This document discusses high dynamic range (HDR) photography. It begins by defining HDR imaging and explaining that it allows for a greater dynamic range of brightness levels than standard photography. It then provides examples of 9 shot HDR photos and discusses the benefits of HDR, including boosting creativity and allowing shooting in various lighting conditions. It explains the basic process of taking HDR photos using bracketed exposures and merging them. It also discusses different HDR styles, needed equipment, and tips for shooting and processing HDR photos. It provides resources for learning more about HDR photography.

1. HDR Photography
High Dynamic Range
Scott Wyden Kivowitz
www.scottwyden.com

2. Sponsored By

3. 9 Shot Exposure HDR - Zion National Park, Utah

4. 9 Shot Exposure HDR - Lake Topanemus, Freehold, NJ

5. 9 Shot Exposure HDR - Eastern State Penn, Philly, PA

6. 9 Shot Exposure HDR - Woodbridge, NJ

7. 9 Shot Exposure HDR - Eastern State Penn, Philly, PA

8. High Dynamic Range Imaging
In image processing, computer graphics, and photography, high
dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of
techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminances
between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than
standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods.
This wider dynamic range allows HDR images to represent
more accurately the wide range of intensity levels found in real
scenes ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight.
-Wikipedia

9. High Dynamic Range Imaging
“making a photograph look how your eye sees the scene”
“creating a photograph beyond what a camera can capture.”
The simplest explanation of HDR
camera’s exposure, over exposure, under exposure, merge

10. HOW TO MAKE THIS PHOTO

11. LOOK LIKE THIS

12. Why and how you do it

13. Benefits of HDR Photography
Boosts Creativity
Shoot Mid Day
Overcast Is Ok!
The Sun Is Ok!
Many Options
A Closer Reproduction Of Your Eye

14. Uses for HDR
Real estate photography
Landscape/Nature photography
Automobile photography
Product photography
Photographers Block
Just being creative!

15. What you need to get started
A camera that can take RAW image files
A good tripod (wind will create shake)
A remote trigger release recommended but not
required (will prevent shake)
HDR Software (PhotoMatix, LR/Enfuse, etc...)
Photo editing software (Lightroom, Photoshop,
Aperture, etc...)

16. Light Meter
Using a light meter would produce the optimal
results however even the best HDR
photographers rarely use one as the built-in light
meters are very accurate.
Spot metering would be required from a light
meter to produce exact EV levels.

17. Portraits
It is possible to create HDR portraits, however
they are not simple and take a lot of practice
and time to do it correctly. If the subject is
moving between the multiple exposures the
HDR will not turn out well. (Ghosting effect)
HDR portraits can be done using the single
RAW image style of HDR creation when an
exposure is perfect!
Typically HDR portraits are more artistic than
realistic

18. Ghosting
Ghosting is caused by an object or subject
moving between exposures

20. Types of HDR Photography
Multi Blended (Typical HDR)
Single RAW Image
TTHDR (True Tone HDR)

21. Multi Blended
Get master exposure
RAW format
Aperture priority with bracketing
3, 5, 7 or 9 Exposures to create a highly dynamic
photograph
Blend & Tone mapping in HDR software
Finalized in Photo Editing Software

22. Single RAW Image
Get Master Exposure
RAW format
Pseudo HDR generated & tone mapping in
HDR Software
Finalized in Photo Editing Software

23. True Tone HDR
Same as Blended HDR
Tone mapping should resemble a more realistic
look rather than surreal.

25. Blended HDR
Single RAW Image
TTHDR

26. Blended HDR

27. Single RAW

28. TTHDR

29. Steps to shooting a HDR
1. Make sure your CCD is CLEAN
2. Change the camera to RAW !!!
3. Put the camera on a tripod
4. Meter the scene
5. Put the camera on Aperture Priority
6. Set to Continuous
7. Set up auto bracketing
8. Ready, Aim, Fire! (MANUAL FOCUS)

30. Make sure the CCD is CLEAN
Otherwise expect a lot of spots!

31. Change the camera to RAW
RAW files are uncompressed high resolution
images which capture more data and detail than
what the exposure requires
JPG files are compressed and only contain data
that can be seen. All extra RAW data is purged
during compression. A HDR from JPG images
can become distorted.

32. Put the camera on a tripod
Stability
Shake
Blur
Wind
Bumps
You will have long shutter speeds!
Earthquakes

33. Put the camera on a tripod
Stability
Shake Using a remote cable
Blur release will also help
reduce shake and blur
Wind
Bumps
You will have long shutter speeds!
Earthquakes

34. Meter the scene
The master exposure needs to be perfect
otherwise the HDR can not be realistic
The master exposure is your starting point

35. Put the camera on Aperture Priority
The camera could also be on manual but you
would need to adjust the shutter speed for each
exposure
If the camera was on shutter priority then each
photo would have different focus
Aperture Priority is the easiest and best way to
capture the photos for an HDR

36. Set to continuous
Not required for still life, but if something is
moving you want speed so there is no ghosting
during the HDR generating.
Continuous High would be required if doing a
multiple image HDR of a person

37. Set up auto bracketing
3 shots -2, 0, +2
5 shots -2, -1, 0, +1, +2
etc...
If auto bracketing is unavailable then using
exposure compensation would work as well

38. Ready, Aim, Fire
Camera on Manual Focus
GO FOR IT!

40. master exposure
0

41. -2
master exposure
0

42. -2 -1
master exposure
0

43. -2 -1
master exposure
0
+1

44. -2 -1
master exposure
0
+1 +2

45. Before

46. After

47. Histogram

49. Tone Mapping
Tone mapping reduces the dynamic range, or contrast ratio, of
the entire image, while retaining localized contrast (between
neighboring pixels), tapping into research on how the human
eye and visual cortex perceive a scene, trying to represent the
whole dynamic range while retaining realistic colour and
contrast.
Images with too much tone mapping processing have their range
over-compressed, creating a surreal low-dynamic-range
rendering of a high-dynamic-range scene.
-Wikipedia

50. Tone Mapping
The adjustments which you tweak to create your HDR look

51. Some
Tone Mapping
Options

52. Luminosity
Adjusts the brightness of shadows

53. Strength
Controls the strength of contrast enhancements.
Lower for a more realistic look

54. Color Saturation
Controls the saturation of the RGB color
channels. The greater the saturation, the more
intense the color. The value affects each color
channel equally.

55. White Point / Black Point
Adjust contrast of white & black points
individually for the entire image

56. Gamma
Adjust brightness of the entire image

57. Temperature
Similar to white balance as the slider will adjust
the color of the image. Slider to the right gives a
warmer image. Slider to the left gives a colder
more bluish image.

58. Micro-smoothing
At 0 you can get the dramatic style HDR
images with all the detail in everything
from walls to clouds you didn’t know
where there. However, if you want a
simple blended exposure photo set it to 30.

59. Micro-contrast
Controls the accentuation of local details. The
default value (High) is the optimal value in most
cases.
Will bring out more texture in the image.
Will expose a dirty CCD
Will expose imperfections (example: Stitching in
a pano)

60. Light Smoothing
Controls smoothing of the contrast
Can cause the Halo Effect

61. Highlight Smoothing
Can help reduce or remove the Halo Effect

62. See the Halo?

63. See it here?

64. What is wrong with this HDR?

66. See it now? Single RAW HDR, poor exposure & moving subject

67. Default settings of
Photomatix, LR/Enfuse & Topaz Adjust

68. Photomatix

69. LR/Enfuse

70. Topaz Adjust

71. Various examples of uses for HDR

89. Challenge Yourself
Take something everyone knows and make it unique

90. Final Tips
HDRs will not fix bad lighting
Turn off auto adjustments in camera (contrast,
saturation, sharpening, etc...)
Shoot fast if your subject is moving
For long exposures mirror lockup can save the
HDR
Try to use f/5.6, f/8 & f/11 for sharpest images
A lens hood can help reduce unwanted flare

91. Final Tips
Fine tune your HDR photography in image
editing software like Photoshop or Lightroom
Remove any dirty CCD spots
Adjust contrast, color, white balance, saturation

92. Extra Fun
Add a layer of texture to the image to create
something even more artistic!

93. My Favorite HDR Photographers
Trey Ratcliff - Landscapes, Nature, Life
stuckincustoms.com
Michael James - Real Estate
digitalcoastimage.com My HDR
Photography
Mike Criss - Alaska scottwyden.com/hdr
akphotograph.com
David Nightingale - Fine Art, Commercial
chromasia.com
Tony Eckersley - Travel, Landscapes
tonyeckersley.com

94. Adobe Photoshop, CS4
RAW editor, HDR Generation built in
http://imgry.net/5v
Topaz Adjust
use code “scottwyden” to save 15%
Photoshop Plugin, Created Pseudo HDR from RAW and
JPG images. Topaz Labs also has many other PS plugins
designed for various photo editing
http://imgry.net/5y
HDRSoft Photomatix Pro
use code “ScottWyden15” to save 15%
HDR Generation built in
http://imgry.net/5w
Adobe Lightroom 2
RAW editor and photo workflow solution
http://imgry.net/5x
LR/Enfuse
Plugin for LR, Pay by donation!
http://imgry.net/5z

95. Great HDR Books
Trey Ratcliff - A World In HDR
http://imgry.net/71
David Nightingale - Practical HDR
http://imgry.net/72
Christian Bloch - The HDRI
Handbook
http://imgry.net/73
Michael Freeman - Mastering HDR
Photography
http://imgry.net/74

96. •Flexible plans and prices you’ll be pleased with
•The best & only elegant photography hosting and selling solution
•Professional-quality presentations using highly intuitive online tools
•Elegantly designed, ad-free!
•Upload, present, and sell
•Printing services via Mpix!
HDR Workshop attendees receive 15% off using the affiliate link and
coupon code below:
Link: http://imgry.net/75
Coupon code: SWK-HDR-15
Visit photos.scottwyden.com to see a Zenfolio in action!

97. Promote Control
$300 - http://imgry.net/6u
Designed for serious amateurs and pros, Promote
Control is an advanced remote control for digital SLR
cameras from various manufacturers.
Superior automation and intuitive ease of use.
It will have you taking High Dynamic Range (HDR)
photographs, time-lapse sequences and much more in a
flash.

98. Scott Wyden Kivowitz
Workshop
My Photography scottwyden.com
Find a Photowalk Near You! photowalklist.com
Find me on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr,
LinkedIn, Vimeo & YouTube