The Realistic HDR Image

F-stops and shutter speeds

The f-stop and shutter speed combination is a personal decision as well as a matter of good exposure. You can use faster shutters and larger apertures (f/2, f/4, f/5.6) when a shallow depth of field is desired (only a small area of the scene is sharp). By using slower shutter speeds and smaller apertures (f/11, f/16, f/22) you can capture images with a greater depth of field (more of the scene is sharp). Most scenes that require HDR usually benefit from a deep depth of field.

Depth of field is controlled by three factors:

1. Aperture. The smaller the aperture the more depth of field you achieve.

2. Distance to the subject. The closer you are to the nearest subject, the less depth of field you will have. If the closest ...