I've been working for a while with methods to extend the dynamic range of digital photographic images through various HDR and exposure blending techniques. These techniques can be particularly useful in architectural photography where very-wide contrast ranges are often found when shooting both exteriors and interiors. There are many common situations where these methods can help, such as revealing detail deeper into the shadows of a dark building entrance on a bright sunny day or, conversely, helping to hold bright exterior details in window views when photographing darker interiors. Because the dynamic range that digital sensors can capture is so narrow compared to human eyesight, these techniques can help bring an image closer to how we naturally perceive the scene. This is highly desirable for high-quality architectural images.
For most people the term HDR (short for High Dynamic Range) has become synonymous with glowing, wildly exaggerated color images, often well into the bizarre range. Many people apparently appreciate the strong colors and surreal qualities for their artistic merit. These types of images have also become popular with many photo enthusiasts because the software for producing them is quite easy to use and does not require much precision -- requiring neither color fidelity nor adherence to visual realism to produce a striking image. Indeed, dismissing those qualities is often the artistic intent.
However pleasing those images may be artistically, in professional architectural photography the objective is considerably different. Visual credibility matters very much. The primary goal is to enhance the perception of a building or interior in a natural and realistic presentation. An architect may appreciate having a garish, artistic vision of their work displayed in the proper setting, but it's hardly what they require for their portfolio, promotions or magazine spreads. Similarly, a potential home buyer may appreciate the same qualities in an image hanging on their wall, but it's not helpful when they're considering the amenities of a potential new home purchase. Consequently, the demand for high-quality architectural images requires a more more subtle touch.
I've tried most of the software that's available for HDR -- at least on a Mac, which is quite a lot -- and have found that most of them are not ideal for the type of images I need to produce. I generally avoid the packages that require tone mapping to develop an image. I have no doubt this technique can produce fine results, but for me it doesn't seem suited to producing well-adjusted results quickly and consistently. Every effort seems to require going down a rabbit hole of possibilities to find the optimum settings, and ultimately still doesn't "look" natural enough. More often I get better results using an exposure blending technique based on Enfuse software. (Purists will point out that due to certain data attributes this is not technically "true" HDR, but that's a nominal distinction. Both require the digital merging of bracketed multiple exposures for the same intent.) More specifically, I use a software plug-in to create Enfused images from within my Adobe Lightroom workflow. This excellent plug-in, called LR/Enfuse, was developed by photographer Timothy Armes. With it I can much more quickly develop a pleasing starting point for a blended image, and will often need to perform only minimal adjustments (in Lightroom or Photoshop) for the final. But the main advantage for me is achieving an expanded dynamic range in a more natural looking image.
New software for creating better, easier HDR images continues to emerge and I will no doubt continue to try them in my quest for the "perfect" solution. But for now, this approach seems to be the optimum technique and workflow for producing the images I want.
Photo: C. J. Ludewig Building, Built 1929, New Braunfels, TX
