High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies [Paperback]

Robert Correll (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 30, 2009

Create amazing HDR photos with this full-color, plain-English guide

Your secret is safe with us. Even if you don't have the latest high-end high dynamic range (HDR) camera equipment, you can still create striking images that appear as if you do with the tips, tricks, and techniques in this helpful guide. Discover how to use bracketing effectively, get the most out of a tripod, finesse your photos with Photoshop, and make it all go easier with this practical and inspiring book.

• Shines a light on HDR-what it is, how it's done, and what tools you need
• Walks you through how to take good photographs, from using the right settings to choosing good HDR subjects
• Demonstrates how to put all your images together in a single photo, including selecting the software, establishing workflow, and creating files
• Covers how you can clean up digital residue, how to create HDR in black and white, and much more
• Packed with beautiful and inspiring full-color HDR images to fire your imagination

Get fresh ideas, avoid mistakes, and produce memorable images with this essential guide.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Get the lowdown on how HDR works plus ways to shoot it, process it, and finish your images

Are you ready to take an artistic leap forward in your photography? Do you want dynamic photos that bring a scene to life? With this book, your camera, and a little practice, you'll be able to create amazing HDR images. Packed with full-color examples, it shows you how to edit photos to give them more vibrant colors, richer contrast, and sharper highlights.

• The ABCs of HDR — learn the basics about cameras, gear, workflow, and software options for creating HDR

• Examine your HDR options — apply different strategies when shooting with a pro camera or basic point-and-shoot model

• Expand your photo techniques — discover the basics of photo bracketing and how to create HDR from a single Raw photo

• Turn normal photos into eye-catching HDR images — use Photomatix Pro to create and tone-map HDR images

• Broaden your horizons — take better photos for HDR and create HDR panoramas or black-and-white HDR images

Open the book and find:

• What makes a photo a high dynamic range image

• How to tone-map an HDR image

• When to shoot more or fewer brackets for an HDR image

• Tips on shooting single-exposure HDR

• How to create amazing panoramas

• Strategies for shooting with a high-end or budget digital camera

• Steps for converting HDR images to black and white

• Problem-solving techniques

About the Author

Robert Correll is an author, photographer, and musician. He is coauthor of HDR Photography Photo Workshop as well as books on Paint Shop Pro and Pro Tools music production software. Robert also developed a training system for creating HDR photos with Photoshop CS4.

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (December 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470560924
• ISBN-13: 978-0470560921
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.8 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #350,279 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I write cool books on digital photography, HDR photography, dSLRs, photo editing, making music, audio gear, and audio software.

Visit me here or at www.robertcorrell.com.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting into HDR February 12, 2010

By Conrad J. Obregon TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

I've always had a problem with the "For Dummies" brand. I often read on the subway and I didn't want strangers thinking I was dumb. If you suffer from this syndrome and want to learn the basics of High Dynamic Range photography (HDR) get over it, or you'll miss a good introduction to an important aspect of photographic technology and even art.

HDR is a method of combining multiple digital exposures of a subject to create a range of tones in a photograph closer to what the human eye sees than a single camera shot reveals. In "High Dynamic Range Digital Photography for Dummies" Robert Correll explains the process of creating such images. While he doesn't waste page space explaining photography fundamentals, he does cover the process in small easily accessible steps for the photographer who already understands how to capture images with his camera. After describing the equipment and software involved, the author tells the details of capturing HDR images and then processing these images, first in HDR software and then in post-processing software, like Photoshop Elements, including so-called pseudo HDRs. He also discusses creating HDR panoramas and black-and-white HDR images.

The book follows the usual jocular style of the "For Dummies" series (does the publisher have a special "wiseacre" editor?) including the cartoons and the usual "Part of Tens". Correll demonstrates computer processing using Photomatix Pro, which is becoming the standard for HDR software, and Photoshop Elements. Photoshop users will not have much difficulty making the translation from Photoshop Elements but users of HDR software like FDRTools, which uses a different paradigm, may have a harder time. (Demo versions of most of the software are available for download.)

Although the book discusses each of the sliders and buttons in Photomatix Pro and what it does, it was almost impossible to tell the subtle differences from the tiny illustrations often provided. I also felt that the author should have spent a little more time explaining the wide range of image outcomes possible in HDR processing from realistic to surrealistic, and which sliders effect those results. I suppose there is no substitute for sitting down in front of the computer and playing with the sliders in Photomatix Pro with live images. Even though I've used HDR software successfully for several years, I still have a hard time wrapping my mind around exactly what some of the controls in Photomatix Pro do. But for someone new to HDR, this volume is one of the best ways presently available to step into the process.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great HDR guide! May 16, 2010

By Kent Baker VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

If you are interested in HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography, and you plan to use Photomatix software, this is the book for you! One of the most thorough explanations of HDR principals and techniques I have come across, especially if you are using, or plan to use Photomatix for your HDR tone mapping. Since Photomatix is, by far, the most popular and comprehensive HDR software available (at a reasonable price) I suspect that this book will be very valuable as it focuses mostly on using that program. I, personally, was delighted with that! It does explain, in a limited manner, several other HDR software programs, but the main focus is Photomatix - and they state that right up front. They are very thorough with their explanations and techniques. The differences between realistic, and over-the-top HDR interpretations is fairly discussed. I see a lot of beauty in both interpretations in my work and believe there is room, in an artistic sense, for both points of view. Their explanations of the many tone mapping options in Photomatix is the best I have seen - and I have many HDR books! I highly recommend this book.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars HDR Digital Photography for Dummies March 31, 2010

By James H. Alphin

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I am not going to go in to the part of this book and try to explain the how's or why's of why I like this book. But I am very pleased that I spent my money on it.
I spent 3 months working on a few pictures that I thought were worthy of HDR efforts on my part to come up short of expectation. I went half way through the book. Took one large JPEG photo followed the easy to follow instruction and came up with the best HDR that I have done so far.
I am looking forward very much to using his direction on photographing an old barn that is close to my home.
Thanks Robert!
Jim