Source: Love Mac | Software download link: ON1 HDR 2020.1 for Mac
ON1 HDR 2020.1 is a professional-grade high dynamic range (HDR) image processing software designed specifically for macOS. It can not only merge multiple photos with different exposures into HDR images with stunning detail, but also includes a powerful RAW processor and comprehensive local adjustment tools. It can run as a standalone application and can also be seamlessly integrated as a plugin into Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. This article will provide an in-depth analysis of its interface, workflow, and core techniques.
I. Detailed Explanation of the Core Interface and Workspace
After launching ON1 HDR 2020.1, the main interface is mainly divided into the following areas:
- Top Menu Bar and Toolbar: Includes standard menus such as File, Edit, and View. The toolbar provides quick toggle buttons for core modules such as “Browse,” “Edit,” “HDR,” and “Effects.”
- Left Panel Area:
- In the “Browse” module: Displays the folder directory, used for navigating and managing photos.
- In the “Edit” or “HDR” modules: Usually displays the “Presets,” “Filters,” or “Layers” panels, used for applying quick adjustments and creative effects.
- Central Workspace (Viewing Area): Displays the image currently being processed. Below it is the view control bar, where you can zoom in and out on the image, switch between before/after comparison views (shortcut
Y), or use the split-screen view. - Right Panel Area: This is the core adjustment area. Depending on the module you are in, the panel contents change dynamically.
- HDR Module: Contains HDR compositing-specific controls such as “Merge,” “Align,” and “Deghost.”
- Edit Module: Contains a full suite of editing tools, including “Basic,” “Color,” “Detail,” “Lens Correction,” “Tone Curve,” “Local Adjustments” (such as brushes, gradient filters, and radial filters), and more.
- Bottom Panel Area: Typically displays the filmstrip, used to switch between multiple source images or different versions.
II. Complete Workflow: From Creation to Export
Step 1: Create/Open a Project
Method A: Launch the standalone app and create an HDR project
- Open ON1 HDR 2020.1 from the “Applications” folder or Launchpad.
- Click the “HDR” module button in the toolbar.
- Click the “Browse Photos” button in the center of the interface, or use the menu bar File > Add Photos… (shortcut
Cmd+O). - In the file selector, hold down the
Cmdkey and click to select multiple bracketed exposure photos (usually 3-5) with different exposure levels, then click “Open”.
Method B: Launch as a plugin from Adobe Lightroom
In Lightroom’s “Library” or “Develop” module, select multiple photos, right-click and choose “Edit In” > “Edit in ON1 HDR 2020.1”.
Step 2: HDR Merging and Pre-processing
After the photos are loaded, you will enter the HDR merge preview interface.
- In the “Merge” tab on the right panel, select a rendering style (such as “Natural”, “Realistic”, “Creative”, etc.). The software will automatically perform an initial merge.
- In the “Align” tab, if the photos were taken handheld, it is recommended to check “Auto-align images”.
- In the “Deghost” tab, if there are moving objects in the frame (such as pedestrians or leaves), select the deghosting level (Low, Medium, High) or use the “Brush” to manually paint over ghosting areas for correction.
- In the “Color” tab, you can remove color casts and perform automatic color correction.
- Once adjustments are complete, click the “Merge” button in the lower right corner. The software will generate a 32-bit HDR initial image and automatically switch to the “Edit” module.
Tip: Before merging, you can click a single source photo in the filmstrip at the bottom to preview it and check the details of each one. Press and hold the ` key to temporarily view the original unmerged image.
Step 3: Make comprehensive adjustments in the editing module
After merging, the image enters the most powerful “Edit” module. Adjustments usually follow an order from global to local.
- Basic adjustments (the “Basic” tab in the right panel): First adjust the Exposure, Contrast, Highlights, Shadows, Whites, and Blacks sliders to set the overall tone of the image. Use the “HDR Tone Compression” slider to control the intensity of the HDR effect.
- Color adjustments (the “Color” tab): Adjust Saturation and Vibrance. Use the HSL (Hue/Saturation/Luminance) sliders to precisely control specific colors.
- Detail adjustments (the “Detail” tab): Apply sharpening (use the “Masking” slider together with dragging while holding the
Optionkey to preview the sharpening area) and noise reduction. - Local adjustments: This is the key to advanced processing.
- Click the “Local Adjustments” button at the top of the right panel (the icon is a brush and a circle).
- Choose a tool: Brush, Gradient Filter, Radial Filter.
- For example, select “Graduated Filter,” drag from top to bottom over the sky area, then in the adjustment panel that appears, lower the exposure and increase the contrast to darken and enhance the sky details.
- Select “Brush,” set the size, feathering, and flow, then paint directly over the areas you want to brighten (such as foreground shadows) or darken, and adjust the corresponding parameters.
- Applied Effects (left panel “Effects” tab): You can add creative effects such as motion blur, glow, and color contrast, or get a style with one click from a large number of presets.
Step 4: Export the Final Image
- After completing all edits, click the “Export” button on the right side of the top toolbar, or use the menu bar File > Export… (shortcut
Cmd+Shift+E). - In the export dialog that pops up:
- Location: Select the folder where the exported file will be saved.
- Filename: Set the naming convention.
- File Settings: Select the format (such as JPEG, TIFF, PNG), set the quality, color space (sRGB is suitable for web), and resolution.
- Image Size: You can adjust the output dimensions.
- Click the “Export” button at the bottom of the dialog to complete the process.
Tip: If you need to return to Lightroom, in the standalone version, use the menu bar “File” > “Open in Lightroom…” to send the edited TIFF file back to the Lightroom library.
III. Advanced Tips for Common Features
- Non-destructive local adjustments: All “local adjustment” tools (brush, graduated filter, etc.) are layer-based. In the “Layers” panel (on the left), you can click the layer eye icon at any time to toggle the effect on or off, or double-click the adjustment icon to modify parameters, achieving fully reversible editing.
- Make good use of masks: After applying a local adjustment, you can click the “Mask” icon next to that adjustment layer, use a black brush to paint over and erase areas where the adjustment is too strong, and use a white brush to restore the adjustment, achieving fine-tuned control.
- Snapshots and history: At the bottom of the right panel there are “History” and “Snapshots” panels. After key adjustment steps, click the “+” in the “Snapshots” panel to save the current state, making it easy to quickly switch between and compare different style versions.
- Custom workspace: You can adjust panel sizes by dragging panel edges. You can pin commonly used panels (such as “Tone Curve” and “HSL”) on the right side, then save the custom layout via the menu bar “Window” > “Workspace” > “Save Workspace…”.
IV. Common Issues and Solutions
| Issue | Possible Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| The merged HDR image looks unnatural, with halos or abnormal colors. | The rendering style or “HDR tone compression” strength in the “Merge” tab is improperly set; the brightness contrast between source images is too large. | 1. Return to the “HDR” module and try different rendering styles (e.g., “Natural”). 2. In the “Basic” tab of the “Edit” module, appropriately lower the “HDR Tone Compression” and “Dehaze” slider values. 3. Check and manually adjust the white balance and HSL settings in the “Color” tab. |
| There are obvious ghosting artifacts in the image. | There were moving objects in the scene during shooting, and automatic deghosting failed to fully handle them. | 1. In the “Deghosting” tab of the “HDR” module, try a higher deghosting level. 2. Use the “Deghosting Brush” to manually paint over the ghosting areas; the software will automatically sample and repair from the best-exposed source frame. |
| The software runs slowly or lags. | Processing multiple high-resolution RAW files places high demands on system resources; preference settings may not be optimized. | 1. Ensure your Mac has sufficient available memory (8GB or more recommended). 2. Go to “ON1 HDR 2020.1” > “Preferences” > “Performance”, check and make sure “Use Graphics Processor (GPU)” is enabled. 3. During editing, you can temporarily close other large applications. |
| Local adjustment brushes respond slowly or are not smooth. | Brush cursor preview settings or GPU acceleration issues. | 1. Go to “Preferences” > “Cursor” and try changing the preview type of the “Brush Cursor”. 2. Confirm that GPU acceleration is enabled in “Preferences” > “Performance”. |
V. ON1 HDR 2020.1 for Mac Keyboard Shortcuts Summary
| Function | Shortcut (Mac) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Open File | Cmd + O |
Add photos to the project |
| Toggle Full Screen | F |
Toggle full-screen display of the workspace |
| Before/After Comparison View | Y |
Compare the effect before and after adjustments |
| Zoom In/Out | Cmd + + / Cmd + - |
Scale the image view |
| Fit to Screen | Cmd + 0 |
Scale the image to fit the window |
| Actual Pixels | Cmd + Option + 0 |
View the image at 100% scale |
| Switch Modules | Cmd + Option + 1/2/3/4 |
Quickly switch between Browse, Edit, HDR, Effects, and other modules |
| New Layer | Cmd + Shift + N |
Create a new blank layer in the Edit module |
| Duplicate Layer | Cmd + J |
Duplicate the currently selected layer |
| Undo/Redo | Cmd + Z / Cmd + Shift + Z |
Undo or redo the previous operation |
| Reset Slider | Double-click any slider | Reset the slider value to default |
| Brush Size/Hardness | [ / ] and Shift + [ / ] |
Decrease/increase brush size or hardness |
| Toggle Brush Preview | Hold Option and drag |
Use on sliders such as “Sharpening” or “Masking” to preview the affected area |
| Export Image | Cmd + Shift + E |
Open the export dialog |
Note: This article is based on ON1 HDR 2020.1 for Mac and is intended to provide detailed operating instructions and tips. The specific features and shortcuts of the software may change with subsequent version updates; please refer to the help documentation within the actual software.
