Still can't get HDR/Photomatix to spit out anything usable...

[Kai]

Now, i've got a Canon EOS 450D (Digital Rebel something or other for you Americans), Photoshop CS2 and Photomatix Pro 3.2 - but even taking photo's in RAW, i still can't get a decent HDR image.

Photomatix will take the .CR2 and make an HDR image thats soft focus, grainy, and look like it's been chosen from an 8-bit palette. I've tried a Pseudo HDR filter in PS as well...and its just...crap?

I see so many excellent HDR shots...and i just don't know how they're doing it.

I've tried multiple exposures (1/30, 1/60, 1/125, 1/250 & 1/500) and photomatix will generate a better HDR from them - but the mildest breeze will cause all the plantlife i'm trying to photograph, to go blurry...hence why i'd like to use a .CR2 (RAW) and work from that.

Any idea's?

 

[Clip]

you've really gotta play with every one of the settings on there. with HDRs, its extremely easy for me to make them look crazy unreal.

here's one i took and processed with photomatix standalone

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cwinslow/3593106350/

compare it to an unedited picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cwinslow/3592300175/

 

[Kai]

It could just be that HDR on the images i'm trying (just testing right now) is a bit pointless :/

 

[Clip]

that could very well be, you've gotta get some nice underexposure/overexposure possibilities. otherwise the picture will end up looking normal (i ran into a but of that a while back)

 

[Kai]

DOH! I was SUCH a tard. I was altering the shutter speed manually, while the camera was still altering the focal length automatically, hence why everything was looking like crap. I set the camera to Auto Exposure, fixed focal length, auto shutter and voila - it works!

 

[Clip]

damn, is that your place?

i got out in the first snow this weekend, i'll try to put a few hdrs up if they come out. for my hdrs i'll usually shoot in Av (aperture priority) and just bracket it a stop up and down, then shoot a string of three

 

[Kai]

Thats the main house, yes. Doesn't include the barns, the cottages, the garage, the woodshed, the orchard or the moat.

 

[Clip]

incredible, any more pictures of it/the property?

 

[Kai]

On my facebook, yes.

Here's a public link:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=9055&id=222800048&l=414b7a18bd

 

[Clip]

that's a marvel! just you staying there?

 

[Kai]

Yep. Sleeping room for 9 here, and just me

 

[R3N5LOW]

i've got an hdr

it is pretty tricky it takes a lot of time i havent mastered it yet