Couple of days ago, Brad Moore (Music Photographer extraordinaire – Photo assistant to Scott Kelby) came to me with an image that he shot on his way to a Bluegrass festival. The shot was from The Desert Inn in Yeehaw Junction in Florida. He didn’t think much of the mood in the area other than “Hey.. I think this image would do well as an HDR shot. ..”
While normally someone would look at the image and say “Eh, Sky’s not too good – environment is blah – kinda decent building but I should’ve been here at X time” and then throw the image out – I usually just perk up. See, I consider myself to be (Photographically speaking) Part Artist – Part Technician. I love making pictures of people and landscapes. I equally love making artwork in Photoshop – and both of those are satisfied very well inside the world of HDR – specifically 1 shot HDR.
There is a general feeling about HDR that you need 3-5 images to play with in order to produce something. I call – hogwash. You are hereby given permission to go out there and do whatever you wish in the world of HDR – including single shot HDR images. This frame would have been something that would’ve been thrown away normally, and there was so much to it.. if we just spent some time coaxing out the nuances of it.
Is it a picture? Nope.. but I never intended it to be – hence the textured overlay on the shot. I just wanted it to be pretty… plain and simple. I didnt want to get into the argument – didnt want to talk techie specifics. I just wanted to make something cool. So much so, i’ve even added a section of it on my personal collection of stuff (gets rotated a lot though). Check out the Before and After movie of the shot!
Now, I want you to make something cool too – and if you do, i’ll give you a prize! Let’s do this- let’s add a link below here for you to download a copy of that NEF source file that I started with:
Click here to download the source NEF file
Go ahead and play with it and make something that’s your own. Once you do, send me a message via Twitter (making sure you’re following me) or send a message through the contact section of this page. Point me to where -you- posted your image. We’ll go ahead and choose a winner from there.
The winner will get a copy of Trey Ratcliff’s amazing book “World in HDR” (Thanks to our folks over at Peachpit) AND a copy of Matt Kloskowski’s “Real World HDR” DVD. . Contest will end Midnight EST Feb 11, 2010. Be sure to tell your friends!
NOTE: Just added a prize for this! how about a signed print of this image from both Brad and Myself? There you go! 
That’s just so cool!! Do a tutorial on that technique on layers TV!
Are you looking for something that’s strictly HDR or any sort of photoshop manipulation?
See if you like
http://www.flickr.com/photos/aboutrc/4330401539/
cheers
Are you going to tell us how you did this?
[...] If you don’t know who RC Concepcion is, you need to check out LAYERS TV. He’s got some knowledge on all things Adobe and is all about sharing it. He’s got a fun contest going on. Basically you download the original NEF file of the above picture he took. Then all you have to do is create something cool from a one-shot HDR. You can find out more info here. [...]
Here’s mine…
http://joshuabader.com/other/DesertInn_HDR_Final.jpg
Be kind. It’s the first time I have ever tried this HDR thing. First time I saw stuff like this, I wondered how it was done. Thanks RC you have inspired me to learn a new technique. I think I did pretty good for my first time. I am no longer an HDR virgin. LOL!
Tried to twitter you, but it does not seem to be showing up. So, so sorry if this is a duplicate message. My attempt at this is at
http://www.psykoace.net/Site/Digital_Art_2.html#grid
Thanks!
I hope using Lightroom counts. I used my one shot HDR process in LR to create 5 shots. I then merged the shots using Dynamic Photo HDR. I then put the resultant shot through my Norman Rockwell Grunge process and viola a winning picture (LOL):
http://pentaxworld.com/gallery/albums/userpics/desertInn-nrg1.jpg
Hi,I am pasting a link to my Blog (under construction,as I´m still going through your excellent WordPress Lessons on Kelby TV) and hopefully my HDR interpretation.
http://www.jimmyjamesweddingphotography.com/blog
[...] I’d try my amateur hand in this contest. Tags: HDR, layers, photo, Photography, photoshop This entry was posted on Saturday, February [...]
Why my post was deleted?
Did I make something wrong?
you did not say that was only for americans…
RC I’m a brazilian guy, ADBE ACE, pscs4
there were life out of NAPP
and Layers magazine.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ricardogalvao/show
sincerly
my best regards
[...] Layers magazine along with Brad Moore to give away a copy of my book. You can see more by visiting his contest post on his [...]
Well this is a pretty fun contest! I fooled around a bit in Lightroom and Photoshop. Hope you all like the results! My first actual serious look at working on a photo in Lighroom. LR 3 beta has been pretty awesome.
http://ushao.vashir.com/2010/02/entry-for-1-shot-hdr/
Thanks to Ushao for telling me about this. I had a ton of fun making one image into an HDR type photo – I was considering if some of the stuff I was playing with could be considered this sort of image.
I get the technical aspect of a simple combination – but with the editing tools now – and layers… welp!
This is what all of that turned into from me!
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4009/4336426417_c2ec13a081_o.jpg
I’m working on a great one, in the mean time here is RC accepting the Golden Tripod award….
RC Accepting the Golden tripot award..
LINK http://www.flickr.com/photos/wowphotoshdr/4288148988/sizes/l/
I had some fun in Photomatix and Photoshop!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottwyden/4332166931/
Here’s my interpretation:
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4058/4337713390_2b5946e840_b.jpg
Here is my entry:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kidkilowatt/4337744034/
http://www.crossroadone.com/desertInn-dej02072010-2.jpg
Fun challenge.
After getting four exposures out of this and merging for the HDR, I masked the sign to brighten it and desaturated some areas of the building that I thought were too saturated. Finished up with a high pass filter to give similarities to LucisArt 3. Added a bit of film grain, burned in the lower right and called it good.
I like your interpretation of adding the vertical texture. It almost appears to be raining.
Could have gone a million different direction but here is one……
http://carllicari.blogspot.com/2010/02/elusive-1-shot-hdr.html
Carl
Here is one of my versions. The possibilities were endless…
http://carllicari.blogspot.com/2010/02/elusive-1-shot-hdr.html
http://www.flickr.com/photos/master_of_images/
Ok, This is my take on this image. I past on Trey Raticliff advice and did a little HDR on Drugs. It’s all in Fun!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/master_of_images/
Ok this is my take. I process this image with the ReDynaMix plug-in program. Trey Ratcliff might think that I was on Drugs while doing this HDR image. Since I am a product of the 60′s, it’s like bringing back old times.
Here is my entry posted on Flickr at http://bit.ly/djn54m
I used a pass through Photomatix and then two passes through NIK ColorEfex Filters (Bleach bypass and Tonal Contrast).
Posted my entry:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2707/4338505199_75b8b7df23_o.jpg
Thanks!
Martin.
Thanks for the opportunity RC!
My HDR, ORTON, Layered etc. image is posted here:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6w4PQgwukqk/S29xVhdVtEI/AAAAAAAACu8/XMAz1wEQv34/s1600-h/The+Desert+Inn+A.jpg
And the smaller version on my blog at:
http://adamsviewsimaging.blogspot.com/2010/02/elusive-yeehaw-junction.html
Cheers!
John E Adams
I assumed you wanted us to give HDR a try using your photo and not change the scene any. So I made up 2 just to see what a black and white would look like.
Here are mine:
http://www.phillipjacobs.com/photos/desertInn_hdr_800x532.jpg
http://www.phillipjacobs.com/photos/desertInn_hdr_bw_800x532.jpg
It’s all about the feel and the details. No blown out areas, reduced noise and retained good details, neon, light at the top of the building, natural dirty color on the gas pump, wood grain enhanced on fences and flower barrels, crispness in the letters on the sign, Open sign cleaned up, sky brought to life, removed distracting telephone pole and lines, did retain the antenna and pole as they add character, slight highlights on the two floods in the corners, blacks are more black, beer bottle on the picnic table, picture not to bright, asphalt darken, horizion darkened slightly,. This was a great exercise and a chance to utilize numerous tricks and techinques. Thanks for doing this.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wowphotoshdr/4340769294/
Here is my submission, (second try) it looks like the first was deleted. If there is a problem with my image submission please drop a note -;0)
http://adamsviewsimaging.blogspot.com/2010/02/elusive-yeehaw-junction.html
My entry keeps dropping out as well….
http://carllicari.blogspot.com/2010/02/elusive-1-shot-hdr.html
In case my twitter message was missed, here’s my submission:
http://photos.jflphotography.com/Other/Random/9605580_n8kmR#781044003_6hwFh-A-LB
In case my twitter message was missed or buried, here’s my submission:
http://photos.jflphotography.com/Other/Random/9605580_n8kmR#781044003_6hwFh-A-LB
Here is Mine.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4339345928_72d8e7227a_b.jpg
Hello! Here is my submission! I went a different route and did the picture in black and white.
http://mrsriordan.deviantart.com/art/HDR-Contest-Submission-153385497
Oh, btw, I love when you guys have contests! I am on here everyday and it is like the icing on the cupcake! So wonderful!
This is my submission. I went a different route and did it in black and white. Hope you guys like it!
http://mrsriordan.deviantart.com/art/HDR-Contest-Submission-153385497
I posted a link to the HDR image I created but it has been removed. Can you tell me why it was removed?
http://www.phillipjacobs.com/photos/desertInn_hdr_800x532.jpg
Thanks…
This comment section isn’t working.
Here is my submission. I used Camera Raw for 5 exposures, Photomatix for HDR, and Nik software for toning and emphasizing details.
http://s1.pticica.com/pticica/foto/0000877275_l_0_efmjzq.jpg
Ta-daaaaa!
http://novalgina2fast.deviantart.com/art/Desert-Inn-153393987
I like to put it simple,in my opinion it’s better then a heavy hdr:-D
but it’s only an opinion!
My original post seemed to disappear, so re-posting the URL for my competition entry:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2707/4338505199_c9a8186414_o.jpg
Thank you,
Martin.
Here is my entry
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2692/4341812567_11f706a761_b.jpg
Here is my submission
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2692/4341812567_11f706a761_b.jpg
Hi
I just uploaded my take on HDR on flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/gillmanmeet/4342842316/sizes/l/
Hope you like it.
Thanks for looking
Adding a little grunge ..
http://www.dropshots.com/maloneysm#date/2010-02-08/21:09:36
Here is my submission. I created 5 exposures in Camera Raw, then HDR in Photomatix, and finally Nik Software for finishing touches and enhancing the details.
Link: http://s1.pticica.com/pticica/foto/0000877275_l_0_efmjzq.jpg
Sorry for spamming. It accepted my comments (both of them) few moments ago. Won’t happen again.
why delete my first submission?
here it is!
http://novalgina2fast.deviantart.com/art/Desert-Inn-153393987
Saw this article, new to digital photography, just bought CS4 and Photomatix…here is my effort!!! Still learning and trying to find how to select specific areas to saturate!!!
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0ZqywAzM60tADSl83RulgA?feat=directlink