HDR is simply a tool.

Like any digital practice, HDR is simply another tool.

After months of cold wintery weather, the sun has finally produced some warmth. I've been waiting for a long time for this kind of mostly sunny weather and thought I'd go out to see what I might find to photograph.

HDR is a great tool when used well. I have become a bit fanatical and find myself using it for nearly everything these days. I love the looks that can be achieved as long as they are reasonably natural and photographically believable.

There are many ways to make images. HDR is simply one of many. There are times when HDR makes little sense or is not possible due to the kind of subjects being photographed. Although it is possible to shoot scenes with moving subjects, for the most part, HDR is restricted to subjects that are not in motion. Anything that moves will cause a ghosting effect, which can cause problems.

HDR like many photo techniques, requires some careful control of the process. The final outcome is dependent on everything you do throughout the entire procedure. There are a number of steps that need to be carefully considered as you work.

For me, it all begins with the exposures in the camera and ends in what I call a 'post processing process' in photo editing. In my way of working, HDR software is simply a middle step in which I establish the basic dynamic range and tone mapping. Everything else is finalized in Photoshop or Lightroom.

While there are many variations on HDR technique, I tend to like the images that are more on the subtle side. Too much of anything seems to spoil whatever you are trying to show. OK, I sometimes push the color and maybe the contrast. But I really try to avoid that funky look that so many HDR imagers seem to desire. That garish look that many people associate with HDR is not one I favor either.

Many of the newer cameras have what I call a pseudo HDR built directly into the interface. However, I believe that the camera is not the place to create the final results. Rather than use the in-camera method, it is far better to utilize the cameras AEB capability. Using the AE control on the camera allows the shooting of a series of different exposures to produce an HDR sequence. Once the images are captured, it is best to process them in a good HDR program such as Photomatix Pro.

I try to work on a tripod for most of my HDR work. Especially when the light levels require exposures that exceed times that would allow camera shake when handholding. The tripod also allows me to choose the exposures I want to use rather than the even spacing produced by an AEB sequence.

Most new cameras are capable of shooting at least three shots in rapid sequence, which minimizes misalignment due to camera motion between exposures when handheld. For the shots shown in the gallery, I used a Sony NEX 6 handheld with three bracketed and rapidly sequenced exposures.

There are advantages of using HDR exposures and processing. For me, HDR is capable of producing images that I think are much more energetic visually than can be easily produced by normal methods. Not to mention the extra details that are accessible in the highlights and shadows of most scenes due to the longer tonal scale of HDR. To me, it just seems more natural seeing all that detail and vibrance.

While HDR may not be for everyone, it has become one of my most used methods of working. It has become a way to recreate the kinds of tones and details I tend to see in the real world.

One of the biggest secrets of HDR is to hold back on the sliders. A little goes a long way in HDR processing. Too much, and you begin to see some ugly results.

HDR has become a primary photographic practice in my workflow.

More HDR here:

• High Dynamic Range is ONLY a Technique
• Alternative HDR and the Pinhole Image
• Serious Camera Play - HDR, Digital Paint, Crazy Lenses and More
• Rust, Decay and HDR
• HDR - Garish? Realistic? Kitschy? UGLY?

 

Learn how to play with HDR and other imaging techniques from my book.  

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PLEASE NOTE: THIS WORK IS PART OF MY PERSONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC PORTFOLIO. IT IS HOPED THAT YOU WILL RESPECT WHAT I HAVE DONE AND HONOR MY COPYRIGHT. I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS AND ALL OF MY PROJECTS FOR SOME TIME. THE IMAGES ARE A PART OF A MUCH LARGER BODY OF MY WORK. I SHOW IT HERE AS A WAY TO INSPIRE YOU TO DO YOUR OWN PROJECTS, USING YOUR OWN IDEAS. PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT ABOUT COPYING OR STEALING CONCEPTS OR TECHNIQUES. IT IS ABOUT UTILIZING YOUR TALENTS FOR CREATING YOUR OWN UNIQUE IMAGERY AND ABOUT YOUR OWN WAY OF SEEING THE WORLD. RESPECT THE WORKS OF ALL ARTISTS. DO NOT PLAGIARIZE ANYONE'S ART.

NOTICE:  UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, THIS POSTING AS WELL AS ANY AND ALL PHOTOGRAPHS, GALLERY IMAGES, AND ILLUSTRATIONS ARE THE LEGAL COPYRIGHTED © WORKS OF - JOHN NEEL AND ARE NOT TO BE USED ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, FOR ANY PURPOSE WITHOUT WRITTEN CONSENT FROM THE WRITER, THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND/OR PIXIQ. THE IDEAS EXPRESSED ARE THE PROPERTY OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER AND THE AUTHOR.

"IMAGINATION IS WHAT MAKES IMAGES UNIQUE"

 

 

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