Another HDR

[AgentDrex]

Another try at HDR. This time I feel its closer than the others I've posted, and this one isn't over-saturated. I'll keep practicing. How's it coming along compared to the others I've done?

 

[Annamas]

Nope, not feeling it. Doesn't look HDR to my eye.

 

[syphlix]

why not try and take a nice picture that is enhanced by HDR instead of just taking a random snap?

 

[Goontz]

Agreed, doesn't look like HDR.

 

[JenLavazza]

So, I admit....I had to Google HDR to find out what it is (total newbie). I totally want to try it now myself. Can anyone give me tips on how to achieve this??
Thanks!

 

[xUnknownSoul]

Yeah some tips.

1. Used a tripod or a EXTREMELY stable surface (i.e. tree, rock, etc..)

2. Check out a program called "Photomatix Pro 3"

3. Don't make your picture look too fake. (Huge problem lots of people have.)

 

[JenLavazza]

Thanks xunknownsoul! I've seen photos like this on Flickr and always wondered how it was achieved. I'll definitely check out the free trial and see what I can do!

 

[robertwsimpson]

in my opinion, HDR works much better with smaller apertures. The whole point of HDR is getting more things evenly lit... why would you want to mess that up with shallow depth of field. Just my two cents... try it and see what you think.

 

[bmrust]

Nope, not feeling it. Doesn't look HDR to my eye.

Yeah some tips.
3. Don't make your picture look too fake. (Huge problem lots of people have.)

Not saying either of you are wrong... but I did want to point out what makes HDR difficult. If it looks fake, people don't like it. If it looks realistic, people don't like it.

But to me, the OP did a good job capturing all of the colors in the shots, without the shadows being too dark and the bright areas aren't too bright. I think its a poor choice of subject, but a good use of HDR.

Drex - try shooting something like a building, car or anything else that has a lot of shadows, as well as a lot of highlights. You'll really start to see the full potential of HDR then.

 

[JenLavazza]

I like the "fakeness" of HDR. I LOVE how the colors really pop out! Atleast most of the pictures on Flickr and the example picture they have posted for the Photomatix Pro 3 software is like that. Very rainbowish..... But like all art it's personal choice and opinion.

 

[ocular]

If it looks fake, people don't like it. If it looks realistic, people don't like it.

But to me, the OP did a good job capturing all of the colors in the shots, without the shadows being too dark and the bright areas aren't too bright. I think its a poor choice of subject, but a good use of HDR.

Are you kidding me ?? The whole point of High Dynamic Range Imaging is to reveal to the naked eye details that cannot be seen by the naked eye. When you talk about fake hdr's you mean tone compression, which has been capitalized by photomatix. The real hdr's you talk about, I see day to day, and this picture isn't a real hdr. It's more on the artistic side, which is fine.

 

[c.cloudwalker]

The whole point of High Dynamic Range Imaging is to reveal to the naked eye details that cannot be seen by the naked eye.

Funny, I though the point was to bring back what the naked eye sees but is lost to the tonal range limitations of photography.

 

[robertwsimpson]

The whole point of High Dynamic Range Imaging is to reveal to the naked eye details that cannot be seen by the naked eye.

Funny, I though the point was to bring back what the naked eye sees but is lost to the tonal range limitations of photography.

hm. that's what I thought too.

In fact, if you watch the photomatix tutorial, they say that about 50 times.

 

[Stormin]

HDR doesn't have to look fake.

Sometimes you're left with one or two items that have a cartoonish look, but the difference in tone is just to high. It can be worked out.

 

[inTempus]

Funny, I though the point was to bring back what the naked eye sees but is lost to the tonal range limitations of photography.

You're absolutely right. HDR allows you to capture detail in a single image you would normally see with your eyes that the camera can't capture in a single image. Camera sensors don't have anywhere near the dynamic range the human eye does. When we're standing in a moderately lit room looking out a window, we see clear blue skies and wonderful colors and details. A camera either sees a detailed and well lit room and a blown out sky, or it sees a detailed and beautifully colored sky and a blacked out room. With HDR you can approximate what the human eye sees by taking multiple exposures and combining them into one. It looks fake due to the processing because the end result offers similar dynamic range as to what our eyes see, but it's not perfect so it looks fake or cartoonish - especially if over done.

Wow, that was a long "you're right".