Make cool outdoor HDR images

Photo editing: create an outdoor HDR image

High dynamic range effects are hugely popular, and creating an 'arty' HDR image is easy. These images can look like paintings, as they display intricate detail across the tonal range, from the brightest highlights to the dark shadows, for an 'unreal' look you can’t capture in a single photo.

01. Bracketed exposures

Photo editing: create an outdoor HDR image 1

First of all you’ll need to take a bracketed sequence of shots, using your camera's AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) feature. Select Av mode, set the aperture to around f/11, and set the AEB to take three exposures: 'standard', -2 stops and +2 stops. Use a tripod for maximum sharpness, and also so that your HDR software can align the images easier. Shoot Raw for the best results.

02. Three shots become one

Photo editing: create an outdoor HDR image 2

In Photoshop, go to File > Automate > Merge to HDR Pro, select your bracketed exposure and click OK to merge the shots. In the Merge to HDR dialog you can select a preset effect - we chose Surrealist High Contrast - and then fine-tune the effect using sliders; in addition to regular tonal adjustments you can use the Edge Glow, Radius and Strength sliders to control the HDR effect.

03. Final tweaks

Photo editing: create an outdoor HDR image 3

Click OK, and wait for a minute or so for Photoshop to process the HDR image; this will appear in the main Photoshop workspace, named Untitled_HDR image. HDRs can look a bit 'flat' at this stage, so to boost the contrast we created a subtle S-curve in Curves (use Levels in Elements after using Photomerge Exposure or Photomatix Pro.) Sharpen the image to finish.

This tutorial first appeared in PhotoPlus magazine, the only magazine in the newsagent that's 100% dedicated to Canon D-SLRs.

Now check out our massive list of 101 Photoshop tutorials!

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

TOPICS
Creative Bloq Staff
All things Creative Bloq

The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of art and design enthusiasts, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of eight full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Ecommerce Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Editor, Digital Art and 3D Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson, Ecommerce Writer Beth Nicholls and Staff Writer Natalie Fear, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The ImagineFX magazine team also pitch in, ensuring that content from leading digital art publication ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq.