The present invention resides in a method and apparatii for using a
photosensitive element that is photosensitive to light within a
predetermined range of exposures to capture images including exposures
that are outside of the predetermined exposure range. In this method the
photosensitive element is exposed to light from the scene. The light from
the scene is fractured into concentrated portions and residual portions;
with the concentrated portions directed at concentrated images areas of
the photosensitive element to form a pattern of concentrated image
elements providing a concentrated image when light from the scene is
within a first exposure range. The residual portions of the light are
directed at a residual image area of the photosensitive element and form
an image in the residual image area when light from the scene is within a
second exposure range. Wherein the combination of the first range and
second range is greater than a predetermined range of exposure.