Wow.  I mean, really, wow!  Did I say Wow?  I haven't got this excited over a piece of software for a long time.   But, Bryce Mohan gave us a look at one of his secret weapons, Photomatix. 

I was going to write a Beginner's tutorial on using the HDR (High Dynamic Range) function in Photoshop CS3.

But based on Bryce's recommendation, I downloaded and installed Photomatix.  (Free trial download, then $99.00 to register)  I think I like it.  Alot.  Give me a few days to play with it, then I'll report back.

I'm a registered owner/user of Photoshop CS3.  I also own/use Photoshop Elements 5.  This might be heresy, but I could see an agent/property photographer getting by with Elements($72.99) plus Photomatix($99.00) instead of Photoshop CS3($629.99)

 

18 Comments on Photomatix

SEP
13
2007
5 Featured Posts

HDR photos are some of the wildest photos out there... I didn't know the software until you mentioned it...

Here is Flickr's pool for Photomatix. and here is the HDR pool  I can spend hours in there looking at these photos.  Now this is really going to make me get a Nikon D80 or something like it.

BTW...hi.
8:48pm • #1
160,380 Points Outside Blog

It is great to see nice posts like this. Good job, and keep up the good work.

Dwayne West "Your Alpharetta Georgia Real Estate professionals"
8:57pm • #2

Picture the nodding head (it's late and too tired to find a noddy headed gif ;-) - so we'll wait for the thumbs up.  Don't forget to include the learning curve for the moderately gifted.  Did I ever tell you that you have one of the cutest pictures around?  You're a clever one CJ - rock on!
9:07pm • #3
158,811 Points 27 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp
Sounds like a good deal. I want thorough and easy (not like my old, old photo deluxe!) Thanks Cheryl!!
11:43pm • #4
SEP
14
2007
209,347 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog
Keep us posted, I will be interested to hear your opinion of the software.  I haven't bought Photoshop yet, was waiting a bit to see if something cheaper would do the trick.  You just might have the solution for me.
7:07am • #5
130,235 Points Outside Blog
ok - time to check this out!
8:08am • #6

I've been using Photomatix Pro for a few months now. It's a great piece of software for creating stunning HDR's. It's just $85 (instead of $99) if you use coupon code VPG15 (via http://www.visualphotoguide.com/photomatix-coupon-code/).  Once you get the controls down, it gets easier to use every time.
Markus
10:19am • #7
I took a look at Photomatix - big WOW factor in the way the pictures look.  Now if I can just figure out how to use the bracketing feature on my Canon G5 :-(
11:03am • #8
142,077 Points 15 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Cheryl - can't wait to get the full review.  I do have Photoshop element 4 but sometimes it is just too much for what I want to do. And I can't seem to remember where everything is. 
7:35pm • #9
SEP
15
2007
1,373,054 Points 7 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Howdy Cheryl

Thank you I will check out Photomatix.

Let know your opinion of it.

Have a good one
2:17pm • #10
SEP
16
2007
 Photomatix is a great program! It is easy to use. The tone mapping is great. Make sure your three images were captured while you were using a tripod.
9:03pm • #11
SEP
17
2007
134,128 Points 18 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor
looking forward to hear about it!
5:47am • #12
SEP
18
2007
357,394 Points 15 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog
These tools look fantastic.  I must be missing the creative eye.  I buy them and then nothing turns out like the advertisements.  I'll keep trying.
12:42pm • #13
315,367 Points 4 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Cheryl - I will look forward to your more detailed evaluation.

It looks like this would be an excellent situation to use the auto-bracketing function on many of the D-SLR's that provides 3 exposures for each press of the trigger - your current settings, one step up and one step down on exposure.  As I have written about the merits of the Nikon D-40 as an entry level D-SLR, now may be a good time to mention that the auto-bracketing feature is one of the features we gave up for the price point.   
11:49pm • #14
SEP
19
2007
490,239 Points 28 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Ted - I have been so swamped with stuff-to-do in the offline world, I haven't had a good chance to work with Photomatic yet.  From what little time I have spent on it, I see, as George suggested, that a tripod is a very good idea, since the positioning of objects in the images pretty much needs to match up in each image, unless you like ghosts -- like this:

Oops.  (You can stop giggling now, Bryce)  However, I can see that the tone quality of final result will be quite pleasing.  This was done using Combine -> Highlight & Shadows, rather than HDR -> Generate.

Ted -- Yes using photos shot with auto-bracketing makes a lot of sense.   Auto-bracketed images were NOT used in my ghostly sample, nor was a tripod, and as you see, I moved around a bit between snapping the shots.
5:34am • #15
SEP
21
2007
Localism Sponsor
Never messed with Photoshop much.  With digital photography I can almost always get the shot right while shooting.

Looks like a great program and I will check it out...
10:00am • #16
DEC
05
2008

thanks for your efforts
Atlanta Houses
6:03am • #17

thanks
Discounted Houses
6:08am • #18

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Cheryl Johnson

Highland Park, CA

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Cheryl Johnson, Bob Taylor Properties, Inc., Los Angeles, CA

Address: 5526 N. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA, 90042

Office Phone: (323) 257-1080

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