I have different feelings on HDR images. I sometimes like HDR shots having futuristic peculiarity. They looks very interesting. I also like HDR images, which look realistic. What I do not like is unnatural finery of colors. I do not like when every color, every tone shine in the picture, like an advertisement.
Creating HDR images from technical point of view is interesting for me. But, I prefer the shots made by camera. It does not mean that I am fun of SOOC. I am far from it. I believe that some postwork makes the photo better until it garbles the truth.
I like to try everything new, so, I wanted to create my own HDR image. It was not easy to find good tutorials. The only problem was that almost all tutorial was created for Photoshop users. I do not have Photoshop. Maybe, it is very good software; but it is too expensive for me. I spend enough money for buying photography accessories. According to my wife’s opinion, I waste too much money for my hobby. It is why I became a GIMP user. I have not found a good tutorial for GIMP users; I created my own method. The idea of the technology was stolen from Photoshop tutorials. If you have a better method to create HDR images, please leave comment to this post or send me an e-mail.
Let us start. To create a HDR images, you must have at least to shots, which differ only in exposure value. I usually use 3 shots. I read that others created a HDR images from 5 or more shots. I tried it too, but I did not see the positive effect of usage of more than 5 photos.
The keywords of taking shots for HDR images are fastness and accuracy. Fastness is important especially if the subject of the shots is movable or moves. For example, it is very difficult to take such shots of trees moving in the wind. The result will be blurry. My first HDR shoots were taken manually. Then, as I became cleverer, I used the AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing). It is faster and easier. :)
I use one or two exposure values difference between the shots. I usually take three shots. The first shot is taken with correct exposure, the second is overexposed and the third is underexposed.
Accuracy is provided by the usage of the tripod. I do not want to waste my time with adjusting images, so I want my subject to be exactly on the same place in all shots. Somebody wrote she could hold the camera without tripod. Well, I am far from being superhero. My advice is to use tripod.
Now, let us say you have 3 different shots. Open your GIMP and load the shot with correct exposure value. Then create two transparent layer on the shot. Open the underexposed (darker) shot, select the whole image and paste the middle layer of the base photo. When you are ready, do the same with the overexposed shot, but insert it in the third layer.
Right click on the middle layer, you will get a menu. Select the “Add Layer Mask” menu. In the opening window, select “Greyscale copy of layer” option and add it to the image (Add button).
Then click on the third layer containing the overexposed shot. Select the “Add Layer Mask” menu. In the opening window, select “Greyscale copy of layer” option and be sure that “Invert mask” option is clicked. If you are ready, then add the mask to the image (Add button).
That is all; you are ready. I usually Merge down the layers until I have only one layer. It is worth to adjust levels (Adjust color levels) to make colors more vivid.
