Have you ever wanted to capture that perfect scene when travelling only to find your skies are washed out or your foreground is in dark shadows?. Many people we meet simply want to take natural looking images that closely represents what they see on their travels. In high contrast scenes, your eyes will reveal shadows and at the same time see blue skies. Unfortunately, your Camera sensor simply cannot capture the full spectrum of light and shadow in one exposure (although camera technology is getting very good with high-end cameras). Your shadows will be dark and your skies white which is not the way the eye sees the scenes. This is where HDR photography becomes an indispensable tool for the travelling photographer.
The only way that you can capture these scenes is by taking bracketed images and blending them in software. There are 2 options of blending the images-
Here's a typical scene in Venice, Italy where we would use the HDR technique. The first image is how the camera perceives a Normal exposure. The sky is nice but all detail is lost in the foreground. As this is shot in RAW, we would still be able to get a half decent image by lightening our foreground in Lightroom however if you are shooting JPG then there is very little latitude to lighten these shadows without introducing noise (grain). Also, notice on the left hand we have 2 people walking, this movement is easily controlled in MacPhun Aurora Hdr 2018.
Q. So, how do I take an HDR image?
A. Easy, however, there are some very important rules to follow to achieve the best results.
We have been shooting and using HDR software since about 2010. The best on the market for many years was Photomatix Pro which yielded great results, however, we have recently started using MacPhun Aurora HDR 2017 and now Aurora HDR 2018 as it is now available on Windows and Mac. (we run PC and Mac so we never considered using MacPhun products). This software is just mind-blowingly good. So good that we are now re-visiting old images and processing them again!! Unlike Photomatix, MacPhun Aurora HDR 2018 is an all-in-one editing programme. Not only will it align your bracket sets but it gives you the full power of editing every part of the image (including heaps of free Presets). It is also a 'standalone' product which means that you do not need Lightroom or Photoshop to access the software however it also acts as a plug-in if you do want to use it in conjunction with LR & Photoshop.
Aurora HDR 2018 Windows
The only way that you can capture these scenes is by taking bracketed images and blending them in software. There are 2 options of blending the images-
- Luminosity Blending - this is a huge learning curve and requires Photoshop and additional editing although the results are great if you are prepared to invest the time.
- HDR software such as Macphun Aurora Hdr 2018 which creates fantastic images in moments.
Here's a typical scene in Venice, Italy where we would use the HDR technique. The first image is how the camera perceives a Normal exposure. The sky is nice but all detail is lost in the foreground. As this is shot in RAW, we would still be able to get a half decent image by lightening our foreground in Lightroom however if you are shooting JPG then there is very little latitude to lighten these shadows without introducing noise (grain). Also, notice on the left hand we have 2 people walking, this movement is easily controlled in MacPhun Aurora Hdr 2018.
| Normal Exposure (0) This is how the camera would have exposed a single shot ©Paul Woodford |
| Underexposed (-2) This has been underexposed by 2 stops to darken the highlights ©Paul Woodford |
| Overexposed (+2) This has been overexposed by 2 stops to lighten the shadows ©Paul Woodford |
| 3 images combined in MacPhun Aurora HDR 2018 The foreground has been lightened a little using the Top/Bottom slider ©Paul Woodford |
| Screenshot of the HDR image in MacPhun Aurora HDR 2018 |
A. Easy, however, there are some very important rules to follow to achieve the best results.
- If possible always try to use a tripod for best results, however, hand holding HDR shots is not a problem these days as the software is great at aligning your images
- Always shoot in Aperture Priority mode (A, Av) as your aperture MUST remain the same for all the shots. If using a tripod you can also use Manual and adjust the exposure manually, however, this is slower and it is best to try and get all the exposures as quick as possible
- Always try to shoot at a low ISO to reduce noise (grain) in your images which tend to get magnified when shooting at higher ISO settings. Avoid using Auto ISO as your camera may select a high ISO setting in low light.
- Set your cameras bracketing to 3 shots (with 2 stop increments) giving you a -2, 0, +2 bracket set. Check your camera manual to see what bracketing options you have. As mentioned above, if you do not want a 2 stop overexposed shot simply set your Exposure Compensation (usually a +/- symbol) setting to -1 if shooting in A/Av mode. This will then result in 3 shots (-3, -1, +1). When shooting in A/Av mode the Exposure Compensation will only affect your shutter speed.
- Set your cameras Drive Mode to Ch (Continuous High). This will ensure that the 3 images are taken in quick succession. If your camera allows you to set Custom Buttons on the camera then set point 4 & 5 as a preset for easy access.
- One of the biggest factors when hand holding the camera for HDR images is ensuring that your base exposure allows for the overexposed shot. For example, if the light is a little low and your base exposure is 1/60th second which is generally fine to hand hold a single shot then your 2 stops overexposure (+2) in your bracket set will be 1/15th sec. This will almost always result in this image being unsharp.
Q. My camera has an HDR setting. Why should I take 3 shots when my camera will give me an HDR image in a single shot?
A. Great question. Glad you asked :-) Simply put, we have not seen one camera yet that has this feature that can produce as good an image as using the technique above. If your camera only gives you a merged image only, then we would suggest you do not use it. If your camera gives you a merged image and keeps your 3 files as well then it may be worth trying this feature. If you are not happy with the in-camera merge then at least you will have the 3 files to process in the software.
Q. How do you capture HDR images when there is movement in the shots?
A. Don't worry about movement in your shots. The "Ghosting" feature, when used in the software, is so good now that any object that moves in your 3 shots will not show up on the combined image. For creativity, you can also leave the Ghosting feature unchecked to keep any movement blurred in the final image.
Other factors to consider when shooting HDR images-
Travel Photography opens all sorts of challenges for photographers as you are confronted with countless lighting situations that simply cannot be captured in a single exposure and the use of filters may be impractical. To us, HDR Photography is an indispensable tool in capturing well-balanced images in difficult lighting situations. Many, if not all, Real Estate photographers will also use HDR techniques as a single image of an interior which includes bright lights from windows cannot be exposed correctly. Landscape photographers do not generally like HDR photos as they would prefer to balance their exposures by using Graduated ND filters and this works perfectly when you are shooting scenes that require a tripod and has some sort of horizon. This also requires expensive filters and filter holders which is not practical when shooting under varying lighting conditions that are experienced in Travel Photography. However, having said that, when we take landscape images at sunrise or sunset this is our preferred method as you can usually capture all the dynamic range in one exposure.Other factors to consider when shooting HDR images-
- Obviously, if you are shooting 3 bracket shots in RAW file format it is going to take up more space on your memory card and your computer. If you are not carrying a backup device with you such as a laptop or external hard drive then make sure you take plenty of memory cards with you.
We have been shooting and using HDR software since about 2010. The best on the market for many years was Photomatix Pro which yielded great results, however, we have recently started using MacPhun Aurora HDR 2017 and now Aurora HDR 2018 as it is now available on Windows and Mac. (we run PC and Mac so we never considered using MacPhun products). This software is just mind-blowingly good. So good that we are now re-visiting old images and processing them again!! Unlike Photomatix, MacPhun Aurora HDR 2018 is an all-in-one editing programme. Not only will it align your bracket sets but it gives you the full power of editing every part of the image (including heaps of free Presets). It is also a 'standalone' product which means that you do not need Lightroom or Photoshop to access the software however it also acts as a plug-in if you do want to use it in conjunction with LR & Photoshop.
Q.Wow, it all sounds complicated.
A. Well, not really. It's actually very simple. The hardest part is determining when you need to shoot HDR brackets. There's no point shooting an HDR on an overcast day as the contrast is low and your camera sensor will be able to capture the exposure in a single image.
Q. So, how do I get it?
A. Check your computer minimum requirements as stated below and then simply click on the banner below or any of the links in this post
So, if you really want to vastly improve your travel images (and images in general) then we would suggest that you download the trial version of this wonderful software and give it a try. Below are the minimum requirements for your computer before downloading.HDR
Aurora HDR 2018 Mac
A. Well, not really. It's actually very simple. The hardest part is determining when you need to shoot HDR brackets. There's no point shooting an HDR on an overcast day as the contrast is low and your camera sensor will be able to capture the exposure in a single image.
Q. So, how do I get it?
A. Check your computer minimum requirements as stated below and then simply click on the banner below or any of the links in this post
So, if you really want to vastly improve your travel images (and images in general) then we would suggest that you download the trial version of this wonderful software and give it a try. Below are the minimum requirements for your computer before downloading.HDR
Aurora HDR 2018 Mac
-MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, iMac Pro, Mac Pro, Mac mini
-Processor Intel 64-bit Core 2 Duo or better
-Memory 4 Gb RAM or more
-macOS Sierra 10.12.6, El Capitan 10.11.5,
-Yosemite 10.10.5
-Hard disk 2 Gb free space, SSD for best performance
-Display 1280x768 size or better
-Processor Intel 64-bit Core 2 Duo or better
-Memory 4 Gb RAM or more
-macOS Sierra 10.12.6, El Capitan 10.11.5,
-Yosemite 10.10.5
-Hard disk 2 Gb free space, SSD for best performance
-Display 1280x768 size or better
Aurora HDR 2018 Windows
-Windows-based hardware PC with mouse or similar input device
-Direct X 10 compatible Graphics Cards of better
-Processor Intel Core i3 or better
-Memory 4 Gb RAM or more
-Operating System Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
-Hard disk 2 Gb free space, SSD for best performance
-Display 1280x768 size or better
If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you.
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-Direct X 10 compatible Graphics Cards of better
-Processor Intel Core i3 or better
-Memory 4 Gb RAM or more
-Operating System Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10
-Hard disk 2 Gb free space, SSD for best performance
-Display 1280x768 size or better
If you have any questions or comments we would love to hear from you.
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