HDR (high dynamic range) images are starting to take the photography world by storm (at the time of this writing, the HDR Flickr group has over 18,000 members). If you ask a room full of people what HDR is, you get a wide range of answers, and typically they are all partly correct. Simply put however, HDR imaging is the process of creating an image that encompasses a wide range of exposure values. This allows the resultant image to be nearly all encompassing in every detail. HDR Imaging has, until very recently, been the purvey of Hollywood graphic and special effects artists. "The HDRI Handbook" by Christian Bloch helps bring this exciting arena to everyone else.

The first part of the book gives a much needed overview of what HDRI really is. It also delves into current camera technology, describes present-day limiting factors, and outlines where the industry is headed (hold on to your hats!). From there the author provides an overview of HDRI tools - quite current as the book was published in November of 2007 - and gives an unbiased review of each.

At this point, you delve right into the steps needed to capture a quality series of images from which you can generate an HDR image. This is not for the faint of heart - you need to know your camera well. In the off chance you don't know your camera that well, this section helps you learn more. It certainly taught me a couple things.

Also covered are such critical subjects as image cleanup, croppung and framing, and other adjustments that are but the first step of creating the HDR image. From here you move on to critical sections on Tone Mapping and shooting Panoramic HDR images. The book wraps up with a section for using HDR images in CG (computer generated) graphics.

It should be noted that all tutorials in the book assume the use of Photoshop CS3. However, features of other tools, such as FDR Tools and Artizen, are covered quite well. Numerous example images are on the accompanying DVD, along with sample versions of the latest HDR programs. In addition, there is a companion website to keep the reader up to speed on this fast emerging area of imaging.

"The HDRI Handbook" is a must read for anyone who wants to dabble in HDR imaging. Written by a recognized expert in the field, this book carefully and cleanly details everything you need to know to generate quality HDR images that will make you the envy of your photographer friends. The examples in the book are stunning, and the techniques presented will give you confidence for when you start to compile your own High Dynamic Range image library.

This is a great book in the development of HDR technology..I am sure "The next generation of cameras will have this built into their processors -- it is going to be that big". If you are serious about enjoying and developing your photography skills this is the now and future..And it requires real skills to get a masters in HDR results.. and if you want to take away the luck factor and know you are getting a great shot simply buy this book...

This is an excellent book provided you know what you are getting. It is a genuine handbook, by which I mean it has loads of information about the theory of HDRI, capturing pictures and software used to create the final version. If all you want is a how-to-do-it there are cheaper and frankly less complex books out there. I recommend the Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography by Ferrell McCollough as a quite well-done book that is all most people will need. That having been said, the Bloch is essential for the underlying ideas and is particularly strong on HDRI panoramic photography. Also somewhat more complete and useful than other books on comparing various software programs for combining pictures. Well written and clear. One major advantage of the Bloch book is that it has a CD with versions of the major software packages (all available as free trial downloads as well)and more importantly it also contains the pictures used throughout the book as illustrations so that one can practice HDRI creation and compare one's own results with those by Bloch. HDRI is not especially difficult, but it takes a certain amount of practice and patience -- the CD helps to solve the practice part of the process. For patience you're on your own.

The principle was so obvious to me, and yet as soon I finished the study of this book, I realized just how limited my prior knowledge was. Apparently I did not knew about existing image standards, tools and about a fundamental importance of HDR (high dynamic range) imaging for digital photography as a superior way of preserving images.

Foreword is by one of the top gurus in the discipline and author of several graphical file formats, Greg Ward.

Author starts with explaining the basic concepts of dynamic range, EV (exposure value) and specifics of human perception of light and shape. This sounds like a platitude, but in fact the chapter is very educational and to the point. Reader can quickly understand the limitation of the contemporary digital imaging based on integer numbers. I had no idea that HDR tools and files use in fact floating point numbers, utilize exponents to cover the vast dynamic range, while occupying still the same number of bits per pixel.

In chapter 2 author goes through the numerous file formats invented to hold graphical information, beginning with Kodak's Cineon, Portable Float Map, Float Tiff, Radiance, LogLuv, Open EXR (devised by Florian Kainz at Industrial Light and Magic,) High Dynamic Range Jpeg, Fjpeg, and several more. I was not aware of the most of them. Tabular summary at the end provide a perfect and compact summary.

He summarizes than properties of the diverse HDRI tools, of which I knew of Photomatix, but the rest was widely unknown to me. One group of programs contain generic image viewers with HDR capability, like HDRView, exrdisplay, JahPlayer. Even Irfanview can apparently interpret two HDR formats: radiance and TIFF LogLuv. Later Bloch compares features of HDR file generators and tone mappers: HDRshop, Picturenaut, PhotoSphere, Photomatix and FDRTools. This is the most comprehensive enumeration of HDR software which I saw so far. Of course, he also talks about full image editors and compares their features to Photoshop CS.

Chapter 3 is devoted to capturing HDR images. Bloch explains limitation of contemporary CCD and CMOS sensors, talks about future prospects. He explains how to use bracketing in ordinary digital cameras to gain series of images covering the wide dynamic range. Foremost he reminds to use the same aperture to preserve identical depth of field in each shot. Sounds so obvious, and yet before I red this book, I made series of images violating this principle. Expectedly I gained poor results, which I than attributed to an "immature HDR software." If fact, I was not ready. Bloch follows with a description of a series of workflows using dedicated tools, like HDRshop, Photomatix, Picturenaut, and compares them to a fully manual process in Photoshop. Very educational.

Next chapter describes tone mapping: Once the HDR image is in place, its vast dynamic range must be mapped into the Low Dynamic Range (LDR) of the display, screen or paper alike. The process has many variables and an element of artistic freedom. Here again Bloch compares several automatic tools with a manual process in Photoshop. Some of the example images are simply stunning. The chapter has several sections written by other photographers presenting their selected HDR images.

As a bonus follows a chapter abput shooting of HDR panoramas, a combination of two dimensional series of images for each part of the scene, and for each part of the dynamic range. Fascinating are all the gadgets and contraptions being used to generate the surreal projections and circular panoramas.

To sum up Bloch speaks about trick photography combined with CGI (Computer Graphics Images.) This is of course just a short introduction in context of HDR, and yet very informative.

For me this is one of most educational books in photography which I ever read, and do I press the shutter button for over 30 years. Do yourself a favor: grab it and read it and foremost: Experiment with HDR!

I bought two HDR books at the same time. This was by far the better book. Yes, it did cost more, but has been well worth it. The DVD has some useful information. Besides that they list other useful WEB sites in their text. Well written and knowledgeable. Not a rehash of known information.

This is a very poorly written book. There are other much better alternatives to choose from.

I was worried that this book would be too technical for me, but it was wonderful. I reviewed each cahpter and then went back and followed the process from the beginning, until I understood it thoroughly, could work my equipment without effort and received the results I was expecting. And it is working for me! There is more information than you will ever need to get satisfying results. But the book is well-researched and the chapters brilliantly assembled. Anyone can learn from it.

This book gives a good general perspective on the world of High Dynamic Range imaging: the motivation for making HDR images, some theory, file formats, HDR viewing software, photographic capture, software workflow, HDR editing and CGI. Many of the example images are beautiful and inspiring. I found it a useful introduction.

However, despite the title of the book, this is NOT a manual. It is more like a word-for-word transcript of a training workshop. It falls short of the expectations created by calling it a manual.

The technical information is often presented in a vague, loose or imprecise way. The coverage is uneven and sometimes appears downright lazy. Stereographic projection is not explained but is simply described as a 'fun' thing. The author's report on one of the available software packages is basically that he couldn't get the package to work. There were numerous, minor technical errors.

The text is often vague, loose or imprecise. The style is more like a flashy sales pitch than a technical document. At times I found it almost condescending (Quote: "Click the little checkbox, it's cool"). I grew tired and sceptical of the constant use of the word `modern' - especially when the book refers to the fifty-year-old science of Machine Vision as a "new field".

Most of all what irked me about this book was the poor editing. It is really time that the Rocky Nook publishers hired a sub-editor. This particular book is strewn with linguistic mistakes, some of which are distracting or confusing (like writing `predecessor' when he means `successor', or using `eventual' to mean `possible', or `experiences' instead of `experiments', `straight angle' for `right angle', and `backside' for `reverse side').

If we treat this book as the notes-plus-CD from a one-day workshop on HDRI, it is entirely satisfying.

Im no expert on this subject. This book is great. I work in digital photography and 3d lightwave as well a many other computer software packages. This book is very clear and well organized. You will learn alot about many different aspects of HDRI and lighting.

There are very few articles you can find on the web about HDR photography techniques. To my knowledge, this is the first book to cover the subject. The writing is clear and concise, and he walks through examples with clearity. I'm new the HDR and the techniques I've learned have already vastly improved my photographs. [...]

Great material on the subject, handy to keep on desk. Although it adds more to the volume by adding a chapter on lighting/rendering methodology.
I would have appreciated if there was a little write up on debevec's lighting rig, as to how things are placed today and where its headed tomorrow. It would be more a rounded way of finishing the subject.
But the book on its own is excellent, I'm just being greedy, perhaps there would be a vol2 as more gets revealed on the subject.
Great work no doubt.

I started reading this book at Barnes and Noble. There is so much information that I needed to buy it so I could use it as a reference. The pictures are great and the text is easy to follow along. Highly recommended!

This is a very basic handbook with no much useful information. Most of the techniques are described by other "co-authors". Funny enough, if you search on Internet you can find the very same descriptions online.
If you are a technical person you can figure out the actual history of HDRI in a couple of articles available on line instead of going through the really long introductory chapters that don't give a clue about the technical and algorithmic aspect of HDRI.
Buying a book to just get a very high level overview of software available out there is not really instructive, be it at handbook level or not.

I want to know more bout HDRI and in this book i got everithing that I want to know. In very practical spoken, Crhistian Bloch introducin us to world of HDRI and those aplications, Imge based ilumanition for CGI and Photography. Sorry for my bad english.;)
THE BOOK ITS AMAZING!!!

I've only begun this book, may get disappointed and come back to rewrite my review later, but I doubt that will be the case. I'm so impressed I want to talk about it now! I'll probably come back later, instead, with even more praise.

Christian explains exposure better in the first 20 or so pages than most writers can teach in entire books on the subject! (And books that far outrank his in sales; get with it, people, and pay attention to THIS book!)

Christian, I do have a question of you, irrelevant to this review. Could you please post a message to me on http://flickr.com/groups/84897717@N00? Thanks!

I enjoyed this book very much. It presents clearly what HDRI is about and also gives very good advice about organizing the workflow and how to use your preferred software.
Most importantly, the author underlines the fact that the best HDRI image is the one where you do not see that there was any HDRI processing done! The kind of flat images that you get using default settings from various tone mappers get boring after the novelty wears off.

A very interesting book taht covers al the way HDRI, Begining with concepts thorught creating images and using in 3D rendering. Amust have book

Zis book is very vell written... Zee author is German and you can tell!! It is to ze point - no fluff and really explains vhatt you need to know - and more... good examples are used to illustrate points und zey worked very vell vith my vay of sinking....

Sank you for writing an excellent book - I look forvard to more of zee zame...

Prost!!

If you are learning, or want to learn about HDRI. This is the book for you.

This book is exactly what the Author(s) claim. It is a high level book that explains in great detail how to get great results with HDR photography. Note that the only bad review to date is from a guy that basically said that even though the book cover said it was complicated he was expecting something for a beginner.

This book is exactly what the Author(s) claim. It is a high level book that explains in great detail how to get great results with HDR photography. Note that the only bad review to date is from a guy that basically said that even though the book cover said it was complicated he was expecting something for a beginner.

The book kicks off with a couple of very technical chapters looking at the background to HDRI, a comparison of the various image formats together with a very comprehensive look at a wide range of HDRI software currently available, from freeware up to the top of the line packages, comparing features of each. This takes up the first third of the book, and I did feel a bit like I was being overloaded with technical info.

However, then the book does get onto the interesting bit - how to take HDRI images, and what to do with them when you've got them. Suddenly all the dry tech stuff up front makes sense, and you can see where all the bits go, and why. Chapters 3, 4 and 5 look at taking HDRI images, tone mapping and HDR image processing, and cover the subject extremely well, with huge amounts of useful information and clear step-by-step instructions.

The last two chapters cover panoramic HDR images and an interesting (but again quite technical) chapter on HDR in computer-generated imaging.

So, the first couple of chapters could put off a novice photographer, but dig a little further and there is a wealth of information here. If you're interested in HDR images and what you can do with them, then this is a fantastic resource. And it comes with an accompanying DVD packed with software, sample HDR images and tutorial files.

I have been learning about HDRI primarily from Uwe Steinmueller's generously helpful articles on his site outbackphoto.com, and from the Photomatix email list. Seeing that Steinmueller is a contributor to The HDRI Handbook, I expected it to be more of the same.

In the event, it has been an epiphany. I had not appreciated that HDRI is a doorway into truly archival imaging, for today's imaging technology *and* for imaging tools and output devices not yet invented. I had completely missed the point made on page 132 of The HDRI Handbook:

"Most photographers will tell you that the next step [after having merged bracketed exposures into an HDR image] is tone mapping because an HDR image doesn't fit the limited range of our ..." output devices. "This is missing the whole point."

"*Don't throw it all away yet!* There is nothing special about an HDR image. It's all just pixels waiting to be messed with, but better pixels that are much more forgiving when we apply extreme edits. Imagine the HDR image as raw clay that we can form into whatever we want. Why would you burn that raw clay into a hard block now just so you can destructively chisel the final form out of it? Wouldn't it make much more sense to massage the clay into a good model first? [Apply non-destructive edits to the HDR image itself!] And then put it in the oven the fix that form [tone map into an LDR image], and sand and polish [fine-tune with LDR editing tools] afterwards?

"To speak in more photographic terms: Here we have an image that exceeds the tonal range and qualities of a RAW image. Wouldn't it be great to keep it like that for as long as possible? Well, you can! That's what true HDR workflow is all about.

Christian Bloch then describes a 32-bit workflow to do just this. An HDR LDR workflow can be broken down into three parts. Bloch describes and compares the tools available for each part, and examples of these are provided on the DVD that comes with the book.

First, combine bracketed exposures to create an HDR image. Block focuses on using Photoshop or Photomatix for this step.

Second, use Photoshop to make basic adjustments to the HDR image. These are: cleanup with the Clone Stamp, white balancing (done in two steps, differently than in LDR images), frame/perspective correction (using Free Transform), sharpening (using the HDR exposure changes to visually quantify proper sharpening), and color correction. None of these need to be done to the HDR image, but Block discusses the advantages of doing so, *before* converting to LDR.

Third, tone map the HDR image into an LDR image. For me, this is the core, creative part of HDR imaging in photography. Bloch distinguishes two perspectives.

One perspective is to have "the final image appear as natural as possible, ... an image that looks like it was shot with an ordinary camera but incorporates more dynamic range than a camera could actually handle." (page 168).

The other perspective is to create an "painterly" interpretation, as illustrated by the many example images seen on the web.

Bloch illustrates tone mapping of four different HDR images, using the four methods in Photoshop (Exposure & Gamma, Highlight Compression, Equalize Histogram, and Local Adaptation), Photomatix Details Enhance, FDR Tools Compressor, and Artizen HDR Fattal.

The tone mapping that seems to offer the most precise control is Photoshop's "flagship tone mapper" (page 155): Local Adaptation. The mapping is crafted by adjusting a toning curve to set black and white points, and to control local and global contrast. Bloch's detailed examples show precisely how to work with this approach. I show an example of this in the Digital Dgrin Photography Forum post



Uwe and Bettina Steinmueller describe (pages 172--182) how they have used Photomatix to produce their stunning images of interiors of abandoned buildings.

Also, there is a very helpful, detailed (page 183--211) tutorial by Dieter Bethke, of how he used Photomatix to create three "natural" and two "painterly" images. It is a great resource for getting to know how to use Photomatix and an encouraging illustration of the capability of HDR imaging as a photographic tool.

There is much more in The HDRI Handbook but this is what I have gleaned so far. The HDRI Handbook has turned out to be a wonderful, measured, detailed, and accessible guide to what an HDR > LDR photographic workflow has to offer.

This book does a great job of summarizing the current state of the art in a way that's far more approachable than academic (Siggraph) papers. Bloch covers actual production methods without the book turning into software training. This is a good reference for photographers using HDRI techniques, CG artists using image based lighting, and CG matte painters using mixed techniques.

This is the book we've all been waiting for. It's easy to read and understand. There's something for photographers, 3D artists, and compositors in there. I am a professional photographer, a panoramic photographer, a 3D Visual Effects Professor, and have been using HDRI for more than 5 years now. This book is well written and not biased towards any one piece of software or technique. You will glad you bought this book!

When I received this product, the DVD that was supposed to be included with the book was not there, and there was no evidence that it had ever been there, so that was a disappointment from the outset. (Please note that I don't blame Amazon for the missing DVD--Amazon has done a great job for me every time I have ordered from them.)

I decided immediately to return the book, but I took a quick look through it and realized it was not meant for me--an amateur photographer with little training in color or video theory. The author admits that this was a masters' thesis project, and it reads like one. The content is extremely technical, and a mainstream reader is going to get bogged down with lots of theory and mathematical equations.

This is a "how-to" book for schooled computer graphics people---NOT the general public. I'll be looking for more basic books and articles on HDRI. If anyone has recommendations, I'd love to hear them.

I had seen the book announced months ago and was probably one of the first customers to order a copy. It took me about two weeks to read it from cover to cover and check out some of the resources on the disc. This is an amazing source of information! I am a photographer and I was intrigued by some of the HDR-Photography I had seen posted on the web (by Dan Burkholder and others). I started experimenting with some of the tools like Photomatix and Photoshop but these were fairly random experiments and I did not get consistent results. After reading Christian Bloch's HDRI Handbook, I think I understand this technique and the underlying concepts and I feel I can embark on a new and better planned trip into the field of High Dynamic Range Photography.
Luckily, I can use many of the bracketed shots that I still have -- and I already started to reprocess some of them with software that was included on the disc. I was blown away by the first results. HDRI is fun and I expect to spend many more nights over the next few weeks to create HDRIs. I am just starting, but this book is, in my opinion, a must have for any serious and forward-thinking photographer.
I highly recommend this book.