I discovered HDR the other night,

Jace · Mar 6, 2011

Also, does this follow the rule of three?

adversus · Mar 6, 2011

HDR is a tool, used to help you make the image convey what you want it to convey. I use HDR in some of my images, but not a lot. It should be subtle, and add something to the photo, not just make everything look like you are on an acid trip (that's my opinion of course).

The second one, I'm going to assume that the light post is your subject, in which case it appears to be centered on the right-most vertical axis. That said, it doesn't do much for me. There's way too much going on, I like the idea of the lone lamp-post but the background is waaaaay too distracting, and the foreground has too much clutter on the bottom of the frame. Try to separate your subject from the background/foreground more (try different angles, different DOF, etc.).

Viridian_Vixen · Mar 6, 2011

HDR can look awesome when done correctly, but this one just looks way way way too over-done!
As for the 2nd one, it just doesnt peak my interest at all

DerekSalem · Mar 6, 2011

1) Acid trip. Too much range in the HDR.

2) You've correctly done the "rule of thirds"...but the picture's uninteresting and drab.

lyonsroar · Mar 6, 2011

1 is a good example of the border between "photography" and the other "graphic arts."
In my opinion, #1 has strayed into the field of other graphic arts to really be considered photography.

KmH · Mar 6, 2011

Oh No! A plunge straight into The HDR Hole

Jace · Mar 6, 2011

Thanks for the feedback! I wasn't really posting them for C&C though, mainly just 'I'm bored, but look what I just learned my ps can do!' This is the only photo I've messed with in it, and it was mainly random settings. Ok, not mainly, but really just click and drag, oh, pretty.

The second one was me practicing the 'rule of three', but at the same time I thought it was kind of cool BECAUSE of the background. See, the property is on the other side of a locked fence, and that was as high as I could go to take the photo. I assume the property used to be part of the concrete parking lot, but now is comletely overgrown with soil/underbrush, and then the trees really close, along with a pond. So, I thought it was interesting to have this lone light pole out there in the midst of the trees.

But again, thanks for the feedback! =)

ann · Mar 7, 2011

jace,

I can understand your interest in the rule of thirds photo but only when you describe what you saw. With photography we generally don't want someone to explain the image, nor even want an explanation. The photo needs to stand on its' own.

Nothing wrong with practicing, as that is how we learn.

Bynx · Mar 7, 2011

There is no way under the sun that the first pic is anything remotely called an HDR. You might have tone mapped it to look like that. But it doesnt fall into the description of HDR by a country mile.

Jace · Mar 7, 2011

Ann: I dunno, I may be strange or something, but I never really mind a story to go along with a photo.

Bynx: Sorry if I offended you, wasn't intentional, but I never claimed it was an HDR image, whatever that is, I just used the image -> HDR toning tool in PS.Thus, I discovered HDR, whatever that may be. =)