Campus Wonderland Controlling High Dynamic Range (HDR)

Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography I

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Campus WonderlandCampus Wonderland

Controlling High Dynamic Range (HDR)Controlling High Dynamic Range (HDR)


Dynamic Range: Scene grayscaleDynamic Range: Scene grayscale

This 10-step grayscale idea is borrowed This 10-step grayscale idea is borrowed from the Zone System formulated by from the Zone System formulated by Ansel Adams and Fred Archer in 1941. It Ansel Adams and Fred Archer in 1941. It was originally formulated to determine the was originally formulated to determine the optimal film exposure and development.optimal film exposure and development.

The simple 10-step scale is still useful in The simple 10-step scale is still useful in understanding exposure related to the understanding exposure related to the real world grayscale, tonal range. real world grayscale, tonal range.

NSCC Campus: Found ShotNSCC Campus: Found Shot Panasonic DMC-FZ-Panasonic DMC-FZ-1818


Dynamic Range: Sensor chipDynamic Range: Sensor chip

All sensor chips have dynamic range potential All sensor chips have dynamic range potential and limitations. Larger sensor chips size usually and limitations. Larger sensor chips size usually means larger pixel size. And that combination means larger pixel size. And that combination tend to produce greater dynamic range potential. tend to produce greater dynamic range potential.



Compact Digital: Hitting the limitsCompact Digital: Hitting the limits

The sensor chips for the compact digital cameras The sensor chips for the compact digital cameras have gone beyond the practical physical limits of have gone beyond the practical physical limits of the tiny sensor chip.the tiny sensor chip.

6 megapixel was a good megapixel count. With the 6 megapixel was a good megapixel count. With the newer 8 to 10 megapixel digitals, the image quality newer 8 to 10 megapixel digitals, the image quality has gone backward. The overcrowding produces has gone backward. The overcrowding produces too much heat that result in ‘grain and digital noise’.too much heat that result in ‘grain and digital noise’.

The electronic filtering to overcome the problems, The electronic filtering to overcome the problems, reduces image resolution and overall image quality.reduces image resolution and overall image quality.



High Dynamic Range: HDRHigh Dynamic Range: HDR

This scene contains This scene contains extreme dynamic tonal extreme dynamic tonal range far beyond the tonal range far beyond the tonal range capability of the range capability of the sensor chip.sensor chip.

This is a lighting condition This is a lighting condition not recommended for Art not recommended for Art 114 students assignment 114 students assignment shoots.shoots.


Teacher: Kenji TachibanaDigital Photography IDigital Photography ICamera Original:Camera Original:

The sky is super over-exposed with minimal detail . The highlight detail is beyond the The sky is super over-exposed with minimal detail . The highlight detail is beyond the capability of the sensor chip to hold. The sky, highlight detail, is ‘blown out’.capability of the sensor chip to hold. The sky, highlight detail, is ‘blown out’.


HDR: Work aroundHDR: Work around

If your story ideas requiresIf your story ideas requiresyou to capture this scene you to capture this scene faithfully, there is a work-faithfully, there is a work-around.around.

Take 2 shots with theTake 2 shots with thecamera mounted on acamera mounted on atripod. One as-is and thetripod. One as-is and thesecond shot exposed justsecond shot exposed justfor the sky detail.for the sky detail.

Composite the end results in Photoshop. You’ll be doing this Composite the end results in Photoshop. You’ll be doing this type of image manipulation in Digital Photography 2, Art 115.type of image manipulation in Digital Photography 2, Art 115.



Making it Work: Making it Work:

Get tight to minimize the Get tight to minimize the store setting. Rotate the store setting. Rotate the camera to activate camera to activate diagonals. EC to bias -.66 diagonals. EC to bias -.66 to retain highlight detail.to retain highlight detail.This image is already This image is already highly processed but the highly processed but the highlight is still highlight is still untouched.untouched.

BeforeBefore

Uwajimaya Found ShotUwajimaya Found Shot

Photoshop Composite:Photoshop Composite:


Detailed View: Detailed View:

The image detail The image detail must hold up when must hold up when viewed in Photoshop viewed in Photoshop at 100% ‘actual pixel’ at 100% ‘actual pixel’ size. size.


Camera Original: AfterCamera Original: After


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Campus Wonderland Controlling High Dynamic Range (HDR)