My First (Successful ???) HDR

[Arthur Morris]

The second impoundment at Ding on Christmas Eve. Canon 15mm fisheye lens (handheld) with the EOS 1D MIII. ISO 320. Evaulative metering + 2/3 stop: 1/320 at f/9. AEB +/- 1 2/3rd stops.

Thanks to Fabs for sharing the basics of Photomatrix with the group on the recent Post X-mas IPT.

Don't be shy; all comments welcome. I am here to learn.

[Mike Tracy]

I am not qualified to critique landscapes and especially HDR so take my comments with a grain of salt. I do like the reflection of the clouds with their tones, the ripples and the sun peeking behind the horizon. It does appear to need a tad CCW rotation and I am unsure if the darker areas of the foliage exhibit enough of the lower range which one tries to capture in a HDR. It would probably be easier to ascertain the subtleness from shadows to highlights in a larger image.

[Fabs Forns]

To me, it looks like a successful HDR, because it does not look like one. Many HDRs lack in the mid-tones, looking very washed out and artificial. To my personal taste, of course, HDR is like flash, best when you can't tell if it's been used. With the time of day that image was made and the tonalities in the sky, a much lower range in the vegetation will look artificial.

[Judd Patterson]

Nice venture into a new technique! It looks like you had a beautiful sunset (?). I agree that this is a success using HDR without looking outlandish. My biggest suggestion would be to bring some light back into the image with a levels adjustment. Your highlights right now are pushed way down into the low 200's (in RGB values). To me the image has has more pop with the highlight adjustment. See you around!

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Judd. Guess that I fell in love with the dark mood. Here is a lighter repost.

[Paul Marcellini]

The processing does seem very successful here, the sun went a bit funky but I'm sure its fixable by blending in a single exposure to that area. The blues especially in the water seem a bit saturated. I like the repost better also. Subject-wise I wish for an anchor or something of more interest. Maybe because I chase dramatic skies, I'm being too critical but i don't think the sky is strong enough here to hold its own.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Artie,
I think you did very well with the HDR work. Any more opening of the shadows......and it gets "funky" most of the time......not always a bad look......just surreal or unrealistic......so there you did fine. I always leaned towards the darker images in slides....so I prefer the darker version of something in between the 2. I see where Paul is going with the FG interest......and something there would definitely give more impact.....but still....it is a very nice scene overall. I am debating the larger darker clump on the right horizon......as it is out of scale with the rest of the horizons vegetation.....and thus weighs it a bit to the right.....removing it does seem to emphasize Mike CCW rotation theory.....and since hand held.....no bubble level used.
I do think this would also have worked as a straight (no fisheye) composition....but I still like the overall feel and look of this one.

[Jude Haase]

I do like the lightened one better....but this is a very fine one Artie!! Looks like your picking up the HDR quick!

[Robert Amoruso]

I agree that the lighter version is preferable to me as well. Subtle and well done HDR.

BTW Artie, it is Photomatix and not Photomatrix.

[Mitchell Krog]

I am not a big fan of HDR although have done a number myself in the past, the trick is to get the image too look like no HDR was used and I think in that department you did well here Arthur, if anything I would try bring out the blue in the sky just a tad more to match the colour of blue in the water.