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We all take pictures, but let’s face it: they don’t always turn out the way we might have hoped. Sometimes the sun is in the wrong place or the camera’s on-board flash doesn’t properly expose the scene. The more common problem though — and one many beginning photographers are unaware of — is that scenes can’t be properly captured with a single exposure. That’s because standard photography isn’t capable of capturing a scene as vividly as the human eye.
Unfortunately, there’s no easy fix for such a complex problem. But there is equipment and software out there that can save or enhance that shot you thought got away. There are also techniques you can use with your current camera that will help. And it’s getting easier to do every day. First, let me give you a very simplified description of HDRI and tone mapping.
HDRI
HDRI stands for High Dynamic Range Image, which is a method for capturing and editing a greater range of luminance than is possible with a standard image. The purpose of HDRI is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from the brightest light to the deepest shadows. Our eyes can detect a very wide range of luminance, but much of it is lost with standard photography. However, if multiple images of a scene are shot at multiple exposure levels and then combined, you can achieve something closer to what the human eye perceives. The image set below shows exposures for highlights, mid-tones and shadows.
Tone mapping
Tone mapping is a technique used to combine bracketed exposures together to create an HDRI. Using this technique, a photographer can eliminate the loss of detail in a photo’s deep shadows and bright lights while preserving the image details and colors of the original scene. Tone mapping applications like Photomatix can be used either as a standalone or as a plugin to Photoshop. While there is some free software available (such as qtpfsgui — and no, that’s not a typo), Photomatix is a lot easier to use and produces better results. And when used properly, the results can be dazzling. Remember those pictures of the Eiffel Tower? Below is a tone-mapped image created from the 3 above.
Layer masking
One alternative to tone mapping is painting between layer masks within Photoshop. When I want a more dramatic effect, I use this method. Again, I begin with a set of bracketed exposures, which I’ll compile to create the final image. The images below (left to right) were shot only for the mid-tones and highlights. The 3rd image from the left is a tone-mapped version of the first 2 photos.
By compiling them and painting between the Layer Masks in Photoshop I can achieve a more dramatic effect (as seen above on the far right), one that in many ways simulates the old dodge & burn techniques from back in my days in an actual darkroom. Of course, painting between layer masks requires some practice. Fortunately, there are several tutorials available throughout the web. Here’s a good one to get started with.
In order to get good results with tone mapping or layer masking, the images need to be in registration with one another. This can be tricky. Two of the problems associated with shooting bracketed exposures are the movement of objects or people within the scene between exposures and registration of the images if using a tripod is not an option. This is where it comes in handy to shoot in Raw mode.
Shooting raw
Many digital cameras today can shoot in Raw mode in addition to the standard jpeg or tiff formats. One great thing about Raw is that it usually gives you a 9-stop range within a single shot, making it fairly effective for creating HDR images. The following shot was taken in Raw mode. The set of images below shows the exposure range; the center image is the normal exposure.
Tone-mapping applications usually include quite a few adjustment controls so the results are almost endless. Here is a tone-mapped image created from the above set.
Until only recently, you could only shoot in Raw Mode if you had a pro or prosumer level camera. Most people prefer a point shoot camera for convenience sake, and now there are several very good ones on the market that offer Raw Mode. One of my favorites is the Canon G10. You get a 14.7 megapixel camera that shoots in Raw mode and even has image stabilization for just under $500.
If you want something even cheaper I suggest something like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2. You can pick up this 10 megapixel camera for about $200. It shoots in Raw mode and also shoots great video in multiple formats, including 16:9. I bought one recently for a trip I took to Florida. I wanted something with decent resolution, but I also wanted something cheap that I could use worry-free while snapping pictures on the beach or from boats.
The image below is from the trip. On the left, you see the normal exposure in Raw mode. I processed 9 exposures from the Raw file and then imported them into Photomatix Pro to tone map the image. The result is on the right.
But I just want to point and shoot!
Obviously, many people don’t want to hassle with tone mapping every shot that they take. I know I wouldn’t. But for those who take their photography seriously and want to get more from their images, Raw mode images and tone mapping give you the ability to stretch the limits.