HDR Photography

What is High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography? It is basically using a number of techniques both with your camera's exposure and software that allows you to create an image with a high dynamic range.

A large or high dynamic range exists when the image you are trying to shoot has some very low light and some very high light and some in between light (extremes). The main problem with just shooting a single shot in these conditions is that the camera's sensor is not able to handle that large of a dynamic range. There is just too much to process. Think of all those pictures you have taken where either the subject is in good light but the sky is washed out, or vice versa where the subject is dark and hard to see but the sky is really detailed. This is the limitations of the camera's dynamic range. Good photographers can use flash techniques, flash modifiers, and filters to compensate but a fun and good alternative is using HDR techniques.

First you must use a digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR) on a tripod or sit the camera on something sturdy that won't move. Then take 3 or more pictures at different exposure levels without changing the camera position or depth of field. Each exposure you take you should be getting the proper exposure for each dynamic range. You then take these 3 or more images and put them into HDR software and combine all of the images into one. This lets you use all the properly exposed images together in one image, giving you a high dynamic range photo! This is a very basic explanation of the process, but gives you an idea of what is involved.

These examples were all shot at the exact same time of day in Port Credit Mississauga. Three exposures for each and then combined using Photomatix software. I have chosen to make the pictures more extreme in this case to make them look more dramatic and less realistic.

To find out more about this type of photography or to see the originals before creating the HDR image, please contact me.

Suggested reading:
HDR Photography - Photo Workshop by Pete Carr & Robert Correll