In reply to Arnau.

Hi Arnau,

That is absolutely true. Creating two virtual copies in Lightroom and adjusting the exposure compensation to -2 and +2 respectivily, gives a different and sometimes better result, than using just a single image. You can prepare the images, like doing some heavy noise reduction on the individual virtual copies, before merging them. But you are right, having three proper images is better, much better. Why? Because you don’t get more information by making virtual copies in Lightroom. You just show them darker and brighter. By having three proper shots at -2, 0 and +2 you have a lot more information, and you well get a better result. A higher image quality.

–Jacob

In reply to Jacob Surland.

Hi M. Witter and Jacob,

I think that another technique when the movement of subjects does not allow to shoot three exposures is to create an overexposed and subexposed image from an original using Lightroom (let’s say at +2 and -2), and merge the three of them in photomatix. I guess it is not as good as having three original images with all the corresponding dynamic range, but it seems it works.

Arnau

In reply to M. Witter.

Hi M. Witter,
I can understand, that you are confused. I made the same mistake some time ago before I got into HDR photography. What you confuse, is the HDR style, from the actual technique HDR. The classic HDR way is to use some software (I often use Photomatix Pro) to make the 32-bit HDR image. This you, however, can’t see, because your monitor can’t shot it. Instead, there is used a tone mapper, to map from 32-bit to 16-bit. This tone mapper has a number of parameters, that you can set, and depending on what you set, you get a certain style. That style is what is known as ‘HDR images’.

However, you can use a single image, and put that into the tone mapper, and get the exactly same style from a single image. This removes problems with moving objects. Another way is to use only one of the images, in the areas that have moving objects. This is is called ‘de-ghosting’ in HDR software, and sometimes it can work miracles, at other times it can’t. I prefer to do the de-ghosting manually later in the process.

–Jacob

I have thought that HDR was only used for “still” targets like bridges, statues, buildings or landscapes…but recently I have seen pictures of moving targets that appear to have that HDR look…can moving targets be shot in HDR? When you say that auto bracketing takes three exposures do you mean that it takes three separate shots as in burst mode or do you mean one shot is taken and three exposures made from the one shot? If the later statement is true, then it would seem you could take an HDR shot of say a bullrider at the rodeo and get some interesting effects.