HDR panorama, Lightner pool

How I do HDR panoramas in CS3...

1. The shots to be stitched must all be taken using exactly the same

set of exposures!

2. Run the HDR merge on the first image, set bit depth to 16

bits/channel and adjust white point preview and make a note of the

adjustment

3. I use the Local Adaptation method for HDR conversion and adjust

the tone-mapping curve as desired and make a note of the values at

each set-point on the curve and then convert to HDR.

4. Save HDR image.

5. Run HDR merge on second image, set bit depth to 16 and adjust

white point preview as before (I don?t think this matters since it

just sets the base level for tone-mapping, but I did it anyway)

6. Adjust the tone-mapping curve exactly as for image one using the

noted settings and save the HDR image. (Repeat 5 & 6 for each other

image to be added to the panorama)

7. Run the panorama merge and voila you should have seamless overlaps

as in this picture.

8. Anyone else tried this or developed other techniques?

Here's how I approach HDR based on text I've read on the subject. 1. Take 5 or more frames based off of a patterned meter reading (matrix with Nikon SLRs) -2,-1,0,1,2 EV steps. 2. Run the raw images twiking the white points, keep the exposure level-don't change it- save each one to .dng file. 4. Open the merge to HDR from your file drop down menu and add the 5 dng files. 5. covert the image to 16 bit and move the curves as needed to suit how you want the image to look. 6. Make adjustments as you would normally, this is where you would stitch together for the panorama. I haven't done too many panoramas but once you have all the other images saved after tone mapping to 16bit then it should be no different than doing panoramas like you would regular photos.

When possible, the camera should be kept in the lowest ISO possible without noise reduction, or just long exposure noise reduction.

I don't know anything about the technical side of HDR, but I really like that this picture looks "natural" not "over processed" as so many HDR images seem to.

I'm not too sure that the composition is the best to make this busy picture stand out, but technically it's very nice. Thanks for describing how you do it.