HDR confusion

[boxofrocks]

I have yet to figure out HDR in CS2. I am trying to merge the first 2 images below. What I'm getting is the result you see in the third. What I want is something closer to the last image (a quick and dirty layer mask).

Can anyone offer any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[The Loft Studios]

I'm confused.....just do whatever you did to get the last image.
I'm not sure what you mean that you want to be able to do this is CS2.....you can acheive an HDR Effect in any version of Photoshop, even Photoshop Elements.
Unless there is some Filter or something that I don't know of.....

Respectfully,
-Mark

[boxofrocks]

Thanks for the reply!

I just meant I'm using CS2, and can't seem to get HDR to work the way I thought it was "supposed to". The masking job on the last did not use the HDR feature at all--it's just a mask of the window, and would be really time consuming to do properly for an album. Even then, it may not look good.

I thought HDR merge would bring out the properly exposed window, but maybe not. I've never been able to get the results I see others achieve with HDR. I just though I might be doing something wrong.

[rwwright]

hdr works better with more than 2 images. try the same shot with 5 images and see if the results are diff

[boxofrocks]

OK--thanks. I originally tried with 4, and got about the same result. I have 6 or seven.

If it get's better, I'll post it.

[Duffy Pratt]

A shot like this is so easy to mask, I don't see what the problem is. I took the Blue channel of the top version, hit darkness on the levels to darken up everything except the windows and the light on the top rafters. That part takes about a minute. I don't know what the HDR feature is, but I can't imagine it being much easier. And the result here is good enough, I think, for a starting point. (It's basically similar to your last version, but I don't know how you masked that, so I can't say if my way actually is easier.)

Duffy

[thelegend1472]

I love shooting HDR shots and have found PS to be pretty much worthless for the first part of the process. I create all my HDR images (multiple shots 3-7) in a program called "Photomatix." It's tone mapping is by far the best for this sort of thing and I'd say anyone who is heavily involved in HDR will stear you in the same direction.

[boxofrocks]

Originally Posted by Duffy Pratt

A shot like this is so easy to mask, I don't see what the problem is. I took the Blue channel of the top version, hit darkness on the levels to darken up everything except the windows and the light on the top rafters. That part takes about a minute. I don't know what the HDR feature is, but I can't imagine it being much easier. And the result here is good enough, I think, for a starting point. (It's basically similar to your last version, but I don't know how you masked that, so I can't say if my way actually is easier.)

Duffy

There's one of my challenges--I don't have enough experience working with channels like that.

Thanks for the tip.