HOME | DD
Okavanga — Luminance Mantiuk 06 HDR - Holy Lynn 2
Published: 2012-10-24 14:57:26 +0000 UTC; Views: 1249; Favourites: 19; Downloads: 59
Redirect to original
Description
Behind the scenes of the Infrared-Club (Extra-Visible Imaging) Leucareth and I have have been having a good discussion about the HDR and tone-mapping software known as Luminance [link] . Peviously known as "qtpfsgui", this free software is a platform for different methods for generating HDR images from bracketed exposures, and for several tone-mapping operators (TMOs) that can be used to generate low dynamic range images that we can view. One of the TMOs is known as Mantiuk 06, after the principal author of the theory, mathematics and coding. Both Leucareth and myself think this is one of the hidden gems of the HDR tone-mapped world and does not appear to be used in commercial software. Here are some examples of the gentle use of the Mantiuk TMO. The parameters used to generate the images are given below. Each of the scenes comes from 3 images at 0 and +/- 2 stops.Pregamma 0.52; contrast mapping 0.1; saturation 0.8; detail factor 12.5.
Update 25102012 Following a request, I have added the 0 stop image for this tone-mapped shot here ==> . The differences should be very apparent. As always in photography and art in general, it is a matter of taste as to whether one or other, or both, or neither, is to be preferred as an image.
Related content
Comments: 15
I love the Mantiuk tone mapper! It can be a total pain in the arse to use, but when it works, it is beautiful!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Indeed - looking back on this image, it has worked quite well.
Many Thanks
David
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
I've just this minute uploaded a new picture that used Mantiuk. I really love the gritty aesthetic it has. When I use Luminance, I always spend about ten minutes pretending to consider using one of the other TMOs, but I always end up using Mantiuk, because it is sexy as hell.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Yep - that new shot looks good!
David
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
The sum of the parts is far superior in this instance . I would also say that this transcends photography and has become ART . Yes ! I know that that is subjective opinion ( shows I was listening) .
In all an excellent set of images , well done Mr Mantuik .
👍: 0 ⏩: 2
Richard - a ggod example, although really a technical image, of the difference between the single exposure and the tone-mapped result. People will argue till the cows come home about the merits or otherwise of these techniques, and long may that remain so. If you've not had a look a Leucareth's work, then look at it to see her renditions - just brilliant.
Cheers
David
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
WOW!!!! She really has an eye . Again her images are ART , very impressive .
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
And of course Mr W
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
I first thought it was a digital painting....outstanding work here
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Many thanks, Jenny, I'm glad you like it. Your point does raise the question of the overlap between digital painting and photography, especially arising from HDR tone-mapped images. One of the points in painting, digital or "real", is that the artist can manipulate the local contrast of the contents of the work, that is the contrast of say one leaf to the next. In conventional photography, mostly it is global contrast that is of importance to the camera's sensors, so leaves blend into one another. But, with HDR, local contrast becomes important as well. Consequently, the leaves are seen as separate.
There is a great deal to these ideas and techniques.
Many Thanks
David
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Nice, this one always gives water that long exposure feel without the wait, I see your doing +- 2 stops, do you think it makes a lot of difference to -+ 1. I'm guessing you used a tripod? As the -2 exposure probably takes a while?
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Linda - in classic HDR work +/- 2 stops, or +/- 3 stops would be essential in order to capture the full dynamic range, particularly on cameras whose dynamic range was not great, say 9 stops or less. Suppose your camera had a 9 stop range then +/- 2 stops would give you 7 to 11 stops. Even 11 stops is not great so +/- 3 stops would be better. For the 40D and the 5D Mark 2, the main cameras I use, then their dynamic range s are about 10-11, and 11-12 respectively, so +/- 2 stops would be OK for most situations. Now, all this presupposes that you have a view that has a dynamic range actually greater than that of your camera! If not, then you are not really making an HDR image in the first place. However, you can still capture 3 images, and tone-map them and exploit the capabilities of the software to generate that "HDR" look. In that case +/- 1 stop may be what is required. Endless arguments ensue about HDR, tone-mapping, is it real, better ways to do things, ad nauseum. However, it is up to the photographer to determine what the purpose of the image is and how to achieve that.
In this image, the dynamic range was greater than that of the camera, the waterfall whiting out on the normal exposure. So +/- 2 stops was essential, and a tripod for the long exposures.
Cheers
David
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
This is all crazy stuff 
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Absolutely, Linda - it all depends on the purpose of the image and what you want to achieve. I am interested in capturing images from very high dynamic range scenes, so then I need to use a big range and sometimes 5 or more images. But for the painterly image, your approach is fine - see the reply to ladycompassion above. At the general level tone-mapped HDR images allow us to see the world in a different way and that is what is so important.
All Good Stuff
David
👍: 0 ⏩: 0