High Dynamic Range Digital Photography For Dummies®

Chapter 3. Looking Hard at HDR Software

In This Chapter

• Putting the software puzzle together

• Starting with Raw editors

• Reviewing HDR applications

• Considering other applications

You can't pursue HDR photography without the right software. The key is to define what that software is, what it does, and understand how it fits in with everything else. All you really need is an HDR application to generate and tone map an HDR image. However, you might also want to use an application that either helps you create the best image possible or manage the process.

To help you sort out all the software, this chapter describes the different roles that Raw converters, HDR applications, image editors, and image management applications play in the process. I also describe some of the major players for each type of software, what they offer, and some good and bad points about each title.

In this chapter, you discover what applications you need for HDR photography and get a head start on tailoring your software kit to match you and your desires.

Software: Don't Pass HDR without It

Table 3-1 shows a general roadmap of the types of software that either assist or create HDR as well as how they fit together. The phases correspond to the main HDR workflow (see Chapter 10 for more details). Within each phase, I show you more than one type of application that can perform similar tasks.

Table 3.1. Hdr phases and software ...