Chapter Five

HDR & PANOS

Ummm, It’s How to Make HDRs and Panos

I hope, by now, you’ve learned that in the world of photography, things are not always as they seem—capital letters that seem like they should by acronyms are often words, and words that begin with “P” and end with a lowercase “s” seem like words, when in fact, they are acronyms. It’s learning this stuff, how to talk like a pro at parties, that really matters. All that camera gear and settings and stuff—it’s fluff. Icing on the cake. It’s learning how to talk the talk that impresses. It makes the front door swing and the cash register ring. Yeah, baby! Now you’re talkin’ like a pro! So, let’s unpack a few “word things.” First, HDR. Not an acronym. Never has been. Somebody tagged it as “high dynamic range,” but that’s because they didn’t know it’s a word, and when people don’t know the answers, they make stuff up, like folks who floated the idea that the term HDR was invented by seagoing pirates of the 1800s. That’s why it’s pronounced “H-dee-Arrrrrrr!” I can’t believe how many professionals fell for that one. It’s actually pronounced “Hodor,”’ which is short for “hold the door,” but you’re supposed to say it multiple times in a row, like “Hodor, Hodor, Hodor!” As for panos, on the other hand, it actually is an acronym, which stands for “Photo Apps Now On Sale.” I know that sounds weird at first, but here’s the good news: photo apps are now on sale! Whoo hoo! Anyway, that real name has to be true because I read it on the Internet and they can’t put things on the Internet that are not true (at least that’s what I read on the Internet).