"In image processing, computer graphics, and photography, high dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of luminance between light and dark areas of a scene than normal digital imaging techniques. The intention of HDRI is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to shadows.
High dynamic range imaging was originally developed in the 1930s and 1940s by Charles Wyckoff. Wyckoff's detailed pictures of nuclear explosions appeared on the cover of Life magazine in the mid 1940s. The process of tone mapping together with bracketed exposures of normal digital images, giving the end result a high, often exaggerated dynamic range, was first reported in 1988 by Y.Y.Zeevi. Later introduction in 1993 resulted in a mathematical theory of differently exposed pictures of the same subject matter that was published in 1995 by Steve Mann and Rosalind Picard. In 1997 this technique of combining several differently exposed images to produce a single HDR image was presented to the computer graphics community by Paul Debevec"
Here you can view some of my HDR images that Ive taken around Los Angeles, California and Nevada. For me HDR is a totally different photographic expression and has its own unique rewards, because you don't actually see the finished image until you've inputted all the bracketed exposures into your computer and let the software do its work. I firmly believe that HDR photography is its own form within digital imaging and while i don't totally disagree with the photo 'purists' who feel it is a inaccurate way of representing the finished product, I feel its another way of representing the subject with its own merits and different and certainly appealing characteristics.
A lot of bad 'Web' Press has been given to HDR imagery lately because some people will insist on making outrageous images from thier photo's by over saturating colours and messing with HDR parameters to produce serious halo and ghosting effects while believing this is a 'cool' thing to do. With my HDR I try and keep the post effects to a minimum to produce and more natural looking image while still taking advantage of the method.
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