Help with HDR

[nickzou]

So I've been working on getting the hang of HDR for quite a while now. I've had marginal success but I still don't feel like I have complete control. Here are some examples:

A) Single Exposure

B) HDR 1

C) HDR 2

Which of the two is better? I know they are kinda different but at least so I can get a sense of what I am doing right or wrong.

 

[480sparky]

Without knowing what you did, it's hard to say what you did wrong.

I like the second one better..... are they both made from the same final image, just processed different?

It looks to me like you're not taking a wide enough range of images to capture the details in the shadows while preventing the highlights from burning out.

 

[shootermcgavin]

HDR1 is better.

 

[KmH]

HDR Discussions is where most TPF members share HDR stuff.

HDR 1 is 'muddy', and the detail outside the windows of the car is distracting if the interior of the car is the intended primary subject.

 

[biggoron]

the colors in HDR1 are bolder

 

[nickzou]

I did play with the Vibrance of HDR1. I didn't use Merge to HDR Pro in the second one. I just took what I understood of how HDR images work and did it manually. Expose one correctly, overexpose one, underexpose the other. I set the overexposed one to multiply to knock out all of the overexposed whiteness and leave the dark details. And for the underexposed one, I set to linear dodge to knock out most of the black to keep the light details. Is this method wrong? Is HDR more complicated than that? I kinda just logically went at trying to create the effect with what I know of how Photoshop layers work and my limited understanding of what HDR is.

 

[SituationNormal]

I prefer HDR2. The colors in HDR1 looks "fake" to me.

 

[DiskoJoe]

even with hdr you still need to shoot when there is good light.

 

[that1guy]

...sorry but not HDR