The document discusses the HDTR (High Dynamic Time Range) technique for photography, detailing the steps for planning shots, tools, and setup. It provides an overview of scripting in Photoshop to automate this process with practical coding examples and configurations. Additionally, it explores user interface enhancements in Photoshop for improved script interactivity.

1. Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed
under: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/
3.0/
Uso del API Javascript
para obtener fotos HDTR
Leganés, 11 y 12 de febrero
David Gómez G.

2. Dr Jeckyll & Mr Hide
Haciendo Fotos
desde los 16 años
Exposiciones
Colectivas e indivudales
Ing. técnico en
Informática de sistemas
Sw Engineer & Trainer
@dgomezg@d_v_g

3. The HDTR technique
Term coined by Martin Krzywinski
HDTR
High Dynamic
Time Range
@dgomezg @D_v_G

4. The HDTR Technique
Term coined by Martin KrzywinskiHDTR | High Dynamic
Time Range
http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/fun/hdtr/

5. Steps
SHOT
Process
Plan
@dgomezg @D_v_G

6. The Planning
Spot the place
(Find out if its going to
be crowded at sunset)
Find out
when and where
the sun sets
Check the
weather forecast
(A rainy sunset looks
quite different)
@dgomezg @D_v_G

7. Do you require a Permit?
@dgomezg @D_v_G

8. Do you require a Permit?
(Even If they’re useless)

9. When and Where
the sun sets

10. PhotoPills
@dgomezg @D_v_G

11. Golden & Blue Hours
in Photography
@dgomezg @D_v_G

12. Photographic Shot
Keep the camera steady
for several hours
(a TRIPOD will help)
Set a
NEUTRAL White Balace
Keep a const Depth of
Field (Aperture Priority)
Better if you can shot
Tethered to a Computer
Pick some BEERS & FRIENDS
(but pay attention to the camera)
@dgomezg @D_v_G

13. TOOLS and Setup
Tethered Shooting
Set Aperture Priority
Set timered shooting
(TIMELAPSE SHOOTING)
@dgomezg @D_v_G

14. RESULTSRESULTS
@dgomezg @D_v_G

15. Construction of a
HDTR image
@dgomezg @D_v_G

16. The Photoshop Process
Described at
http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/fun/hdtr/?tutorial

17. Automate the
process

18. Available AT
http://mkweb.bcgsc.ca/fun/hdtr/?CODE
Martin Krzywinski
Implementation
• Perl BASED
• PROS
• Easy setup &
RUN
• FREE
• No dependencies
(but Perl & libs)
• CONS
• Verbose
blending
config
• No tuning
posibility of
result image
@dgomezg @D_v_G

19. PS Scripting
alternative
• PROS
• Final image un
PSD format with
layers
• You could
further adjust
the result
• Easy config & run
• CONS
• PS License
required
• Harder to code
@dgomezg @D_v_G

20. PS scripting languages
@dgomezg @D_v_G

21. Photoshop JS
• Since PHOTOSHOP CS 1
(experimental support in PS 7.0 via an optional
plugin)
• Cross platform
• New DOM To access most of Photoshop
features and properties
@dgomezg @D_v_G

22. Photoshop’s DOM
• BUT Still some operations not
available: Gradients, Adjustment
Layers, Layer Effects, polygonal
selections....@dgomezg @D_v_G

23. Access to the “Hidden”
functionality
• JS Classes from original PS SDK
interface
• ActionDescriptor,
• ActionList
• ActionReference
• Use codes as parameters
@dgomezg @D_v_G

24. Access to the “Hidden” functionality
ScriptListener plugin
//-------------------------------------------------------------
var V1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var V2 = new ActionDescriptor();
V2.putUnitDouble(charIDToTypeID("Hrzn"),charIDToTypeID("#Pxl"), 345);
V2.putUnitDouble(charIDToTypeID("Vrtc"),charIDToTypeID("#Pxl"), 667);
V1.putObject(charIDToTypeID("From"),charIDToTypeID("Pnt "), V2);
var V3 = new ActionDescriptor();
[...]
Records User’s interaction to JS script
var fillWithGradient = function(startX, startY, endX, endY) {
var V1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var V2 = new ActionDescriptor();
V2.putUnitDouble(
charIDToTypeID("Hrzn"),
charIDToTypeID("#Pxl"),
startX); // start point X
V2.putUnitDouble(
charIDToTypeID("Vrtc"),
charIDToTypeID("#Pxl"),
startY); // start point Y
V1.putObject(
charIDToTypeID("From"),
charIDToTypeID("Pnt "), V2);
var V3 = new ActionDescriptor();

25. Access to the “Hidden” functionality
Code translation
//-------------------------------------------------------------
var V1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var V2 = new ActionDescriptor();
V2.putUnitDouble(charIDToTypeID("Hrzn"),charIDToTypeID("#Pxl"), 345);
V2.putUnitDouble(charIDToTypeID("Vrtc"),charIDToTypeID("#Pxl"), 667);
V1.putObject(charIDToTypeID("From"),charIDToTypeID("Pnt "), V2);
var V3 = new ActionDescriptor();
[...]
Translating codes
/*
lMID.maskHides = 1214529900;//"HdAl"
lMID.maskRevealsAll = 1383492673;//"RvlA"
lMID.maskReveals = 1383492691;//"Rvls"
lMID.mask = 1299409696;//"Msk "
lMID.at = 1098129440;//"At "
lMID.using = 1433628263;//"Usng"
lMID.userMask = 1433629261;//"UsrM"
lMID.make = 1298866208;//"Mk "
lMID.property = 1349677170;//"Prpr"
...
*/
cTID = function(s) { return app.charIDToTypeID(s); };
sTID = function(s) { return app.stringIDToTypeID(s); };

26. Photoshop Extended
Script
• SOME Photoshop classes are defined in
an extended and particular way
alert(app.activeDocument.height);
#include "modules/json/json.js"
alert(JSON.stringify(app.activeDocument.height));

27. Photoshop
ExtendScript
.JSX .JS
Convention
ExtendScript files Regular files
not using special Adobe
classes and functions
@dgomezg @D_v_G

28. DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
ExtendScript Toolkit

29. DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
ExtendScript Toolkit
• Delivered with every Creative Suite
product
• Need to set the target application
• Combo
• #target
• Benefits
• run on application
• Debug tools
• Inspector

30. DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
Any other JS editor
Launch script via File > Scripts > Browse ...
@dgomezg @D_v_G

31. the Photoshop
HDTR.jsx script

32. Process config
var hdtrConfig = {
direction : Direction.VERTICAL
, guidesOffset : 5
, maskOffset : 25
, guideSpacing : function () {
if (this.direction == Direction.VERTICAL) {
return this.docDimensions.width / this.shots;
} else {
return this.docDimensions.height / this.shots;
}
}
};
Added later:
- Image (document) dimensions
- Number of original shots
- Blending Offset (in Pixels # of Columns)

33. Source file selection
& further config
var files = app.openDialog();
hdtrConfig.shots = files.length;
hdtrConfig.docDimensions = getImageFileDimensions(files[0]);
hdtrConfig.offset =
hdtrConfig.maskOffset * hdtrConfig.guideSpacing();
var getImageFileDimensions = function(file) {
var imageDocument = app.open(file);
var documentDimensions = { "height" : document.height,
"width" : document.width,
"resolution" : document.resolution};
imageDocument.close();
return documentDimensions;
}

34. HDTR document
var hdtrDocument = app.documents.add(
hdtrConfig.docDimensions.width,
hdtrConfig.docDimensions.height,
hdtrConfig.docDimensions.resolution);
drawGuides(hdtrDocument, hdtrConfig.direction, hdtrConfig.shots);
var drawGuides = function(document, direction, number) {
var distance = (direction == Direction.HORIZONTAL)?
document.height / number :
document.width / number ;
for (var i = 0; i < number + 1; i++) {
var position;
position = i * distance;
document.guides.add(direction,
new UnitValue(position, position));
}
}

35. Main Loop
var refGuide;
var from;
var to;
for (index = 0; index < files.length; index++) {
addLayerFromFile(hdtrDocument, files[index]);
if (index > 0) {
refGuide = hdtrDocument.guides[index];
from = refGuide.coordinate - hdtrConfig.offset;
to = refGuide.coordinate + hdtrConfig.offset;
createLayerMask(hdtrDocument, hdtrDocument.activeLayer, false);
fillWithGradient(from, hdtrConfig.docDimensions.height /2,
to, hdtrConfig.docDimensions.height /2);
}
}
@dgomezg @D_v_G

36. Add Layer from File
var addLayerFromFile = function(hdtrDocument, file) {
var sourceDocument = app.open(file);
app.activeDocument = sourceDocument;
app.activeDocument.activeLayer.copy();
app.activeDocument = hdtrDocument;
hdtrDocument.paste();
hdtrDocument.activeLayer.name =
(hdtrDocument.artLayers.length -1) + "-" + sourceDocument.name;
sourceDocument.close();
}
@dgomezg @D_v_G

37. Create Layer Mask
var createLayerMask = function(doc, layer, fromSelection) {
var desc = new ActionDescriptor();
desc.putClass(cTID("Nw "), cTID("Chnl"));
var ref = new ActionReference();
ref.putEnumerated(cTID("Chnl"), cTID("Chnl"), cTID("Msk "));
desc.putReference(cTID("At "), ref);
if (fromSelection == true) {
desc.putEnumerated(cTID("Usng"), cTID("UsrM"), cTID("RvlS"));
} else {
desc.putEnumerated(cTID("Usng"), cTID("UsrM"), cTID("RvlA"));
}
executeAction(cTID("Mk "), desc, DialogModes.NO);
}
@dgomezg @D_v_G

38. Fill with Gradient
var fillWithGradient = function(startX, startY, endX, endY) {
var V1 = new ActionDescriptor();
var V2 = new ActionDescriptor();
V2.putUnitDouble(
charIDToTypeID("Hrzn"),
charIDToTypeID("#Pxl"),
startX); // start point X
V2.putUnitDouble(
charIDToTypeID("Vrtc"),
charIDToTypeID("#Pxl"),
startY); // start point Y
V1.putObject(
charIDToTypeID("From"),
charIDToTypeID("Pnt "), V2);
var V3 = new ActionDescriptor();
....
Better to see the source code

39. DEMO TIME!

40. Next Steps

41. Heterogeneous slice
distribution
@dgomezg @D_v_G

42. Easier configuration
Using Photoshop UI
Photoshop CS1
User Interaction via Alerts
Photoshop CS2
Added ScriptUI
(page 187 of PS CS2 JS Reference)
Photoshop CS3+
ScriptUI moved to PS JS TOOLS GUIDE
@dgomezg @D_v_G

43. Script UI
var dlg = new Window("dialog{text:'Script Interface',bounds:[100,100,561,269],
iwtfkhamhc:EditText{bounds:[16,16,444.95,94] , text:'Your text goes here' ,properties:
{multiline:false,noecho:false,readonly:false}},
button0:Button{bounds:[17,102,117,122] , text:'Save' },
button1:Button{bounds:[236,101,336,121] , text:'Cancel' },
button2:Button{bounds:[345,101,445,121] , text:'Whatever' },
slider0:Slider{bounds:[18,138,173,148] , minvalue:0,maxvalue:100,value:0},
checkbox0:Checkbox{bounds:[190,133,261,154] , text:'Checkbox Text' },
dropdown0:DropDownList{bounds:[299,134,443,149],properties:{items:['Select One']}}
};");
dlg.show();
@dgomezg @D_v_G

44. Further Reference
http://kcy.me/l7uohttp://kcy.me/l7ur
@dgomezg @D_v_G

45. Q & A

46. Thanks
@d_v_g
@dgomezg
https://github.com/dgomezg/hdtr-photoshop-js