B&W and More with Nik HDR Efex Pro..
Here’s an HDR image processed to look more like a B&W photograph rather than on the illustrative side. I couldn’t help but use a fisheye lens for a fun look! I have an artistic background, and tend to work in that direction. My buddy, an architectural photographer wouldn’t dream of this! It’s a tilt shift perspective control lens all the way. That’s the great part about HDR, you are the photographer, and decide how to portray/process your images, photorealistic, or illustrative/artistic, or somewhere in between. The subject will help guide you on which direction to take, and it’s great to try out different ideas. The presets in Nik HDR Efex Pro are perfect for this. Experiment, have fun!
For high contrast scenes, you may need more than three exposures to capture the entire dynamic range as with the Time Square photo above.
Tips for shooting HDR images.
- Tripod, cable release, three axis bubble level
- Lowest ISO
- Aperture priority or manual (keep the aperture constant)
- Auto-bracket, or bracket manually
- Raw format for best results
- Lock focus (helpful in low light situations)
- Double check the histogram
Generally, you are shooting 0, -2, +2, and more exposures if needed. For handheld HDR images, try to brace yourself and use auto-bracking. When merging handheld HDR images, use Alignment (I keep it checked). The Ghost Reduction Method works with anything moving in the scene, check this box for trees on a windy day (Adaptive), or Global for anything large moving through your composition.
The most enjoyable part of HDR is working with the images in Nik HDR Efex Pro. Thank you very much to those who listened in on my Nik HDR Efex Pro Webinar yesterday! I enjoyed sharing a few photos and ideas about working with HDR Efex Pro, plus a few finishing touches in Viveza and Color Efex Pro as well.
For the webinar, the images were converted from Raw (the format recommended to shoot in) and Jpegs were used for purposes of demonstration. This allowed us to move quickly through photos over the internet. Nik HDR Efex Pro did a fine job working with the limited resources of Jpegs! However, you’ll get the best results by shooting in Raw.
You can download a trial version, and if you like how it works for you, please feel free to use coupon code DSANDIDGE for anything Nik Software. Don’t forget the BetterPhoto promo code NIKFRIENDS for $20 off a BetterPhoto course. Make great pictures! ~Deb
Deb, thank you for this interesting set of tips for everyone interested in making better photos. It’s just packed with the kind of information that others can put to use right now. Very well done.
In addition, I want to say how enjoyable your NIK HDR EFX Pro webinar was yesterday. That too, just loaded with practical suggestions and tips for all photo enthusiasts. Showing by example like that is just what others need to see…practical applications put to use in real-world situations and examples. Again, Deb, very well done.
Ron
Hi Deb,
I, too, was a viewer of the webinar yesterday, and your explanations were simple and intuitive (even if your pictures were amazing, before tinkering with them!). You have a wonderful breezy and relaxed way of imparting information, and I know I’d love to attend one of your workshops in the future. I certainly liked the BetterPhoto course I took with you, but “seeing” you live was even better! I no longer am afraid of Nik’s HDR, and you made it seem like anyone could/can do it well!
Thank you!
Cindy
Hi Ron, Thank you for your very thoughtful and constructive comments! I appreciate it very much! I’m pleased you enjoyed the webinar and found it helpful with your HDR photography! This is great to know!
Hi Cindy, Thank you very much for attending the Nik webinar! I’m glad you found the explanations helpful, and that you enjoyed the photos too. I appreciate knowing that you liked the style of presenting the information (that’s very helpful to me to know!) Thank you for your kind comments and have fun with Nik HDR Efex Pro!
Hi Deb,
Great webinar yesterday. Great images, and it was great to hear you. Maybe next time we can see you.
Joe Drivas
Hi Joe! I’m honored you listened in on the webinar! Thank you so much, that means a lot to me. 🙂
Debbie, thanks for the wonderful Webinar at NIK! You continue to amaze me with your insightful and intuitive creativeness! It’s non-stop! Where can I find some additional presets to HDR Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro2 (other than NIK’s). And where can I find keyboard shortcuts for both?
I want more Webinars from you!
~Wayne Fisk