have u noticed an over use of HDR?

[Torus34]

I keep running into threads with comments on the high cost of film vs. the very low cost of digital.

And then I run into threads with comments on the large amount of time needed to achieve effects with post-processing of digital photographs.

Do the Digitalistas place any monetary value on the time spent in digital manipulation?

 

[ksmattfish]

Do the Digitalistas place any monetary value on the time spent in digital manipulation?

Yes, every minute is priceless, just like in my traditional BW darkroom. Being at the whim of the automated film processing industry was soul crushing. Being in charge of the processing is wonderously liberating. Some photographers may prefer to drop their exposed film off at the lab, and be done with it, but to me the act of creating a photo is not even half finished at that point. I'll take long hours in the darkroom or Photoshop anyday. Without control of the process I have little interest in photography.

 

[ericande]

Some months ago I came across a "poor-man's method" of doing HDR. I can't remember if it was from here or where I found it but my bookmarks got erased... Basically the method involved two exposures, layering them on eachother and then there was some time of mask with a gaussian blur applied. I don't remember the details. Has anyone seen this? Do you have the instructions or the link to the page? Thanks.

 

[droyz2000]

I am going to agree with Steph and say that it is going to become the new selective coloring. Everyone is going to do it, most are going to suck, and the few who are good at it and understand when it is appropriate to do it are going to stand out.

 

[Nill]

I don't know a lot about new trends in photography (of course HDR is trendy), Droyz can you give me an example (some link) of selective coloring. Thanks. I thing I use it sometimes .

 

[fmw]

Since it is so cold today, I didn't want to leave home so I tested HDR today. Nothing exciting about the image. It is just my barn taken about 50 yards from my house. It is three exposures - one stop over, one stop under and one on the money. I don't think it looks like HDR at all but I have white snow, blue sky and shadow details. I think it works pretty well if you don't overdo it.

 

[markc]

I contend that you can't really tell a good HDR image from a regular one except by knowing that an image wouldn't normally have that kind of range. The images with screwed up local contrast may also be HDR, but I can't stand them. What I think is overdone is HDR misapplied.