A framework for inverse tone mapping

Abstract

In recent years many tone mapping operators (TMOs) have been presented in order to display high dynamic range images (HDRI) on typical display devices. TMOs compress the luminance range while trying to maintain contrast. The inverse of tone mapping, inverse tone mapping, expands a low dynamic range image (LDRI) into an HDRI. HDRIs contain a broader range of physical values that can be perceived by the human visual system. We propose a new framework that approximates a solution to this problem. Our framework uses importance sampling of light sources to find the areas considered to be of high luminance and subsequently applies density estimation to generate an expand map in order to extend the range in the high luminance areas using an inverse tone mapping operator. The majority of today’s media is stored in the low dynamic range. Inverse tone mapping operators (iTMOs) could thus potentially revive all of this content for use in high dynamic range display and image based lighting (IBL). Moreover, we show another application that benefits quick capture of HDRIs for use in IBL.