When it comes to HDR, only three key ingredients are needed: hardware, software, and post-processing technique. Hardware is simple–there are only a few things you need to set up and shoot an HDR series. Software is vastly improved, making it easier for anyone to create an HDR image. The hard part is the post-processing technique. There are only two options: hours and hours of experimentation or The HDR Book.

Featuring real-world interviews with passionate HDR photographers, The HDR Book, by Rafael “RC” Concepcion, is more than a how-to and dierent from any other HDR book out there. While other books on HDR tend to lean toward the esoteric or formulaic, this book takes another approach. It’s a complete and total HDR workshop that teaches you the one thing that most other books miss— once you’ve tone mapped your image with HDR software, you’re still not finished.

Within the pages of this book, you’ll find 10 projects shot with everything from a point-and-shoot to a 37-megapixel, medium-format camera. The projects are designed to show you how the subtle dierences in each scenario (lighting, subject, environment, etc.) dictate the post-processing needed to achieve one of the many final looks covered. You’ll learn not only the dierent tone map settings RC used, but you’ll also learn the final steps taken in Photoshop to complete each image. Then, you’ll recreate these looks your self using the exact same RAW files that RC used! Plus, you get four bonus images to play with and create your own look. The end result: a more intrinsic understanding of the nuances of HDR that will help you create the images you’ve always wanted.

Best of all, The HDR Book is written using the three top HDR processing programs in the industry today: Photoshop’s HDR Pro, Photomatix Pro, and HDR Efex Pro. No matter which program you use, you’ll be able to follow along and create your own stunning looks in no time.

Rafael “RC” Concepcion is an education and curriculum developer for the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, and the co-host of the D-Town TV videocast for DSLR shooters. An Adobe Certified Instructor in Photoshop, Illustrator, and Lightroom, RC has more than 14 years in the IT and e-commerce industries, and spends his days developing content for all applications in the Adobe Creative Suite at Kelby Media Group. RC also writes columns for Photoshop User magazine and recently became a best-selling author with his debut book, Get Your Photography on the Web.