HDR Photography

WHAT: HDR stands for High-dynamic-range photography and it is used to create a greater dynamic range between the darkest and lightest places of any image. Also, it is used to emphasize contrast for an artistic effect. This idea of HDR (known then as using different ranges of exposure) started quite early, the 1850s. It was ‘invented’ by Gustave Le Gray to show both the sea and sky equally in one of his photos. He used two negatives and put them together to make one positive. The current uses for HDR is to visually enhance your photos most commonly for landscapes, portraits in sunlight and low-light and backlit scenes.

HOW: To create HDR images there are several techniques and editing programs used.

• The first tutorial is one that teaches you how to fake HDR photos using Photoshop. To make this photo you don’t need multiple images, just one JPEG file is enough. To create this image you are playing with the shadows and highlights as well as blending your effects.
• The next tutorial explains how to create a professional HDR image using Photoshop and Photomatix. For this HDR photo you need to take three or more images of a static subject. To create your photo you need to change the exposure value of each of your images when you take the picture. After that you open your pictures in Photoshop and continue editing them.
• The last tutorial is another way to easily fake an HDR effect using only Photoshop and one image. The just of this tutorial is making copies of the layers and adding adjustment layers to each of the photos.

My resources:  

• http://www.howtogeek.com/64320/htg-explains-what-is-hdr-photography-and-how-can-i-use-it/

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-dynamic-range_imaging

• http://lifehacker.com/5991508/what-is-hdr-and-when-should-i-use-it-in-my-photos

PERSONAL: To produce my images I used stabilizing techniques without a tripod to create three or more equal photos of different exposures. To make my images my own I chose to focus the series on something I take genuine interest in, the outdoors. I did manipulate the tutorial I used by altering the different levels and settings to make my images more unique. I learned how to combine images to create one image that includes all areas of exposure on Photoshop.  

The process I used to create these images involved following a tutorial using photoshop. I combined three or more identical images of different exposures and edited them until I came up with the above results. The editing process included changing the vibrance, brightness, shadows, etc. My theme of outdoors is played out in my photos with the representation of trees as a main focal point of each image. The theme outdoors is based upon the focal points of each image and what identifies them to be outdoors. The main factor in each picture is the sky which identifies automatically to be an outdoor image. I chose this theme because I find that the colours, shapes and vibrance of the outdoors can be used to a great advantage when creating HDR photos.