HDR allows photographers to combine differences in exposure that occur over depths of field. For example, rather than having the background blown out with foreground subjects underexposed, an HDR image combines two or more photographs with different exposures to create a more colorful image. There are a few ways to produce an HDR image in GIMP. Here we cover how to make an HDR image in GIMP using the Exposure Blend plugin.
Install the Exposure Blend Plugin
First download a copy of the Exposure Blend plugin. While the GIMP Plugin Registry is no longer available, you can still find old versions of the plugin from the GIMP archive on GitHub. After downloading the plugin, you will need to place it in the Scripts folder of your GIMP installation. On a Windows device, the path to this folder should be C: > Program Files > GIMP-2.0 > share > gimp > 2.0 > scripts. You can find oath instructions for a Mac device here. If GIMP is already running, you’ll need to go to Filters > Script-Fu > Refresh Scripts before you can use the newly installed plugin, but if GIMP isn’t running, the plugin will automatically install the next time you run the program.
How to Run the Exposure Blend Plugin
Here’s how to run the Exposure Blend plugin to create an HDR image in GIMP.
How to Tweak the HDR Effect With Layer Opacity
Once the plugin has finished running, you will be left with a GIMP document that consists of three layers, two with layer masks applied. These images combine to produce a complete photo with a wide dynamic range. In HDR software, Tone Mapping would be applied to the image to strengthen the effect. That isn’t an option here, but there are some ways to improve the image. Often at this stage, the HDR photo can appear a little flat. One way to counter this is to reduce the opacity of one or two of the upper layers in the Layers palette. In the layers palette, select a layer and adjust the Opacity slider to see how the brightness is affected.
How to Increase Contrast
Follow these steps to adjust the HDR image contrast. You should now see a strengthened image contrast for the two layers. You can tweak the setting by adjusting the opacity of the two layers. For an even stronger effect, duplicate one or both of the layers.
