How to Install Software for Blending Pictures in Photoshop
While Adobe Photoshop does come equipped with its own set of image blending tools right out of the box, third party tools can also be installed for more specific image blending operations. High dynamic range, exposure blending and panorama creation can be achieved by installing select plug-ins into Adobe Photoshop. Plug-ins are software created to augment the image editing features of Photoshop and make certain operations easier to accomplish than if done by hand. "Panorama Tools" and "Photomatix" are two popular image blending applications with plug-ins for Adobe Photoshop.
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Instructions
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Panorama Tools
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Download the free Panorama Tools Filter, or "PTFilter" from the SourceForge.net website. Sourceforge.net is a popular resource geared towards developers and users of open source software.
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Save the "PTFilter.zip" somewhere easy to find. The "Downloads" folder or the "Desktop" folder are both good choices.
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Extract the files from the zip archive by either double-clicking the archive, or just extracting the files to a folder of your choosing. Copy the ".8bf" files.
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Find the "Plugins" folder, located in Adobe Photoshop's folder. Paste the ".8bf" files and if Photoshop is running, restart. You will now see the "PTFilter" option in the "Filter" menu.
Photomatix
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Download the "Photomatix" Photoshop plugin from Hdrsoft.com. It is referred to as a tone mapping plug-in. Select 32-bit or 64-bit depending on which version of Photoshop you use.
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Double-Click the "ToneMapping12.exe" file. This will bring up the installer interface.
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Click the "Next" button when the "Welcome" screen comes up. Click "Next" again to use the default folder for installation. Click the "Install" button to finish the installation.
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Open or restart Photoshop. You will now see the "Photomatix" option in the "Filter" menu.
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Tips & Warnings
If the software is not being displayed in the "Filter" menu, try creating a sub-folder in the "Plug-ins" folder.
When creating exposure fusion pictures, try using the Camera Raw files instead of taking multiple exposures.
When creating high dynamic range pictures, always use manual settings on the camera.
Try using settings other than the defaults while tone mapping the images, this will give greater control over the final image.
When making panoramas, set the camera white balance to manual so each image's color matches.
Always make backups of images before editing and saving them. This will prevent mistakenly saving over the original.
Save the installation files so that if you ever have to uninstall Adobe Photoshop, you will have another copy of the third party filters.
