So nowadays there is another new trend in the photography industry. You can see it as a new style or you can also call it an effect on the photo. This style or effect is termed as HDR photography. HDR means (High Dynamic Range) photography.
Almost every person involved in the art of photography is familiar with it. Some are in love with this style and some are against it. It is one of those topics where there is no end of arguments, just like the question who’s better Ronaldo or Messi? See there is no end to this comparison!
What is an HDR?
This is an effect created by stitching or blending several photographs with different exposures of the same scene together using photo editing software. Some do it manually themselves using Photoshop tools or Lightroom presets. Some use Photomatix. And some professional photographers take the help of different Photo editing services. The overall result is a great looking and attractive dynamic photograph.
One of the greatest benefits of this style is that it can be used on any sort of photography. Whether it is a portrait, landscape, architecture, Skyscape or anything else, this style is applicable for all.
The main function of an HDR style is to give the image a more dynamic and expressive look. It must look dramatic with sharp edges and high contrast. This style of photography is in a great demand recently. Almost every photographer is taking such photos.
There are few important tips that may come in handy for the photographers who want to improve their HDR image capturing skill. In this article, I am going to share my tips on how to improve your HDR photos and become a master in it.
Before starting, I want to share some pages that you should also read to get more knowledge about this style of photography. I have also read them and to be honest, they were quite helpful for me too. These are:
- Learn HDR photography
- HDR photography tutorial
- 5 successful HDR photography tips
- What is HDR and When Should I Use It In My Photos?
There is also a Video Tutorial which I found quite interesting. That is HDR Photography – How to Shoot HDR Photos. You can check this out if you want to.
So, now I’ll be giving my ultimate tips on this sort of photography style. I am 110% sure. It will help you a lot.
Tips
Use the tripod –
The first tip is the most crucial one. The most important thing you will have to keep in mind while taking photographs for HDR is to keep your camera still without letting it move a single inch. Because, later on, you will have to blend those images together on photo editing software or tools. If it moves a bit, then the whole composition will be ruined and the photo will look hazy and non-dynamic. Therefore, using a tripod will help you to stable the camera in one fixed position. This will let you capture multiple shots of the same scene in one fixed frame. This will be useful to create a great HDR photo later on.
Aperture Priority mode –
The best mode for taking HDR photos is to use the aperture priority mode. Here, you can manually set an aperture and the shutter speed will be selected automatically by the camera according to the light. And here, you will have the freedom to set an exposure according to you.
Bracketing –
Another important method you can apply is to use bracketing. This is a function in the camera where it takes multiple shots of the scenes at different shutter speed. Set different exposures for each shot and you will get the perfect images for post-processing.
Different Exposure –
The main concept for this type of photography is to take an odd number of images of the same scene. Each of them will have different exposures starting from the lower exposure to the highest. I suggest you keep an exposure from -2 to 2. This will be 5 images. This will help you later on while processing.
ISO –
For taking this sort of photograph you will have to keep as low ISO as possible. Low ISO will reduce noise from the photograph. Therefore keep the ISO from 100 to 200. This will keep the photo unpolluted from noise.
RAW format –
This is the point that I prefer for all sorts of photography styles. This retains all the data within the image safe and helps you to re-edit the photos as much as you want. It keeps the resolution of the image good for use.
Time and Place –
The best time to take such photographs, if you are planning to take landscape or sky photos are sunrise, sunset and evening when the clouds keep moving constantly. The perfect place would be a high ground level from where you can get a detailed view of the scene. A scene with more detail will make the image more dramatic.
Post-processing –
Now the most important and fun part of this photo is to edit it. It is quite simple. All you have to do is to watch this video tutorial and follow the steps they are doing. Or, simply go to Photoshop open the photos you have clicked of the scene with different exposures. Then, go to the file option on the upper bar of Photoshop and then go to Automate then choose to merge HDR photos. Then select the images you want to merge and Photoshop will do it for you. It may look a bit tough at first so, you can also take help from different photo editing services found online. They will merge those photographs and will also edit them to make them look more professional and outstanding.
Conclusion
HDR is all about timing and perfection. It is dynamic and exceptional. Perfection lies in practicing. The more you practice the better you will get in it. And due to the advancement in the technologies, it is now easier for anyone to edit the photos from home the only issue is that it kills a lot of time. So just Practice! Practice! And Practice!
