Chapter 1 is an in-depth explanation of the ideas and concepts behind high dynamic range imaging.
This chapter is the foundation on which everything else is built. To understand the full range of opportunities, we must question some very basic concepts of digital and analog photography. You will be amazed to find out what little progress digital imagery has made until now and how a simple twist on the basic premise of digital-on the bits and bytes- can suddenly push it beyond the boundaries of what has been ever thought to be possible in analog.
Chapter 2 presents all the tools needed for a high dynamic work- flow. Conventional image formats have proven to be insufficient, and conventional software is still quite limited when dealing with HDR images. I will introduce and compare new image formats and programs, rate them, and give advice on how to integrate them into your own workflow. Th is chapter is also most useful as a quick reference that will come in handy on a million occasions.
Chapter 3 is all about capturing HDR images. You get to know both: the scientific way and the easy way. I will walk you through different methods and compare the results so you can choose the method that best suits your own situation. Also, we take a peek into some research labs and learn about the future of taking HDR images. It's only a question of time before high dynamic range will be the standard and not the exception. So let's look ahead to be prepared for tomorrow's standard.
Chapter 4 is dedicated to tone mapping. You'll be introduced to automatic algorithms as well as creative methods to reduce the tonal range of an HDR image while preserving all the details. This chapter is especially designed for all you photographers, because here is where you learn to create superior prints from HDR images. There is no right or wrong here; there is only creative potential to be explored. To inspire you in finding your own ways, Uwe Steinmüller and Dieter Bethke will showcase their personal workflow in practical tutorials.
Chapter 5 reveals new opportunities for image editing and compositing. You will see a wide variety of workshops that can easily be re-created with the material on the supplied DVD-ROM. The results will be compared to those of traditional methods. Learn how the pros used to work with HDRI to create more lifelike composites for film and television. Th ere is an great wealth of established techniques that can easily be applied to still image editing as well.
Chapter 6 is dedicated to panoramic HDR photography, which is a cornerstone of this book because this is where the worlds of photography and computer graphics come together. And indeed, Bloch and Vogl contributed equally to this chapter. Together, they show you several different ways of shooting panoramic HDR images; they compare them all and rate them based on the necessary workload, equipment expense, and quality of the results. Chapter 6 is full of practical tips and tricks that will be an invaluable help in the field.
Chapter 7 finally demonstrates how HDR images can be used in 3D rendering. I will break down the technical background for you so you understand how rendering algorithms work and how you can make them work better for you. Step-by-step, you will find out what the ideal lighting setup looks like. Then I'll take it a step further and present a brand-new lighting toolkit that automates the most common HDRI setup. On top of that, I'll show you some unconventional applications that will encourage creative uses of HDRI.
All of the methods described in this book are based on readily available software that you can buy in a store or sometimes even find as freeware. They run on standard platforms such as Windows and Mac OS X, preferably both. It is very important to me that you have a chance to follow each workshop step-by-step. That is why proprietary in-house software and command-line programs are not covered here, even if they have proven successful in production for some privileged postproduction companies. The main goal is to make HDR working methods accessible to everyone, so friendly software with a graphical user interface is always preferred over scripting methods.
