I’m pleased to announce the immediate release of a high-definition video companion to The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2.0 (eBook site)
In this video, you get over two hours (159 minutes, actually) of in-depth training on creating fine-art HDR images with Nik Software’s HDR Efex Pro 2.0. I’ve gone through the entire HDR workflow, starting with image capture and RAW conversion and moving through all the steps you use in HDR Efex Pro 2 to create amazing HDR tone-maps. Continue reading New Companion Video for HDR Efex Pro 2.0 Users→
I just saw this post over on Google+ from Vic Gundotra:
“Earlier this week I proudly welcomed +Nik Software to Google. They’ve been making pictures more awesome for 17 years, and we’re excited to bring Nik’s expertise to the entire Google+ community!
I also want to make something clear: we’re going to continue offering and improving Nik’s high-end tools and plug-ins. Professionals across the globe use Nik to create the perfect moment in their photographs (e.g.,http://goo.gl/aDtkO), and we care deeply about their artistry.
Together with Nik, we’ll continue to put “photography first.”
This is most welcome news!
Frankly, it’s always tricky to judge what will happen when merger/acquisition announcements are made. Especially considering the paucity of details in Monday’s announcement. Many of us were deeply concerned as to whether or not Nik would continue to exist at all. Never say “never,” but this is a positive sign and clear message that current Nik users should embrace.
With HDR Efex Pro 2, you can produce fine-art high dynamic range images. The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2 will teach you every trick and tip for maximizing your HDR experience.
I’ve been getting lots of feedback on my latest digital photography book, The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2. I’m flattered by the comments and blog reviews. Thanks to everyone for your comments and reviews!
Feedback and Reviews of The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2, by Jason P. Odell
Nikon Pro Deborah Sandidge had this to say in her blog review: “Whether you want to create surrealist, illustrative, or realistic photos, Dr. Odell will walk you through the steps for attaining beautiful HDR imagery.”
Dave writes: “Nik HDR Efex Pro 2 is my first venture into HDR software. I was looking for some help in understanding and using the software and I turned to “The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2″ e-book. Every function is thoroughly explained with suggestions as to how to apply them. I found the step by step techniques for tone-mapping to be extremely helpful. A very good source for reducing the learning curve of HDR Efex Pro 2. I would rate this book as highly recommended.”
Linda writes: “Wonderful job on your Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2; I’m really enjoying it. Prior to your ebook and the 40 presets, I wasn’t that satisfied with the software as my images, while looking realistic, seemed flat. Thanks to your 40 presets I’m now loving the program and it has become my go-to HDR software for landscapes. The presets are most helpful in getting me to a good starting point from which I can then tweak a bit for my individual image. The presets alone are well worth the price of the ebook. They let me see better the interaction of the different sliders. Thanks again for the great ebook and presets.”
Introducing The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2, a complete reference for Nik Software’s HDR Efex Pro 2.0 plug-in for Lightroom, Photoshop, and Aperture.
I’m pleased to announce the immediate release of my latest book, The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2. I have completely re-written my original guide to cover the latest version of Nik Software’s amazing HDR tone-mapping plug-in. In this printable PDF guide, I’ll cover everything inside HDR Efex Pro 2 so that you’ll learn how to create amazing HDR images quickly and easily. You also get 40 custom HDR tone-mapping presets that are compatible with HDR Efex Pro 2.0. This book is over 200 pages of reference material and fine-art creative instruction that will set you on your way to making unique HDR images.
Topics include:
Camera settings for perfect HDR exposure sequences
Post-processing RAW files for HDR
How to launch HDR Efex Pro 2 from Lightroom, Aperture, Photoshop, and as a stand-alone program
Alignment and ghost-reduction tools
HDR Method controls and image adjustment tools
Control Points and selective adjustments
Finishing effects and the new Graduated Neutral Density tool
Working with presets
Realistic HDR Settings
Hyper-Realistic HDR Settings
Artistic HDR Settings including grunge, bleach color, and old film styles
Monochrome HDR Settings, including selective black & white
Advanced creative techniques with Photoshop
Over 20 step by-step examples of HDR tone-mapping
I walk you through over 20 different examples of HDR tone-mapping with full color screen-shots.
In this book, I’ll walk you through the creation of more than 20 examples of HDR image processing, covering a wide range of natural and artistic styles. Each example includes step by-step screenshots to show you the exact settings I used to make each image. I’ll also show you advanced techniques with Photoshop layers for creating even more interesting creative images. Along with my examples, I give you 40 of my custom preset files that you can load into your copy of HDR Efex Pro 2 to get you started making HDR images.
Ordering Information
The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2 is available here.
Ebook viewing System Requirements
Mac or PC with Adobe Reader 7.0 or later
iPad with iBooks or GoodReader*
eReader or tablet with PDF reader software*
The Photographer’s Guide to HDR Efex Pro 2 is delivered via download in ZIP archive format. Because this product includes supplemental files, it is not possible to download the book directly to a tablet. Download the ZIP archive to your computer, and then transfer the book PDF file to your iPad or reader tablet via the sync utility (iPad users can use iTunes).
The “Color Bleach” effect with selective colorization is easy to do in HDR Efex Pro 2.
A favorite creative style of mine is the “color-bleached” look with selective colorization. This technique can be particularly useful in HDR images because you can control the textures with different tone-mapping styles.
Here’s a brief overview of how you create this effect in HDR Efex Pro 2
After you merge your images, select a tone-mapping (Tone Compression) style that suits you. For this image, I went with the “Sharp” setting in the Drama control in HDR Efex Pro 2 to exaggerate contrast.
Then, dial in a slightly over-exposed look by adjusting the Exposure (brightness) slider to the right and fine-tuning the contrast controls to your liking. Then, apply a global de-saturation by setting the Saturation slider in the Color Panel to a value around -75% or so. This leaves a little color in the overall image.
Start off by creating a bright, high-contrast image and then desaturate it with the global Saturation slider (Color Panel).
Last, apply Control Points to the area(s) of the image you wish to colorize. Use the Saturation slider on the Control Point to add color back to those areas.
Add color to selected areas of interest by using Control Points.
Tip: Create a saved preset for your global settings so that you don’t have to manually adjust every slider each time you want to apply this effect to your images.
