Operation Manual

USING PHOTOSHOP

Understanding and opening images

Last updated 12/5/2011

Merging images of different exposures to create an HDR image

A. Image with shadow detail but highlights clipped B. Image with highlight detail but shadows clipped C. HDR image containing the dynamic

range of the scene

In Photoshop, the luminance values of an HDR image are stored using a floating-point numeric representation that’s

32 bits long (32-bits-per-channel). The luminance values in an HDR image are directly related to the amount of light

in a scene. By contrast, non-floating point 16- and 8-bpc image files store luminance values only from black to paper

white, reflecting an extremely small segment of dynamic range in the real world.

In Photoshop, the Merge To HDR Pro command lets you create HDR images by combining multiple photographs

captured at different exposures. Because an HDR image contains brightness levels that far exceed the display

capabilities of a standard 24-bit monitor, Photoshop lets you adjust the HDR preview. If you need to print or use tools

and filters that don’t work with HDR images, you can convert them to 16- or 8-bpc images.

Take photos for HDR images

Keep the following tips in mind when you take photos to be combined with the Merge To HDR Pro command:

• Secure the camera to a tripod.

• Take enough photos to cover the full dynamic range of the scene. You can try taking at least five to seven photos,

but you might need to take more exposures depending on the dynamic range of the scene. The minimum number

of photos should be three.