HDR C&C Please

rangerrick9211 · Apr 12, 2009

An HDR I shot a few days ago. Just getting into the swing of HDR and still playing with everything. Comments are welcomed freely.

Wiljo_5 · Apr 12, 2009

unreal. Looks very good.

tirediron · Apr 12, 2009

Nicely done.

rangerrick9211 · Apr 12, 2009

Thanks guys. But feel free to critique and criticize! Tell me what is wrong, what needs to improve, and what you flat out don't like. I am far from being the photographer that I want to be and I feel like you guys, as photographers, are the way to get there! Thanks again though!

Ecas32 · Apr 12, 2009

great processing, not going over the top with a cartoonish look.

Sherman Banks · Apr 12, 2009

Ecas32 said:
great processing, not going over the top with a cartoonish look.

Agreed, it's a well done HDR. Can't really say anything looks wrong to me, but a bigger photo would let us check out the details. Got a link?

jdwyer · Apr 12, 2009

I'm a little new to HDR images. ie - i've never done it before. From what i've read and can gather so far - HDR images are taken by bracketing the exposure and then compiling the images during PP with a program?
Is it possible to shoot these images raw, compile them in the HDR program, and then adjust settings in lightroom? or would you have to adjust in LR and then compile with the HDR program.

Thanks for the advice, just another noob over here trying desperately to learn as much as possible from those leaps and bounds ahead of me (just hope c0ps doesn't get annoyed).
And for the record, I don't know much about HDR yet, but I can tell you that most HDR images i see look very cartooning and this is anything but. your colors are fantastic.

Sherman Banks · Apr 12, 2009

Yes, you need to bracket your shots. Most people do 2 shots +/- 1 stop from a properly exposed shot (3 shots total).

Not sure about RAW compilations in anything other than CS4, but you can do it in that.

The point of an HDR should be to showcase the whole range of the photo, hence the name High Dynamic Range. This photo is a great example of doing that without looking toxic or cartoonish. But some people create HDR's with the intent to have that surreal look to them.

jdwyer · Apr 12, 2009

thanks sherman, I will have to try it out sometime soon. I appreciate it.

sorry for hi-jacking your thread rangerrick. just was curious and thought itd be a good place to ask people while they're thinking about it.

does anyone know of combining raw files in lightroom? is that possible? if so - do you combine prior to or after PP

ottor · Apr 12, 2009

The sky almost looks 3D ... Great touch - it can be a little overdone, and I like your treatment..

c0ps · Apr 12, 2009

Very nice, did you use photomatix or PS?

Mecal · Apr 12, 2009

agreed - well done!

If I only i had programs to do HDR, I would.

rangerrick9211 · Apr 12, 2009

Photomatix to compile the different exposures and ps and camera raw to finish it. Usually you would bracket the exposures to do an HDR, but neat thing about photomatix is that it can take a single raw file and do it itself. Although the results won't be as nice, it can still accomplish a pseudo HDR look.

And no problem on the Hijack, were all here to get and give info, at any place and any time. Thanks again guys for all the responses.