The term "dynamic imaging" refers to a variety of imaging technologies, spanning personal and professional uses. The term usually relates to the processing of photographs. Dynamic imaging has entered consumer markets, with newer techniques and designs in digital photography competing with those of analog photography. Additionally, law enforcement communities access image processing software that incorporates mug shots, facial recognition, and compilation with data reportage. The medical communities have also actively advanced dynamic imaging techniques for their positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facilities.
The stop settings on cameras relate to exposure values (EVs), which increase or decrease the amount of light in a photograph. When exploring dynamic imaging, a photographer may intentionally take several photographs of the same site, using a variety of settings. These can then be combined during processing to form what is called high dynamic range (HDR) images. If a camera has settings for under-exposure and over-exposure manual overrides, it can be used to take a series of photos for HDR processing, producing tones that are visually striking. Due to the growing popularity of HDR photography, some camera manufacturers are including HDR mode settings on expensive models they offer.
As newer designs in digital cameras have incorporated sharper high resolution images, further design development has aimed in the direction of learning from the tone-mapping techniques of HDR photography. Dynamic imaging techniques use higher resolutions, and incorporate advances in HDR imaging to create images that engage the public’s eye. When implementing dynamic imaging for websites, businesses often require several variations of a single digital image to show their wares in various aspects, from thumbnails, to cropped images, to zoomed images, and watermarked images. Many variations can be achieved by combining dynamic imaging software services from more than one company.
Dynamic imaging software for police and corrections facilities can include a wide range of image management services. These applications offer image management, facial recognition, disguise discovery modules, fingerprint database integration, and full reportage functions. A facility can custom design forms to incorporate images, fingerprints, and data records of tattoos, scars, or other distinguishing marks. Additionally, many applications permit law enforcement officials to build images into electronic lineups.
In medicine, dynamic imaging aids in research and diagnosis. Researchers, using fluorescent microscopy imaging, can document the developments of embryo organs, taking images seconds apart over lengths of hours or days. This allows analysis of how and when events transpire. In PET dynamic imaging, research uses list-mode data retrieval techniques to develop better three-dimensional (3D) imaging. Research is also being done in real time using in vivo documentation; for instance, scientists can study the stages of virus development in animals, among other things.