HDR: Why I love it and why I think everyone should give it a go.

So I was a relative late comer to HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography.  This technique of blending multiple exposures together seemed really daunting; would I have the ability to pull it off?  I had also seen some really garish HDR pictures on the web, the kind that are really crunchy and slap you in the face with all their glorious HDR’ness.

It is also a really divisive type of processing and photography.  Some people absolutely loathe it and make no bones in letting you know that.  Others, and I think I fall into this group, really enjoy it and there is no question that there are some gorgeous HDR shots out there. 

I took the plunge when I came across a programme called Photomatix which is specifically designed for producing HDR images.  What makes this programme so appealing is it does a lot of the leg work for you. All you need to do is load up you bracketed shots and it goes to work putting them together and produces some stunning results.  It also allows you to tweak the final blend to you hearts content so if you want to go crunchy, eye-popping HDR you have that option and if you want to go for the more realistic HDR look then that option is there too. It is a great way to start dabbling with this kind of photography and really lets you start exploring your inner artist.

Now I get that a lot of people don’t like this kind of photography and each to their own.  I don’t think anyone should be put off though especially if you are taking your first steps and trying to work out what you like shooting.  For me it has let me make some of the landscape pictures I am really happy with, the ones you see here. 

As a landscape shooter primarily it allows me to capture wide ranges of light and colour and then conjure up something akin to what I was looking at – with a sprinkling of artistic licence.  For me that is the key; by having the option of tweaking and playing I get to add a little bit of me and how I was feeling into the picture and that is part of the whole reason I do it.  I get to show my version of a location or vision of the world.

Now I don’t apply it to everything I shoot, obviously there will be times when you want to capture a specific feel or look that HDR just does not suit.  I do love having the option though to squash those exposures together and pull out something possibly a wee bit fantastical and I highly recommend giving it a go. 

After all photography is painting with light and HDR photography gives you the option to go a little crazy with those brushes!