High dynamic range (HDR) photography has been around since the time of the atomic bomb. This technique increases a photo's dynamic range (allowing a greater range of tones to register in an image) and is done through the use of layered bracketed exposures--nowadays, a task performed with multiple digital exposures and software.
HDR images often appear otherworldly because the colors used are not the same as those intended for output on paper or on a computer screen, so in the compression of an HDR image, some tonality can be overly compressed, creating a surreal look. In some cases this renders an image that has an appealing cartoonish quality, a look that more resembles an illustration than a photograph. That said, many in the field agree that the trendy HDR process has gone too far on occasion, crossing over into an undeniably tacky dimension.
In less-processed instances, however, a photo with a magical quality can result, showing more detail in shadows and highlights, often with a lovely saturation. HDR also allows beautifully detailed photos to be created in low-light settings. We took a look into the HDR pool, and found that German photographer Halsemann's work offers some prime examples of these magical low-lit scenes, lost places hinting at a mysterious past. Halsemann has a talent for scouting out abandoned, decaying buildings that are wonderful subjects for his work. Be sure to scroll through the HDR pool to see the full spectrum of treatments from other interesting artists, such as Hipydeus.
(Image courtesy of Halsemann)