC, you need to follow additional steps. Select the menu item " Editing - Settings - File Handling» ( Preferences>File Handling).

If you want to learn how to draw beautiful pictures in the style of paintings oil paints, then this lesson will certainly be useful to you. Now we will learn how to quickly and easily make the so-called pseudo HDR using Photoshop. Let's take any graphic object in JPEG format as a basis.

We need to achieve this result:

At the initial stage, it is very important to do everything right, since it will be the basis of the final work.

Let's use tabs image > adjustment > shadow/highlight to set all the necessary settings:

• Shadows Mount 50 percent
• Tonal Veeds 45 percent
• Radius 44 points
• Hi-Light Mount 67 percent
• Radius 46 points

We use a combination CTRL+J to create a copy of the working layer, and then set the layer blend mode to color dodge. With the help of all these manipulations, we will be able to achieve the required color brightness, and the desired zones will be completely whitened. Later we will restore them, but on this stage work is not necessary.

Make a duplicate of the current working layer with CTRL+J, now the blending mode can be assigned a different value - Linear Burn. As a result, the entire surface of the processed image will be covered with black spots, but this is exactly what we need. Fill the front plan with black and use the command select > color range.In this case, the fuziness parameter must be at least 100 points.

We form a layer mask, for this we apply a special working icon, which is marked with a red circle. There will be no trace of black. However, the photo looks a little rough and rough. Use a layer mask and assign filter > gaussian blur value from one to five at your discretion.

Further work will be even easier. Create a copy of linear Burn, and change the blending mode to exponent overlay. Now you will need to select the layer mask and apply the keyboard shortcut ctrl+i(select > invert). The contrast of the picture will immediately increase, and the pale shadows will become darker.

Let's continue retouching the image. Change the transparency of the layer. It should be about 40 percent on the layer named Overlay, and for Linear Burn it should be no more than 55 percent.

Let's highlight the front plan. Let's assign a value of 100 points to the fuziness parameter through a set of functions select > color range. Too lit areas on a graphic object will be decorated with the so-called crawling ants. We form a duplicate of the initial layer and place it at the very top of the list. It remains to supplement the object with a layer mask and apply the function filter > gaussian blur.

Next, select the button with the red signal symbol and the tool gradient map. With their help, we will get the so-called adjustment layer, since it will automatically change the colors according to the applied gradient. On the right you can see all the working tools of the designer. While the gradient layer is active, you need to add a layer mask called light to the system. Let's start the inverting process using the combination select > invert, and then click on the button Add layer mask - add layer mask. Set the blending mode to hard light, and the transparency index will be lowered to 72 percent.

Now it's time for the final retouching. You can dream up a little and add something of your own or apply filter > render > clouds.

In a worthy fifth place we have photo processing, which will help us fake an HDR photo. If you are not a professional photographer and the combination of the letters “HDR” means nothing to you, I will explain a little to you. Since I myself am not very versed in photographic equipment, I got on the Internet and found out that ... " HDR- one of the innovation words associated with the digital era in photography is defined as « wide dynamic range image» (high dynamic range image/photo) and is associated with the peculiarities of photography and photo printing. This phenomenon is based on the fact that the human eye sees many more shades than any modern printing device or monitor can display. Speaking in the language of a person who cares about doing cool processing in Photoshop, and not going into the details of photography, then this is a contrasting image that looks like a beautifully painted picture with very bright colors! In order for you to understand what HDR photography is, I will give you a few examples.

So, let's start making the same wonderful photos that were taken with super-duper fancy cameras, from the most ordinary images that were taken with an ordinary soap dish. And let Photoshop help us with this! The first step that we will take is very important for further work, laying the foundation of our HDR image, so to speak. We are walking along next path(Image - Correction - Shadows / Lights). In the window that appears in front of us, you need to click the checkmark in the “Advanced options” item and then we will see the entire list of settings for this option. In the Highlights/Shadows window, we need to set following options: Shadows (Effect - 50, Tone Range 45- , Radius -45), Highlights (Effect - 65, Tone Range 65- , Radius -45). Although you can experiment with these settings to get the effect you want.

The next step is to duplicate the layer we are currently working with by pressing the key combination “Ctrl + J”, or by dragging our layer in the “Layers” window onto the new layer icon. Now change the blending mode of the copied layer in the Layers window to Color Dodge. This action will enhance the colors and make the highlights appear pure white.

Now copy the layer again, but be careful and copy the layer we just worked on and change its Blending Mode to Linear Burner. If black spots appear on your image, then don't be alarmed, everything is going according to plan!

Set the foreground color to black in the toolbar and follow the address (Selection - Color range). In the window that opened before us, we set the value “Scatter” to 100. After that, click “OK”. A selection has appeared on our image. For it to disappear with dark spots, we need to create a layer mask by clicking on the icon marked with a red circle in the layers panel at the bottom. So our selection has disappeared along with the dark areas.

To smooth out the bumps in the photo, select the layer mask, the small image that appears next to the picture of the layer we copied, and apply to it “Gaussian Blur”, which we can find by going to (Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur). In the window, set the blur parameter from 1 to 5, depending on the image, to achieve a smooth transition between colors.

The next step is very simple. We copy the layer we are currently working on and change its Blending Mode to Overlay. Click on the layer mask, which is located next to the image of this layer in the "Layers" window, and press the key combination (Ctrl + I) or follow the menu (Image - Correction - Invert). This action will darken shadows that are too light and increase contrast.

Let's work a little with the transparency of the layers. The layer on which we applied the “Gaussian Blur”, in the “Layers” window, set its opacity value to 55. And for the layer that we just worked with and applied the inversion to it, set the opacity value to 40.

Click on the little icon at the bottom of the Layers panel called "Create a New Adjustment or Fill Layer", which looks like a half-filled circle. This is an adjustment layer that transforms the colors in the photo according to the selected gradient. In the list of adjustment layers that appears, we must select the layer called “Gradient Map”. In the window that appears, you must set the gradient you need, the gradient settings you know will appear when you click on the gradient bar in the adjustment layer settings. If you do not know how to use the gradient settings, then read the article titled “How to make a gradient in Photoshop? " on our website. You can create your own gradient, or you can make the same as mine. You can see an example of my gradient in the image below.

When you are on the gradient layer you need to click right click click on the layer on the thumbnail of the mask layer, to which the blending mode “Linear darkener” is applied, that is, the pre-previous layer. A selection will appear on your image. Staying on the gradient layer go to (Image - Adjustment - Invert), after which your gradient disappears in some places.

Remove the selection by pressing the key combination (Ctrl + D). Change the blending mode of the gradient layer to “Hard Light” and set the opacity to 70-80.

So our such a difficult, but very beautiful and spectacular shot in HDR shooting is ready. I hope you liked it and you can easily apply it in practice. As I think you've learned from this tutorial, you don't have to be a professional photographer to have professional photos in your album. And, as always, the situation with a bad camera was saved by a computer with a good Photoshop!

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Any photographer regularly encounters situations where the range of brightness of the scene being shot exceeds the dynamic range of his camera, and it turns out to be impossible to capture lights and shadows within the same exposure. Even worse, high contrast is a natural and inherent feature of a number of the most photographically attractive scenes (such as most beautiful sunsets). In such conditions, it is permissible to resort to the once innovative, and now rather hackneyed technology. extended dynamic range or HDR(High Dynamic Range).

The principle of HDR is to combine two or more shots of the same scene taken at different exposures into a single image. The result is a photograph that faithfully reproduces details in both shadows and highlights, much like the human eye does.

Some photographers (especially beginners) are literally intoxicated with the possibilities of HDR and use it where it is necessary and where it is not necessary. Others are cool about HDR and try to get by with more traditional tricks. I myself do not disdain occasionally use HDR where appropriate, but I think that HDR should be perceived as an exotic condiment that should not be poured into every dish (especially handfuls). When used delicately and at the right time, HDR is a very useful and effective tool.

Methods for Acquiring HDR Images

There are several main approaches to obtaining HDR images:

1. Using layers and masks Adobe Photoshop;
2. Using the Merge to HDR Pro tool in Adobe Photoshop;
3. Usage specialized programs for HDR;
4. Use of camera tools.

In this article, we will consider the first method in detail, i.e. using layers and masks in Adobe Photoshop as the most simple, visual and manageable.

The Merge to HDR Pro tool produces extremely poor quality results and is therefore strongly discouraged.

Of the third-party programs for working with HDR, I can advise Photomatix Pro, but I myself prefer to use Photoshop out of habit and because I rarely turn to HDR at all, and for the sake of single shots I don’t want to introduce additional program. The quality of HDR images obtained with help from Adobe Photoshop, quite decent, as you will soon see.

As for the HDR feature now being built into many digital cameras, it's more for entertainment than serious work, and you shouldn't expect much from it.

Shooting equipment and conditions

For HDR photography, you will need a tripod and digital camera with the ability to influence exposure. Theoretically, you can do without a tripod, but when shooting handheld, it will be difficult for you to achieve perfect alignment of individual frames.

Specifically, in the example we are analyzing, I slightly increased the contrast and color saturation using an S-curve, removed a couple of dust particles in the sky, and selectively increased the sharpness of the foreground using unsharp masking (Unsharp Mask). Here's what I ended up with.

If you don’t specifically look closely, then you won’t say that you have HDR in front of you. It is to this effect that one should strive. I want the viewer to think, “What a beautiful sunset!” when looking at the photo, and not: “What a beautiful HDR!”. It is not necessary to turn a technique into the main subject of photography. Otherwise, you give people reason to doubt that the real thing is there.

About moderation

The main disease affecting the amateur photographer who has just learned the basics of HDR is the lack of a sense of proportion. When combining different exposures, you should not go too far, otherwise you risk getting the most unnatural bad taste with the most illogical tonal transitions, pronounced halos and distorted colors. All this is excusable if your goal is surrealism, and such abstractness allows you to break away from dull reality. It's another matter if you tend to take more or less realistic photography, but your camera's lack of dynamic range prevents you from capturing certain scenes with a single exposure. In the latter case, HDR serves precisely to achieve greater naturalness of the image, and the technique itself, which allows expanding the dynamic range, should remain behind the scenes, as it were. HDR requires taste and moderation from the photographer. For example, the interior of a room cannot be brighter than the landscape outside the window illuminated by the sun. HDR allows you to soften the contrast between them, but the overall tonal relationship should remain natural. In the same way, the silhouettes of trees against the sunset sky will always be darker than the sky itself, and you don’t have to go against nature just because you have the opportunity.

In my opinion, HDR photography is good when you can't immediately tell if it's HDR or not. And not so often this HDR of yours is needed. The author tries to resort to HDR only when getting a photo in the usual way difficult or impossible. Know the measure too.

Thank you for your attention!

Vasily A.

post scriptum

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In this tutorial, you'll learn how to create a quick HDR effect from just one photo. The HDR effect is very effective when taking photos and even when creating photo manipulations.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range, which is achieved by capturing multiple standard photos, often using exposure bracketing and then combining them into an HDR image. In photography, dynamic range is measured in terms of the EV exposure difference (called stops) between the lightest and darkest areas of an image that show details.

An increase of one EV or one stop doubles the amount of light. Some cameras have built-in modes that create an automatic HDR effect. But enough theory, let's get down to practice.

Final result

Source materials:

Step 1

First, duplicate the original stock image, then go Filter - Others - Color Contrast(Filter>Other>High Pass), choose a value between 3.8 and 4.2.

Step 2

Now, change the blend mode to Bright light(Vivid Light) and Mix up(Flatten Image). Duplicate the image again and apply the filter again Colour contrast(High Pass), but this time apply a value between 6.8 and 7.2. Next, change the blend mode to for the duplicate layer to Chroma(Color), reduce the opacity of the layer to 39-43%, and then again Mix up(Flatten Image).

Translator's note: 1. change the blend mode for the duplicate layer to Bright light(vividLight) 2. being on a duplicate layer, right-click on the layer and in the window that appears, select the option Mix up(flattensimage).

Step 3

Duplicate the layer, then go Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur(Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur), set the blur radius to about 9.4-9.6 pixels. Further. we add some noise, let's go Filter - Noise - Add Noise(Filter>Noise>Add Noise), set the value to about 3-5%. Add a layer mask, let's go Layer - Layer Mask - Hide All(Layer>Layer Mask>Hide All).

Step 4

Set the foreground color to white and the background color to black. Using a soft brush with an opacity of 30%, start painting over the entire image except for the image of the car, then again Mix up(Flatten Image).

Step 5

Let's go Filter- Sharpness- contoursharpness(Filter>Sharpen>Unsharp Mask). Apply the values ​​shown in the screenshot below. Of course you can use another value for Radius(Radius), everything will depend on how much detail in the image you want to get.