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High Dynamic Range Image Creator

Martin Brinkmann — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:05:37 +0000

High dynamic range Imaging is a technique that allows for a greater range between light and dark areas. The results are often breathtaking colorful images.It basically produces a high dynamic range image from multiple images of the same object taken with different exposures. To create high dynamic range images one needs therefor multiple images and a software program that can extract the information from these images and create a combined image.

Qtpfsgui is such a high dynamic range image creator. It basically takes a set of images in jpeg, png, ppm, pbm or tiff (8-bit) format and transforms them into a high dynamic range image. This works best with identical images of the same scene taken at different exposure levels.

The software program is Open Source and available for Linux, Windows and Apple Macintosh computers. It can also load HDR images directly to edit them in the program’s interface.

The biggest advantage of Qtpfsgui is that everyone can create high dynamic range images with just a few mouse clicks. Advanced users will like the editing options that the program provides but they are not necessary for creating great results.

Using Photos To Enhance Video

Martin Brinkmann — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:47:08 +0000

From time to time I read an article on the Internet about a new technology or software that makes me jump up and down and clap my hands at the same time. In other words, a technology that blows me away. This time it is a new method of enhancing video by using photos of the same scene to create effects like high definition resolutions, enhanced exposure, object removal, object touchup or high dynamic range.

Computer scientists at the University of Washington have developed a software application that automatically enhances a video by using several photographs of the same scene. This takes the higher resolution and detail of photos in comparison to videos into account to deliver stunning enhanced videos.

Take a look at the original images in the upper row and the enhanced images in the lower row.

While it might be nice to see the differences on photos it is more interesting to see a video with moving pictures and a voice explaining the technique in greater detail.

The technique has a few limitations. It currently works only on static scenes, meaning scenes with no moving objects except for the camera and lighting. It furthermore takes roughly 5 minutes to compute one 800×600 frame.

A code dump of the project is available on the project’s website which might be useful as a reference for implementing the algorithm.

High Dynamic Range Wallpapers

Martin Brinkmann — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 17:52:55 +0000

The website HDR walls is getting some huge news coverage since yesterday and is having troubles serving all visitors because of cpu and bandwidth limitations. I was pondering quite a bit but thought that I post the link to the website anyway because it will most like cool off pretty soon

If you are looking for a different kind of wallpapers you could take a look at High Dynamic Range Wallpapers that are offered at HDR Walls. All wallpapers are available in various sizes for many different screen resolutions. The lowest resolution for computers starts at 800×600 and ends at 2560×1600, additional downloads are available for mobile devices like the iPod, iPhone, PSP and several Blackberry devices.

The website currently hosts 478 wallpapers in standard and widescreen format. Maybe you are interested in knowing why HDR images are special ? Here is what the website states:

HDR images are created by taking multiple shots exposed for the highlights, mid-tones and shadows separately and then merged into a single image