Dog Canyon, Texas


Dog Canyon, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

This photo gallery features high dynamic range (HDR) photos—images that have a large exposure range, allowing for deeper contrast and detail in both shadows and highlights. The HDR effect can easily be overdone, leaving photos looking overprocessed, but when the techniques are used correctly, HDR pictures can have a stunning, otherworldly quality.

Photo Tip: To create a good HDR (high dynamic range) photograph, use equipment that is a bit higher end than a simple point-and-shoot camera. The main items you’ll need are: a camera capable of capturing images in RAW format; a good, sturdy tripod; and software such as Photomatix or Photoshop.







Red Chair


Red chair in a dilapidated building

Photo Tip: To create an HDR (high dynamic range) image, start by taking multiple photos—usually about three—of the exact same scene or object. Using a tripod will ensure that the camera doesn’t move between shots. This will make aligning the images easier when you get to the editing part.

Each photo should be exposed differently by adjusting shutter speed. Aim to take one underexposed image, one overexposed image, and one right in the middle at the correct exposure for the situation.







Cows, Spain


Portrait of a cow herd


Photo Tip: Most digital SLR cameras have an auto bracket function, which allows you to make multiple exposures (-2, 0, +2 f/stops, for example) in one quick burst. Auto bracketing makes it easier to take multiple pictures quickly, without a lot of fussing with gear. It is especially useful with HDR portraits or moving subjects because you can capture multiple shots and exposures consecutively without manually changing settings.







National Center for Performing Arts, Beijing


I made the most of a rare clear sky to take a shot of the futuristic Beijing Opera building, officially called the National Centre for the Performing Arts (or National Grand Theatre in Chinese).

Photo Tip: HDR images don’t always need to look strange, over-edited, or supernatural. Though you can create bizarre, stunningly colored scenes that look cool, implementing HDR in your photos is really about how well you control and manipulate light. Remember that rules of composition and photography basics still apply, and when well executed, some viewers will simply notice how detailed and amazing your photo looks.







Harbor, Istanbul


The sun was already down when I got to this lovely fishermen's cove in Istanbul. The dignity, reflections, and colors urged me to set the tripod and capture seven HDR shots to fully express the dynamic range and what I saw and felt there.

Photo Tip: For HDR portraits and landscapes alike, you want to line up your images as close as possible. Invest in simple tools to keep your camera steady, like a tripod. A cable release also comes in handy for sequences and long exposures, and makes it possible for you to avoid touching the camera.







Qeshm Island, Iran


A man bends under the weight of his load on Qeshm island, Iran.

Photo Tip: The point of processing an image with HDR is to present the maximum amount of image data from a scene. Always shoot at the highest quality settings available, or in RAW format if possible. Additionally, during the editing process, use the highest quality file type that your computer will realistically process. (High resolution JPG is good, but TIFF is better if your machine will handle it.)







Ely Cathedral, England


This photo was taken of the roof of Ely Cathedral, in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, in September 2009. I used the HDR photography technique.

Photo Tip: Most HDR processing software makes a respectable attempt at lining up multiple image files, but you can ensure a near pristine photo by thinking ahead while shooting. Consistency from image to image is key, so use a tripod—it affords you the stability to create identical, or seemingly so, pictures with various exposures.







Deal Pier, England


Pier at night

Photo Tip: Twilight and evening are captivating times of day to shoot HDR pictures because the range and quality of light are different. Use the lowest ISO you can, and make three different exposures of the same scene by adjusting shutter speed (one underexposed, one overexposed, and one correctly exposed).

Automatic focus in low light settings can be tricky, so focus manually and use a high f-stop to get good depth of field.