Arches N.P. Tone-mapped from single RAW
- Thread starter Rixpx
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Nice image, I love Arches. Been there four times, 1000 mile Harley ride to get there.
Rixpx
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- #4
Tone mapping is done with HDR software. There are several products out there. Adobe and others offer this capability. I prefer a stand alone product and am currently using Aurora, by Skylum. The idea of High Dynamic Range photography is to take multiple exposures of the same shot and let the software combine the images, mapping the best tonal values from light to dark to give a picture that looks more like the human eye sees it. Early HDR software was known to produce some unpleasant, cartoonish results which turned off a lot of people.
Given the dynamic range of modern sensors, I have good results just using one exposure and running it through the software. It gives a much more realistic outcome in my opinion. It’s still a balancing act to avoid the Barnum and Bailey clownish look on some images.
Thanks for the info. I've done that sort of thing but didn't know it was called tone mapping. Do you use the file/automate in Photoshop or do it with virtual copies and the photomerge in lightroom, or something else?
As a non automated alternative I'll often send the raw from Lightroom as a smart object to Photoshop then use "new smart object via copy" a couple of times to get several independent layers where the raw for eack layer can be reopened in camera raw. This method has me doing the masking so more time consuming, but maybe more control?
Rixpx
Well-known member
- Post score: 4
- #6
I abandoned Lightroom and Photoshop about a year after they converted to the subscription model. I think they are great products. Once LR v6 was not being supported, I searched for alternatives.
I started using Photomatix for HDR, but found it a bit heavy handed and not user friendly.
I switched to Skylum products a few years ago. I found their HDR program, Aurora was much easier than PS and LR and offered a ton of post processing options.
Lately Skylum has incorporated Aurora into their flagship product, Luminar Neo.
Unfortunately Skylum has decided to jump on the subscription train also, but they still offer stand alone versions.
I’m currently using Affinity Photo, Neo, Fast Raw Viewer, and Nikon’s software. I have not found one product that can do everything.
I started using Photomatix for HDR, but found it a bit heavy handed and not user friendly.
I switched to Skylum products a few years ago. I found their HDR program, Aurora was much easier than PS and LR and offered a ton of post processing options.
Lately Skylum has incorporated Aurora into their flagship product, Luminar Neo.
Unfortunately Skylum has decided to jump on the subscription train also, but they still offer stand alone versions.
I’m currently using Affinity Photo, Neo, Fast Raw Viewer, and Nikon’s software. I have not found one product that can do everything.
You might check out the features of modern Lightroom. The masking features are much improved, among other things you can mask by luminosity, so areas of the same raw file can be selectively adjusted easily. Plus it includes Photoshop.
Nicely done and thanks for sharing your Tone Mapping expertise.
Really nice image. Love how you framed the rocks with the bristlecone pine trunks.
Me too, first in the closet under the stairs, then graduated to the coal room.