Black & White HDR / by Grey Gallinger

I recently started experimenting with de-saturated high dynamic range photography. My first attempt was with this photo of the Royal Albert Arms. It was captured using a 14mm wide angle lens, a Canon 5D Mark II set to ISO 200 with an aperture of f/16. I bracketed three exposures with shutter speeds of 30, 80, and 200.

Admittedly the lighting conditions were subtle. It was overcast and extreme shadows and highlights weren't really a problem. The HDR effect is noticeable but subdued. I'm not always a fan of HDR, especially if it is being used in conjunction with oversaturated colours. I'm a bigger fan of de-saturating completely and going black and white to focus on the dynamic range.