Affinity Photo Tone Mapping

[pitosalas]

Affinity Photo Tone Mapping is a cool feature. But I have some questions:

- Is it just another way to achieve various effects? In other words when would I elect to use it vs. a layer adjustment? Is it just a matter of taste?

- the 4 sets of tone mapping options seem a bit arbitrary with arbitrary names. While I've been told there are others on the web I can't find any that are speccifically

- It is mentioned as if it's specifically for HDR. Why? It seems useful in general.

 

[sybersitizen]

- Is it just another way to achieve various effects? In other words when would I elect to use it vs. a layer adjustment? Is it just a matter of taste?

The real function of tone mapping is the final step in the process of creating HDR images from a set of multiple exposures, but it has also ended up being a 'matter of taste' for people who think their single-shot photos need more dramatic punch.

https://asktimgrey.com/2015/05/27/hdr-versus-tone-mapping/

- the 4 sets of tone mapping options seem a bit arbitrary with arbitrary names.

You can change them in endless ways and save them as new presets.

- It is mentioned as if it's specifically for HDR. Why?

Because it's an essential part of the HDR process, which would produce an unappealing result without it.

It seems useful in general.

It can be ... https://affinity.help/photo/en-US.l...onemapping.html?title=Tone mapping HDR images

 

[A-Marc]

as the name describes, it maps tonal values , so to build a new picture from multiple pictures (exposure bracketing) input tonal vales. simple said: it maps shadow from an overexposed shot and the highlights from an underexposed shot into an averaged exposed shot. lifting the shadows and dumping the highlights. the end is that there is more information in the file to edit with.

if just used on a single exposure, it might do things you like. than one can call it an workflow. but as the information on a single exposure is what it is, tone mapping cant better the quality (tonal range) of the file.

 

[sybersitizen]

as the name describes, it maps tonal values , so to build a new picture from multiple pictures (exposure bracketing) input tonal vales. simple said: it maps shadow from an overexposed shot and the highlights from an underexposed shot into an averaged exposed shot. lifting the shadows and dumping the highlights. the end is that there is more information in the file to edit with.

That's exposure blending. Tone mapping is a separate operation and is the next step in creating a true HDR result.

if just used on a single exposure, it might do things you like. than one can call it an workflow. but as the information on a single exposure is what it is, tone mapping cant better the quality (tonal range) of the file.

Correct: Tone mapping is separate from exposure blending, and it can be applied to any ordinary non-exposure-blended image.

 

[A-Marc]

thanks for correcting me.

so please explain tone mapping !

--
https://www.flickr.com/photos/146973265@N06/
http://www.marcalter.com
http://www.fivedaggers.com

 

[sybersitizen]

thanks for correcting me.

so please explain tone mapping !

In general:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tone_mapping

As it's used in Affinity Photo (at the 1:11 mark):