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3-Day HDRI (High Dynamic Range Imaging)—a Workshop for
Intermediate and Advanced Photographers.

High Dynamic Range Imaging)

There's a bold new look in photography these days—it's called High Dynamic Range Imaging, and some people absolutely love it, while others simply hate it. But love it or hate it, HDRI can add a completely new dimension to a photographer's work, and it allows for either bold application or a subtle touch. HDRI is a process which merges a series of exposures in order to capture all the detail in both the shadows and highlights of an image. This is especially effective in situations with bright sunlight and deep shadows where a single exposure cannot capture all this information. In this sequence, the aperture is held constant (to maintain constant depth-of-field), but the shutter speed is varied to create the over-and-under exposed series of images. While designed to capture images with a wide dynamic (or contrast) range, the technique is even effective with photos made in flat, soft light, with interesting effect. After the series of exposures has been merged into one file containing all the dynamic information, that file is processed with software which "tone maps" the image and redistributes the tonal relationships. The resulting image may take on a "pencil illustration" look to it, by altering the micro-contrast structure of the mid-tones. Tonemapping can be applied to a single exposure as well, with equally interesting effect. The effects created may be controlled to look like a traditional photographic image with enhanced texture and color depth, or to achieve an ultra-realistic, Harry-Potter-movie look and feel. This process was actually created for computer generated images (CGI) used in so many movies today. It might be overly dramatic to say "This changes everything!" - but it probably does! I consider the addition of HDR Imaging to the photographer's tool box as significant as the addition of the color process, when B&W was the only game in town.

In this workshop, we'll look at the software required to create HDR images, and how to use it. We'll explore how this technique is used by some of photography's most creative minds, and you'll discover how you can adapt and control this game-changing technology to create 21st Century images which reflect your artistic sensibilities.

These workshops are limited to 4 participants, and are conducted from my Poultney, Vermont studio. Registration and a "Welcome Dinner" are Thursday evening, if your schedule allows, and the workshop runs Friday morning through late Sunday afternoon. The fee for this three day workshop is $595, exclusive of meals and accommodations.

ACCOMMODATIONS & MEALS:
We can eat as a group at the various restaurants and diners in town. There are numerous Bed & Breakfast facilities, and several motels in the Poultney, Vermont area. You might want to start by looking here: poultneyvt.com.

Workshop Schedule:
April 6-8, November 9-11, 2012
Based in Poultney, Vermont

High Dynamic Range Imaging)

High Dynamic Range Imaging)


John Maslowski is one of the pioneering figures in HDR image making, whose work is often included in books and magazine articles on the subject. His photoblog, Sirius 2, has won numerous awards and is one of the most important and popular photography blogs worldwide. John writes:

"Alan Nyiri is a professional photographer, writer and founder of the Vermont Photography Workshop. Alan has over 30 years experience in the photography field. What makes Alan such a great instructor is his experience both in the field and in the classroom. Also, Alan has written 12 photography books.

Boardwalk by John Maslowski
"Boardwalk at Night" Copyright 2011 by  John Maslowski
One of my personal favorites is his book entitled "Acadia Panorama." Alan is one of the early trailblazers in utilizing HDR (High Dynamic Range) techniques to create incredible images. He embraces and speaks passionately about this new technology, and he has a unique ability to teach a complex subject in a way that a beginner or advanced photographer will fully grasp. Alan's HDR workshop concentrates on three areas: photography, software and post-processing. Other HDR courses usually only include one or two of these areas. The area that I consider to be the most important is photography. You need top-notch photographic techniques in order to obtain that great HDRI (High Dynamic Range Image). The old saying garbage-in then garbage-out pertains to HDRI. With Alan's expertise you will get that great photo. Next you will utilize tone-mapping software to create the HDRI. At this phase, some photographers stop and consider the HDRI complete. However, Alan goes one step further and will use his unique post-processing skills to create the final masterpiece. Alan's main concern is with explaining techniques as they pertain to photography and not getting bogged down into the highly technical aspects of HDR. He stays focused on creating that great series of photos, which in turn can be further refined into a fine work of art, utilizing HDR techniques. The student can't help but walk away from his workshop with an excitement to venture out on their own with the techniques they have learned. I am sure you will find this HDR workshop an experience you will long remember."