Hi all,

Got bit of spare time and thought I'd post a tutorial..

As title suggests, you can get HDR look from normal photos using Photoshop.

Open up an image and make a duplicate the layer and make the image little lighter using Levels or Curves

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On the duplicated layer, apply Unsharp Mask - don't over do this.

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Then apply Gaussian Monochromatic noise to the same layer.

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And then apply Black and White Adjustment Layer and change the mode to Overlay.

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Adjust the values of each channel in the pop up window.

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And finally drop the adjustment layer opacity to finish off the image.

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After
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Other Examples.

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sill doesn't look like proper HDR... i think a simpler way of getting the same result would be to duplicate the layer, apply a channel mixer (mono mode) select the blend type as hard-light or soft light or whatever looks best and fiddle with the channel mixer til you get the result u like.

the grain in your examples is way to much, ruins the image imo. HDR can look dark at times but not always grainy.

I find Black and White more flexible than Channel Mixer but that's why Photoshop is great... 100 different ways to achieve same result.

And as far as grain is concerned, I guess that is up to personal preference... I'm into grunge graphics atm, so I am not holding back on noise atm

I find you can generally get a HDR like exposure with CS3's RAW editor.

Just up the fill light and maximise the rescue. As seen in http://www.flickr.com/photos/mmbax/3336446627/

I could have added more fill, but it was starting to go noisy, which is one thing I don't like about some HDR's.

You can also create "HDR" by shooting raw.
Use your first exposure that you originally took, adjust raw settings to bring out the shadows/reduce highlights (recovery/fill light etc..), hold shift and open image as a smart object (CS3 or after)
Right click on the layer, copy as smart copy
Double click the image icon in the layers palette
Reduce highlights/lift shadows (the opposite of what you did with the first original image)
Click open and then use a layer mask to "paint with light" and paint your new exposure in for the shadows/highlights or whatever you wish to do.
You can do this multiple times if you wish with a single RAW image.
The reason you use it as a smart object is because it is pretty much non destructive editing and i cbf to go in to detail about smart objects but read up on them, there great when used to your advantage!

Plenty of tutorials out there for this. Of course the best way for HDR is too use AEB (auto exposure bracketing) as this will be far more accurate, and to use photomatix or another HDR program using tone mapping as i find this works better than photoshops Merge to HDR.

they look useless to me, way to grainy prefer the originals.

Why not use the feature that is built into most cameras.

Sit it on a tripod and use multiple bracket exposure.

Many say a 'proper HDR' will never be as sharp as a 'pseudo-HDR', to which I see merit, especially when I see the work they produce, it is very persuasive.

http://damien-c.deviantart.com/ <- He is the kind of the pseudo-HDR IMO.
http://morbidthegrim.deviantart.com/ <- has been published many times.


http://zardo.deviantart.com/ <- just cause his shit is awesome.

Can anyone do some kind of "how to" with HDR? I've been reading alot about it but too much info confuses the shit out of me.

there's a topic here http://www.boostcruising.com/forums/index....howtopic=415645 you check it out

Try this tutorial.
http://beforethecoffee.wordpress.com/photomatix-tutorial/