HDR Questions for Mike P. and other Photomatix Mavens

[Lance Warley]

Do you use filters when you're bracketing +/- 2 stops for files you plan to process in Photomatix?

Specifically, do you use a:
- Polarizer (if you would use it in the same situation for a non-hdr photo, such as to deepen colors or to enable a longer exposure for blurring water without clipping the highlights)?
- Grad? (I usually use a 2-stop grad for bright skies)
- ND? (I use a ND if a situation is too bright, and also to enable a longer exposure for blurring water, like a polarizer)

On the one hand, it seems that filters would defeat the purpose, because Photomatix wants the over- and under-exposed files for automated blending.

On the other hand, I have trouble seeing (no pun intended) how blending can recover burnt highlights in water while still keeping the blurred effect of a longer exposure.

When I take landscape photos, I'm usually on a trip to a place far from home, so I only get one chance to get the photos right. There's no going back next weekend. For example, my next trip is to Egypt in February.

Before I take the Photomatix plunge, I'm trying to learn from the experienced people so that I don't make an unfixable mistake.

Thanks in advance, folks.

[Scott Grant]

you would still use a polarizer. there is nothing that HDR can do to remove unwanted reflections.

you wouldn't need the ND grad as that is the purpose of HDR (bracketing exposures and combining them to lower tonal contrast)

a ND filter would be a good if you wanted slower overall lower shutterspeeds.

here's an example from a few months ago. i shot this with D300, nikkor 17-55mm, polarizer to cut reflections and tripod. 5 or 7 exposures (can't remember exactly) blended into this.....

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3186/2947548552_7c38c68110_o.jpg

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Lance,
Glad I stumbled on this one.......here's the long answer.......Scott's analysis is correct when doing HDR's.......really no need for the split ND. What I do find is that sometimes.........the HDR effect doesn't work on the scene as intended...this is a visual assesment and not technical....as I haven't done HDR's yet......what to do.......I carry 2 grad soft stop split ND's.....both singh ray.....one 2 stop....one 3 stop....both 4x6 size.....why??.....sometimes in an image......you only have 1/3 or less of sky......with the larger size.....I can slide the filters up (i hand hold mine) to the point where just the very bottom on the grad is hitting the sky......this is where it is the least graduated though and may in fact only be 1 stop of ND power.......hence the second stacked filter......this greatly increases the ND effect where intended. I will then remove the ND's...keep polariser on.....do a quick bracketed multiple exposure......so that when I do start playing with the HDR's......I have something to work with. Megs are cheap....can't hurt to do both!
Here's a good example of the ND technique I describe.....it's B&W.....but it really brought out the detail in the sky.
http://www.birdphotographers.net/forums/showthread.php?t=26515

[Michael Pancier]

Lance, I use the polarizer on my HDR when needed (esp. when taking water shots and I want a reflection or not) ... I've done HDR's with and without NDG's. I take them with and without. Sometimes the pic comes out fine with just the filters and sometimes I need the HDR so I like to have all options. As roman says...memory is cheap ... ;-D

[doug herrick]

I've been doing HDR for a while. I've adopted the practice of using the polarizer 100% of the time, even indoors. I do like the rich colors. You're going to use a tripod anyway, whats a little longer exposure? Hint: Pick a cloudy day with little or no wind.