The code `cv2.imread("hdr_image.hdr", -1)` uses the OpenCV library to read...

The code cv2.imread("hdr_image.hdr", -1) uses the OpenCV library to read an image file named "hdr_image.hdr".

Here’s what it does in detail:

1. cv2.imread() Function:

   • This function reads an image from a specified file path.
   • The first argument is the file name (in this case, "hdr_image.hdr").
   • The second argument (-1 in this case) specifies the flag that determines how the image should be read.

2. Flag -1:

   • The flag -1 tells OpenCV to load the image as is, preserving the original data type, number of channels, and bit depth without any transformations.
   • This is particularly useful for High Dynamic Range (HDR) images (like .hdr format) because they often contain floating-point pixel values that need to be preserved accurately.

3. HDR Image:

   • The .hdr file extension typically indicates a High Dynamic Range image, which stores pixel values as floating-point numbers to preserve a very wide range of brightness and color.

In summary, the code reads an HDR image from the file "hdr_image.hdr" and loads it into memory with its original data type and exact contents preserved. The resulting object is typically a NumPy array where the pixel values are in floating-point format (e.g., float32) to represent the HDR data.