High Dynamic Range Photography (HDR)

Chevrolet Avalanche Frozen in Time & HDR 

     Thought I would post one of my many artistic outlets tonight...This one is my Photography. I plan on sharing some of my many photos on my blog spot here and thought I would provide the definition to one of my techniques I use know as High Dynamic Range Photography (HDR).   


     HDR is basically a set of techniques that allow for a greater dynamic range of luminance between the lightest and darkest areas of an image. This wide dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight. The two main sources of HDR imagery are computer renderings and the merging of multiple photographs as above. The latter of which in turn are individually referred to as low dynamic range (LDR) or standard dynamic range (SDR) photographs. *Tone mapping techniques, which reduce overall contrast to facilitate display of HDR images on devices with lower dynamic range, can be applied to produce images with preserved or exaggerated local contrast for artistic effect as mine above.


Are you confused yet? Haha! I hope you enjoy some of my photos that I plan to share with you. 


*Tone Mapping-  is to map one set of colors to another; Essentially, tone mapping addresses the problem of strong contrast reduction from the scene values (radiance) to the displayable range while preserving the image details and color appearance important to appreciate the original scene content. Print-outs, CRT or LCD monitors, and projectors all have a limited dynamic range which is inadequate to reproduce the full range of light intensities present in natural scenes. Tone Mapping software basically fixes these issues to provide an image that is viewable on your computer monitor or in print.  


If you want to find out more about HDR and photography, my Father-in-law has a great blog where he shares his work flow, tips, and can provide you some awesome discounts on some needed software. Check out: Another "Rich" Collectable Photography.