HDR Photography Explained

HDR Photography

    HDR photography, HDR stands for high dynamic range.  The human eye has an incredible ability to adapt and see different intensities of light in a lot wider spectrum than does the camera sensor.

    When we photograph a scene where there are areas that are beyond the capable range of the camera, the camera will under/over expose the photograph. A good example of this would be the inside of a church. You photograph the inside of the church, and the inside of the church is properly exposed, but windows where the sunlight is coming through are completely blown out (white and without detail).  This makes your photograph look unappealing.

    An HDR image can correct this, making your photograph look natural as you probably saw it the moment you took it.

    How do we create an HDR?

First and foremost you need a tripod. The camera must be perfectly still. A strong tripod and head will yield best results.  The camera must be set to auto exposure-bracketing ( bracketing can also be done manually). I like to set it to plus and minus 2 stops along with the correct exposure. Set your camera's drive to continuous shooting. A good cable release or setting the camera to self timer is also recommended. Images can be recorded in JPEG or RAW formats. Once the images are recorded on your card, transfer them to your PC. Once in your PC you must have HDR software installed. I use Photomatix and really like it. Once you start to process the images with the program, the program will align the images, and start to correct highlight and shadow areas. The processed image will appear on the screen. The program has numerous adjustments where you can tailor the image to your taste. Later you can open the image in Photoshop for further adjustments.

   Several cameras on the market have an HDR filter, and the process is done in-camera. I have not tested them so really do not know how good they work. Does HDR photography always work well, in my opinion NO! With some images your get excessive noise and extreme contrast, but for the most part the images are beautiful and artistic. Explorer another facet of photography and let me know how it goes. Thanks for reading. HAPPY SHOOTING .....Your friend, Jerry LLanes 

Example of photograph I took at Jimbo's on Key Biscayne. This photographs illustrates how HDR can balance a scene where both highlights and shadows are extreme.