HDR - how to make one and why

HDR - how to make one and why, originally uploaded by Mixmaster.

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High dynamic range (HDR) images enable photographers to record a greater range of tonal detail than a given camera could capture in a single photo (a single jpg or RAW has a way too limited dynamic range, and NO the range is NOT extended by saving the same file with different exposure settings)

On the photo to the left only the brightest areas are correctly exposed. On the photo in the middle only the darkest parts look good.
By combining differently exposed images you can make an HDR which allows for both the brightest and darkest parts to be correctly exposed AT THE SAME TIME. That's what I have done to get the result to the right.

It's not a fantastic photo in itself, but it's at least fairly well exposed.

Here's how it's done:
- backingwinds.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-to-create-professio...
- beforethecoffee.wordpress.com/hdr-post-processing-tutorial/ - A MUST READ
-Cambridgeincolour - HDR - A MUST READ



More on the subject
- Vanilladays HDR-guide (Photomatix)
- www.applelinks.com/index.php/more/photomatix_review_of_hd...
- The Future of Digital Imaging - HDR Photography
- HDR imaging at Wikipedia
- www.mediachance.com/hdri/help/index.html

A little extra input here:
- HDR’s demerits
- Heavy discussion in the HDR group
- www.withinlights.com/Labo/Articles/HDR/index_us.php/
Before the Coffee - National Cathedral
Monument Valley
Metro Tunnel
Front row seat to an HDR world
Better Than TV
Orange plastic buoy, rusted iron buoy and boat house
Abandoned Barn in HDR - Handheld
View from Marienbrücke
Mt Werner - HDR merged from 60 single photos!!

My slowly growing HDR set

Check out all my photos through the excellent Flickriver!