How to create a HDR image?

I use HDR to make high range photos, not to mess up the colors like most people. Here is my take on this topic. 1. HDR requires tripod, no moving objects/wind, software to put together. 2. For most scenes 14bit Raw files does it in 1 shot. Then develop the RAW using software to bring out dark details and bright details. Here is to do HDR 1. Set camera on tripod 2. Use remote / set up camera to do multiple shots in 1 press. 3. Set timer & turn off VR/OS/IS & mirror lock up of possible 4. Compose the scene & lock tripod & turn off auto focus 5. Set Aperature priority. u want the speed to vary, NOT aperature. 6A. Set Bracketing function 3 or more shots 6B. If u do not have bracketing function, u need to varies the speed every shot (sucks!) 7. Fire away!!! 8. Use software to merge them images. 9. Tonal map to get weird results :) There is no 1 formular for everything. Just go out and try it!

It is done in the camera as well as post processing software (photoshop is one software that will do it). In the camera, you have to take a series of photos with different exposures, evenly spaced from too dark to too bright. In photoshop (or other software, such as PhotoMax), you take all of those photos and combine them into a single photo. Here is an overview: http://www.althephoto.com/concepts/hdr.php

It's not exactly an "effect" made on one photo. HDR is a technique that requires you to make several takes of the same subject (so you'll need a static subject and a tripod) each with a slightly different set of aperture/exposure, so you cover the whole tonal range. Then you need the software to merge all the images in just one shot, so every zone of the image is registered in its ideal point of exposure. Latest versions of Photoshop do it but there's other software available to the purpose, like Photomatix, Artizen, Dynamic Photo, HDR Darkroom or Picturenaut. Anyways, HDR is disregarded by some serious photographers because it's pointlessly abused everywhere, even in scenes with narrow dynamic ranges. It's a powerful technique that can lead to horrid results if not applied with a lot of common sense.