High Dynamic Range or HDR has become a standard and often used tool when I’m in the field. For example, a few weeks ago when I was shooting sunrises in Bryce Canyon we would arrive well before sunrise. Generally I would start shooting when it was light enough to get a good exposure at 30 second, ISO 100 and f/16. That’s a good 20 to 30 minutes before the sun peeks over the horizon. In that wonderful pre-sunrise light the dynamic range is very low, maybe a total of four or five stops. There is no need for HDR because under those circumstances I can get a good 8 and if I want 9 stops of dynamic range from my sensor.
But as soon as the sun is above the horizon all that changes. The dynamic range jumps to at least 8 stops, probably more. (I don’t take the time to scintifically measure the dynamic range because things happen so fast in those first few minutes.) I don’t want to take any chances with that incredible light so I switch to HDR, just for insurance if nothing else.
Continue reading “High Dynamic Range Processing”
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