# HDR aquarium photo



## brancaman (2 Aug 2013)

Hi, been reading a lot lately about hdr technics, and when i was doing weekly 50% water change  i realised the only way i could show what our eyes can see but the camera won´t show was with hdr techniques. So i picked my canon 550D and took  5 shots with different readings and post edit on phtomatix and the result was this:







Yes, i forgot to clean the glass   and ancistrus got a shadow as also my tetras but was my first atempt . What did i made wrong and what can i do to improve in further attempts?


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## flygja (2 Aug 2013)

If you want to reduce shadowing, you will need to take one shot in RAW and use your RAW converter to generate the 5 exposures needed for HDR enhancement. Some scapes lend itself well to HDR while some look better with some mysterious dark spots. Be careful not to overdo the effect or it will look a bit fake.


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## oldbloke (2 Aug 2013)

I use photomatix and it does all that for you as far as I am aware. Photo mapping, I think it's called.

I think what you have to accept is that some subjects don't take to it very well, some do.




Dying tree by threequartersky, on Flickr


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## oldbloke (2 Aug 2013)

I tone mapped this.


The high ISO doesn't help it at all and the lower the better is the rule.


IMG_5063_tonemapped by threequartersky, on Flickr


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## BigTom (2 Aug 2013)

I hate 99% of HDR with a passion. Everything that you want to achieve in terms of balancing exposures throughout an image can be done with local adjustments of levels using layer masks and then you don't get that the awful muddied midtones, grey highlights and haloing that plagues so much poorly done HDR. Don't do it!


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## oldbloke (2 Aug 2013)

I LOVE it.
GO FOR IT!!!


Walking the dog by threequartersky, on Flickr


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## George Farmer (2 Aug 2013)

My Canon 6D has an in-built HDR mode option. Works well. I'll post a pic later.


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## oldbloke (2 Aug 2013)

George Farmer said:


> My Canon 6D has an in-built HDR mode option. Works well. I'll post a pic later.


 
Oh, thanks  for rubbing that in.....


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## brancaman (2 Aug 2013)

BigTom said:


> I hate 99% of HDR with a passion. Everything that you want to achieve in terms of balancing exposures throughout an image can be done with local adjustments of levels using layer masks and then you don't get that the awful muddied midtones, grey highlights and haloing that plagues so much poorly done HDR. Don't do it!


 

Yes, it´s true that without precaution you end with awful photos but that depends of how you do it. The true is that software like Photomatix is a bit like Instagram, easy to work with and you don't have to be super pro photoshop user or need of expensive hardware. 



George Farmer said:


> My Canon 6D has an in-built HDR mode option. Works well. I'll post a pic later.


Unfortunately, not many of us have such expensive camera to work with.


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## George Farmer (2 Aug 2013)

oldbloke said:


> Oh, thanks  for rubbing that in.....





brancaman said:


> Unfortunately, not many of us have such expensive camera to work with.


I guess my post may have sounded like I was bragging. Sorry.


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## oldbloke (2 Aug 2013)

George Farmer said:


> I guess my post may have sounded like I was bragging. Sorry.


 
Not at all!!!!
I was joking.


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## brancaman (2 Aug 2013)

George Farmer said:


> I guess my post may have sounded like I was bragging. Sorry.


 
Not from me   What about the pic," later" means what?


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## Yo-han (3 Aug 2013)

Nikon D5100 has built in HDR. Not that expensive, and I like it for photographing the aquarium as well as the cabinet.


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