k. v. rajasingham

Dears, I have Nikon D7000. I would like to know what is HDR photography how to take and what is the advantages in it. Ur answer is very much appreciated and helpful. Thank u.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Here's an excellent article to get you started. It answers, at least, what it is.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-dynamic-range_imaging

Also look up some early articles on Paul Debevec.
--Bob

SusanFromVermont Loc: Southwest corner of Vermont

HDR is a process where multiple images are combined into one. All photos are taken from exactly the same place with all settings the same except exposure time. So they are essentially duplicates except that each one captures a different part of the "dynamic range" - lighting from bright to dark. You need to have an editing program that will do this for you, such as LightRoom or Photomatix Pro. There are others, look on the internet and you will find more. Advantage is that you end up with a photo that includes the entire dynamic range - not too bright in some areas, or not too dark in some areas. [Too bright - areas have lost all detail and it cannot be recovered. Too dark - bringing back details can be done but will be accompanied by "noise".]

Hope this helps.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

To do HDR on a DLSR, you need to be able to do bracketing, +- 2 stops for 3 images. I do not believe the D7000 will do bracketing, which is why I sold mine and purchased a D7100. You can, using the exposure compensation feature, do the same, but it requires manual exposure adjustment, and if you are shooting where there are moving objects, you may get ghosting between the images.

Here's a guide:

https://www.scottdavenportphoto.com/blog/2013/12/23/exposure-bracketing-with-the-nikon-d7000

CO

The D7000 does have exposure bracketing. I have a D7000 and D500. The D7000 will bracket up to three exposures.

CO

When you do the exposure bracketing, it's best to have the camera in aperture priority mode. You want the depth of field to remain constant throughout all of the exposures. You could do it in manual mode. Shooting three exposures each two f-stops apart is great for almost anything. For extreme contrast situations, you could shoot five exposures.

Photomatix is a great program to get. Photomatix Essentials is $39. Photomatix Pro is $99.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

[quote=CO]Shooting three exposures each two f-stops apart is great for almost anything. For extreme contrast situations, you could shoot five exposures.

Set the camera into Continuous High Speed and rip off three exposures.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

My mistake. I had a D7000 but wanted to do 5 bracketed shots, so I got a D7100. Then I realized that more than 3 isn't necessarily better.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

In a nutshell, when the brightness range of a scene is greater than the camera's ability to capture it, you can take multiple exposures at different levels, to record shadows and highlights accurately, then use software to combine them into a range-compressed image, but with good shadow and highlight detail.

There are two basic methods of combining the images - fusion and tone mapping. Each has their adherents and critics. The Fusion method provides a simple reduction of a wide range image into a narrower range image, while retaining shadows and highlights. Tone mapping provides detail, contrast, saturation and tonal enhancements to provide the "HDR Look" - which is often overdone.

Photographers looking for accuracy in an image like real estate and architectural photographers, will typically use the fusion method. The more interpretive photographers often use tone mapping.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need a camera that provides automatic exposure bracketing. I've done it with cameras that don't and the results are exactly the same as when you use auto bracketing. In fact, if your image has a concentration of light values at the high or low end, you can adjust the bracketing for accuracy by increasing/decreasing the exposure steps between exposures. You can do this with an auto bracketed image by taking 7 or 9 brackets and leaving out some.

I've done HDR with as few as 2 exposures or as many as 4. I rarely have found the need to do more.

Here is a good article to get you started, and some ideas on how many exposures you need to get a good looking HDR result.

https://photo.com/2015/08/26/how-many-images-should-i-take-for-hdr/

http://thehdrimage.com/hdr-how-many-exposures-are-enough/

In the first link you will have to replace the word 'photo' with 'photofocus' - for some reason the content filter rejects this URL.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

You can bracket manually on any camera but there are limitations
You have to keep the camera in one position, so a tripod will help a lot.
You have to minimize the time between the different exposures to keep the background from changing much.

redhogbill Loc: antelope, calif

we have a group just for HDR http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-107-1.html

Haydon

HDR is a love or hated practice with some grey areas between although when bracketing fails to make an adequate image combining images can be a workaround.

jpgto Loc: North East Tennessee

rfmaude41 Loc: Lancaster, Texas (DFW area)

How come I'm able to do a 3 exposure with my D7000, eh ? Done many, many of them.

Merlin1300 Loc: New England, But Now & Forever SoTX

Check out Stuck In Customs
https://www.stuckincustoms.com/
Everything you ever wanted to know about HDR