HDR Photography Beginners Guide - How to Create Realistic HDR Photos

[@leatherforpets3636]

best video explaining HDR on youtube

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad you think so! Thanks 😀 👍

[@petersola2982]

Anthony, i like how you’ve slowed your delivery. It makes it easier to follow. Great job.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Peter. This one's an older video, so I probably started slower and sped up the pace overtime. But I'm working hard to get the pacing right, but I never please everyone.

[@markfrank0924]

Excellent video, a real pro but more important a good teacher. Many on the Internet are what I call "over teachers", they tell you stuff to impress you with what they know. Anthony teaches what you need to know in a calm and unassuming way. in his work examples one can see how good he is as a photographer and photo editor. i learned more in this short HDR video than I have in several twice its length. Thanks Anthony, great teaching and outstanding photo examples.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Mark. Your cheque is in the mail 😆. No, seriously I really appreciate your kind words and review of my teaching. I'm humbled. Thanks very much 🙏

[@davidfhunt]

super demo of Aurora HDR

[@MyLifefunthingss]

Fantastic, here in 2024 and need to add this to my bag 💼

[@keithnielsen7758]

I’m really happy that I found your channel because I’m a beginning photographer and I would prefer to learn to edit my own work & Lightroom isn’t easy to use and the customer support is difficult because of the language barrier.

[@anthonyhitchings1051]

I just bought a Nikon D5300 for its auto-bracketing feature to make capturing HDR sequence photos easier, in particular landscapes in Utah's canyon country.

[@chrissimiles3599]

Excellent video, just what I need to know! Very precise but not too much information. Thank you!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@fseniorc]

Well done, Anthony. Excellent examples, sequence, pacing, voice, and simplicity (which is very hard to do!).

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Many thanks Fernando!

[@sidharthvinesh6081]

Actually these subject tend to be a very for a beginner. But by watching your video I've got some idea about dynamic range. Nice explanation. Very well done👍

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ginotarabotto]

Superb explanation, subscribed. Thx man.

[@waynelast1685]

nice presentation. Impressed with the Aurora software

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad to hear that Wayne! I've been giving Aurora a good work out today with some architectural photography!

[@mfthedronepoet9745]

Thanks for making your talet available here, you are one of the few that communicate in a clear and understandable way and with knowleage, well done!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

I appreciate that! Thanks for your kind words!

[@iamaktewari]

Thanks for the wonderful video. I appreciate the manner in which you break dn the process into smaller understandable bits with equal value to both the theory n practical editing. 👌

[@dougnelson423]

Anthony, outstanding video as are all your videos. Thanks

[@AnthonyTurnham]

I appreciate that Doug!

[@CraftyOldGit]

This has been very helpful -- thanks. I have owned Aurora for several years but never got beyond using the presets. While having another look, I remembered it can create an HDR from a single RAW, and that it is possible to export iPhone RAW files from iPhoto.

[@ozguy80]

Brilliant tutorial. You are such a good presenter, Anthony ... always clear, constructive and most importantly, inspiring! I've learnt so much from all your tutorials. Thank you!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Awesome, thank you!

[@shyamsundarmadabathula4769]

Explained very well with workflow.. Thanks mate

[@AnthonyTurnham]

You're welcome Shyam!

[@cypressf.9668]

Great video, I'll get Aurora!!!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Nice one Nils. Don't forget your discount with my code ATSKY10 😀

[@steveember8972]

Delighted to have discovered this video and have subscribed to your channel. Your low-key style of instruction is so welcome in a world full of shouting (as well as under-qualified KZbinrs who should definitely find a different profession). For years, especially when using slide film, I have routinely bracketed scenes with challenging lighting, with the intention of processing with HDR, but as you alluded, finding a capable as well as intuitive program was elusive. What brought me to your video, however, was doing some landscape shooting this week with my Canon 5D4 and a film era 20mm MF lens mounted via adapter. Short story: Using camera's viewfinder, I was getting wildly overexposed results. Switching to live view (and same settings!) results were much better, but still not wonderful. I then happened to remember the 5D4 has internal HDR - quite the revelation, even with conservative settings. But your demonstration of the Aurora program reminded me of how much more control and finesse can be brought to the process, when doing traditional bracketing. I'll look forward to trying out the Aurora HDR and, of course, viewing more of your instructional videos. Thanks!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thank you Steve!

[@wolfietigerstripes3248]

Im an amateur photographer and i just like playing around with the camera right now. I know enough about the basics to just play around and try the more next level stuff now, and HDR is one thing i dipped my toes into to try. Right now im useing snapseed cause i currently dont have anything else and i love how you can go as far as making the photo look like it was painted to making it look to the point where it was right in front of you. I love your video, very well done, and i hope to catch more of your stuff in the future. :)

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks so much Wolfie! Best wishes for your photography journey!

[@mariamccormick7879]

Loved it... very clear delivery. thank you.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad it was helpful Maria!

[@dysanmf2h]

WoW what a great explanation to everyone's problem as beginners, this what I m talking about, thank you pls, can we get intouch ?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks. Posting comments ont he videos is the best way to keep in touch. Cheers! 😀

[@dysanmf2h]

@@AnthonyTurnham because I wanted to show you my pics so you ll find me on instagram, I will post them there.

[@Miaou12]

Rarely I've watched such a well explained video on yt! Hats off dude!!!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Benjamin 😀

[@tanweercaa]

Excellent tutorial.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Many thanks!

[@MrNaveedmoscow]

Thanks for the great video 👍

[@shellybergman3211]

Thank you Anthony!!!! I'm so excited to try this! It's EXACTLY what I'm looking for as a beginner 💞💞💞

[@AnthonyTurnham]

You're so welcome Shelly! Glad it's been helpful!

[@craigscott3133]

Excellent presentation. I learned a lot and will refer back to it often. Thank you.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Cheers Craig!

[@billyhaake7618]

An excellent tutorial, concise and filled with practical knowledge. I enjoyed watching.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Brilliant. Thanks Billy.

[@roadhound101]

Liked n subscribed mate.... a very informative vid! :)

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Nice one Paul. Cheers pal 👍

[@seanstout7904]

Thank you for another great video!! Very educational and easy to follow 😁

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Sean

[@TheAragonProduction]

EXCELLENT video!

[@rogerhampton4592]

Great video. Thank you for making me spend even more money with Skylum!

[@paulmclinden7046]

Hi Anthony, I've just watched a few of Joel Grimes videos on Portraiture HDR captures where he moves the canon 5ds from side to side and up and down on a tripod, to capture up to 9 images where he then stitches that lot together to create some outstanding images: up to 20 feet long, used by Adobe and Canon in their premises and workshops. Is there any chance of you recreating the same sort of portraiture in your own style with today's more up to date software? Boy, that was a mouthful! Cheers Paul

[@craigbyrne1441]

Thanks for a very clear and concise demonstration. Love the channel.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Awesome, thank you Craig!

[@wmeredith1115]

Awesome video, Mr. Turnham… I just discovered your channel, and subscribed in just a few minutes…. I am still learning HDR, and this vid has been very helpful… Thank you very much for what you do…. Will be watching more of your videos….

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Awesome, thank you!

[@francissosingindyrcworldga8936]

Great video sir! I'm looking forward to trying this out

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hope you enjoy it Francis!

[@johnlavin-ford8372]

As a fellow photographer I can safely say that was a well paced informative video. Just subbed. I like the fact you are not overly editing and assuming prior knowledge. Thanks.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks for the sub and the comment!

[@Bishnu_Deb]

Excellent presentation, Anthony. This is what exactly I was looking for. Thanks a lot for sharing such valuable information about HDR shooting. You've earned a subscriber.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks!

[@Bishnu_Deb]

@@AnthonyTurnham you are most welcome.

[@bobstl8647]

Wow....no kidding....that might be one of the very best instructional videos I have ever seen! I am in real estate, and the blown-out windows are always a problem when taking interior shots. This is EXACTLY what I need! Your delivery and style is perfect. I just want to make sure. I only need Aurora....correct? Not Lightroom or Photoshop? I just bought an HP Spectre 360.....will be getting that all set up..........and the first program I will add is Aurora. I'll be shooting with a Canon 70D. I'll be sure to watch the instructions on shooting HDR with the 70D. Thanks again.....great video!!! -Bob in StL

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Bob. I appreciate the feedback on the video. Yes, you're right from an HDR point of view, Ie combining blown out windows with the interior of rooms yes - Aurora should give you some really good results. It has other tools to help enhance the overall image too. A worthy addition to take things further is Luminar (made by the same company) as you're able to do sky replacement with one click using it's inbuilt AI. That's come to the rescue for me on a couple of architecture shots on drab days! But as a starter, Aurora would be great and potentially all you need. ATSKY10 should get you a discount of $10 too. bit.ly/2TfoisF_HDR.

[@marclabro]

very nice tuto !

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad you liked it! Thanks Marc 😀

[@christoph404]

very informative video...and clearly and simply explained...a great help to a technophobe such as myself!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Great to hear! Thank you🙏

[@barbarachamberlain6918]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

You're welcome!

[@Rizwanaaaay]

Thanks Anthony, congradulations you got one more loyal subscriber.

[@johncameron6853]

Thanks for that Anthony, bought Aurora and was a bit worried about using it correctly. After watching your vid i feel a bit more confident and look forward to what happens next with my photography. Great videos by the way, keep em coming. 👍😎

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Great to hear John!

[@michaelnicholas80]

Very well done.

[@filmmaker4835]

Woow 🔥 thanks!

[@adrianalfordphotography]

Great video Anthony. Some awesome tips in there. Cheers mate for sharing.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Adrian. It was meant to be a quick video to record but I ended up spending ages on it! Titles, examples, etc etc. Glad you liked it! :)

[@IdleWind]

Is the benefit of Aurora that it uses AI to blend the images while to do the blending in Lightroom/Photoshop you would need to do it manually? Or, is there more to the difference? Thanks for the video, btw. As others have commented, your style is good, not too simple, not too technical. With the finished images at the end, it would have been cool to see the pre-blends images as well.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Tim. Yes, the big advantage of Aurora is the blend is done, as you say, with AI and the result is automatic and very realistic. It's the closest I've found for merging the bracketed set into something that resembles what you saw when you were actually there. And for me in my landscape and architectural photography work this is of the highest priority.

[@wlacalle]

Thanks for the tutorial it’s amazing 🙏

[@AnthonyTurnham]

My pleasure 😊

[@Mysticatlover]

Great video! I have a question I selected the HDR mode for a portrait photography on a landscape... and it actually looked great. But you said no portraits?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Well the reason portraits aren't usually a good option for hdr is two fold. The first is that the dynamic range shouldn't be so great that you can't get a full dynamic range captured in one shot, thus rendering hdr unnecessary. Secondly it's very possible your subject will move between the bracketed shots so the frames won't merge accurately. Landscapes and architecture often need higher dynamic ranges and often don't suffer from movement. That's why they suit HDR.

[@davidsiebert9292]

Thank you. I believe I am going to try Arora. I am currently using a different software that I am happy with but you did such a great job explaining how Arora can help me get the end result I am looking for that I am going to give it a try. Thanks again!

[@sharonraizor2839]

Excellent! I like using the bracketing feature in my Fuji but I want post processing to be a little easier. I bought Aurora and have been coming back to this great presentation for tips. Thanks!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Sharon. Which Fuji do you have. I'm thinking of adding the xt-4 to my currently Nikon only line-up. But predominantly just for vlogging and more videos onsite and in the field for this channel....

[@gimbalair]

Cheers, Ant. Just binge watched this, Aurora HDR and Luminar AI vids. I just bought the 2021 Xmas package. I now feel i have a good understanding of all three (I get Neo too when available in Feb 22) and look forward to making my pictures pop. I only film using a drone it shoots raw and has 5 AEB, pretty sure all photos will be on that setting to give me max flexibility to get it right in post.

[@SuperBigyetti]

Thank you for breaking it down! Very useful and simply explained! Now as I got my mirrorless camera I started to dig into this interesting world of photography. One thing I knew for certain from this video is that HDR in smartphones probably do all the work by the software, since I don't feel like my phone actually take couple of photos and then stich them together. And hence the result is not as perfect as it may be if you do it with bracketing. A question - is there a visible difference to use aperture priority rather than a shutter priority?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Yes, definitely there's a difference. By changing your aperture you're changing the depth of field between shots. So some frames will be less sharp in areas than others making them inconsistent to merge successfully. You want to change shutter speed to vary the exposure, not the aperture. Thanks for the great question!

[@axifwalu]

Thanks for your efforts.. It helped a lot :)

[@chipblock2854]

Thanks for the video. You did a great job explaining the work flow. I have wanted to take and process HDL photos for a few years. I haven't because the two programs I have do not do a very good job with HDL or it's my inexoerience. In anycas the results are often fake looking. So this program looks to be the answer. When you were showing the program I notice a series of photos at the bottom of the screen. Are those different presets that the program is suggesting? What if you took more than 7 photos? Does it make your ,final photo any better. Lastly, can you save the finished photo as a TIFF file?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi. Good questions! Yes, I've found Aurora to give the most natural results. Those are possible presets at the bottom. I think they may be ones I created for different jobs. The number of photos you use only makes the finished result better IF the original scene has a very large difference between the darkest and the brightest part. 7 stops of bracketed images is more than enough in most cases. Yes you can save as a lovely 16bit TIFF with proPhoto colorspace if you want optimum information in the output file.

[@kylefermindoza]

awesome vid. Can we saved the merged images as a raw image?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Good question Kyle. Saving as a 16bit Tiff in ProPhoto color space is the best bet for saving maximum data into the file. Saving as raw is what is captured directly to the camera's sensor so it's not an option during the editing stage.

[@SandraStevenshlpmehlpu2014]

I have been very confused as this is a new computer...I mean camera..lol. So much more to learn about. You are great at explaining the process without muddying the water or causing un due stress for the individual watching your video. Thanks for sharing. I believe that light room and adobe photoshop 21 have this capability?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Sandra. Glad you like the video :) Yes, PS21 has an HDR function but as it's not a dedicated HDR software it's not quite as good at it, imho. Lightroom can combine the different exposures into one dng file but you then need to bring back the shadow/highlights etc. yourself. So it's kinda HDR but not a complete solution.

[@rrhsd]

Can Aurora be used as a plug-in with LR and PS? I use LR to make HDR; it leaves me with a really large TIFF file. The TIFF file tends to be bland, but it leaves me with a huge file that allows me to bring out the details and the colors I want/need. Is the Aurora file as a JPEG sufficient in size to further allow me to do numerous edits in LR, PS, NIK and Topaz? Thank you for your time.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi. Good questions. Yes it can be used as a plugin. As for the file exported, you can either export as a jpeg or tiff. If I'm doing a lot of post production afterwards I'll go with a 16bit tiff. Good thing with Aurora vs Lightroom is it does the combining work of the different exposures, whereas you still need to tweak the shadows highlights etc in Lightroom to bring the details back.

[@mrrockenrock]

Great Video. I want to try the Aurora software for my first HDR. I hope the discount code still works. For my camera, should I use camera raw files? Does the result of the HDR photo show up better on 10 bit HDR monitor? How does the monitor know it is HDR photo? For your professional editing what monitor are you using? Sorry so many questions!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Roger, I believe ATSKY10 is still active! (Let me know) . The monitor I use is listed in the vid description. It's this amzn.to/346A64E. Yes, shoot raw. Don't forget the idea of HDR is to take information that lies outside of standard viewing devices and then creates a merged version that compresses that tonal range into a visually acceptable range. So really the 10-bit monitor is kinda redundant because you want your output file to look good on as an 8bit image. If you want to do further editing you want to create a 16bit AdobeRGB or ProPhoto file, but, that's just to give the software more latitude for further changes while keeping nice smooth gradients etc. Hopefully that makes sense.... Bottom line is, yes you want a good colour accurate monitor, but it's not really so you can see HDR files better. You're creating an HDR file to bring back highlight and shadow detail in a believable way and display it on normal accessible screens, or print within printable gamuts. A good monitor will help with colour accuracy, less eye strain, being able to see the file you're working on better and generally give you a better and more enjoyable experience when working. 👍

[@dbb8448]

this is more practical and realistic content

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Cheers Danny

[@Jimmy_Cavallo]

💥Excellent video. Is there a free trial version of Aurora.?? 🤟🏼

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi mate. Unfortunately Aurora was discontinued about a month ago.

[@Jimmy_Cavallo]

@@AnthonyTurnham No way. I wonder why.

[@garnettburk6126]

I have a question bought aurora ,do you need photoshop to run it or is it a stand alone soft ware I’m only interested it for hdr Thank you for a great Video you are truly a pro in every way

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks! Aurora runs as a standalone app or a plugin.

[@FOBA1987]

Tony, is it possible to do both HDR and focus stacking with a series of images? Great video. Thanks.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Yes - and no. You'd need to approach it in two passes. First combine your shots into HDR processed versions. Then do you focus stacking process at the end. (Aurora doesn't natively do focus stacking, I still do mine in photoshop)

[@normanrobson9957]

I’m interested in knowing what is focus stacking is.

[@grephusingati7807]

Very well tutored,thanks.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad it was helpful!

[@fragilecolours]

So pleased I stumbled across this video Anthony - I've been getting back into photography and this was so helpful, checked out the Aurora software and downloaded it... now that is a superb piece of software, intuitive and so easy to put great images together. Thanks so much for putting this video together :-)

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad it was helpful!

[@whitehorseflyer]

Hi, just found your channel and really enjoy how you present. So you say that the only thing you change to get the bracketing is the shutter speed, how far either side of the camera recommended value? So if it's going to shoot in auto at 1/250 are you going 1/500 and 1/125? Thanks

[@AnthonyTurnham]

For most cases that's correct. I like to bracket 5 exposures. So you're moving up +1 +2 stops and down -1 and -2 stops from the cameras "correct" reading. Some scenes with more contrast need 7 or even 9 but usually 5 will suffice. So in your example 1/250th base, 1/1000th, 1/500th, 1/125th and 1/60th.

[@whitehorseflyer]

@@AnthonyTurnham great thanks.

[@ewa3415]

Thank you , thank you, thank you :)

[@gilbertoparra5481]

Thanks!

[@dongee6351]

Your effort was well worth while. A very good informative video well above the average, thanks.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Don. I appreciate that :)

[@jerryrichards8172]

I think in 35mm film we called this braketing. But we didn't have light room.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Jerry! The process of capturing frames with different exposure values is still called bracketing. The act of combining those exposures into one useable image is called HDR, or "creating an HDR image"

[@keithnielsen7758]

Do you have a video for luminar that shows you how to fix blown out windows ❓

[@AnthonyTurnham]

I cover window issues over on my architecture editing channel. bit.ly/ATArchitecture Pretty sure I did one incorporating Neo...

[@LegrejLeforlivet]

Haven´t even seen the video to it´s end yet - I will, I will - just awesome. Will follow it to the end and then again. Thanks a lot - have to continue :-)

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks! I appreciate you watching!

[@samuelk3038]

Can you please show us how to do the bracketing manually? I've got a basic dslr that doesn't have auto bracketing and would love to see what settings are best for that

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Samuel. The easiest way to do it manually would be to shoot in manual mode on a tripod. Set up the camera with what the meter says would give you a good exposure. Then simply change the shutter speed to half that and take another shot. Then double your original shutter speed and take one more. This would give you a series of 3 images that are effectively bracketed 1 stop apart. You could take one more image either side by again halving or doubling the shutter time to get a series of 5 if that were needed to cover all the shadow and highlight detail. Hope that helps :) BTW just make sure you don't move the camera when changing your settings!

[@kent2000100]

Excellent video. Keep going!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Thanks Kent. I appreciate the feedback. Cheers, Anthony :)

[@mafairless]

great tutorial!!! My only question that I don't see answered is why did you use Manual Focus instead of Auto Focus?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

And great question. I like to switch to manual focus before running the bracketed set just so that I know there's no focus hunting going on during the series. Bu all means use auto focus to first find the focus, but then I recommend just switch your camera or lens to manual and you know the focus will definitely stay consistent throughout the series of exposures.

[@mafairless]

@@AnthonyTurnham got it. Thank you so much!

[@Jace0241]

Phenomenal video. Thank you so much!!!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Cheers Oscar. :)

[@creative.605studio6]

Fantastic tutorial! Super insightful, thank you!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Glad it was helpful!

[@GHutube8]

Like your instructional videos. Been subscribed. Getting ready to do an HDR large landscape print. It's been a while (10 years) since I've done one at this level... it did win a national contest. Software and cameras have come a long way... I do have Aurora (I think it's still active) I'll use 3 exposures all 2 apart. Plan to use raw files. Will Aurora handle raw files? PS will. I Do not use Lightroom. I intend to edit with PS 32 bit. Files (Canon camera) will start out with 52 mp exposures each ... lots of data for a VERY large print. Tripod, and electronic trigger....always. I would appreciate your thoughts and any recommendations. I would love to go there for a seminar... might be a while before travel is really allowed. Thanks.... Gary H

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Sounds like a plan Gary. Yes, you'll be fine with raw images in Aurora. Ping me through a smaller jpg when you're done. I'd love to see how it goes! ([e-mail])

[@GHutube8]

@@AnthonyTurnham Thanks... " ping me through a smaller jpeg " Can that be translated to American PS english

[@GHutube8]

??

[@GHutube8]

Chuckle....

[@GHutube8]

@@AnthonyTurnham by

[@don7117]

Great video - gotta kill those power poles, though.

[@AZTigerMMA]

I bought the package that included Aurora. It looks so grain like and pixelated I can’t figure out why I would want to use Aurora yet but lunar 4 is pretty dope

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Aurora is all about bringing together photos that have different exposure values and a high range of contrast into one photo that can then be edited.

[@sylvest1001]

Thanks for the great video - very informative

[@AnthonyTurnham]

You're welcome Sylvest. I appreciate the feedback. Cheers, Anthony :) I love the artwork in your profile pic by the way! Very cool.

[@charlescomerlatto3936]

Hi, Anthony. Really liked the video. The problem here is that I live in Brazil and the cost of Aurora is prohibitive (it is almost half of a minimum wage). Is there another software that you would recommend? An open source perhaps... Thanks.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Charles. Sorry to say I don't know of a good freeware or open source alternative.

[@charlescomerlatto3936]

@@AnthonyTurnham thank you. I appreciated your time to answer it. :)

[@terryblizzard2294]

Hi Anthony, I have only recently came across your page, which now I am subscribed too. I am very interested in taking HDR photos. This Aurora software you mentioned to use can this be used on it’s own without any other. Unfortunately I don’t have L/R OR P/S. Appreciate your comment on this and is it a one off payment for Aurora or a yearly subscription? Ps Just to say I found your video absolutely brilliant for beginners like myself.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Terry. Thanks for your comment and kind words 🙏👍😊. Aurora can work just fine on its own. No need for other apps. The cost (which you can save on using the code ATSKY10) covers usage forever... not just a year! Please use the linking the description to help my channel. Thanks 😀

[@AZTigerMMA]

Would I want to use Aurora first before using Illuminar 4 or visa verssa

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi mate. Blend your differnetly exposed photos first in Aurora. Then move on to the edit in Luminar.

[@geovanivela6733]

Hello Anthony, first of all I love your videos and this programs are by far the best that you have introduce to me in your videos and the way you explain everything in detail my friend is just clear as water. It has being a lot of help as I just bought this software myself. But I am not so sure if I am saving the pictures the right way and I am not sure where I am saving them to. Could you give me a bit of your help please? On how I can go back to that save pictures, I will appreciate it a lot.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Geovani. Cheers for the comment and question! So save the files to your place of choice (not very helpful so far I know :) ). Where that is is a whole topic in itself. Personally I have a fast SSD drive I save things to while I'm actively working on them. They're later all backed up to various places. If you're on PC for now your C drive will suffice. Go to the menu, choose save and save the file in the .mpaur2 format. This will allow you to go back to make adjustments to the edit within Aurora. When you want to save what you've done as an image to share, put on the web, print etc. go to export and export it as a jpeg file. Or if you want to edit it further in any other program, a Tiff is a good option. Hope that points you in the right direction :)

[@SigmaRealEstateStudios]

Would you still recommend this software in 2021? Great video by the way !!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Absolutely! I used it this morning as part of my architectural photography workflow and it's still very much an integral part of how I post process my imagery. Great question!

[@SigmaRealEstateStudios]

@@AnthonyTurnham I’m shooting more and more listings these days and I like that HDR let’s you shoot quicker than with a flash but if not done right window pulls can be a nightmare later on. I download a trial of Luminar as well, the sky replacement feature is amazing for those cloudy days when shooting exteriors. Any recommendations with this software if I want to use flash as minimal as possible?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

@Sigma Real Estate Studios true true! If you're wanting to do a bit of flambient in Lumiinar as well you can load your flash layer through the texture tool. It's a bit of a hack for introducing another layer but it would work. Alternatively go for Luminar 4 which supports layers. In either case you can use my discount code ATSKY10 to save a bit at the checkout. My workflow would be Aurora HDR, then into Luminar for finishing touches and lens and transform corrections, then add flash layer for blending IF needed. Hoep that helps mate. All the best. 👍

[@SigmaRealEstateStudios]

@@AnthonyTurnham I’ll definitely be using your code. I know how much we all put into making these videos on KZbin and how much things like that help out. I’m trying to download the free trial of aurora but it’s not letting me, I may just skip the trial and buy it. Thanks for all your help brotha!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

No worries mate. Bets of luck with it all. Cheers for your support!

[@raykearney1472]

Hi, is it possible to focus stack and exposure bracket at the same time?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

I'm afraid not.

[@TheCaywood3]

Thanks

[@icom782]

Does it matter what setting you choose? Do you need to set the correct exposure or camera set it on its own and then take photos under and over exposed?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi iCoM. You want to get as much right in camera as possible. Sometimes with a good exposure you don't even need HDR because all of the luminosity information falls nicely within one file. However, yes, start with a good base exposure and then shoot one or two stops above and one or two below. The more contrast in your scene, the more you need to bracket your exposures and get darker and lighter versions for the software to combine. Personally I always recommend getting the right exposure manually. Use the camera's meter for sure, but do it in manual mode. 😀

[@icom782]

@@AnthonyTurnham Thank you for your answer :)

[@capricorn1ne]

Great feature. Why shutter bracketing as opposed to exposure though?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Jon. Changing the shutter speed is effectively changing the exposure, ie exposure bracketing. It's just changing the shutter rather than aperture to control the exposure means your depth of field remains constant from shot to shot.

[@capricorn1ne]

@@AnthonyTurnham thank you Anthony

[@Texankirk1]

Excellent video. I was looking for the link for Aurora. Can you provide the link?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

macphun.evyy.net/c/1304886/513351/3255 Use code ATSKY10 for a discount! Thanks for the compliment on the vid :) Funnily enough, I've just been using Aurora to merge some architectural shots I recently took.

[@edwardvk]

Hi Anthony, thanks for producing this tutorial! You're helping me so much. My Canon camera produces RAW images in .CR3 files, but (as of today) Aurora does not support this format. Until it does, do you agree that I should convert my RAW files to DNG format for HDR processing in Aurora?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Edward. .dng, tiff or even good old jpegs work pretty well if you have a set of 3 or more. Personally I'd go tiff 16bit. Takes longer to render the result but I always like to have the maximum quality to work with. But I'm pedantic about it. Use jpegs and the average viewer wouldn't be able to tell the difference.

[@mach.880]

Edward - I hate to step in here since this is Anthony's video and he recommend Aurora, but as a general consumer like you, I should warn you: DO NOT BUY AURORA. I've been doing research and the developers of Aurora have no interest in updating their software to support .CR3 and other camera RAWs (Fujifilm, newer Nikons/Canons, etc). For years, they've been telling customers to "Convert your RAWs to .DNG files using Adobe's convertor" which is an absolute waste of time and defeats the purpose of having HDR editing software that can't even support the images taken out of your camera.

[@strudsens]

thank you so mch

[@AnthonyTurnham]

You're welcome!

[@stefanhansen5882]

Wonderful explanation. :) I am new to photography and just bought myself a Fujifilm X-T4. It can do HDR in camera. How do you think the quality of this compares to using software? Thanks!

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hi Stefan. Couldn't say for sure as I've never done a direct comparison. However, in my experience, dedicated software usually outperforms in-camera operations.

[@stefanhansen5882]

@@AnthonyTurnham Thanks.

[@normanrobson9957]

Hi Anthony could I just tale 1 Raw photo and then create the photos in different exposures, I need for the HDRs?

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Good question. If you capture all dynamic range in one image then there's no need for an hdr merge. It's useful for contrasty scenes where the difference between the highlights and shadows is such that it can't be captured in one frame. Therefore adjusting one shot to different exposure values doesn't really add any benefit.

[@mswsmw8838]

Why not simply use exposure bracketing Its a that easier or is there another reason I've missed

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Cheers for the comment. So, yes, you need to bracket your exposures to capture the full dynamic range, the HDR process is combining those seperate bracketed shots into 1 final image that takes the best of each exposure.

[@googleit1131]

PSA: you don't need a shutter release trigger if you have a modern DSLR or Mirrorless camera. Many modern cameras allow you to connect your phone to your camera and get limited control (setting changes, see what the camera sees, shutter release, etc). That said, if you have an older camera, or a camera that doesn't have built-in wifi or Bluetooth, you'll probably need a shutter release trigger. Just wanted to throw that out there...

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Cheers for the comment. I like having a remote trigger but equally using the camera's self-timer does the job too.

[@oldcootcamper]

Thank you for the video - it was quite helpful in understanding this. I've just started photography and am using my daughter's Nikon D3400 until I figure out what camera I want. I know that it doesn't have exposure bracketing. However, could I simply use the exposure compensation adjustment and leave the other settings alone? Or, adjust the shutter speed to get varying exposures with all other settings the same? Thank you.

[@AnthonyTurnham]

Hiya. Yes, you're on the right lines with both of those ideas. Personally I'd opt for shooting in manual mode and changing the shutter speed. But, both ways would get you the bracketed shots to get going with in the HDR software. Just be careful if you're making changes to the camera and touching it that you don't bump it. Auto align can correct misaligned shots due to slight movements, but it's best to get it right in camera if you can. Best of luck for your photography journey! :)