High Dynamic Range Imaging (HDRI) techniques can be used to create spectacular photos.  However it can also be complicated and frustrating for the newcomer to the field.

Practical HDRI by Jack Howard is a wonderful guide to the world of HDRI.  The 168 page soft-cover book beings with a discussion of equipment, ranging from what you have to, as Howard writes, “some serious gear envy.” Then it reviews composition, framing and exposure basics before moving into capturing images for HDRI.

Capturing images is, of course, only a starting point.  The book covers the entire HDRI process, including HDR generation, advanced merging techniques and tone mapping.  Rather than focusing on one a single application, Howard provides practical and detailed instructions using Photomatrix Pro 3.0, FDRTools Advanced 2.2, Dynamic Photo HDR 3, and Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended.

I’ve been curious about HDRI for a while. Howard’s book not only answered all my questions, but it also dispelled some of the misconceptions I had about HDRI.  If you’re interested in learning HDRI or you’ve been experimenting and need some expert advice, look no further.

Practical HDRI by Jack Howard is published by Rocky Nook and distributed by O’Reilly Media.  It retails for $32.95.