HDR in Photoshop and printing it

[David331037930ooz]

Hi Folks,

I'm new to this process and am trying to find out if it's possible to print an HDR image... So forgive me if this is a stupid question...

I have 32 bit stitched panoramic HDR andscapes in Lightroom, that I've exported as 32bit, Rec 2020, TIFF via the new Lightroom HDR update (Photoshop doesn't read the HDR PSD Files, but will rea a TIFF)... I've opened them in Photoshop, to try and change the image mode to 16bit, using the HDR Toning Exposure and Gamma option, as none of the other options work and just destroy the image. The preview doesn't change, and once I press okay, it goes flat and looks like SDR, so none of the higher dynamics are staying (not even sure if they are supposed to or not). I've been in the Camera RAW to adjust it after conversion to see if I can bring it back, but can't reclaim the images HDR dynamics...

I'm attempting to use this for a natural landscape HDR look, as if you were there in person, not the highly stylised hyper-realism images, so it's the highlights and white that are the extra pop I'm after... I have a Macbook Pro HDR screen and Asus HDR monitor... I know this is all new, so it might be I'm just not aware of the limitation of HDR printing, but it seems odd that HDR tech has been around for ages, and it can't be printed... I have seen the odd blog post about the printing of HDR images, but am strugling to really nail down what is possible!

Anyone have any info or insights, please comment... Would be great to find out if this is possible... or if I am missing something with the HDR tone mapping... 

Thanks...

[D Fosse · Accepted solution]

By definition you cannot print HDR.

Ink on paper does not have that extended dynamic range.

A good inkjet print on high grade glossy paper has a contrast range of at most 300:1, but most prints on matte paper will be down in the 150:1 range or even below. That's paper white : maximum ink density. That's obviously a hard physical limit.

A standard dynamic range monitor already exceeds that by good margin, and that is the main explanation behind the often repeated maxim that "you cannot match screen and print". In fact that's not true, you can, but you need to reduce the dynamic range of the display considerably.

An HDR monitor is way off the charts here. HDR is for screen use only.

[David331037930ooz]

Hey there,

Many thanks for your reply, that is helpful! I had a feeling that was the case, but wasn't entirely sure... It would figure considering Lightroom has only just added HDR functionailty! I'll try printing on gloss and see what the contrast looks like!

One less thing to worry about for me then!

Thanks for the help! 

[lehestro]

Thank you for your answer, and maybe this isn't the place to ask, but do you have any tips for converting the type of HDR photos the OP was talking about to SDR? the default in Camera Raw seems inadequate – the highlights just turn into a mish mash of desaturated greys. There has to be a better way to at least approximate what I'm seeing in HDR. 

[Flagg37]

Does this apply across print mediums such as acrylic and metal or specifically to paper? If the picture is well lit would that increase the dynamic range of the highlights?

[Lumigraphics]

Print mediums and processes vary widely in dynamic range, color range, resolution, cost, make-ready time, reject rates, etc. A photo printed on high-quality, heavy coated stock with a 6-color gravure process ($$$$$$) will look much different that the same image printed on newsprint with a 4-color web press, which will look much different than a duotone screen print onto t-shirts, and so on.

And of course you CAN print an HDR image, you can print anything whether it is out of gamut or not. You just may not like the end result.

[johnm71918526]

Greg Benz has some good suggestions.  See these suggestions.