Just got a Nikon D60 and only to page 60 on the manual, so I only know how to use a fraction of the goodies. It's my first DSLR as well....I've only had point and shoots and a 35mm Film camera before this.
First here is my attempt at an HDR. I'm using photoshop which isn't the best program for doing and HDR, and it lost some of it's quality the way I converted it to jpeg.
Before picture...
AFter HDR
And some misc. photos
Nice! 
I like the one with the Miami Vice sunset in the background.
HDR = instant win. I wish lived in that super-saturated fantasy world.
Nice 'Bird!
So what steps do you take to make your HDRs? We got a DSLR recently and it's something I've been wanting to try out.
thanks guys, that's sunrise lol
There are a lot of good write up ons the web....but here is the gist of it.
You basically need three pictures of the same object at three different exposures. Overexposed, spot on, and underexposed. You can do +2EV, 0, and -2EV like I did. A tripod is your best friend here as well. If you camera has bracketing mode it makes it even better.
Then you need a program like Photoshop CS3 or 4, or photomatix, and it will automatically do the merging of the pictures for you.
Check wikipedia or google search: How to make and HDR image?
OOOOh and shoot in raw format to get the best quality!
I'm not a fan of the cartoony look that HDR usually results in. I'd much rather expose for the background and hit the car with some strobes. Now that's fun.
great start DirtyBird! I'm right there with ya, just got the photography bug myself and have been practicing with a borrowed D70. HDR takes a lot of work but the end result can be worth it if done tastefully. I just use Bridge & Photoshop (CS4) mostly because i have gotten pretty good at masking.
Does the D60 output camera raw files? If so they are MUCH better to work with, they have WAY better range.
i need to get cs4, still using 3! i still need to work on the raw photos still to get a better HDR image. If it is done right it shouldn't have a cartoony look, it should look a lot more vibrant. I haven't messed around with masking or anything like that yet. I could spend hours on postprocessing, it's all I used to do in high school with CS2 with all my web/graphics courses. CS3 is still new to me, CS4 will prolly take some getting used to as well.
Then tehre is school and work, i maybe have an hour or two a week to shoot between school, work, gym (healthy body is #1), and girlfriend. I try to take my camera with me everywhere so if I do have an opportunity to take a great picture I can attempt to!
I would love to get used to shooting with this bottom of the line DSLR and get to the point that I am comfortable taking photos and getting used to the equipment and then purchase a D700 or D3x. After I graduate and build an LS3 though, gotta get the important stuff out of the way first.
Yes you can take pictures in raw format with the D60!
HDR = ?
it's really called HDRI or High Dynamic Range Imaging. Just like contrast ratios in new TVs, getting the blackest blacks and the whitest whites out of an image and everything inbetween
Overheard: HDR is to photography as Thomas Kincade is to painting.
except the processing program does all the hard stuff...
Another way to look at is is that photographs (and video) normally have much less of a dynamic range then the human eye (you either cannot see the bright or dark areas as your eye does).
HDR sort of goes overboard and shows you what you would see if the human eye had an even wider dynamic capability (see the darks and the lights at the same time).
Tim Baxter wrote: Overheard: HDR is to photography as Thomas Kincade is to painting.
Ouch!
An HDR image doesn't have to be cartoony and oversaturated. You can use it to compensate for the narrow dynamic range of photographs. Done right, you won't even notice, there will just be lots and lots of detail in the photo.
This shot, for example, is HDR. With the strong sun around here, shadows are deep. But with HDR, you can get detail in the shadows without blowing out the snow. It looks normal to your eyes.
yea, it's ricers who love the cartoonish crap, and american ricers as well.
my friend bastien is way better at this stuff here is a really good example of what HDR can do.
Original
HDR
Nice shots. And also, your car looks seriously badass. I love the dual hood scoop.
I do love what HDR can do with clouds.
Kind of sad we end up smashing our nice HDR pics into JPEGs to post online! Get good at just taking good pictures, then move into HDR territory. I still count heavily on the RAW editor in Photoshop to enhance my photos. The level of control in the CS4 version is pretty awesome. I invite you to my flickr site, lots of pics kabel's flickr collections, comments and constructive criticism are welcome. DirtyBird, you need to stop out to one of the monthly Cars & Café meets, lots of great subjects to photograph.
I wish I could. I work every saturday 7-5. I've left before to go check out a car show and got written up. I always see the NSXs meet up at Acura and then drive over to Cars and Cafe and get sad because I'm changing the oil on a 88 Accord with 288k miles on it and a Buddha on the dash board.
another attempt, was still using crappy tripod, just bought a new one tonight.
Fun isn't it?!
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