The human eye is capable of detecting or viewing a range of contrast of approximately 10 million to one. In any one view, the eye detects somewhere between 10,000 to 1 in bright light, to 1 million to 1 in starlight. In contrast, the most advanced (expensive) digital cameras offer a range of approximately 1024 to 1. Ansel Adams was the first photographer to develop a "zone system", maximizing the dynamic range of his black and white photography, increasing contrast and depth.

The HDR process involves taking multiple photographs with precise camera settings, varying only the exposure from severely underexposed, to severely overexposed. By combining the images, the details in the shadows, which would normally be black, are revealed in the overexposed images. The details in the bright areas, which would normally appear as solid white, are revealed in the underexposed images. Varying levels of light combine to truly define colors.

The process of merging the "bracketed" images into a single photograph is an art form unto itself. Exposure blending reveals the contents of dark and bright areas; however extensive tone mapping techniques are required to control the color saturation, sharpness, distortion avoidance, light smoothing, micro contrast, micro smoothing, and the overall strength of the tonal mapping algorithm. When perfected, a properly processed HDR photograph can produce a dynamic range of 100,000 to 1. Although experimental, including infrared exposures and further techniques to capture colors beyond the range of human vision produces striking imagery that implies further insight into our environment.

The below eleven examples of HDR photography are presented purely for your viewing pleasure. Commercial examples are produced under strict copyright to the client, and may not be displayed on this site.