Hello all. I have been coming to this website for awhile now and I have learned some much from all of you guys. One thing that I can’t seam to figure out is tone mapping. I have seen several people mention it as one of their editing steps but I have not been able to figure out what it is, how it is done or what it is used for. Need help.
More specifically. tone mapping is a software process that controls "local area contrast" while compressing the extremes of a wide tonal range down to what can be displayed on the screen/print. It is a component of what is called HDRI, "High Dynamic Range Imaging". With Photomatix it is actually called "tone mapping". Photoshop CS2 also has HDRI capability, and their version of tone mapping is the "Shadow/Highlight" adjustment tool.
There are differences in the results produced by these tools, but they basically address the same issue. Both of them can be used on any image, whether it is actually an HDRI image or not, and both of them, when carried to extremes, produce exaggerated, cartoon-like effects. There's been a bit of a fad for it in here lately, though it seems to be dying down.
Here's an example of tone mapping applied to an "ordinary" image:
The first post in this thread discusses how it was made.
I love how it helps even out the highlights and shadows so I'll share mine too...I wish I had originals to compare it to but I'm at work...sorry
the first one had so much darkness in the rocks that it just looked like a blob and the sky was mostly level toned cause it was so cloudy...
I just did this one this weekend. I tried to get an exposure somewhere between the sky and ground but it just didn't work. Tone mapping really helped even out the light levels.
(I actually considered PM'ing Bear_music to see if he'd play with this one for me)
just uploaded the original of this image:
oh and I threw on some gothic glow too just for fun.
I just got Photomatix yesterday, and I'm trying to figure out how to get these beautiful photos that I see everyone else get. It takes some practice because when the images are first "done", yikes. . .it is some HARSH, CONTRASTY stuff. But I've gotten a couple of them to look like they are supposed to so I think I'm going to love it.
It certainly seems to be the way of the photographic future, doesn't it?
Remember SandyP that the first image you see after you HDR it in Photomatix is a "true" HDR image. It looks terrible on our monitors because we cannot see true HDR on these Non HDR monitors. You must now go to "tonemapping" in photomatix to fix up that original HDR you see.
Originally posted by SandyP:
I just got Photomatix yesterday, and I'm trying to figure out how to get these beautiful photos that I see everyone else get. It takes some practice because when the images are first "done", yikes. . .it is some HARSH, CONTRASTY stuff. But I've gotten a couple of them to look like they are supposed to so I think I'm going to love it.
It certainly seems to be the way of the photographic future, doesn't it?
This photo was tone-mapped without using a plug-in.
All I used was what was available to me in the stock version of Photoshop. The main feature I used was the "Local Adaptation" feature.
I would love to learn more about this method...got a tutorial sitting around there somewhere? I've seen the original of this image and it is an amazing difference.
This photo was tone-mapped without using a plug-in.
All I used was what was available to me in the stock version of Photoshop. The main feature I used was the "Local Adaptation" feature.
I would love to learn more about this method...got a tutorial sitting around there somewhere? I've seen the original of this image and it is an amazing difference.
Thanks...The tutorial is already underway...stay tuned!
I was just experimenting with various PS features that I know NOTHING about, tried high pass, and liked the effect.
Did I tone map without knowing it?
very interesting effect. I'm not really sure as I've never took b/w into consideration...I personally would contact bear_music and see what he thinks. It is really a cool image.
More specifically. tone mapping is a software process that controls "local area contrast" while compressing the extremes of a wide tonal range down to what can be displayed on the screen/print. It is a component of what is called HDRI, "High Dynamic Range Imaging". With Photomatix it is actually called "tone mapping". Photoshop CS2 also has HDRI capability, and their version of tone mapping is the "Shadow/Highlight" adjustment tool...
R.
This is a Homer Simpson moment for me as I used to use Shadow/Highlight a lot, liked the results but found folk thought it was too artificial. Doh! No wonder I find tone mapping so close to what I want to portray :-)
very interesting effect. I'm not really sure as I've never took b/w into consideration...I personally would contact bear_music and see what he thinks. It is really a cool image.
Ahhh, just read Bear's notes that went with his image earlier in the thread, and NOW I understand what I did; not what the tool was meant to be used for, but *I* like it :)
