@SplineGod
Yeah I've been scratching my head on this thread....why does everyone think HDRI is a direct lighting method????
HDRI is as you say, and unless you have an HDRI monitor....big $$$$$$, then you would not be able to benifit from the HDRI concept. There are programs that can convert HDRI ingaes to SDRI.
HDRI images allow a  picture to express the full dynamic range that the human eye can precieve. An example would be a dim room with a window. If shot in the HDRI format, three exposures would be required. -2 under, normal, +2 over exposure.
These three inages are then composted together using special software. At this point you view the image on an HDRI monitor or convert it to a SDRI for viewing on our SDRI monitors.
All shadow  and highlight detail is available in the picture.
That's my understnding from the photography point of view.

Now I believe that this effect could be simulated in Poser by paying attention to the shawdow and hightlight details and makinh sure that there is no clipping at either end of the gamma.

Maybe EF needs to explian what they mean by HDRI for Poser.