Making HDR PHotographs

The most favored style of photo-manipulation seems to be HDR.

I’ve attempted a few times to take shots suitable, but as yet have not been very successful. Instead, I have developed a technique that I call ‘Orton++‘ (When I eventually write my tutorial about it, the name will make more sense!)

Tonight I have gone for a short search through a LOT of great sites to compile this short list of what I consider the best sites to learn HDR. Some are tutorials, whilst a few are gallery’s displaying the results of utilising these techniques.

HDR Tutorial: How to create ‘High Dynamic Range’ images using Photomatix
This is quite lengthy, yet complete. Not only explaining the facets of HDR, they explain all the tools necessary, and interestingly have extra information regarding the use of RAW and JPG’s to produce the results. As they say, you will need PhotoMatix to produce the work to the standards they are teaching.

How to Create Professional HDR Images
This site is listed second because they refute nearly everything the previous site mentioned. They say HDR can be acheived with Photoshop CS2 (and probably more recent versions), without resorting to PhotoMatix.
It reads well with easy to follow instructions. I highly recommend trying this option at least once. I suspect it is popular – it has 284 favourable comments!

PhotoWalkThrough.com
This particular link shows how you can use HDR to put light back into night photographs. Ana amazing result.

TheInSite.net
Much of the same, but with three good tips for photographers using ‘bracketing’ to create the images, not creating them with the software.

Focus lock. don’t trust your camera to focus the exact same between exposures. if you don’t use focus locking then focus once and set your lens to manual focus until you’re done taking all 3 shots.
Shoot in aperture priority. if the depth of field changes from shot to shot then it’s gonna look like bunk.
Amp that ISO. if your underexposed shot is slower than your shutter’s maximum shutter length, then up that iso until it’ll fit within your shutter’s capabilities.

Flickr.com is a sea filled to the brim and overflowing with HDR. From the mundane to the magnificent, it is truly amazing what looks good when reprocessed into HDR.

I wish you good hunting, good luck and great results: