HDR - High Dynamic Range

I’ve been in Fiji the past few weeks and have had no access to internet so I’m going to do a few entries at once and show you what I’ve been up to in the beautiful Yasawa Islands.

One of the first shots I did when I got to Waya Island was an HDR (high dynamic range) image. There was this one spot I found of the beach where the water was so blue and the trees were so green I knew it was the perfect spot for an HDR picture.

HDR is a technique used where you combine multiple images ranging from under to over exposed and combine them together when you post-process them. I combined 5 images; the first one I took was at regular exposure, then one at 1 stop over exposed, 2 stops over exposed, 1 stop under exposed, and 2 stops under exposed. It allows you to create a greater dynamic range between the lightest and darkest areas of the image.

image #1 - proper exposure

image #2 - 1 stop over exposed

image #3 - 2 stops over exposed

image #4 - 1 stop under exposed

image #5 - 2 stops under exposed

It is very important to keep the camera very still. Of course a tri pod is your best option, but for this picture, I found a rock with a flat spot to rest my camera. It worked just fine. Here is the final image…

final HDR image

I generated the HDR image with software called Photomatix. I find it much easier to create an HDR image with than Photoshop, but you can use either or. I still use Photoshop after I generate the image in Photomatix to perfect it.

Some of my favorite shots I’ve done are in HDR, it is a great way to add some excitement to your photo. 2 of my favorites are one I did of my dad’s house in the snow and the other is under a pier in Miami. Its fun to play around with and rewarding when you create something you love.

Dad's house

Miami pier