In a series of posts originally published on TipSquirrel, I presented the following series of videos covering a comprehensive approach to HDR processing. I’ve tried to steer away from HDR as an end in itself; instead, I look at HDR and tonemapping as just another tool in the toolbox.

These tutorials don’t cover how to capture an image in HDR – the bracketing process and the merging in the HDR software is well covered elsewhere. I’ve focused more on the overall thought process, and attention to details that get overlooked when you tonemap your images.

The process begins with the raw images, preparing them for the best possible results in the merge process. And, the process continues after the tonemapping – again, the HDR/tonemapping process is just a step on the way to taking your images beyond the ordinary. Enjoy!

Part 1 – What happens before the HDR merging starts

HDR – Beyond The Ordinary (Pt. 1) from Mike Hoffman on Vimeo.

Part 2 – What happens after the HDR merging is over – you’re not done yet.

HDR – Beyond The Ordinary (Pt. 2) from Mike Hoffman on Vimeo.

Part 3 – Post-processing and cleaning up your images is a major part of making the results extraordinary.

HDR – Beyond The Ordinary (Pt. 3) from Mike Hoffman on Vimeo.

Thanks, and I hope you find these tutorials useful!