High Dynamic Range (HDR) software
HDR software takes a number of different files of the same image (but with different exposure ranges) and combine them all into one amazing photo. It does this by using the best exposures for highlights and lowlights to ensure proper exposure across the entire image. It uses the best parts of the very divergent lighting to create a composite photo so that it accentuates exactly the colors and tones you desire. It gives you the opportunity to put photos together that you would never be able to capture in just one shutter click. This ability to merge photos is taking the photography world by storm and getting the right HDR software is imperative.
Before you buy the software make sure you understand the concept. To make HDR photos you have to, in essence, take the same picture multiple times in the exact same spot and angle (preferably with the same aperture). You pretty much have to use a tripod so you are assured that the image does not move out at all between exposures. You would then take the pictures at multiple shutter speeds - bracketing for multiple exposures at different ends of the lighting spectrum. After you have taken these photos (an average of four to seven about 1-fstop (1 ev) apart) you then have to use the software to combine them into one image. Different software packages are made for different computers. So if you have a Windows operating system or a Mac operating system you might be looking at different software packages.
First let’s talk about those software packages that are free. There are quite a few. You can get a relatively good HDR photo with these free software packages. Let’s start with the free package for those that have a Windows operating system.
FDRTools Basic, HDR Shop, Picturenaut and Qtpfsgui are all free HDR software packages that are available. For most that have used and compared these packages Qtpfsgui seems to come out on top. It offers two ways of manually moving around the image, a guide that will both recommend what profile to use as well as the ability to not accept that recommendation and use your own as well as a plethora of tone mapping settings that you can then use to finish off your image.
Picturenaut doesn’t support manual movement of images and it will do it for you automatically. This sometimes can limit the ability to get the exact alignment you will finish with. You can work with your light and dark pixels by assigning a weight to them instead of having to eliminate those that are the outliers. IT is best for those who do not intend to do a lot of tone mapping. If this sounds like you, you might consider this software.
Then there is FDRTools Basic where one of the top features that is well liked is being able to take the RAW image and manually move and change the image alignment. Remember, not all of the software’s out there allow you to do this. You can work with your image, the tone mapping functions and the many different RAW inputs that this software can accept so that you can develop the best HDR image possible.
HDRshop is also free but do not offer the variety of choices that the others do so might be a bit limiting. You can get a decent starter idea with them but you will quickly determine that you want more options once you get good and working the software.
For the Mac operating system there are a few that are also free for you to down load. These include FDRTools Basic (which has all the same attributes as reviewed above except for the Mac system), pfstools and Qtpfsgui. As you can see, a few of the programs we have already discussed are available in both operating systems.
There are, of course, many types of software for HDR that you can purchase. One of these programs which has gotten positive results and reviews is Photomatix. This software which is available in Mac and Win format has all the bells and whistles that you would want when searching for HDR software. In addition they offer a free trial so you can see what the options are and how to use them prior to purchasing it. Again, the software allows you take many images of the same thing and combine them as you blend the images together. It has both automated and manual options so you can control and not control the combined image result. Photomatix Pro has more positive five start ratings than any other HDR software.
There are other software packages that you can purchase as well. These include for Mac: FDRTools Advanced (the next version of software from the Basic package with more options and choices), Photoshop and PTGui Pro. Programs for Windows would include Artizen, Easy HDR, FDRTools Advanced, Unified Color HDR Photo Studio (considered an advanced program, works in 32 bit), Photogenics HDR (specializes in #D imagery) and Photoshop.
These are the most widely used, purchased and reviewed software packages currently available for HDR. If you are interested in any you can look up all their specs on line in greater detail to determine which one of all these options would be best for you and what you are attempting to do with your shots. HDR imagery is still in its infancy -- so stay tuned. The amount of changes to software even in the last year has been staggering.
Most people are using Photomatix and Photoshop, from our experience.
Like anything new in the technology world there will be something new every time you look around. The pricing for these will probably come down as the process becomes more and more every day. When purchasing your software keep in mind that the advancements in this technology will probably be very rapid and what you get today might very well be obsolete in a year or so. With this in mind you should opt for the High Dynamic Range software that suits you best.
Photo copyright Craig Meurer 2009.