HDR Photography and 5 Rockin’ Benefits for It’s Use

If you’re exploring High Dynamic Range photography right now, you’re probably wondering what are some of the benefits. When I started looking at photographs that were termed as “HDR” I didn’t fully understand what was really going on. I knew it was extending the range of light within a photo and that I loved a lot of the pictures online. But really, why should you start to look at HDR Photography as a new technique?  This is a mini HDR Tutorials in WHY.

Here are 5 benefits for shooting HDR photography:

Shoot Mid-Day

This is one of the biggest benefits in my eyes.  Being able to get out and shoot in the mid-day sun is a huge win. This is normally the time that a lot of photographers would be out to scout locations for later or a time of day  people would avoid.  They would avoid it because of the harsh light and shadows that are created by the sun in mid-day.   I remember doing a photo-shoot of my old 2003 Honda Civic SIR hatchback, and then showing the photographs on a form; However, most of the criticism was that I was shooting at the wrong time of day because of the harshness of the shadows and I should go out at sunset or sunrise.  While I would love to do that, sometimes you don’t have the time and ability to schedule around the sun.  I wish I could have been able to do it that day.  HDR photography allows you to sleep in a bit and get out and shoot whenever. The time of day is no longer a problem but a creative opportunity!  While sunrise and sunset will be even more intense for this style of photography, you can still make use of the mid-day light.  The HDR photo below was taken on a photowalk in London, Ontario at mid-day and I got some great shots that day.

Overcast Days are Your Friend

HDR works amazing with overcast skies.  We all know that a vibrant blue sky with white clouds is ideal and we put off going out to take photographs when the sky isn’t so amazing.  An overcast day provides HDR an opportunity! You can use this softer light to still capture amazing photographs and add drama with those darker clouds overhead.  It could even enhance the mood of a grungy photo-shoot.  The photo below was on an overcast day in Toronto, Ontario. The church had great architectural features, and as much as I would have loved for the classic blue sky and white clouds,  the softer light seemed to allow for a ominous feel to the photograph.  I like it overall.

Creativity Enhancement

High Dynamic Range photography allows you as a photographer to push the envelope of creativity. It will allow you to explore areas or locations that you may have avoided or not even considered before.  It could also help to revisit locations that you remember as you flip through your photo archives.  You CAN explore extremes [high and low key] and all you may need is your camera, lenses, and a tripod! The photo of The Brunswick House below is an example of pushing the envelope and the shot was composed of 5 handheld raw photographs.  Sometimes, the tripod is not even required!  High Dynamic Range photography allows you as a photographer to push the envelope of creativity. It will allow you to explore areas or locations that you may have avoided or not even considered before.  It could also help to revisit locations that you remember as you flip through your photo archives.  You CAN explore extremes [high and low key] and all you may need is your camera, lenses, and a tripod!  I know what you’re thinking right now, “But people always say they hate that overdone HDR!”  Okay, yes but this is your art and your vision so do what makes you feel best about the final image.  Don’t be held back by what others think.  The more you are working on improvement, it will happen naturally.

Shoot into the Sun

This kind of falls in with number 3.  You can create amazing works of photographic art shooting into the sun, exposing the entire scene and capturing amazing sunrays.  Trey over at stuck in customs is amazing in this light and it’s motivation to explore shooting right into the sun!  This kind of falls in with number 3.  You can create amazing works of photographic art shooting into the sun, exposing the entire scene and capturing amazing sunrays.  Below is a photograph taken at a Drive-In about 10am and I caught the rays in an interesting way.  This photograph, in my eyes, would be much less dynamic within the use of HDR.  It was fun to experiment and the final product really motivated me to believe I can use it as a dramatic feature.

You have options

I mean this in a few ways and let me explain.  First of all, shooting for HDR means that you’re bracketing images [3-9 images of different exposures].  This alone gives you options of which photo you want to use if you decide later that you don’t want to make the image an HDR.  It’s a photographic technique that people have recommended forever!  Second, you’ve got the option of realistic vs. surreal.  You can accurately portray a scene in a realistic vision.  Remember the time you went on vacation and you were trying to photograph something, anything, whatever and you got home and showing everyone your photos?  Remember saying ‘you really have to see it in person?’ Yes, I know you do! I remember saying that so many times.   You can show people what your really saw and wow them!  I bet they where you went the next year!  You can also push the scene into something that is more nostalgic, artistic, fantasy, or dream-like.  If you’re like me, seeing a realistic HDR is amazing; however, sometimes you have this feeling that you got while in the location or place you visited.  HDR allows me, and you, to try and bring out that feeling through the surreal, hyper-real processing.  You bring out that nostalgic feeling and instantly feel like you did back when you took it.  Your imagination comes to life when playing around with this. The photograph below captures the full detail in this scene and shows how realistic HDR Photography can be.  It’s very adaptable.

There are more benefits to HDR photography, however I wanted to get out 5 today.   Look for the positive out there. So many people on the Internet are quick to hate, or bash HDR and I know where they are coming from.   There are uses for shooting in HDR and I hope this article helped to motivate you to get out at mid-day to shoot right into the sun, exposing the extreme light situations and pushing the creative envelope.  These types of issues can be solved other ways as well, ie with the use of other equipment and filters.  The point is that you can achieve greatness without more equipment and delve into something outside your comfort zone.

Reminder: You can always view my HDR Photoblog – Urban HDR