What editing and lighting create this subtle HDR-like action photo look?
Asked 11/27/2014
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I’m trying to identify the look in an action photo of a biker. It has more detail and punch than a normal image, but it doesn’t have the exaggerated “overcooked HDR” look. What editing or lighting techniques are likely being used, and what terms should I search for if I want to learn how to recreate it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
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This is fill flash + local contrast enhancement (there are many ways to do this, search for single image HDR).
The hard part is trying to compete with the ambient light so that your flash is not completely overpowered by it. you will either need multiple flash units to get enough light, or get your flash really close and rely on the inverse square law.
You will also need to use a high-speed-sync (pulsed) mode as you will need to shoot much faster than your camera's sync speed to freeze the action.
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This look is likely a combination of lighting and post-processing rather than classic multi-exposure HDR.
Based on the image description, the main ingredients are:
- fill flash to light the rider and foreground
- local contrast enhancement or tone mapping to bring out detail and texture
So the best search terms are things like single image HDR, tone mapping, and local contrast enhancement.
It probably is not traditional HDR made from multiple bracketed exposures. The visible shadows suggest flash was used, and the extra punch may come from processing a RAW file to recover tonal detail and add contrast without going into the heavy HDR style.
If you want to recreate it for action shots, look into:
- fill flash outdoors
- high-speed sync flash
- single image HDR / tone mapping
- local contrast enhancement
A key challenge is making the flash strong enough to compete with daylight. That often means using a powerful flash, bringing it close to the subject, or using multiple flashes.
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