Opinions on these HDR effects

terrypin wrote on 2/8/2017, 8:58 AM

So annoying! I just composed a post with a dozen image uploads. But on using the POST button I firstly had a message that my heading couldn't be blank - which it wasn't - and then, on trying to rewrite the heading, the whole post vanished beyond recovery. 😬

I'll try again, using links this time instead of embedding.

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I'm playing with HDR again. I'd welcome any feedback on which of these variations on the original JPG you find the most pleasing. More important, your optimum settings.

Contrast, Brightness and Gamma settings were left at their defaults. The images I've linked were exports from MEP 2016 Premium. We'll have to skip issues of 'authenticity'; not even I now recall accurately what the scene really looked like!

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/Orig.bmp
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/HDR01.bmp
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/HDR02.bmp
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/HDR03.bmp
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/HDR04.bmp
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/HDR05.bmp
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/HDR06.bmp
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/HDR07.bmp
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/4019461/HDR10.bmp

Comments

browj2 wrote on 2/8/2017, 1:22 PM

Hi Terry,

I downloaded all of the images and played around using MEP2016.

In your examples, I found that HDR = 20 was a little too much, 10 not quite enough. My eye is attracted to the bench rather than the view and I found that the wood starts to wash out too much.

Try HDR gamma 15. Peter indicated in a previous post that he would drop the Gamma blur to no less than 20.

I tried bringing up the dark cut behind the bench by using Gamma - Low of about 20 along with HDR gamma = 15. That works for me. Then I adjusted the Contrast to 51, increased Sharpness and increased colour saturation.

Doesn't help with videos, but I ran the image through PaintShop Pro X9, Perfect effects - Vivid, and a Corel one-step adjust but reduced brightness. Back in MEP, I sharpened the image a bit.

I also ran it through Pixelan FilmTouch Pro 2, which is where I would probably try to find a good setting for a video clip. I still needed to do some HDR and sharpening to get the image below.

It seems that doing one thing upsets another. I did not look at this in VPX yet to see what the instruments show.

I would like to see what the experts come up with.

John

johnebaker wrote on 2/8/2017, 1:36 PM

Hi Terry

. . . . I'm playing with HDR again . . . . I'd welcome any feedback on which of these variations on the original JPG you find the most pleasing . . . .

Before commenting it is important to note that the differences between the individual images, I see on my monitors, will not be the same as what you or anyone else will see.

Of the series of HDR adjustments only HDR01 and HDR02 are what I would call a good balance. HDR03 onwards are clearly skewing the colours and contrast away from what I consider to be a balanced image and are introducing some 'artificiality' to the image .

In other words I see very contrasty scene containing:

bright direct sunshine - as evidenced by the sharp edged shadows of and on the seat and sign post
blue sky with white/grey clouds
deep shadows bottom left of the image

Using MEP on your original image I adjusted the original as shown below with Gamma Low 20, Contrast 60 which gives me a more pleasing effect than the HDR adjustment when viewed on my monitors.

IMHO, to correct a contrasty image such as this, it is better to use Gamma and Contrast to maintain a good balanced image - for images this I would do in PSP which gives you finer control over the Gamma curve.

HTH

John EB

terrypin wrote on 2/8/2017, 4:38 PM

Thanks John. Your edit looks good to me and I'll explore gamma and contrast options more thoroughly.

terrypin wrote on 2/9/2017, 2:00 AM

Hi John (CB),

Thanks, really appreciate the feedback. (Oddly, only saw John EB's last night.)

I liked the first of yours most, as it does the best job of removing the deep shadows.

I'm torn between realism and drama (for want of a better word). Hence my occasional temptation to high HDR settings!

Sometimes I fade an 'exaggerated/dramatic' version of a photo into the original - a sort of compromise.

On a practical level, with several hundred photos and video clips in a typical holiday project, I'm still looking for a one-click no brainer that suits 90%, but I suspect I'm on a fool's errand!

johnebaker wrote on 2/9/2017, 4:27 AM

Hi Terry

. . . . On a practical level, with several hundred photos and video clips in a typical holiday project, I'm still looking for a one-click no brainier that suits 90%, but I suspect I'm on a fool's errand . . . .

Photos - easy - using PSP, create a script for applying a standard set of adjustments, then run the Batch process in copy mode to run the script.

Videos - not so easy.

John EB