An approach is provided for generating a high dynamic range image from a low dynamic range image. The generation is performed using a mapping relating input data in the form of input sets of image spatial positions and a combination of color coordinates of low dynamic range pixel values associated with the image spatial positions to output data in the form of high dynamic range pixel values. The mapping is generated from a reference low dynamic range image and a corresponding reference high dynamic range image. Thus, a mapping from the low dynamic range image to a high dynamic range image is generated on the basis of corresponding reference images. The approach may be used for prediction of high dynamic range images from low dynamic range images in an encoder and decoder. A residual image may be generated and used to provide improved high dynamic range image quality.