Summary:

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Top photographer Rick Sammon shares his greatest HDR tips and tricks

High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography is a process in which a photographer shoots multiple shots of the same subject at varying exposure settings and then "stitches" the images together with photo-editing software into a single photo that presents sharper color and focus than a single image. World-renowned digital photographer and Canon Explorer of Light Rick Sammon reveals his most amazing HDR tips, tricks, and techniques for creating the best possible HDR images.

Packed with more than 150 of Sammon's stunning full-color photos and more than 200 techniques, this invaluable guide inspires and motivates you to capture and edit your own unique still-life images.

• World-renowned digital photographer and Canon Explore of Light Rick Sammon reveals a wealth of unparalleled High Dynamic Range (HDR) tips, tricks, and techniques
• Inspires both amateur and experienced photographers to boost their creativity, and improve the quality of their images in the digital darkroom
• Features more than 150 beautiful images from Sammon's own portfolio as well as more than 200 tips and tricks for shooting and editing HDR images

HDR Secrets for Digital Photographers unveils an abundance of tips and tricks that will help you make your good HDR photos great.

Top Ten HDR Photography Tips
Amazon-exclusive content from author Rick Sammon

If you’re new to HDR, here are my top ten tips for capturing the best HDR photographs.

1) When capturing an HDR image, you should shoot at least 3 exposures. My suggestion is to shoot: 0 EV, +2 EV and -2EV

2) Keep the aperture constant between all captures.

3) Use a cable release or self-timer.

4) Use Photomatix to process your images.

5) In Photomatix, adjust the White Point slider first - to preserve the highlights.

6) When processing in Photomatix, make sure the highlights are not washed out and the shadows are not blocked up.

7) After Photomatix, increase sharpness and contrast in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

8) Try a touch of Topaz Adjust on your HDR images to add an artistic touch.

9) If you have an old JPEG file that you’d like to transform into an HDR-style image, try Topaz Adjust to create a pseudo HDR image.

10) And in my opinion the most important tip is to be creative and have fun with HDR.

HDR Photos from Author Rick Sammon (Click to enlarge)

Add Contrast
HDR really rocks when it comes to scenes with a lot of contrast. Here, you see show the HDR (top image) is greatly improved over the bottom image (standard exposure). Yes, HDR is very cool, but never underestimate the power of an interesting subject, such as one of the buildings in the Summer Palace of Beijing, China. Also remember the basic rules of composition – framing the subject with a foreground element in this case.

Think Photoshop + Photomatix
When processing a set of images in Photomatix, the final image can tend to look a bit flat. In Photoshop (or Elements, Lightroom or Aperture), increase the contrast and sharpness of your image to really make the final image “pop” with color and detail. By increasing the contrast, you will lose a bit of detail in the shadow areas, but remember: light illuminates and shadows define.

Envision the End Result
When processing a set of images in Photomatix, the final image can tend to look a bit flat. In Photoshop (or Elements, Lightroom or Aperture), increase the contrast and sharpness of your image to really make the final image “pop” with color and detail. By increasing the contrast, you will lose a bit of detail in the shadow areas, but remember: light illuminates and shadows define.