How to create HDR?

The main reason that I love to create HDR photo is because of its vibrant of color. It can turn bored & unbalanced lighting photo into stunning and attractive photo. For me, this is worth to create HDR because I can get encouraging end result without using high end DSLR or expensive lens. However, photography skill still playing the most important part like get good combination, angle & etc in order to make better look HDR.

Many internet friends and photography newbies always asking me about what is HDR and how to make HDR after seeing my HDR photos. Here I'm not going to explain what is HDR because there are many articles elaborating it when you type HDR in google search engine. But here I would like to share some of the simple tips and steps that I always used to create HDR. Hopefully you can learn something from here;

1. Normally, we only need 3 different exposure photos as input file for HDR creating tool. Some people like to shot 3 different exposure photograph by using camera bracketing feature but this is not my preference because this may cause ghosting effect in HDR photo especially for moving objects. I prefer to create 3 different exposure JPG format photo from a RAW format photo by using photoshop.





2. My favorite HDR creating tool is Photomatix because it's more user friendly & the generated HDR is superb. Firstly, select the three images with +1, 0, -1 exposure value and continue with generate HDR options. At HDR options step, I prefer to select reduce noise & chromatic aberrations setting. And then followed by tone mapping step and there are many setting & buttons to play around. Tone mapping is the most important step throughout HDR generation and this is subjective to individual's preference. I always prefer to tune the setting as natural look as possible without losing photo details.

3. Final photoshop work on generated HDR image need to be carried out like clearing some dust spot, adjusting contrast, brightness, sharpness & etc....

Pulau Aman jetty at Batu Kawan

I always like going to Pulau Aman jetty. Not because of I wanted to take boat to Pulau Aman or go fishing but I wanted to witness short moment of sunset beauty. Honestly, I never been Pulau Aman although the boat fee to go there only cost RM3. Here got several attractive spots to take sunset photo like rocky beach where full of rock, sandy beach where has many coconut trees and small hill with small human made lake where not many people know place. No doubt, here has great potential to be developed as tourist spot in Prai if people has awareness of preserving natural and not creating rubbish.

free like bird . 逍遥自在

Don't know since when riding motorbike & take photograph of paddy field scene become a habit while I'm back to my hometown. There is a small tar road behind my parent house lead to broad wide paddy field. Along the way, need to pass through several villages & rubber estate beside the hill. This took me about 10 to 20 minutes time to reach there.

Without wearing a helmet, I still feel safe riding motorbike around because villagers lifestyle is slow and less vehicle running with high speed. I'm enjoying the wind blew & natural fresh air which is hardly find in city.

My hometown

Pokok Sena is one of district in Kedah state. I have born in one of villages called Kampung Baru and then moved to another village called Kampung Kiew at age 8. So, I have spent my childhood & schooling time about 20 years in Pokok Sena. The main economic activity is agriculture and no exception for my family. You can see broad wide paddy field view alternate with rubber estate over there. Even though I'm no longer staying there, I'm still paying a visit once of a while to this most memorable place in my life.

Above photos were taken with my newly bought wide angle lens 10-20mm.