Dlee13 wrote in post #18416063
Maybe it's just me but I would lose interest in photography if it got to the point that you could use whatever exposure and be able to recover it in post. Having the skill to get it right in camera is just as important as being able to process it well imo.
Also if beginners learn to fix everything in post, they will continue to rely on that rather than getting it right first in camera.
Again, sometimes you cannot get the image, the way you want to present it, right out of camera. Also, many of us aren't perfect, so we don't get that one money shot exposed just right due to a number of factors.
Having good DR is multi-faceted:
- During a paid gig, often you will be shooting something where you don't get a chance to reshoot, ie. a wedding or sporting event. You will miss shots, you want the ability to bring up that shot during post. It is not a beginners' thing, it is reality, and a pro knows how to manage those disasters during post, provided the files are compliant.
- Sometimes you cannot get the image correct in-camera, the DR of the scene is too broad and you will have to pull shadows and push highlights. This was also done in the film days, even Ansel Adams did this, and as you might know, he was not a beginner. 
Shoot enough street scenes with a gorgeous mid-day sky, and you will have this situation arise.
- Wildlife shooters often shoot in a wide DR scenario, birds are often silhouetted against a sky, and feather detail is often the litmus test of such a shooter. Bringing up the shadows during post and still being able to hold details is critical. Unless you shoot with a better beamer and can get closer than normal without scaring them off, this is a reality. An amateur will just blow out the sky (like me), a pro wants to try to create art and a beautifully slightly cloudy blue sky is art enough.
- Sometimes real estate photography is very tricky, and unless you bring alot of lights and have alot of time to shoot all the areas of the property properly, you will have issues with DR, since you are inside but want to capture that backyard pool or wooded lot through the picture window. Hopefully you can schedule enough time for the shoot so you can set up lights, etc, but this is not always a reality, and your shooting positions are always tight enough as it is.
This is why DR is important to a large group of people. These are just 4 areas in which I have personal experience, others will have even more scenarios to list. For those that have the luxury to shoot a scene multiple times until they have it exactly correct in camera so they don't have to worry about shadow noise, this isn't a concern.
I feel that it is more the amateur shooter crowd that continually say that DR and post processing isn't that important. Shoot enough variety and be on the hook contractually for a shoot, and you quickly change your mind. You always try to get everything just right, but life happens, the moments are fleeting, and the lighting can be dynamic, and therefore you will meet situations that can only be remedied in post.
