Random thoughts on art, technology, stuff, and occasionally Real Estate: Experimenting With Photomatix - 1

Experimenting With Photomatix - 1

I have been so swamped with stuff-to-do in the offline world, I haven't had a good chance to work with Photomatix yet.  

But I figured most members would get a chuckle out of my first experiments.  (This post started out as a comment-reply on an earlier post.)

Lesson Number One:  The positioning of objects in the images pretty much needs to match up in each image, unless you like ghosts -- like this:

Oops.  (You can stop giggling now, Bryce)  However, I can see that the tone quality of final result will be quite pleasing.  This was done using Combine -> Highlight & Shadows, rather than HDR -> Generate.

Sub-set One of Lesson Number One:  Shooting with a tripod would be a good idea. 

Sub-set Two of Lesson Number One:  Do not skew the images before Combining or Generating.

I can see that using photos shot with auto-bracketing would make a lot of sense.   Auto-bracketed images were NOT used in my ghostly sample above, nor was a tripod, and as you see, I moved around a bit between snapping the shots.  The images were shot with a V705.  For the next experiment, I'll use one of the DSLRs.

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO AVAILABLE AT DABLOGMOTHER.COM

8 comments • Cheryl Johnson • September 20 2007 07:50AM

Comments

I am sure you will have a well written portfolio on the product when you have time.  I need a DSLR first before I even think of this stuff...

So stop teasing me!!! ;)

Posted by Bob Carney Licensed MD/PA Real Estate Agent (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.) over 4 years ago
What is that program? does it help?
Posted by Nancy Moeller (Seven Gables Real Estate) over 4 years ago

Nancy, The program is Photomatix Pro ...  It can merge several  differently exposed photographs of the same image (say, one too dark, one too light, and one sorta in the middle)  into one correctly exposed photograph. 

One obvious application in real estate photography is dealing with very bright light streaming through windows into a room, tricking a camera's auto-exposure setting into making the room interior appear too dark.

Bob, You'll be my excuse.  If anyone asks when I am going to post more about Photomatix, I'll say I'm waiting for Carney to get a new camera.  <s>.

Posted by Cheryl Johnson, Bob Taylor Properties, Inc., Los Angeles, CA over 4 years ago
Cheryl - Thanks for sharing your trials with us.  It makes me think there may be hope for me after all.  
Posted by Maureen Maureen over 4 years ago
Cheryl, Wow, that's quite a difference.  My shots from my vacation did not come out well due to the lighting, would this help them?  That is, if I could figure out how to use it?  I have a panasonic digital.  Thank you.
Posted by Laura Cerrano and Carole Provenzale Owner, Feng Shui Long Island & New York (Feng Shui Long Island & New York City/Feng Shui Manhattan ) over 4 years ago

Carole:  Since you can download Photomatix for a free trial,  why not give it a try?  You do need at least three images shot from the same viewpoint to merge,  And the images need to be in varying degrees of under/over exposure.

If you don't have multiple images to merge, have you already tried all the basic Photoshop adjustments?

Posted by Cheryl Johnson, Bob Taylor Properties, Inc., Los Angeles, CA over 4 years ago

:) I generally use the auto-bracketing for the HDR, and of course the pictures are taken with a tripod, which makes it easier.  But on the downside, while i'm travelling, it is a pain to stop and get the tripod out, adjust the head so it is leveled...  But at the end the results are well worth it  :)

 

Posted by Mehmet Met Dilsiz (FND Photography / M2 Real Estate Solutions) over 4 years ago
Mehmet,  I looked at your website.  You have nice work!
Posted by Cheryl Johnson, Bob Taylor Properties, Inc., Los Angeles, CA over 4 years ago

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