3 minute jump start to Aurora HDR for Mac

Aurora HDR is a fantastic tool that gives you a true start-to-finish feature set for creating “high dynamic range” (HDR) photos that will amaze everyone. Here’s your 3-minute Jump Start to get you going with this revolutionary tool!

Minute 1: HDR Explained!

High Dynamic Range (HDR) Photography allows photographers to reveal far more of the available light in a scene than a standard single camera exposure can capture. A typical camera can only see about 3 stops of light, whereas the human eye can see 11!

HDR photography makes up for this difference by using multiple images shot at different exposures and automatically merging them together. This allows us to incorporate far more light and detail in our finished image, resulting in a stunning photo that would be next to impossible to capture.Take a look at what HDR is to see many examples of when to use HDR techniques, as well as our popular photo gallery on the website.

Minute 2: Align & Merge!

While you can easily use HDR techniques on a single photo, it’s best to create an HDR image using multiple images and, as we said before, shot at different exposures from a single scene. By merging them using post-processing software like Aurora HDR, you’ll achieve a new completely balanced image.

Some HDR apps will allow you to reduce “ghosting” (moving objects in photos) and Chromatic Aberration (red/blue fringing on high contrast areas). Aurora HDR produces a a gorgeous “human-eye” realistic starting point as your base look. You can then continue editing to create an intense/dramatic photo or craft a natural-looking realistic image. Whatever suits your style!What does that mean for photography? Simply put, the limits have been completely removed! Previously you were bound by what your camera sensor could see, but now you can tell your photographic story any way you choose. Want something dark and dramatic or bright and vibrant? Fantasy or Realism? If you’ve "shot the brackets," you can take your images in any direction your heart desires!

Minute 3: Go Ahead—Make Amazing Photos!

Aurora HDR is loaded with tools that can jump-start your creative process and send it into overdrive! From subtle realistic to incredible fantasy-like works of art, you can choose the strategy that meets your needs when creating your masterpiece!

When you’re in a hurry, you can use one (or more) of over 60 presets that come pre-loaded in Aurora HDR. These give you 1-click access to incredible looks in a flash.

The second path is the Fine-Art, or “Never Hurry” strategy where you use incredibly powerful tools like Layers, Luminosity Masks, Selective adjustments, Custom Textures and even Blend Modes to tweak each and every single pixel to perfection!

A third method, and our favorite strategy, is something in between! After spending time developing perfect color, texture, and detail layers for your photo, save your own preset (so with your next image you can get the same look and feel) with a single click of the button. Then fine tune and finalize the image!

Have fun exploring and be sure to show us your results by sharing your works of art on our Aurora HDR Facebook Group!

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