Photoshop Tutorial: HDR Images

I think amongst photographers, HDR is a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it. I have seen some amazing landscape shots enhanced with the use of HDR but it's never been something that has massively appealed to me…. Until now!

HDR stands for High-Dynamic-Range imaging and to put it simply, it gives you a better range of highlights, shadows, colours than you can capture with real world scenes.

I read a couple of tutorials on it after looking at some album artwork that I thought looked really cool and that I wanted to have a go at recreating (The Amazing Snakeheads, Amphetamine Ballads to be precise).

The technical bit:

• You need to take 3 images, one a stop or two under exposed, one correctly exposed and a third image one or two stops over exposed. (In order to get a seamless free image, it's best to use a tripod, unless you want a more ethereal, dreamlike or ghostly final image.)
• Open up Photoshop and click on file, then 'automate' and 'Merge to HDR pro'

• You'll then get a pop up box with your HDR image and now the world is your oyster! Play around with the settings and see what you get!

NB If you can't see the the save or OK button if you edit on a Mac, move the toolbar to the left or right (apple -> Dock -> Position on Left/Right) and it should come up. For some reason, on mine, the bottom of the box gets cut off meaning you have to force quit and lose your lovely image!

Like I said previously, if you want a crisper image, you'll need to use a tripod, but I was so eager to try the technique out I didn't bother! Serendipity prevailed once again and I love the softer edges and the more eerie feel of the photo by not using one.

And just to add a bit more spookiness to the image, I did another edit but this time I made the eyes completely black. Thoughts?!

Humid Havana Nights

Havana by night is just as amazing as during the day. The locals go out and socialise, holiday makers are out sampling the local delights (rum, rum and more rum!) and there are people salsa dancing where ever you look. But before a night out, I always liked to soak up the last rays of the sun, well, I let my camera soak them up. Amazing how different sunsets are depending on where you are in the world!

This was taken on our balcony. Not a bad vista eh?!

This image hasn't been editing, how amazing is this?!

Love how the clouds look like a mountain range in these two sunset photos!

And would be rude for me not to include a few long exposures!

Cuban Street Photography

As some of you may know (!) I recently went on holiday to Cuba; a place my boyfriend and I have always wanted to go to for a whole myriad of reasons, not least for the cars they drive around which make for amazing photo ops (said photos will be on a later post)! I also really love street photography and there is no shortage of that over there either. So guess what this blogpost is about (if the blog title didn't give it away that is)??

LOVE this one!

  

What I love about these two bits of street art is that they are 'tributes' to the people that led them, the revolution and to Fidel and Raul who still lead them to this day, at least for the time being. Can you imagine anyone doing it in England to pay tribute to David Cameron?! I think not!

Viva Cuba! Couldn't have put it better myself AND it's got one of those classic cars in it!

I think this image depicts the feeling of many around the whole world at the moment. Cuba is a country steeped in history and it's so so interesting. Very different to anywhere I have been before for many different reasons and I am so, so pleased I managed to get there before Fidel dies, as does the revolution with him. :( 

High and Low Key Images

So, what is a high key image and what is a low key image? In short and just to confuse you (!), high key images are low contrast and low key images are high contrast, simples, right?! Well, contrast is a huge factor in both, but in very different ways. Let's start with high key first.

High key images are images that will contain very bright lighting that blow out most shadows. The subject of high key photos will tend to be of a positive mood or of nature and flowers, for example. You could try thinking of it as 'highlighting' a beautiful subject. High key images are also used a lot for advertising, with products on white backgrounds, because our minds believe these will be of higher quality.

High key images are images that really push the highlights of a photograph and contain little contrast. They are usually of a softer subject matter and have a 'happy' feel to them. But beware of over exposing you image! 

Now for low key images. Again they make use of contrast but in a completely different way. Low key images offer a moodier, dramatic angle to your image. Obviously these images will be dark and there should only be one or two highlights to show off the subject. Low key images are easier shot inside, compared with high key images and should not be confused with under exposing an image.

The key to these both sorts of images is referring to, and getting to know your in-camera metering. It will average out the lighting in the whole scene and will therefore tell you to over expose a low key image and under expose a high key. If you are pushed for time, you need to work out if the in-camera meter is being fooled and adjust the exposure by one or two stops either side. But ideally, to make sure you get the correct exposure for what you require in your shot, it is always best to bracket your images.