HDR from 3 exposures, just done it with one

[Dave in Wales]

I've just started, rightly or wrongly, messing about with HDR and I wondered if it could be achieved with just one exposure.

Can somebody please explain what is to be gained by taking 3 shots...normal, -2 and +2.

I have created HDR pictures using this method but the results look little different from the HDR images below that were created with just one exposure.
The 3 exposures required for HDR were created by PP'ing in PSE9, normal, over and under exposed.

I've no doubt that I'm missing something, perhaps some of you HDR experts can explain.....

D in W

OK, so I know these are not brilliant, it's the process I'm trying to understand.

No PP'ing has been done to any image, other than Tonemapping the last two.

Original straight from the camera.

DSC_0015-2-RS by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

HDR...1

Tonemapped-2-RS by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

HDR...2

Tonemapped-1 by Dave in Wales, on Flickr

 

[Jimmy_Lemon]

The main advantage of the bracketed shots is that you just have a massive amount more of range to use. 1 raw will hold a fair bit of detail but pulling out the shadows will give you noise and compressing the highlight is often, in my experience, not possible completely.

If the range in the shot isn't massive as your example above then 1 raw will generally be fine, if you had some shadow in the foreground and the clouds where brighter then you would struggle.

1 raw has its advantage when HDRing something that is moving and can save your shutter a bit of work....but I still tend to bracket for most things.

 

[AJQS]

I've just started, rightly or wrongly, messing about with HDR and I wondered if it could be achieved with just one exposure.

Can somebody please explain what is to be gained by taking 3 shots...normal, -2 and +2.

You use multiple exposures because shadows block up and/or highlights blow out on a single exposure, that's the whole point of HDR to blend the 3 (or more) exposures which together cover all the tonal range into one.

Your original shot contains neither blocked up shadows nor blown highlights thus making HDR un-necessary.

 

[Dave in Wales]

You use multiple exposures because shadows block up and/or highlights blow out on a single exposure, that's the whole point of HDR to blend the 3 (or more) exposures which together cover all the tonal range into one.

Your original shot contains neither blocked up shadows nor blown highlights thus making HDR un-necessary.

Thanks Alan, that explains a lot.

I'm sure that a lot of HDR shown on TP the original contained neither blocked up shadows nor blown highlights,
and HDR was just done for effect, would I be correct.

D in W