What is HDR? Why does it matter? Will it last? And how should we handle it? Kevin Shaw casts some light on to the brights and darks of this tech
Terms like HDR are relative and often change as technology advances. For example, “HD” has frequently been used to describe new standards. When the old black and white 405 line broadcasts were replaced by 625 line color, the new technology was described as “high definition”, but it has of course been used for many more recent shifts.
The traditional film process of bleach bypass leaves a black and white image superimposed over a color image, a process that results in a distinctive high contrast, harsh, faded look.
The technique has been around for a long time and is continually in vogue. It’s been used in iconic films through the decades, including Seven, Evita, Fight Club, Man on Fire, Million Dollar Baby, Minority Report, 1984, Saving Private Ryan and City of Lost Children.