# Tips/Feedback for using HDR for real estate photography



## LizC (May 12, 2013)

Hello.  I'm very new to photography, digital photography, HDR.  Kind of jumping in the deep end with the HDR, but it's been fun and interesting.  A friend recently offered to share his knowledge of photographing houses, as he sees a niche market since most agents are posting pretty poor quality photos on the MLS.  So I'm looking to provide HDR images without getting too intensive on the editing (Photomatix Pro 4.2.6 and a little bit of editing in iPhoto).  

I'm using a Canon T3i and a Nokina wide angle lens.  I shoot in raw.   I find I'm often taking around 7-9 images to catch the full range, 1 stop apart.  I download with USB into iPhoto on my Mac Book because I don't have a card reader and that's the only way I've found to get the images onto my computer.  I export in original format to desktop and then load to Photomatix from there.   Process: Tone Mapping, Method: Details Enhancer.

I'm finding it a challenge to get realistic, correctly-exposed views of skies and trees through the windows.  I'm often needing to turn the white point up to a point where the windows start to blow out in order for the overall lighting to be light enough.  Also find the skies and trees turning "cartoonish" colors sometimes.  

Any tips/guidance/suggestions/feedback would be greatly appreciated.  


 
Final image from Photomatix


raw images


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## bart2 (May 12, 2013)

You probably know this,keep fstop the same and alter shutter speed instead!dont use all exposers i use 5 or 6 at the extremes,they become soft if you use to many at close exposers,


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## Juga (May 12, 2013)

bart2 said:


> You probably know this,keep fstop the same and alter shutter speed instead!dont use all exposers i use 5 or 6 at the extremes,they become soft if you use to many at close exposers,



I have a contract for real estate photography and often use HDR to show detail throughout. ^^^^^ Alter the shutter speed to get one underexposed, one metered 'correctly,' and one overexposed. Most the time you don't need 5-6 shots. 2-3 is often good enough. My client has been very pleased and just signed a long term contract.


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## Ysarex (May 12, 2013)

Get a card reader.

"Cartoonish" colors is Photomatix's middle name. Your final result is way too flat and somewhat too dark. So it needs to be lightened and have the contrast raised. Since you posted all of your original exposures I ran a version through for you to see that's lighter and has more normal contrast.

Joe


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## vipgraphx (May 13, 2013)

learn how to use layer masking and incorporate all your exposures in photoshop where you need more detail or less detail.


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## vipgraphx (May 13, 2013)

Ysarex said:


> Get a card reader.
> 
> "Cartoonish" colors is Photomatix's middle name. Your final result is way too flat and somewhat too dark. So it needs to be lightened and have the contrast raised. Since you posted all of your original exposures I ran a version through for you to see that's lighter and has more normal contrast.
> 
> ...




Yours looks to yellow, OP has better color than your edit.


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## vipgraphx (May 13, 2013)

When I want to get a more realistic HDR I turn down the strength between 60-70, bring down the color saturation to 40-50 and crank up micro-smoothing to about half way (using photomatix). This usually gives a nice realistic HDR. I always use photoshop to layer mask details I want in or out. I also will color correct when needed.

Here is your files using my methods.




interior by VIPGraphX, on Flickr


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## cathyvphotography (Jul 11, 2013)

Hello,I am a newbie to the forum.I have a question similar to the one above.I am using a Canon T3i with a Canon wide angle lense.I am also using Photomatix 4.2.7 with Lightroom 3.I am taking three different exposures and blending them.The problem is that it seems my pics are turning out either too light are too dark.And look slightly blurry?What am I doing wrong?


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## cathyvphotography (Jul 11, 2013)

This is a blended final pic.


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## KmH (Jul 11, 2013)

The OP's final Photomatix image is 'muddy', and the colors are dulled quite a bit. The final image is quite soft, as if the multiple exposures were not aligned very well.
To me the OP's final Photomatixwhite balance is good.
I would say 8 exposures was massive overkill and 3 would have been sufficient. One correct for outside the window, one for inside except the shadows, and 1 for the inside shadows.
I would have used #1, #2 for inside, and #7 for the outside exposure.

The muddiness, or haze often results from having to little mid-tone contrast. 

I have taken the OP's final Photomatix image into Camera Raw, boosted the mid-tone contrast, capture sharpened/reduced noise (both globally), and added a touch of Vibrance.


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## KmH (Jul 11, 2013)

cathyvphotography said:


> Hello,I am a newbie to the forum.I have a question similar to the one above.I am using a Canon T3i with a Canon wide angle lense.I am also using Photomatix 4.2.7 with Lightroom 3.I am taking three different exposures and blending them.The problem is that it seems my pics are turning out either too light are too dark.And look slightly blurry?What am I doing wrong?


Are you spot metering the scene to gauge what exposure values you need?
Is your camera mounted on a good, stable tripod? Do you put a weight bag on top of your camera? Are you using Photomatix's align images option?

Not all scenes will need +1, 0,-1 EV exposure steps. some may require +2, 0, -2, or +2, 0, -1. Exposure steps of +2, +1, 0 may be need.


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## cathyvphotography (Jul 11, 2013)

Im in evaluation metering,using a tripod and +2,0,-2 exposure steps.My goal is to keep a warm look/feel to my pics with all having the same lighting.And is there a way to tone down the sunlight/reflections?


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