1st Things 1st - Define HDR

• HDR stands for “high dynamic range.” Some call it “high contrast” or “multiple tonal values”.
• Dynamic range is the difference between the darkest dark and the lightest light you can capture in a photo.
• Once your subject exceeds the camera’s dynamic range, the highlights tend to become just white and the darks become just black.
• With advanced photo techniques AND editing, you can capture the entire spectrum of the histogram.

Starting Point For HDR Photography

• First, know your camera. How does it “bracket” images?
  
  • Bracketing is the general technique of taking several shots of the same subject using different camera settings. Best done with a cable release.
• Can it capture HDR or multiple exposure compensation images at one time.
  
  • Most DSLR and Mirrorless cameras made in the last 3-5 years have this capability

When To Shoot HDR

• HDR is best shot from ½ hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset
• HDR shots DO NOT blend well when there is wind or motion (say from sports or wildlife, waterfalls usually excluded from this rule)
• If the shadows appear TOO DARK and/or the highlights are TOO BRIGHT.

When NOT To Shoot HDR

• Do NOT use HDR when in LOW CONTRAST
• How do you know? Take a picture and look at the histogram.
• If the data doesn’t reach the right or the left and the peaks don’t reach out of the top of the graph (no clipping) then HDR probably won’t help.

• Again, very low contrast.
• You see a bit of clipping on the right (from the waterfalls), but there is plenty of date with which to work with.
• This is the benefit of shooting and working in RAW camera file format.
• HDR is NOT for Silhouettes
• Do NOT use HDR to remove shadows
  • • • • • It’s better to shoot the scene at the right time of day
• HDR is NOT for shooting people or animals or motion (especially when windy)

BEST TIMES TO SHOOT HDR

• Sunrise Or Sunset
• Bright Brights | Dark Darks

How To Setup | Shoot HDR

• Tripods ARE A MUST (no matter how many articles you read)
  • Cable release REALLY helps reduce camera shake
• RAW file format is a MUST!
• Lowest ISO possible for the scene
• Aperture as needed for the scene, just keep the same for all bracketed images
• Take a test shot and look at the histogram
  • Will the scene benefit from an HDR approach?

• Here I wanted to bring up the shadows and bring down the highlights.
• I also wanted more color from the sky and from the weathered sagebrush.
• I set my EV or HDR settings for +/- 2 stops
• ISO 100, f22 (to get the starburst through the window)

• Here I shot five images from 1/250sec to .4sec because there was so much of a difference in the lights and the darks.
• Look at the histogram in the 3rd image (the “0” image), you can see that there is a lot of data lost between the field, the forest & Mt. Hood.

Editing & Merging HDR Images

Lightroom

• In Lightroom, I select the images, then right click
• I then select Photo Merge>HDR
• I then get a preview of the image.
• Press Merge to start the HDR blending process.

Photoshop

• You can start in Lightroom or Adobe Bridge, or in Photoshop
• From Lightroom, select your images and Right Click>Merge to HDR Pro in Photoshop...
• From Adobe Bridge, select your images and go to the Tools menu>Photoshop>Merge to HDR Pro
• From Photoshop, click File>Automate>Merge to HDR Pro

On1

• On1 is like a mix of Adobe Bridge and PS
• Select your images then right click>Create HDR...

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