Help - Photomatix Tone Mapping Plug-In for Photoshop
 
 
 
The Photomatix Tone Mapping Plug-In is a filter for HDR (High Dynamic Range) images, i.e. for images in 32 bits/channel mode resulting from merging bracketed photos. The 32-bit workflow section details how to create the HDR image in Photoshop and process it with the Tone Mapping Plug-In.
You can also use the Tone Mapping Plug-In image in 16 bits/channel mode captured with a single exposure. However, you will get optimal results with multiple exposures.
The plug-in offers two tone mapping methods to process your image.
· Details Enhancer: This method increases local contrast, which has the effect of boosting shadows and creating a painterly effect. On the other hand, increasing local details makes noise artifacts more visible.
· Tone Compressor: This method produces a more "photographic" look, and avoids noise and halo artifacts.
The settings for each method are described further down this page. For a more detailed description, we recommend the video "Tutorial on Photomatix Pro Tone Mapping" available from this page of our website.
 
 
32-bit workflow
Settings for Details Enhancer Tone Mapping
Settings for Tone Compressor Tone Mapping
Registering the plug-in with your license key
Getting more information and help
 
 
 
32-bit workflow
1. Take bracketed photos. See the section Taking photos of a HDR contrast scene for details.
2. In Photoshop, choose File > Automate > Merge to HDR.
3. Once the 32-bit HDR image is created, choose Filter > Photomatix > Tone Mapping.
4. Click on OK to apply the Tone Mapping filter to your image.
5. Choose Image > Mode > 16 Bits / Channel
6. On the HDR Conversion panel, select Exposure and Gamma and make sure Exposure is set to 0 and Gamma to 1.
 
 
 
Settings for Details Enhancer Tone Mapping
Strength
Controls the strength of the contrast enhancements. A value of 100 gives the maximum increase in both local and global contrast enhancements. The default value is 70.
Color Saturation
Controls the saturation of the RGB color channels. The greater the saturation, the more intense the color. A value of 0 produces a grayscale image. The value affects each color channel equally. The default value is 46.
Luminosity
Controls the compression of the tonal range, which has the effect of adjusting the global luminosity level. Moving the slider to the right boosts shadow details and brightens the image. Moving it to the left has the opposite effect, and gives a more "natural" look to the resulting image. The default value is 0.
Microcontrast
Sets how much local details are amplified. A higher value gives a 'sharper' look. The default value is 0.
Smoothing
Controls smoothing of the contrast variations throughout the image. This setting has an important influence on the look of the tone mapped image. High values give a more "natural" look, low values a more "artificial" or "painterly" look.

Smoothing is available in two modes. In the default mode, it is in a form of a slider, and in the "Light" mode in the form of buttons. The effect on the image differs depending on the mode. The "Light" mode was the only mode in version 1.0 of the plug-in (and version 3.1 and earlier of Photomatix Pro) and tends to produce a more "surreal" or "magic light" effect.

White Point - Black Point
Both sliders control how the minimum and maximum values of the tone mapped image are set. Moving the sliders to the right increases global contrast. Moving them to the left reduces clipping at the extremes. The White Point slider sets the value for the maximum of the tone mapped. The Black Point slider sets the value for the minimum of the tone mapped image. The default value is 0.25% for the White Point setting and 0% for the Black Point setting.
Gamma
Adjusts the mid-tone of the tone mapped image, brightening or darkening the image globally. The default value is 1.0.
Color Temperature
Adjusts the color temperature of the tone mapped image relative to the temperature of the HDR source image. Moving the slider to the right will give a "warmer", more yellow-orange colored look. Moving the slider to the left gives a "colder", more bluish look. A value of 0 (default) preserves the original color temperature of the HDR source image.
Saturation Highlights
Adjusts the color saturation of the highlights relative to the color saturation set with the Color Saturation slider. Values higher than 0 increase the color saturation in the highlights; values lower than 0 decrease it. The default value is 0.
Saturation Shadows
Adjusts the color saturation of the shadows relative to the color saturation set with the Color Saturation slider. Values higher than zero will increase the color saturation in the shadows. Values lower than zero will decrease it. The default value is 0.
Micro-smoothing
Smoothes out local detail enhancements. This has the effect of reducing noise in the sky for instance, and tends to give a "cleaner" look to the resulting image. The default value is 2.

Highlights Smoothness
Reduces the contrast enhancements in the highlights. The value of the slider sets how much of the highlights range is affected. This control is useful for preventing white highlights from turning grey, or uniform light blue skies becoming dark blue-grey. It is also useful for reducing halos around objects placed against bright backgrounds. The default value is 0.
Shadows Smoothing
Reduces the contrast enhancements in the shadows. The value of the slider sets how much of the shadows range is affected. The default value is 0.
Shadows Clipping
The value of the slider sets how much of the shadows range is clipped. This control may be useful to cut out noise in the dark area of a photo taken in a low-light situation. The default value is 0.
 
 
 
Settings for Tone Compressor Tone Mapping
Brightness
Adjusts the overall brightness of the tone mapped image. The default value is 0.
Tonal Range Compression
Controls the compression of the tonal range. Moving the slider to the right has the effect of shifting both shadows and highlights toward the mid-tones in the tone mapped image. The default value is 0.
Contrast Adaptation
Adjusts the influence of the average brightness in relation to the intensity of the processed pixel. Moving the slider to the right tends to result in more "pronounced" colors. Moving the slider to the left tends to result in a more "natural" look. The default value is 0.
White Point - Black Point
Both sliders control how the minimum and maximum values of the tone mapped image are set. Moving the sliders to the right increases global contrast. Moving them to the left reduces clipping at the extremes. The White Point slider sets the value for the maximum of the tone mapped image (pure white, or level 255). The Black Point slider sets the value for the minimum of the tone mapped image (pure black, or level 0). The default values are 0.
Color Temperature
Adjusts the color temperature of the tone mapped image relative to the temperature of the HDR source image. Moving the slider to the right will give a "warmer", more yellow-orange colored look. Moving the slider to the left gives a "colder", more bluish look. A value of 0 (default) preserves the original color temperature of the HDR source image.
Color Saturation
Adjusts the color saturation of the tone mapped image. The greater the saturation, the more intense the color. The value affects each color channel equally. The default value is 0.
 
 
 
Registering the plug-in with your license information
To register your copy of the Tone Mapping Plug-In for Photoshop, make sure the "Details Enhancer" tab is selected, and click on the "OK" button. You will then get a window where you can enter your user ID and license key.
If the window letting you enter your license information does not show when you click on the "OK" button with Details Enhancer, this means the plug-in is already registered on your computer (which will be the case if you bought a license of Photomatix Pro Plus and already registered Photomatix Pro).
 
 
 
Getting more information and help
If you need assistance with the Tone Mapping Plug-In, please refer to the support page of our website for contact information.
The Photomatix Pro FAQ of our website offers several tips and general information that are applicable to the plug-in as well.