The Anti-HDR HDR Photography Book A Guide to Photorealistic HDR and Image Blending

The Anti-HDR HDR Photography Book contains everything you?ll need to know in order to get the best results from your High Dynamic Range images. Designed for those who want to extend the dynamic range in their work, but are frustrated by over-processed and hyper-saturated images, this book proves that HDR techniques are capable of producing photographs that are both stunning and realistic.

In addition to helping you choose the right equipment and settings to optimize your shoot for HDR, the book explains how to use post-processing software to create natural-looking photographs, blend source images with layer masks, and establish an efficient workflow. By teaching you to effectively use all the most important tools of HDR, it will expand the scope of your portfolio and allow you to create images that you never thought were possible.

Key features include:

• What to look for when choosing a camera for HDR
• Description of gear that is important to the HDR photographer
• How to use the HDR software applications Photomatix and SNS-HDR Pro to achieve natural-looking results
• Discussion of blending multiple source images using simple masks and techniques
• An in-depth examination of the use of Luminance Masks for blending and editing bracketed images to a photorealistic composite
• Guide to workflow, from organizing images on the computer to pre-merge editing of RAW files using both Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Bridge
• The use of black-and-white in HDR and image-blending, including ways to convert color images to black-and-white

1. Gear

Choosing a Camera

Sensor Size

Mirrorless or SLR

Lenses

To Cable or Not to Cable?

Do You Have Support?

Tripod Legs

Tripod Heads

Memory Cards

Filters

2. The Fundamentals – Exposure & Composition

Exposure and Metering

Metering

Exposure & The Triumvirate

Shutter Speed

Aperture

ISO Setting

Composition

Rule of Thirds

Golden Section

Leading Lines & S-Curves

3. Time to Take Some Pictures?

Yield Not to Temptation (AKA, Because I Can)

What to Bracket

How Many to Bracket

Using HDR Software

Manual Blending

Can I Use My Segmented Meter?

What About ETTR?

Do I Have to Bracket?

4. Organization & Prep – PreBlend Work

Image Organization

Using Lightroom & Bridge

Importing Using Lightroom

Importing Using Bridge

Backing Up Your Work

Prepping Your Files for Blending

Prepping for Blending in HDR Software

In Lightroom

In Bridge

5. Blending Using Photomatix & SNS-HDR

Photomatix

Tonemapping

Details Enhancer

Contrast Optimizer

Exposure Fusion

SNS-HDR Pro

Tonemapping

Masking

6. Manual Blending Using Simple Masks

Preparation of Images for Manual Blending

Basic Panel (Tab in Camera Raw)

Curves

HSL/Grayscale

Blending with Simple Layer Masks

7. Advanced Blending Using Luminance Masks

Creating Luminance Masks

Blending with Luminance Masks

8. Final Tweaking of Merged & Tonemapped Images

Sharpening

Capture Sharpening

Creative Sharpening

Output Sharpening

Output Sharpening in Lightroom

Output Sharpening in Photoshop

Final Editing

9. Converting to Black & White

Converting Source Images to Black-and-White

Converting in Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw

Merging in Photomatix

Blending in SNS-HDR

Converting to Black-and-White After Blending

Using Snapshots

Robert Fisher is a commercial photographer and freelance writer based just outside of Toronto, Canada. His love of photography began over 15 years ago when he was first exposed to the impressionistic style. As a writer, he has traveled the world to cover topics ranging from politics to concussions, and as a photographer he has exhibited his work in a number of shows and galleries. He is the author of The Digital Zone System: Taking Control from Capture to Print and The Mobile Photographer: A Guide to Using Android^® Phones, Tablets and Apps in a Photography Workflow.