HDR type effect in PE 4?

[flyinion]

Hi all, I have seen various tutorials on the web for creating a HDR effect on a picture in photshop CS3 (I have CS3 extended which somehow can edit video? in case that matters for the next part of this post). Basically I'm wondering if it is possible to create an HDR effect in PE 4 whether directly with the built in functions/effects or through use of a purchasable addon effect? I don't think CS3 Extended's video editing is meant for anything like this since I tried to import a 30 second clip and got some warning about a max of 500 layers and the ones it did create were all blank. Anyway, what I'm trying to achieve is something like the following that I found in a guide on recording video in the World of Warcraft computer game.

orginal
http://www.viper.dk/wow/images/fraps/stv_org.jpg

"HDR" "color corrected" version
http://www.viper.dk/wow/images/fraps/stv_cc.jpg

While I know what was done there was done to a screenshot, i.e. static picture, I'm hoping there is some way to achieve a similar effect on a video. Thanks for any tips, suggestions, etc. you guys have. I've tried multiple searches for "HDR effect" for both video and premiere elements and have come up with nothing.

[ATR]

I will be back later after I think about this some more re: taking video and achieving the High Dynamic Range Effect all within Premiere Elements 4 for that video, but for now

re: Photoshop CS3 Extended and creating video, the following is a video tutorial that may be of interest:

http://www.photoshopsupport.com/photoshop-cs3/video-tutorials/cs3-frame-timeline-animation-video.html

re: Photoshop CS3 Extended and creating High Dynamic Range Images, have you tried creating them as per the details here and using them in a Flash video or Quicktime movie created as suggested above?

http://www.photoshopsupport.com/photoshop-cs3/hdr-high-dynamic-range/index.html

ATR

[flyinion]

I'll take a look at the video when I get home. As far as using images to create it. I think that would end up making things way too complicated since these are average of 5-10 minute movies. That's a LOT of stills to individually edit into HDR images and turn into a video :eek:

[ATR]

I have thought about your question and High Dynamic Range (HDR) for video as applied to Premiere Elements 4 offerings. After browsing through various references, it would appear that “you can’t there from here”.

First, let me tell you my concept of the core of this High Dynamic Range business. It goes to the capturing of the lightness and darkness of an image and the inability of most cameras to do this in one shot. That brings in the idea to capture images of various exposures and try to combine them into one which would be the closest to ideal. Photoshop CS3 attempts to offer you that kind of a tool for a series of stills with varying exposures. It and other such routes are not yet without shortcomings.

In accord with my understanding of this CS3 tool, I do not see such a tool in Premiere Elements 4. Nor do I see any support for HDR encoding. HOWEVER, in Premiere Elements 4, you might want to see if you can achieve the before and after for the photo that you showed in your attachment…be assured that I am not calling it High Dynamic Range as it is described these days for stills, video, or otherwise.

Some thoughts:
a. With your image on the Timeline, go to Windows/Properties. Under Image Control: check out Brightness, Contrast, Hue, Saturation.
b. With your image on the Timeline, look at Video Effects/Adjust Category which includes Levels, Brightness, Contrast, and especially Shadow Highlights with its “Blend with Original” option.
c. With your tonal adjusted image on say Video Track 2 and the same image (but not adjusted) immediately below on Video Track 1, you could play with the Opacity in the Properties Panel for Video Track 2.

If you can achieve the before and after for this still, then try applying the same ideas to a video clip. Also, does your camera shoot in RAW format? Premiere Elements 4 allows you to install and use the Adobe Camera Raw plugin. Then you can bring in your Camera Raw adjusted still images to the Premiere Elements 4 Timeline.

All things considered, for real HDR, you may want to create your HDR images in Photoshop CS3 and explore creating video there from them as Flash or Mov (as mentioned before). Have you ever visited the Adobe Forums at http://www.adobe.com (http://www.adobe.com/). ? You might want to pose your questions in the Premiere Pro CS3 or Photoshop CS3 Extended or Premiere Elements User to User Forums there to see what those communities have to say about all this.

I have not worked in this area, and what I have presented is my impression based on what I have read about HDR as well as the adjustments that I have used in Premiere Elements 4. Please let us know the outcome of your quest.

ATR

[flyinion]

Thank a bunch for the info and suggestions. I'll try playing with the effects on a static picture and see what happens. As far as cameras there are none involved here. The game itself saves screenshots (i.e. pictures) directly as .jpg files and it's a snapshot of what is being displayed on screen in the game. For video I use a program called FRAPS that basically dumps the contents of what the computer is displaying in game directly to disk at about 2GB per minute of video (1680x1050 resolution) in a basically uncompressed .avi format. If I can't figure out a way to get the effect as shown in that picture I linked, I'll probably just abandon the idea as doing one frame at a time in photshop then turning it into a video is not worth it for something I do in my spare free time. It was just one of those "hey that looks cool, wonder if I can do that to a video" things.

[ATR]

When you get a chance, let us know the outcome.

Exploration and experimentation in Premiere Elements 4 may or may not yield the results desired, but it will be a great challenge and learning experience with unexpected technique gains along the way. Good luck.

ATR