Sure. HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. There are those who are advocates like me and those who do not believe that it is "real" photography because it involves taking three or more shots of the same scene using what is called a "bracket". One shot is exposed normally, one is underexposed and the other is overexposed. They are then combined in the "Digital Darkroom" using Photoshop or some other post-processing software. This yields very striking images with a very wide range of lights and darks.

Some people can overdo the effect but I think that if it is handled with some restraint, the results can be very eye pleasing.

I hope that answers your question. There are many HDR sites on the INTERNET that can help you get started.

And thank you for the compliment about my photos.

Vinny

Thank you, Papa. That's what my grand kids call me too :-)

Thank you :-)

Just started trying a new technique. A bunch of shots, mostly on the high key side and then stack the layers and "paint in" from light to dark. Then I add a background.

Based on a great tutorial by a gent named Harold Davis. It can be found here: http://www.digitalfieldguide.com/faqs/faq-photographing-flowers-for-transparency.

I just started so I have a LOT to learn.

Vinny

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Thank you. It is a lot of fun and not at all as hard as it sounds. Give it a try :-)

Vinny

To make this vertorama, it's like doing a panorama at multiple levels. I attached another image I did recently that shows how I took the shots. In that image, I took 10 what I call "views" of three brackets each for a total of 30 shots. Using a tripod, I pan across, then tilt the camera up a bit and pan again, and then repeat one more time. In the case of the Old Grace Church, I needed 20 "views" to cover the whole inside.

I bracket the shots to get the HDR effect hopefully without too much of an "over the top" HDR look.

So after combining each of the 20 bracketed views in Photomatix, I have 20 HDR images that get Photo Merged into a single image in Photoshop. I then crop it and post process it like any other image. As I mentioned, it sounds a lot harder than it is. I just like the results.

I hope that answers your question.

Vinny

I was given access to this very old church, now a Historical landmark on Long Island, N.Y. It was built in 1844 and is now maintained by a few dedicated souls.

The first image is comprised of a 60 shots. The lighting was very poor so I bracketed each of the 20 "view" at +2, 0 and -2 stops, batch merged then in Photomatix, batched them again in Adobe Camera raw and then used the Photo Merge Feature of Photoshop CC. Then adjusted the final combined image. (It sounds more complicated than it was.

The second shot is that of the altar and remaining stained glass window. This is a 3 shot bracket.

I am really starting to enjoy doing the large "Vertorama" shots like the first one. It's a lot of fun.

Vinny

You're joke was fine :-)

Definitely! :-)

A swan with a definite attitude.

Taken at a lake in Massapequa Park, Long Island, NY

Thanks, Jim. Believe me, I am NOT pretty hot stuff. Just a recently retired guy with a little spotting telescope, a basic Canon Rebel Xsi and some time to finally enjoy a hobby. I had to guess and experiment with the exposure and took a lot of shots. Thankfully, one of them came out decent. :-)

Vinny

I like #2. Both technically beautiful but there is something aesthetically a bit more pleasing to me in #2.

Both well done and beautiful.

Vinny

A few shots taken in the last few days:

1. My first "Vertorama" taken at my church. It is made up of 30 individual shots combined with Photomatix and the Photoshop "photomerge" feature.
2. The Tower at Eisenhower Park at dusk, Long Island, NY
3. A 7 shot panorama of Massapequa Lake on Long Island
4. Two shots of "Twin Lakes" in Wantagh, long Island, NY
5. A shot of the moon taken from my lawn with my Canon Rebel body attached to a small spotting telescope. Very tough the focus.

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Thank you :-)

Thank you. My first car show. It is definitely a tough environment to shoot with the crowds an the cars so close together. I did a lot detail removal on the backgrounds to try and get the cars to stand out a bit.

I do appreciate your encouraging words.

Vinny