Well, only three of those shots are HDR. And the main reason I shoot a lot of HDR is because I want to capture what
I see. There isn't a camera on this earth that can capture the tonal range that the human eye can capture. The reason the human eye can do this is because it is constantly refocusing, and reevaluating light levels and sending all this information to your brain a million times a second. With a camera, you are essentially only capturing one image. So let me explain this in depth, that way there's no question as to why I, or any other photographer, shoots in HDR.
A camera of any kind is limited in the amount of dynamic range that it can capture and reproduce in and single image. This dynamic range is measured in contrast and what are called "F-Stops". The worst photographic representation of contrast is Color Slide Film, which can reproduce a dynamic range of 6-8 f-stops, or a contrast of about 100:1. Next would be Digital Compact Cameras at 6-8 f-stops or 100:1 to 200:1. Step up to Color Film or a Digital SLR and you'll get to 8-10.5 or up to a 2000:1 contrast ratio. But that's only half the amount of contrast that black and white film can capture at 10-12 f-stops or a contrast ratio of 4000:1!
But here's the kicker. At a single glance, the human eye can accommodate light within a range of about 100,000:1. Given the time to adjust the human eye is capable of seeing and registering starlight with a strength of 0.000.001 luminance, all the way to direct sunlight with a strength of 1,000,000 luminance. That is the equivalent to a whopping 32 f-stops!! So as you can see, the human eye can see anywhere from 3 to 5 times the amount of contrast than that of a piece of photographic equipment. On a typical day outside in direct sunlight there is a dynamic range of about 12-16 f-stops or a contrast between 4000:1 to 50,000:1. And that's without casting any large dark shadows. So then you get into an area that has a mix of direct sunlight and hard shadows caused by large objects such as trees and buildings and that number goes up to 14-20 f-stops or a contrast of 8000:1 to about 100,000:1!
So, the only way to possibly capture the entire dynamic range as you or I can see it is by using HDR photography. The pictures I take are an artistic version of what I see. They are intended to be surreal, or a little over the top. Otherwise, they are just snapshots and I may as well use the camera built in to my cell phone.
Whew. I'm sorry if that seemed like a rant. It was in NO WAY intended to be. It's just that there are a lot of people who think HDR is "trick-photography" or just a new fad with digital cameras (not saying you do). When in all actuality, HDR photography was originally developed in the 1930s by a dude named Charles Wyckoff. It's just so much easier to reproduce these days with the advances in technology, as with everything. When they first invented the key ignition on cars you didn't hear tons or people saying "ahh, that's just some trick, a goofy fad that will go away in time". Hell no!
Okay I'm done. And thanks, I'm glad you like the photos!
