A few HDR Scenics

Compaq · Apr 26, 2012

I can agree that sky is a bit weird in #1, but I think #2 is natural looking.
The high degree of saturation adds to the idyllic feeling I seem to get. What I see is a wonderful park, full of plants and trees and bushes. Putting a little emphasis on the colours is something I also would have done. Maybe I would have had liked a lower perspective, but I think it's a very good scenic as it is.

Even if it's "realistic looking", doesn't it mean that everything must be exactly as the eye sees it. And funny thing about our eyes - they all perceive the world differently. What you see, isn't exactly the same as I see - because our eyes are different. Some eyes are more sensitive to green, others to yellow. Others are less sensitive to certain colours, leading to "colour blindness".
You'd be surprised how colourful things can be on a sunny day.

#2 seems a little soft/hazy, though?

vipgraphx · Apr 26, 2012

Well said compaq...I agree we all have different eyes and interpretation of realism vs non realism.

My comments where based of my interpretation. When people make comments about moving sliders over and making it look like a cartoon or they are so glad that this photo is not over done like noobs do, I then think to myself why are you not consistent in your critique? Because lets be real both of the photos Joel posted are very high in saturation and I know that Willie Wonkas chocolate factory is right around the corner from these photos :lmao: and I know my eyes don't see in florescent colors either.

Comments like that are taking stabs at other peoples work and because of these comments I guess I felt the need to point out that the first few post were way out in left field , especially when the poster is also a "noob" to HDR as he has said before, but then jumps on the band wagon with cgipson1 (aka the chump) and calls out on other people as noobs....go figure. To many chiefs around here and not enough respect for others tastes.

I don't know man I am a little disappointed in Joel as I had a lot of respect for him and to read his comments was saddening to me..he has always been professional in how he words things but I either his true colors are showing or ........?????

I expected more from you Joel...I really did!

Joel_W · Apr 26, 2012

Vipgraphx, thank you for your CC. I don't believe I did any adjustments to either of these images in Photomatrix Pro 4. Each photo was from a 3 picture set of -2/0/+2 NEF files. I selected the suggested default tonemapped image, and saved them as TIFF images. then imported them into Nikon Capture NX 2.3. I did increase the blue saturation for the sky and whitened the clouds a tad. The only other adjustments were slight adjustments to exposure. No other colors or areas of either HDR image were made. The grass was actually that bright green. It's rained quite a lot, and I'm sure that they have fertilized their lawns. If you think that their lawn is green, you should see my front lawn as it's even a darker, richer shade of green.

In any event, I really appreciate your comments as it only helps me focus on what I need to do to achieve my goals of realistic HDR Images.

Joel_W · Apr 26, 2012

Compaq, thank you for your comments. As for a lower angle, I had my tripod lowered to as close to the ground as I could get. Thinking of gettin one of those mini tripods to get even lower.

fenderjaguar · Apr 26, 2012

I would like them more as regular pictures than HDR. I'd like it a little more obvious that they are HDR without being over done. Little too "normal" looking for me. #2 especially would look good (to me) with a little more obvious use of the HDR.

Joel_W · Apr 27, 2012

fenderjaguar said:
I would like them more as regular pictures than HDR. I'd like it a little more obvious that they are HDR without being over done. Little too "normal" looking for me. #2 especially would look good (to me) with a little more obvious use of the HDR.

Fenderjaguar, This is one of the central issues we've been discussing. I'm trying to use HDR Imaging to capture the broad dynamic range of light so that's is all visible within the photographs. I just cooked the sky a little too much in post processing. My other option would have been to use the one number #4 graduated ND filter that I carry with me. I think that next time out I'll go that route and see what the differences are.