Improve HDR images in Aperture

Hi,
I've recently been trying HDR photography, and so far the results have been pretty poor.  I'm currently using the Photomatix HDR Tone Mapping plug-in for Aperture 2.0.
Every time I produce an image, they come out very cartoony, and not at all like the beautiful landscaped examples you see on the net.  I've also had a bash with Photoshop's HDR tool, with similar unsatisfactory results.
Can anyone give me some thoughts as to where I may be going wrong?  Is there a limitation to this particular plug-in? Or is there a problem with my technique.  (At present I'm only using 3 exposures.  Would going to 7 produce more natural looking final images)?
So far, I've found that shooting raw and adjusting highs and lows carefully is producing better results than HDR for me.
I have a job coming up which is for a bar in a skyscraper and I want to produce some really spectacular shots, with good range in the interior and exterior areas.
Any help or thoughts would be fantastic.
Thank you.
Richard

Most times when HDR images come out cartoonish the fault is in trying to do to much. The results are usually better if the HDR effect is kept to a minimum.
Another thing to keep in mind is that not all scenes lend themselves to an HDR interpertation. And the correct exposure series can have a huge effect on the final result. While the software will make creating an HDR image easy the final result, as you are finding out, is still in the hands of the photographer.
You might also want to chack out NIK Software's HDR plug-in. They have a free trial. They also have a number of free online seminars and instructional videos. See Nik Software

Similar Messages

  • Can I perform masking & layers for HDR image in Aperture 2 _RAW images

    Hello
    I own Aperture 2.
    Can I do post processing such as masking & layers like one do to to create HDR image.
    If so...
    I generally take in RAW format. In Photoshop or Photomatix the HDR post processing is done in JPG. [I do not own Photoshop or Photomatix]. Do I have to save it as JPG or take my photos in JPG to get the above done in Aperture 2?
    Will Aperture 2 handle JPG to create HDR image?
    Regards

    yo,
    i only very recently paid for photomatix (pmx) and started to use it....... i like it
    eish, paid $129 from their website.......... see it (essentials?) is 29$ from app store
    "real" hdr multiple exposures are possible with pmx as well as single image "tone mapped" files
    aperture 2 or 3 do not offer hdr post processing, i think, photoshop *** compared to pmx (more tweaking possible)
    if you use pmx one can use raw or jpg files, i do not think it makes a difference to the outcome
    i use it as a stand alone app, BUT i think it could be used as a plug in... why bother?
    one can save pmx files as tiff or jpg
    you decide
    let me know
    ps- do not destroy the original files!, it's easy enough to re-convert them to hdr/anything again later
    pps- you can download pmx as a try out for free, but they post a watermark on the final result, it's worth the experiment, at least you know what you are dealing with.... (available from their website), but it looks like the app store option is cool!... check out both

  • HDR Images and Aperture Workflow?

    Hey folks, I'm starting to get my hands dirty with HDR images, and am having some difficulty with the seemingly high (at least for me) learning curve in getting going.
    I'm wondering if anyone here who has experience with HDR can summarize how they use Aperture in their workflow for creating and working with images to get an HDR result.
    I shoot a series of a shot -3 to +3 (inclusive) in exposure steps which usually nets me about 7 images. Where I seem to get botched results in prepping my images prior to going to Photomatrix, Photoshop CS3 or the not-so-impressive (for me) Hydra HDR plugin.
    Any assistance (or pointers to must-read docs online) are greatly appreciated !

    Hey Magnus, I'm actually trying to limit my processing of any sort to inside Aperture as much as possible. Perhaps I'm a bit spoiled with my need to stick to an aperture-like (RAW) process; I find it frustrating to have to generate duplicate versions of images in external editors (photoshop, hydra etc.)
    I think the main thing for me is to identify a clear path to follow to start generating HDR content I feel right now like each attempt is a stab in the dark

  • How can I save an HDR image from CS5 back to aperture as a tiff

    I cant seem to get the hdr image to save back to aperture from CS5 . The save as box keeps coming up .

    I am exporting 3 raw images to PS CS5 , merging in ps hdr pro ( mode 16 BIT , local adaptation ), then doing all the HDR adjustments. When adjustments are done in HDR PRO I click o.k. & it goes back to PS where I do more editing. When I try to save from here , I can not save back to aperture. I have to use save as & save to desk top & then drag bacxk in to aperture

  • Can not view images in Aperture

    Mavens!
    I  was editing images in Aperture 3.5.1 ( latest Mavericks / iMAC) and went to add  sharpening using CTRL + S when all the images dissappeared in the viewer.  
    I can still see the thumbnails - I can export original images etc - I just can't see anything in the viewer - it's grey and blank.
    There are NO filters / searches in place (the usual gotcha for hiding images).
    Initially I had the feeling I must have mis-queued the keystroke for sharpening and somehow hidden the images in the library. But now I find that all of my libraries have this problem.  Aperture will only display thumbnails and nothing in the viewer.
    Coudl this be a "delete plist"  scenario?  Any clues for further invesigation greatly appreacited as I'm stumped.
    Ciao
    Russ

    Hello Kirby
    Thank you for yur reply and sorry I have taken so oong to get back to you.  We just had a catergory 2 tropical cyclone cross the coast a few km away - been a little pre-occupied.
    That said - the problem has gone away.
    During the session where it arose I restarted the system twice and the systems persisted - so I am a little mystified.
    And again thank you for reminding of the "try new user account" wrinkle  - obviously the first step for serious troubleshooting.
    Kind regards
    Russell

  • How do I set the desktop wallpaper with an image in aperture 3?

    Sorry for the silly question, but I can't find how to set my desktop wallpaper with an image in aperture 3. It was simple when using Iphoto, but I can't find the method in aperture.
    Thanks,
    Dale.

    Command(⌘)-9 is no longer listed in the list of default keyword shortcuts, and it has no effect.
    I wrote a little Automator service to bring the Command(⌘)-9 back.
    A copy of this service is here for download:
    http://dreschler-fischer.de/scripts/SetDesktopPicture.workflow.zip
    This service uses three actions:
    Aperture: Get selected images
    Export Masters
    Finder: Set the Desktop Picture
    To install it, open the workflow in Automator and save it as service.
    To use it, select any image in Aperture, then activate the service from the Aperture menu -> Services, and it will set the master of the selected image as Desktop picture.
    If you like, you can assign the Command(⌘)-9 key to the service (in the System Preferences -> Keyboard -> Keyboard Shortcuts Panel) and then  turn any image you selected into Desktop wallpaper by simply pressing (⌘)-9.
    @Frank Caggiano, if you are still following this thread: for some reason this workflow succeeds with exporting the master, but I could not get it to work with the versions instead. Any ideas?
    Caution: this service will clutter the Desktop with the exported images. If you want to avoid that, change the export action to export the image to a different folder.
    Regards
    Léonie

  • HT4007 How do I export images from Aperture to my iPad Mini?

    How do I export images from aperture to my iPad Mini?
    Berndpeter

    I am going to give it a try.
    Greetings from Mexico!

  • Error in creating an HDR image in photoshop using light room. Help please.

    Hi so I am trying to create an HDR image using the latest version of photoshop and light room.
    Just finished doing all the steps needed before I select my images and click (edit in > merge to HDR pro in photoshop ) it opens Photoshop and gives me an error saying "Merge To HDR.jsx could not be found." and my files don't open. what does this mean and how do I fix it?

    difficult to reproduce. But it might be a data conversion problem.
    e.g. try
    to_char(a.num_tabs)If that's not the error comment out certain lines or xmltags and test which one is the reason for the error.
    Edited by: Sven W. on Sep 9, 2011 3:13 PM - typo correction

  • Is it possible to add a text box to an image in Aperture?

    is it possible to add a text box/caption to an image in Aperture? (I do NOT have photoshop)

    Do you want to write it directly onto the image? Then install and use the free BorderFX plug-in for Aperture. It will let you write text annotations directly onto the image or onto a border.
    Regards
    Léonie
    You can download BorderFX for Aperture from here: http://www.iborderfx.com/BorderFX

  • Data and Images in Aperture are a mess

    I just bought and started using Aperture, as I was hoping to get a better way to organize my images vs. iPhoto.  However, I'm not sure what is happening in Aperture, but everything is out of whack.  For example:
    1) Aperture is not sorting the images correctly by date (see iPhoto vs. Aperture) (not sure what its doing actually)
    Order in iPhoto (correct):  https://www.evernote.com/shard/s15/sh/8c59344a-ad63-46f5-8a88-010016374bfa/75c42 3a7f3ee54dfec6e89f7c72c0f23
    Order in Aperture (not correct):  https://www.evernote.com/shard/s15/sh/81c58b92-1307-4932-b224-b652966ea60a/74d37 ba969f0897719c48a7826f0e30a
    2) Aperture is showing the wrong images for various photos.  Note:  Clearly these photos are broken, stretched, just plain wrong
    https://www.evernote.com/shard/s15/sh/81c58b92-1307-4932-b224-b652966ea60a/74d37 ba969f0897719c48a7826f0e30a
    3) Aperture is showing a different photo when the thumbnail is clicked
    https://www.evernote.com/shard/s15/sh/8205f754-1c20-48b7-a2ac-e1967563b0d3/374e4 0a22028e21b78adae7f9e794d68
    Note:  This is the first photo shown in iPhoto, and is the correct photo in iPhoto, but its not in Aperture per the Thumbnail.
    4) Aperture is showing the wrong date information
    https://www.evernote.com/shard/s15/sh/c1ca65a4-7276-4734-b3a2-51fd803df86b/a2bd7 61f93844b38fcae0a4243eb4e39
    Basically, nothing in Aperture is showing correctly.  How can that be possible?  Any suggestions?

    What is your Aperture version? If you just bought it, it will probably be Aperture 3.5.1, but then your profile signature " Mac OS X (10.5.6)" could not be right?
    Looking at the examples you posted, it looks to me, like Aperture's sorting by date is correct - at least the images are ordered by the numbers in the file names, and that strongly suggests, that the capture time in the exif tags is in that order.  I don't know any camera that would name the image files with sequence numbers other than ordered by capture time. Then iPhotos order would be out of sequence with respect to the capture time. Or have you adjusted the  "Dare & Time" in iphoto to deviate from the capture times? How did you transfer the photos from iPhoto to Aperture?
    Regards
    Léonie
    If the thumbnails do not correspond to the actual image files, then rebuild the thumbnails of your photos in that project. Select all images in Aperture in the Browser, go to the "Photos" menu in the main menu bar,  and use the command "generate Thumbnails".
    After that, you should be better able to judge the ordering of the photos from the thumbnails in the browser.
    If receating the thumbnails does not suffice, repair your Aperture libry, and if necessary, rebuild it.
    Hold down the ⌥⌘-keys while launching Aperture, and keep holding them firmly, until you see the Aperture Library First Aid panel. Select "repair database"

  • How do I save an HDR image from Nik silver FX to a jpg in photoshop?

    How do I save an HDR image from silver FX to a jpg in photoshop. when I go to file - save as then option of a jpg does not come up?

    Since the hdr image is probably 32 bits/Channel, you would need to go to Image>Mode and choose either 16 or 8 bits/channel.
    Then in the HDR Toning dialog use the Exposure and Gamma Method with the Exposure set to Zero and Gamma set to One.
    Then you should be able to save out your image as a jpeg.

  • How do I remove images from aperture?

    Totally new to apple and aperture so I apologise if this seems like a somewhat noob question but how do I remove images from aperture (using the latest version, 3.4.1)? Coming from a PC and using lightroom I'm used to being able to remove images in two ways:
    - removing the image from the "library", so that it no longer shows up in the program at all but is still on your hard drive (when I say removing it from the program entirely, I mean entirely, i.e. not sitting in a trash can or some other place where it's still taking up memory)
    - deleting the original image off the hard drive
    Is it possible to do either of these things in aperture, on both just a single image or a selection of multiple images, and if so how? I've tried googling this already and am getting a bunch of mixed solutions, none of which have really worked so far, so any answers would be appreciated. Thanks!

    The answer partially depends on whether you have a managed or referenced library. Since you're totally new to Aperture, I'm assuming you have a managed library since that's the default.
    FYI: Managed means Aperture handles image files and places them inside the library file. Referenced means you manage the image files and Aperture only points to (references) them.
    For a managed library, select an image you want to delete. Type command-delete. (That's the reverse delete key next to the "=" key). (You can also right-click an image and choose Delete Version) That will remove the images from their Project and place in the Aperture Trash. They're still taking up space in the Trash. If you really want them gone for good, right-click the Trash in the library pane and select Empty Trash. Poof.
    For a reference library, I forgot the exact details since I don't use this type of library, but you'll be asked (or can check a box) to delete the original file from the disk.

  • I am trying to organize thousands of images in aperture.  The dates on the old scanned images is all 2008, when I started importing them.  When I change the date in aperture some of them hold the modified date and some revert to 2008.  Any ideas?

    I am trying to organize thousands of old images in aperture.  Aperture dates them all in 2008, when I started this project.  When I change the date in aperture some of them hold the modified date and some revert to 2008.  Any ideas?

      I just tried a test library, re-imported fresh images from a hard drive, and the date changes still revert.
    So neither your external drive nor your Aperture library are to blame.
    What do you mean test in a different user acct?  Would it be a good idea to uninstall and re-download aperture 3?
    Appreciate all your help.
    I meant the trouble shooting procedure described here:  Isolating an issue by using another user account
    To test, if some settings in your user account are faulty or preferences files corrupted, it helps to create a new user account from the "Users&Groups" System preferences. With a brand new user account you can see, if something in your current account is causing this.
    Should you see, that Aperture is not even working from a new and clean account, I'd reinstall Aperture, and if need be the Operating system.  Are you using any plug-ins?

  • Print dialogue box not opening with HDR image

    I created an HDR image using HDR Efex Pro 2 a month ago and printed it.  It is saved as a psd file.  I went to print it yesterday and the print dialogue box won't open. I've tried alt tab to check the box isn't open and hidden.  I've re-created the image and the result still won't open.  No other images are causing this problem.  It's probably something really simple and hopefully someone out there can shed light for me.  Thanks

    Thanks for that - I wondered about the 32 bit/channel but am bemused as to how I got the first print a month ago!!  Now toned which and in 16 bit and print dialogue box opened.
    Thanks guys

  • How do I find duplicate images in Aperture?

    How do I find duplicate images in Aperture AFTER importing my entire library from iPhoto? There must be a way to do that, right?
    Please let me know the secret.
    Thanks!

    Léonie,  Thank you for your rapid reply!
    I am using Aperture Version 3.4.3 and 9.4.2.  I downloaded the Duplicate Annihilator but it gives me an error message that says this:
    I have no idea what that is all about since I am using this library in iPhoto and Aperture. I already sent the company an email asking about the problem.
    I am seeing dupes that came from my original photos in iPhoto and from iPhoto PhotoStreams with monthly dates; these are listed in my Apertrure Projects listing. Is there a way to SAFELY dump these dupes?
    Thanks!
    Robb

Maybe you are looking for