Pseudo HDR B&W

[Harold Davis]

this one could have gone to OOTB, but i wanted more HDR advice so here i am. only my second go at an HDR and i guess it's even a semi pano. any advice on what could be done to make it better? did a -2, 0, +2EV processing and combined in photomatix then dumped the tif into CNX2 and used color control points to tone it like i wanted it and convert it to a tinted image.

any suggestions?

thanks for looking and C&C appreciated.

[Robert Amoruso]

Harold,

Looks good to me. Only thing I think is an issue is a halo in the sky on the left side above the BG tree line. It could just be the lighting too but halos are a problem with HDR.

I just finished commenting on the HDR image posted after your image. The photographer's work had what I like to call that "hyper-realistic" look which I am AOK with though some circles frown on those types of images.

Here though, the HDR is subtle and retains a nice place of shadows to highlights. The FG shore looks much more detailed then a straight exposure would have shown for example but it still appears quite natural.

I like the comp too and the central placement of the deck works well here. Nice work.

[Harold Davis]

thanks robert for your time! i really appreciate it. i worked on the sky a little. i see what you are talking about and will try to eliminate/blend it a little better.

thanks again and hope you have a Happy New Year!!

[Robert Amoruso]

thanks robert for your time! i really appreciate it. i worked on the sky a little. i see what you are talking about and will try to eliminate/blend it a little better.

thanks again and hope you have a Happy New Year!!

I don't really think the sky is an issue as I have gotten this affect in regular images and you don't see it on the right side. May not be the HDR at all.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Harold,
Can't help you much with the HDR processing........haven't dived into it yet.....but will offer a suggestion to try. I like the placement of the walkway in the frame.....really draws me into the scene and the trees are well seperated with a pleasant pattern. I am a bit distracted by the tree on the left......so if so inclined a crop and clean up of the reflection would work......if you are not against such things. Then I would get rid of all the twigs in the sky.... a lot of work...but it would be helpful IMO and make more of an impact. All that being said......this is a personal choice on the removal.....and for me.......would be a bit much......I offered it as a way to try and look at the scene next time.......but as we both know.....in situations such as these.......often impossible to eliminate all of them......loooking at this I wonder if getting lower and more to the left......would have minimized a few of those protrusions??? whadayathink?

[Harold Davis]

totally agree on getting lower. but it may have made the pier intersect with the horizon? left might have helped. a chainsaw may be the way to go!! but man it was cold and i was not prepared for that. i couldnt even think straight! next time.

thanks roman, and hope you have a great 2009!!!

[Harold Davis]

and i figured out what was going on with the left treeline. the sun was coming up there and there the light area that resembles a halo is actually orange color that didnt extend all the way to the right of the frame.