DRI with 3 images of one scene

If you ever wanted an easy way to merge three photos with different exposure settings taken from the same scene together to one image with a well balanced dynamic range - well here is the solution.

Shoot three images of one scene (with a tripod) with an exposure difference of 2-3 between two pictures. The middle one should be taken at the [P] (automatic) setting of your camera, then an over- and an underexposed one.

And be sure not to alter the aperture setting! Solely adjust the shutter speed because otherwise you would get different depth of field values.
Another important thing is to turn off any antishake functionality of your camera because it may shift the CCD chip or optical elements of your lens - this may lead to not exactly fitting frames.

Your three pictures must then be stacked exactly in the following order as three layers of one GIMP image (File --> Open as Layers...):
1. top layer: the overexposed pic
2. middle layer: the underexposed pic
3. bottom layer: the "normal" pic

Now apply the script (Filters --> Enhance --> [JR] DRI from 3 images...), and you're done.

You might then want to adjust the individual quota of each picture using the opacity slider for each layer.

Example:

overexposed              underexposed            "normal"

script applied (nothing else adjusted)

Another good idea is to post-apply the fantastic script "advanced tone mapping" by tasuki (merge the three layers left behind by my script to one single layer beforehands [right-click --> merge visible layers]):

with advanced tone mapping

Have fun, Jens-Arne Reumschuessel