There’s no question that the goal in digital photography is moving towards higher dynamic range. Until camera manufacturers can deliver out of camera HDR high dynamic range images our only choice is in post production. While there are a number of HDR capable software packages available a new contender has thrown their towel into the HDR ring.

Unified Color has released a new software package, HDR PhotoStudio, which promises to deliver superior HDR creation and manipulation to the masses and Andre Gunther Photography has provided a well thought out and documented review.

Andre Gunther Photography Conclusion
“Unified Color hit the competition where it hurts. HDR PhotoStudio delivers stunning results with ease while keeping true to the color of the image. Professional photographers will be delighted by the new opportunities this software brings. In my nature work, I usually have more freedom of interpretation than studio photographers who need to keep the exact tonality of product and skin colors in their work. If you care about color, you need to try this software!

The HDR PhotoStudio image in my example exhibits none of the typical HDR image problems such as the obvious strong halos. This will increase the acceptance of HDR photography and blur the lines to traditional photography even more.”

Popular Science has published a photo guide to high dynamic range (HDR) photography. They write, “HDR provides a way to combine a range of exposures of the same scene into one image, adding significantly to the amount of data held per pixel (most digital images hold 8 bits of color information per pixel; an HDR image has 32). The result is an image with more “dynamic range”—in other words, the brights are brighter, the darks darker, and there’s much more variance in between.”

PopPhoto has a well done tutorial on using Adobe Photoshop CS3 to create and fine tune HDR (High dynamic Range) photos. CS3 has added several new functions that make the job of HDR creation and refinement more intuitive. PhotoPhoto writes, “Even without a de-ghosting process, Adobe Photoshop CS3 adds a bunch of small features that add up to a much more user-friendly HDR imaging program.”

HDR (High Dynamic Range) images are gaining in popularity. Digital cameras allow users create HDR photos by taking several pictures at different exposures and them combining them into one image. Here is a technique put together at nill.cz where you can create an HDR type photo using one JPEG picture and Photoshop.

If you choose, the tutorials author allows you to download the entire process as a Photoshop action!

Photoshopsupport.com demonstrates how to perform HDR editing without relying on Photoshop’s automated process and they write, “Photoshop’s Merge to HDR (High Dynamic Range) automated feature has been improved for CS3, but it is still not able to merge exposures where subjects have moved between the separate exposures. The technique in this tutorial (taken from the new Photoshop CS3: Essential Skills book) shows you how to resolve this problem. This technique also offers superior midtone contrast than Photoshop’s merge to HDR automated feature.”

HDRPhotos has published a very thorough tutorial using Photomatix Pro software. They write, “Creating an HDR image is a two step process. Step one is creating a 32-bit HDR file and step two is Tone mapping the 32-bit HDR file.

This is the final image HDR image which was taken in Bermuda. These huts are made of canvas, when you sleep at night you can hear the waves crash under your bed. Pretty cool place!”

Digital photography is a compromise.

It’s a compromise between what your eyes record and what your digital camera is capable of recording.

HDR photography helps bridge that gap. Digital cameras simply cannot record and maintain a full dynamic range of tonal values. In comparison, the human eye is capable of recording all detail from the deepest blacks to the brightest whites. It’s the reason a lot people are disappointed with the outcome of their scenic photographs. Have you ever heard the comment…? It looked so much better in real?

HDR literally allows photographers to work in lighting situations they would have previously avoided.

Creating HDR images is a two step process.

In the above photo.

In the first step you use your digital camera to record as much tonal range as possible. This is accomplished by taking at least three separate photographs where you use each photograph to record as much range as possible.

In the second step you use software to “merge” the three images into one HDR photo.

There are a handful of HDR products and PopPhoto recently reviewed FDRTools.

After reading the review I was convinced this software was definitely something that was priced right and it has capabilities that more expensive programs do not have.

Note: We are not affiliated with FDRTools.

PopPhoto has created a HDR (High Dynamic Range) tutorial using the FDRTools software and they write, “There are only a handful of useful cross-platform high dynamic range (HDR) programs available, and we’re happy to report that after our testing, we’ll gladly add FDRTools (www.fdrtools.com) to this short list. This program has a serious-looking Graphical User Interface (GUI), and a workflow that is quite different from its main cross-platform competitors, Photomatix Pro and Adobe Photoshop CS2. But the bottom line is that it works, and it offers some powerful features and functions behind that intimidating interface.”

www.fdrtools.com