How many photos?
Three is the traditional number – largely because you get good results without too much work, and the AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) settings on most cameras only allow three images to be taken.
You can make perfectly good HDRs with a single image sometimes, but it’s a lot more dependent on conditions – see the “HDR from a single RAW” group below (although a pet hate of mine is the capitalisation of raw – it’s not an acronym people!). Single shot HDR is most useful if your subject is moving – AEB isn’t much help to you then.
Photographs from the HDR from a single RAW group on Flickr
I tend to use three shots myself, as it’s simple and my camera has 3 shot AEB. I have used 5 and 9 in the past, and the quality is improved, but not by a staggering amount - good HDR photography come through personal experimentation, and see what you like doing! Check out my home page for more examples of HDR Photography.
