Black and White HDR?

[Joshb619]

Hello all! I am fairly new to the Photo Forum, I have done mostly browsing and now I would like to get some feedback on one of my own shots. HDR is something that I had constantly read about in magazines, and seen online. i love the look of it, and the things you can do with it! I have always liked more surreal/ contrast images, so HDR seems like the process for me! I recently bought Photomatix essentials, I shoot on a Rebel T2i (braketing mode) and have shot some HDR. I recently decided to take one of my favorite HDR images and make it black and white. I feel like with the enhanced contrast that HDR provides, it really came out cool. I would like to know what you guys think!

Here's my origional Color HDR processed image:




Here's the Black and White (processed in photoshop):


So what do you guys think? Have any of you ever tried black and white HDR? Let me know what you think!

 

[nos33]

i would like to see a bit more detail and brightness. on both of your pics. but they look good to be. you might want to adjust your horizons to level it out a bit. they look kind of crooked.

 

[Trever1t]

it's way too dark on my screen at work and all the details are lost. I have seen and even done some decent tonemapped B&W though.

 

[Bynx]

Your original doesnt look like an HDR image. Just a regular shot. Your B&W version is, as Trever says, too dark and contrasty. It should have all the details your color version has but it doesnt.
Looking at your full size image on flikr and it looks a lot better than it does here in small size. Converting to B&W with Silver Effex and it looks just as good in B&W.

 

[SlickSalmon]

I'm going to go the other way on this one. I like the B&W version. The color version is a nice rendition of the scene; the B&W version is a moody interpretation. I think that's what B&W is supposed to do.

 

[Joshb619]

Thanks for your input guys! I really appreciate all the comments. For the B&W version i did darken it a bit to give it a nighttime look, and added a very heavy vignette. But I will keep the brightness thing in mind next time I try B&W HDR. Thanks for all the tips!

 

[McNugget801]

Your original doesnt look like an HDR image. Just a regular shot.

Because every HDR image MUST be over tonemapped.. right captain preset





I do agree that its hard to compare the images because the B&W is so dark.

 

[Bynx]

McNugget when you quote me quote the whole thing. I said when I viewed the larger image it looked better. It was only the smaller image that didnt look HDR. Always looking for trouble.

Dont bother to respond to this McDickhead. You've made my ignore list.

 

[Joshb619]

well, the origional is tonemapped. Not faux hdr, three exposures, processed in photomatix. I did not give it the "surreal" look because I intended to tonemap and then convert to B/W. But thanks for your inputs!

 

[Bynx]

But there is a great difference between the color and B&W versions. The B&W version -- the trees in the background and the bottom of the stone walls have no detail and at the same time the highlights in the water have blown out. All the details visible in the color version should be visible in the B&W.