Two of my favorite HDR plug-ins are Photomatix and Topaz Adjust.
Photomatix
Photomatix, a very popular HDR program from HDRsoft, is both a plug-in and a stand-alone application. First, you take several pictures over, under and at the correct exposure with your camera mounted on a tripod (set to the aperture priority mode) and fired with either the camera’s self-timer or a cable release to avoid camera shake.
Then you use Photomatix’s Detail Enhance and Tone Compressor, along with the options in their sub menus, to create images that go way beyond the recording capabilities of a digital camera’s image sensor. I used Photomatix to create the top HDR image.
Topaz Adjust
Enter the Topaz “Twilight Zone.” Topaz is relative newcomer to the world of High Dynamic Range (HDR) image making. It offers an easy, not to mention very effective, method for creating a HDR image.
Topaz Adjust allows you to create an HDR image using only one image (if the contrast range is not too wide), as opposed to most other HDR programs that combine several images over, under and at the correct exposure. I used Topaz Adjust to create the bottom HDR image.
Check out my mini-movie on HDR at the bottom of this post.
Want more HDR info on Photomatix and Topaz Adjust (and on plug-ins in general)? See the Plug-in Experience. Check out the how-to page for info – and discounts.
Love that HDR? I'd be interested to know which HDR plug-is/programs you use – and why.
Best,
Rick
P.S. If you live in the NY area, I will be giving my full HDR presentation at B&H on June 14 at 1 PM: presentation and demo. Link on my workshops page. Yes! I teach HDR on my workshop. Great fun.
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