Bodybuilding HDR photography?

[Dave_19]

I'm sure many of you know and don't know what HDR is. I have been motivated lately to try and take some really awesome bbing HDR photos of myself during good condition. Maybe a beach's sunset or some amazing environment out side.

Look here for some cool examples: http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/03/10/35-fantastic-hdr-pictures/

to my knowledge is has never been done with bodybuilding photography. It requires a good camera such a digital SLR, and some decent PC software, such as photoshop and photomatrix. You basically take several pics and blend different exposures.

I think you would make some really sweet bbing pics with it though, next I get in stage condition I'm going to give it a shot and try to get an incredible shoot. Imagine some old classic shots of Arnold in this high of quality?

 

[mark10]

This is a veryyy cool topic. You're right, im yet to sea HDR pics of BB. Im sure they would look great and im looking forward to anybodys attemp at doing it

 

[Loch Ness]

they may show too much detail, everyones body has imperfections that may not be as noticeable with regular photo

 

[Sal Paradise]

This is the first I've heard of "HDR" but without looking any further it seems the pictures would be taken with a quality digital in RAW format.
This would then allow the user to use the full input of light into the image sensor (some which humans cannot see with the naked eye) and then develop various exposures without image loss.
Most jpeg images are too compressed and would not allow this type of manipulation. Think of it as a true audio recording vs a mp3.
The mp3 severely compresses the sound and cuts out the top and bottom of the sound ranges. Most people would never know the difference. I for one cannot tell as my hearing is crap to begin with.

But anyway this is not entirely new. It has been achived to a slightly different aspect with film photography with no digital manipulation at all.
Please refer to the website of Michael Fatali - http://www.fatali.com
Now some of these images don't show up as grand on the website but having been to his gallery in Utah I can attest to the dynamic range of color that is possible.
The process is done 100% with film in the darkroom.
Some of these images sell for 30K if I remember correctly.

I have recently started shooting in RAW for the versatilty as shown in the photos above and will be taking such pictures at the North Americans and The Ohio State show providing I can make it to the contests.

Hopefully this will lead to some phenomenal photos.
Thanks for posting this info and the link - it has led to a lot of other interesting reading for me and others I'm sure.

Thanks again!

Sal

 

[PoptartPsycho]

It is not going to be possible, at least not a true HDR.

True HDR requires a minimum of 3 exposures, often an average of 5. A normal exposure, then +1 and -1 exposure on either side. (that is for 3, a five exposure would require two additional exposures on either side as well).

Being onstage, you are simply not going to be able to hold your pose long enough in perfect stillness for someone to adjust the camera and take a minimum 3 exposures of you.

HDR is time based photography, not aperture. You would select an Fstop and then simply vary your exposure times. For instance, if you chose F8 and got a normal exposure reading of 1/125

You would go :

-1 * 1/125 for first exposure (F8 - 250)
1* 1/125 for second exposure (normal reading) (F8 - 125)
+1 * 1/125 for third exposure (F8 - 60)

all at F8.

Now factor in the amount of time you have to hold perfectly still for all three photos to be taken. You can't. You will have subtle movements and shifts.

Photomatix has a ghosting artifacts options but it is still beyond of the realm of producing the sharp crisp results you want when it does consolidates pixels.

One option you can look it in a false HDR image. This is basically taking one RAW image and then manually (in Lightroom or PSCS3) making three copies of it. One copy with under exposure (Lightroom does this better than PSCS) and then other copy over exposed.

You now have 3 exact images at multiple exposures - technically speaking. You run them through Photomatix and apply the standard tone mapping to your liking.

This will not give you a true HDR (hence the name false HDR) that you may see, however it will give you an image with a higher dynamic range and level of detail than a standard 1 image exposure.

 

[CB]

I agree. You need stillness for HDR. Since you are stacking multiple images on top of each other, if the competitor moves during the shots, you will get a blur effect. The background lighting makes such a difference, also. Stage background would just offer a dull backdrop. I've had pictures not look right just by the breeze blowing a cactus slightly. If you get it right, the pictures are so beautiful.

 

[Dave_19]

Stillness is not impossible though if you do a relaxed pose and hold it. You do over lap exposures but even if you cannot change much detail on the body you can on the background which still would make some amazing photography, on a stage or in a gym this wouldn't apply, only outside shots that have natural dynamic lighting from the sun.

 

[luckyone]

thanks Dave and Sal

Thanks guys.

HDR is something I had not heard of but will definitely investigate and FATALI's pictures are incredibly beautiful. I will be visiting Utah this fall and will have to check out his gallery.

thanks again guys!!

your brother in Christ,

Lucky

 

[CB]

Thanks guys.

HDR is something I had not heard of but will definitely investigate and FATALI's pictures are incredibly beautiful. I will be visiting Utah this fall and will have to check out his gallery.

thanks again guys!!

your brother in Christ,

Lucky

You'll be happy you did. Like dave said, check out Photomatix 3.0. Makes it very easy to stack photos and tone map them.

 

[CB]

Another great example of HDR. Look at the detail.

https://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/cbryngelson/set01hdri5from__dsc3596.jpg

 

[yankee14]

If you could pull it off it would make some badass pics... I've never heard of it before but those pics look awsome!!!

 

[PoptartPsycho]

Another great example of HDR. Look at the detail.

https://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c242/cbryngelson/set01hdri5from__dsc3596.jpg

That is actually more than just HDR photography there.

Do a search on there for my buddy KrisKros. You will see what I mean. He even gives away some of his techniques in his postings.

http://flickr.com/search/?q=kriskros