Lighthouse in Michigan! Tips?

[that1guy]

I kind of LIKE the extreme keystoning...everything all points to the middle of the frame, and the composition seems good. The haloing is exceptionally strong...I've never seen anything quite that strong, halo-wise. The color palette...that cool blue...I kind of like it. Keep at it. Get a tripod though. Gotta have a tripod if your handle ends in "Photography", ya' know?

Thank you for the nice comment! You're right about the haloing though. True about the tripod, is there one that you would recommend? I don't want to spend a lot of money, I've spent pretty much everything I have on the camera itself!

honestly youll want to invest in an expensive try-pod after all you are putting some pretty expensive equipment on there.... but if youre budget doesnt allow it ive seen decent tripods at best buy from 40-80$

but if thats too much im sure you can score one from walmart for like 7$

 

[zombiemann]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned (sorry if I missed it) that kind of tripped me up when I first started shooting HDR is use either a remote shutter or at least use the 2 second timer. Especially if you are using a cheaper tripod. Mine cost like 20 bucks at Best Buy and it does OK for me. For longer exposures though, every once in a while I get a slight vibration if I am just hitting the shutter button. You don't notice it on sunny day pics, but I have noticed it when shooting brackets or longer exposures. Using the remote or 2 second timer lets the tripod be that much more stable when the shutter goes.

Other than the halo that has already been beaten to death I think its a snazzy pic. I like the cooler/dreary feel to it. I've never really been to a lighthouse and thought "Wow this is a happy colorful place, it's kinda like disney world" lol

 

[DGMPhotography]

I kind of LIKE the extreme keystoning...everything all points to the middle of the frame, and the composition seems good. The haloing is exceptionally strong...I've never seen anything quite that strong, halo-wise. The color palette...that cool blue...I kind of like it. Keep at it. Get a tripod though. Gotta have a tripod if your handle ends in "Photography", ya' know?

Thank you for the nice comment! You're right about the haloing though. True about the tripod, is there one that you would recommend? I don't want to spend a lot of money, I've spent pretty much everything I have on the camera itself!

honestly youll want to invest in an expensive try-pod after all you are putting some pretty expensive equipment on there.... but if youre budget doesnt allow it ive seen decent tripods at best buy from 40-80$

but if thats too much im sure you can score one from walmart for like 7$

Thanks!

 

[DGMPhotography]

One thing I haven't seen mentioned (sorry if I missed it) that kind of tripped me up when I first started shooting HDR is use either a remote shutter or at least use the 2 second timer. Especially if you are using a cheaper tripod. Mine cost like 20 bucks at Best Buy and it does OK for me. For longer exposures though, every once in a while I get a slight vibration if I am just hitting the shutter button. You don't notice it on sunny day pics, but I have noticed it when shooting brackets or longer exposures. Using the remote or 2 second timer lets the tripod be that much more stable when the shutter goes.

Other than the halo that has already been beaten to death I think its a snazzy pic. I like the cooler/dreary feel to it. I've never really been to a lighthouse and thought "Wow this is a happy colorful place, it's kinda like disney world" lol

I was gonna say, yeah, I don't have a remote shutter, but good idea about the timer! With a cheaper tripod that would definitely be necessary! I did some more HDR today which I'm about to post, using bracketing. At first I thought the halo looked kind of cool but now with everybody commenting about it, I realize that's not the case! But thanks! Hahaha, I suppose it does look kinda disney-ish!

 

[Steve5D]

If you cant do it right then dont do it at all. This isnt an HDR image. Read the sticky at the beginning of the forum. Most DSLR cameras can do at least 3 auto bracketed shots. Brace yourself against something and just do it. It cant be any worse than you have here. Meanwhile, save your bucks and get a tripod. They go for as little as $5.

Wow, harsh. I'm sorry, I only had a few minutes to get on here and this was my first HDR so I wanted to upload it and just go to bed, didn't have time to read the sticky - I'll read it now though. I have a Nikon D5100 and actually found out it does have an HDR mode. But any of the HDR pictures I took with it looked hardly any different than the ones I took without it, by the way, the software I used is HDRtist, a free program, and I you're right, this isn't a "true" HDR. This is a pseudo HDR, since I did it with just one exposure. Can you tell me where I can get a dependable $5 tripod that is worth trusting to hold up an $800 camera? Thanks!

Some here believe they should be the self-proclaimed arbiter of all that is HDR.

They're good for a laugh or two, but there will be others here who'll offer constructive criticism...

 

[Steve5D]

If you cant do it right then dont do it at all. This isnt an HDR image. Read the sticky at the beginning of the forum. Most DSLR cameras can do at least 3 auto bracketed shots. Brace yourself against something and just do it. It cant be any worse than you have here. Meanwhile, save your bucks and get a tripod. They go for as little as $5.

And if you would read the sticky at the beginning of the forum, you'll see that such comments, like the one bolded above, are not permitted.

You should make sure your ducks are in a row before you start criticizing others...

 

[DGMPhotography]

If you cant do it right then dont do it at all. This isnt an HDR image. Read the sticky at the beginning of the forum. Most DSLR cameras can do at least 3 auto bracketed shots. Brace yourself against something and just do it. It cant be any worse than you have here. Meanwhile, save your bucks and get a tripod. They go for as little as $5.

And if you would read the sticky at the beginning of the forum, you'll see that such comments, like the one bolded above, are not permitted.

You should make sure your ducks are in a row before you start criticizing others...

Thanks for sticking up for a newb like me, Steve!! I really appreciate it. I posted the same thing, I read both the stickies and saw that his comment was against the rules as well. I appreciate constructive criticism for sure. Bynx's.... not so much.

 

[Steve5D]

I appreciate constructive criticism for sure. Bynx's.... not so much.

You catch on quick...

 

[DGMPhotography]

I appreciate constructive criticism for sure. Bynx's.... not so much.

You catch on quick...

Ha, thanks xD

 

[Bynx]

Sorry for being harsh. But truth is truth. You have a new camera and want to take pictures. Well you NEED A TRIPOD. Your camera is fine to take a single picture hand held and a fast shutter speed. With some experience you might even be able to take 3 automatic bracketed shots with your camera. But to do it right, especially if you need more shots you NEED A TRIPOD. Even a cheap one is better than nothing. And they can be had for $5 from a place like Cash Converters or Kajiji. If you do save for a tripod get a good one. One that will grow along with you and not fall apart. If they cost less than a couple hundred bucks, including head, they fall into the junk category. HDRtist is not the best software to use. You say it was free? Well so is Photomatix, arguably the best HDR software around. Its completely functional except for the watermarks when you save the image. But I see you like watermarks so it shouldnt be a problem for ya. HDR photography software & plugin for Lightroom, Aperture & Photoshop - Tone Mapping, Exposure Fusion & High Dynamic Range Imaging for photography Its also the best software to line up the images that are cockeyed because they were hand held. (...)
By the way, for a first poster if you are trying to create an HDR image, you should know at what point you are so you know where you have to get to. I dont care what the mods say, if its not an HDR image I will say so. If they have a problem with that then they can ban me. When it gets to that point I wouldnt want to be here anyway. Making a piss poor image, then deciding where to put it and coming up with -- Oh I'll call it an HDR seems to be the way things are going here.

 

[o hey tyler]

I dont care what the mods say, if its not an HDR image I will say so. If they have a problem with that then they can ban me.

It appears to me that they had a problem with it.

 

[Robin Usagani]

man.. things just got real. I think the intensity of HDR discussions have passed first wedding discussions.

 

[manny212]

man.. things just got real. I think the intensity of HDR discussions have passed first wedding discussions.

Yep !!! Haha.

 

[DGMPhotography]

Sorry for being harsh. But truth is truth. You have a new camera and want to take pictures. Well you NEED A TRIPOD. Your camera is fine to take a single picture hand held and a fast shutter speed. With some experience you might even be able to take 3 automatic bracketed shots with your camera. But to do it right, especially if you need more shots you NEED A TRIPOD. Even a cheap one is better than nothing. And they can be had for $5 from a place like Cash Converters or Kajiji. If you do save for a tripod get a good one. One that will grow along with you and not fall apart. If they cost less than a couple hundred bucks, including head, they fall into the junk category. HDRtist is not the best software to use. You say it was free? Well so is Photomatix, arguably the best HDR software around. Its completely functional except for the watermarks when you save the image. But I see you like watermarks so it shouldnt be a problem for ya. HDR photography software & plugin for Lightroom, Aperture & Photoshop - Tone Mapping, Exposure Fusion & High Dynamic Range Imaging for photography Its also the best software to line up the images that are cockeyed because they were hand held. (...)
By the way, for a first poster if you are trying to create an HDR image, you should know at what point you are so you know where you have to get to. I dont care what the mods say, if its not an HDR image I will say so. If they have a problem with that then they can ban me. When it gets to that point I wouldnt want to be here anyway. Making a piss poor image, then deciding where to put it and coming up with -- Oh I'll call it an HDR seems to be the way things are going here.

Haha, thanks Bynx! I understand I need a tripod, I know that. I did not know that Photomatix was free. As for watermarks, I like my OWN watermarks, not another's. HDRtist also lines up images by the way. Also, to not get banned, you could have said what you needed to say in a way that wasn't offensive or broke any rules, but you didn't and now you're banned. I'm sorry

 

[DGMPhotography]

I dont care what the mods say, if its not an HDR image I will say so. If they have a problem with that then they can ban me.

It appears to me that they had a problem with it.

Hahahahahaaaaa excellent!