Image Quality – Dynamic Range

Following on from my previous post let’s have another look at increasing the dynamic range of a photo to improve the image quality.

Image 1 shows the out of camera JPEG image that I would describe as a poor representation of the scene. The sun was behind the food trailer leaving the customers in the shade, creating a high contrast scene. The overall look could be described as ‘muddy’ at best.  Again it was shot at ISO 400, which is not the optimum ISO setting.

Image 1 - Out of camera JPEG

As with my previous post the photo was taken with the Panasonic G2 camera, which unlike Olympus does not produce the best JPEG files but is capable of excellent image quality when shooting RAW.

Image 2 shows an attempt to increase the dynamic range by processing the original JPEG image.  As you can see I was able lighten the shadows but couldn't recover enough detail from the sky or balance the exposure to get a more natural look.  It still looks a bit muddy and lacks punch. 

Image 2 - processed JPEG

Image 3 shows the RAW file opened in Photoshop Elements 11 in the ACR workspace.  Note the adjustments that have been made to increase the dynamic range and improve the colour and saturation.  There’s still a bit of highlight clipping but it’s not present in any significant part of the image.

Image 3 - ACR workspace

Image 4 is the final image processed from the RAW file. This is a significant improvement on the original JPEG.  Plenty of detail has been brought back to the sky, with good separation from the ‘Sizzlers’ sign.  The shadows have been lifted and the colour and contrast has been improved to give a punchier appearance.  Overall, this is now a more pleasing and natural looking image.

Image 4 - Final 

Image 5 is the original JPEG.  Open Image 4 and 5 in separate tabs and toggle between the two to compare the difference.

Image 5 - Original JPEG

Once again we can see how a photo can be improved by increasing its dynamic range.  By correcting the highlights and shadows and restoring the colour and contrast we can make great improvements in image quality.

Keep practising until you get more familiar with the idea of increasing dynamic range of high contrast photos.