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Yesterday I saw some very cool HDR images. Now I'm interested to try this by myself, but I'm a little bit unsure, if my camera (Sony DSC-HX100V) is capable of doing such pictures. If read that I need 3 to 5 shots with varying exposure time that are made automatically in a short amount of time.

Is there any tutorial suited for a beginner that shows step by step how to start with creating such images? If the guide is made for Sony DSC-HX100V it would be really great, but any general tutorial would help too.

RoflcoptrException
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  • I think this is covered here: http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/7623/what-is-hdr-photography You could start with the [tag:hdr] tag. – dpollitt Apr 15 '12 at 19:25
  • This camera has a mode called "Backlight Correction HDR - Produces natural, balanced results with high contrast when shooting strongly backlit scenes" - there are other modes on Sony cams which combine exposures as well - mine has a anti-shake where it takes multiple in succession and puts them into one, creating a mock HDR effect. – Rob Apr 15 '12 at 20:05

2 Answers2

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HDR Photography is not camera specific.

What you need to do is determine the "correct" exposure for a particular scene.

We'll call this exposure - (0) -; Now,

Shoot at (0) then, (+1), (+2), go back to (0) then, (-1), (-2). You will have 5 exposures all varying in one stop of light (if your camera is set up in 1/3 stops, this means one stop is 3 clicks on the wheel or however you control shutter).

(-2) (-1) (0) (+1) (+2)

So lets say that (0) exposure is f/4, ISO200, 1/30s...

(+1) - f/4, ISO200, 1/15s
(+2) - f/4, ISO200, 1/8s
(0) - f/4, ISO200, 1/30s (Our "correct" exposure)
(-1) - f/4, ISO200, 1/60s
(-2) - f/4, ISO200, 1/125s

Once you have all the exposures, you need software to combine them. Photoshop or Photometrix

To make your life easier, there is something called Bracketing. Check your camera manual for this. It will do what I explained above automatically, all you have to do is press shutter release button.

Alen
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    Being pedantic - I start at -2 then go to +2 - its quicker going through the cycle like this, rather than 0 +1 +2 -2 -1 -2 and pics are in the right order on the memory card - but as you have mentioned bracketing would achieve this. – Rob Apr 16 '12 at 06:33
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    I just wanted OP to understand that one is capturing the range from the initial meter reading in both directions. I always try to get the scene exposed correctly as possible then I bracket. I feel like this I get better dynamic range. But I'm not a huge hdr fan so I could be wrong on that one. – Alen Apr 16 '12 at 19:33
  • I use exposure compensation to +/- exposure stops. So if im +2 it is correctly exposed at +2 and the then at +1 and so on... no need to set at 0 first - Unless your not using exposure compensation and need to take an initial read. – Rob Apr 16 '12 at 20:05
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This is the tutorial that I used when first learning about HDR photography.

Most DSLR cameras have a function called AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) in the menu. What this does is allows you to take a set of three pictures at a preset value above and below and at normal exposure.

If your camera doesn't have this feature, then you can always adjust the exposure manually, but in that case, you will have to be careful not to move the camera.

To merge the photos into an HDR photo, you will need post processing software, I use Photoshop. The tutorial does a nice job of explaining that process.

Keep in mind that HDR photography can be utilized most in situations where one part of the picture is either washed out or too dark; in essence, HDR takes the correct exposure from each of the three pictures, and stitches them together, which will correct the imbalance in exposure.

Dylansq
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    Just to add to dylansq's answer, you can use a tripod if you have one in order to get stable and exact shots when changing your exposures manually (or keep it on a flat surface). – Neophile Apr 16 '12 at 09:36