A little better on the HDR??

Bitter Jeweler · Aug 31, 2009

For what it's worth, I am pleased to see you continue trying your hand at this rather than throwing your hands up as you did in your other thread.

You are definately improving, and the more you try the more you will learn.
Good on you! :thumbup:

manaheim · Aug 31, 2009

I also want to say kudos for sticking with it.

I'm seeing some of it in the clouds, but not a ton otherwise. Overall, this is mostly a scene you could capture with a single exposure.

You know, I'm starting to wonder if part of the problem with the recent rush of HDR attempts is that people don't have enough experience with the camera under normal circumstances to really understand why or when an HDR would be applicable.

Can I suggest something?

Go to any room in your house with a window in mid-day bright sun and do the following...

(sit your camera opposing the window, but pointing at the window... make sure the camera has the window AND elements of the interior in the shot)

1. Meter for a properly exposed interior and take a shot. This will be shot 1.
2. Meter for a properly exposed exterior and take a shot. This will be shot 2.
3. Try to meter for a balance between the two and take a shot. This will be shot 3.

Now setup for an HDR.

4. Now meter for a properly exposed exterior again, and go about 2 stops darker from that proper exposure.
5. Now take a shot, and decrease your shutter time by 3 stops and repeat until you reach the point where the interior is overexposed and the interior is exposed perfectly. Maintain contant aperture throughout the process.

Now go back to your processing lab (PC).

A. Look at Shot 1. The interior will be mostly ok with some blown-out areas, but the view outside the window will be totally white.
B. Look at Shot 2. The exterior will be mostly ok but the interior will be totally blown out.
C. Look at Shot 3. It'll be some sort of halfway mark between 1 and 2, but won't really work overall.
D. NOW use the shots from your HDR to try to create what your eye saw.

Post your results here (all of them) and then let's talk through it.