# Merging HDR with CS4



## 1000DUser

i tried merging a HDR with CS4, but the picture came out overexposed really badly, like the picture cannot be seen at all. i used 3 RAW exposure EV +1 -1 and 0 but the picture came out over exposed after that i tried it only with the EV -1 and 0 but still a very bright picture is coming out, anyone has the same problem??


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## Robin Usagani

CS4 isnt a good program to do HDR.  I tried it and I got crappy result.  Try photomatix.com .  YOu can try it for free forever.  It just put watermark on your photo if you didnt pay.


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## 1000DUser

Schwettylens said:


> . YOu can try it for free forever. It just put watermark on your photo if you didnt pay.


 
are you serious? i thought you had to pay?


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## Robin Usagani

very small watermark though.  IF you are good with cloning.. you can always remove them.. or BUY it.


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## 1000DUser

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab178/1000DUser/IMG_7415_6_7_tonemapped.jpg

first time tried HDR, mind taking a look? and i dont really see the water mark, actually i cant find it lol. anyway i wanna thank you loads, CS4 HDR merging is rubbish lol.


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## Bynx

It doesnt look like HDR at all. Very dark and no details in the shadows at all. If you used Photomatix just click the default button and run that out and see if what you get is any better.


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## 1000DUser

Bynx said:


> It doesnt look like HDR at all. Very dark and no details in the shadows at all. If you used Photomatix just click the default button and run that out and see if what you get is any better.


 
Okay will try it out, anyway how do i make it more detailed if i dont use default and wanna do it myself? btw i cant find the default button and does converting it into a JPEG using CS4 spoil maybe took out the details?


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## Big Mike

Did you adjust any of the setting when trying to create the HDR in Photoshop?
I've used the 'merge to HDR' in CS4 a few times and have been satisfied with the results.


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## 1000DUser

Bynx said:


> It doesnt look like HDR at all. Very dark and no details in the shadows at all. If you used Photomatix just click the default button and run that out and see if what you get is any better.


 


Big Mike said:


> Did you adjust any of the setting when trying to create the HDR in Photoshop?
> I've used the 'merge to HDR' in CS4 a few times and have been satisfied with the results.


 i dont think i did, i just get a realy really really over exposed picture, btw just wondering does converting from RAW - JPEG do you lose any details in the picture when you convert?


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## 1000DUser

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab178/1000DUser/IMG_7415_6_7_tonemapped2.jpg?t=1280504661 tried again with Phottomatix then editing with CS4 then converted to JPEG with cs4


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## Steve01

1000DUser said:


> i tried merging a HDR with CS4, but the picture came out overexposed really badly,


 
CS4 can only create the HDR file and HDR is only half the process.
After you merge the files into a single HDR file you need some type of program to perform tone mapping.

HDR photo software & plugin for Lightroom, Aperture & Photoshop - Tone Mapping, Exposure Fusion & HDR Imaging for photography has a tonal mapping plug-in for PS to finish the process or you can get Photomatix, already mentioned by *Schwettylens* which does the whole process.

Photoshop CS5 has HDR Pro which eliminates the need for a 3rd party program.


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## 1000DUser

so i pretty much just download that? then get the overexposed picture from CS4 and tone map it using this program?


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## 1000DUser

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab178/1000DUser/IMG_7415_6_7_tonemapped3.jpg? heres another one with STEVE01's method i downloaded the plugin  check it out and comment pls and ty but i still have to merge the pictures with photomatix, cause merging them with cs4 would give me a overexposed picture and then when i tone map the overexposed picture with the plug in, it becomes brighter!


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## Steve01

With the plug-in installed you merge the images together with CS4, there are a few adjustment you can make but not much. 
Check Exposure and Gamma make sure they're set to 0 and 1.0.
Move them if you like but if the image is too bright this should help.

Press OK, then go to Filter|Photomatrix|Tone Mapping.
On the top set it to "Large" (size of the image.)

Now play with the controls and see what they do, that's it for the plug in.
OR​With the full program, Photomatrix Pro, you combine the image and make the adjustments inside Photomatrix. 
You never open Photoshop unless you want to make some additional changes after your done in Photomatrix.


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