Greetings all....first post.

[stevertr]

Just wanted to say hi from Boston. I started doing HDR only about two weeks ago and I'm already completely addicted, but also a total newbie, still trying to figure out the best ways to use my photomatix plugin with aperture. I seem to be running into the same issues as others, so hopefully will be able to get some help here to improve over time. Typical issues of the bright blue sky getting blotchy, or the halos around trees where the blue sky behind isn't penetrating well, but if you all will put up with me, I know I'll get better.

Open to any and all advice, criticism, and pep talks!

Regards

Steve

Here are a few samples. You can see what I'm into, which is not the "surreal" aspect, but rather that almost three dimensional depth found in the scenery. Just have to figure out how to solve some of my issues, without making it a full time job!

MobileMe Gallery

MobileMe Gallery

 

[itBurns]

Some photos I like, but some of your initial photos looked way too blue .. whether you changed the temperature in Photomatix or the highlights ... it definitely was over-blue.

Overall, good photos. You can hardly tell they are HDR's, which could be a good thing.

 

[Bynx]

For the most part way too vivid and in the beginning shots, anything white has turned blue. You have to learn to get control of the sliders in Photomatix. Getting that 3D effect can be had by some Unsharp Mask instead of oversaturating the colors.

 

[stevertr]

Where do I find an unsharp mask? It it one of the sliders and I'm just not seeing it?

 

[Bynx]

There are a lot of photo editing sofware that has Unsharp Mask as one of its tools. I use Photoshop. Perhaps Gimp has it. Its a freebie for PC users.

 

[stevertr]

Thanks. I do have photoshop, although I don't use it often, as I spend most of my time in Aperture, or iPhoto. Obviously I'm not a pro, or I'd be living my life inside one of the CS suites.

That said, I'm using Aperture to import my raw images from the camera, and the photomatix plug in to HDR them. I'd hate to have the export that, then re-import into photoshop, and then import back into Aperture again where my library lives.

So, on the unmask topic, and in general, are there any additional must have aperture plug-ins that would make my HDR experience better

Regards

Steve