High dynamic range photography is a technique that allows you to capture a wider range of tones in your photos, from the darkest shadows to the brightest highlights. It’s a great way to add drama and contrast to your images, and can help you to rescue otherwise unusable photos. Photoshop has a few different ways that you can combine HDR images, and in this article we’ll show you how to do it.
There are two main ways to create HDR images in Photoshop:
- Merge multiple exposures: This method involves taking multiple photos of the same scene at different exposure levels and then merging them together using Photoshop’s HDR Pro or Merge to HDR Pro commands. This is the best way to create an HDR image if you have a tripod and can take multiple photos without moving the camera.
- Create an HDR image from a single exposure: This method involves taking a single photo and then using Photoshop’s HDR Toning command to adjust the photo’s tonality. This is the best way to create an HDR image if you don’t have a tripod or if you can’t take multiple photos without moving the camera.
How to merge multiple exposures in Photoshop
- Open all of the exposures that you want to use in Photoshop. Make sure that they’re all at the same size and resolution.
- Select all of the layers that you want to use in the Merge to HDR Pro dialog box. You can do this by holding down the Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) key and clicking on each layer.
- Click File, Automate, and then Merge to HDR Pro. This will open the Merge to HDR Pro dialog box.
- In the Alignment section, select the Auto option.
- In the Deghosting section, select the amount of deghosting that you want to apply.
Deghosting is used to remove any “ghosting” artifacts that might appear in your image due to movement between frames. If your images are perfectly aligned, then you shouldn’t need to apply any deghosting. - In the “Tone mapping options for 16 bit files:”, select “Local Adaptation. “
- Click OK to merge the layers and create the HDR image.
Once the image is created, you can then use the tools in the HDR Pro panel to make further adjustments to the tonality and contrast of the image. You can also use the regular adjustments tools such as Curves, Levels and Color Balance to fine-tune the image.
How to create an HDR image from a single exposure in Photoshop
- Open the single exposure that you want to use in Photoshop. Click Image, Adjustments, and then HDR Toning. This will open the HDR Toning dialog box. In the Method section, select the Local Adaptation option. In the Strength section, adjust the slider to control the amount of HDR effect that you want to apply. Click OK to apply the HDR effect to the image.
- Just like with the merge method, you can then use the tools in the HDR Pro panel or regular adjustments tools to make further adjustments to the image.
- It’s worth noting that HDR photography can be a bit of an acquired taste. Some people love the dramatic and contrasty look that it can give to an image, while others find it too garish. It’s all about experimenting and finding what works best for your personal style.
In conclusion, High Dynamic Range photography is a powerful technique that can help you to capture a wider range of tones in your photos and create stunning, dramatic images. Photoshop offers a few different ways to create HDR images, and by following the steps outlined in this article, you can learn how to use them effectively.