My First HDR Attempt...

[LittleMike]

I just don't quite know how I feel about it. It looks too fake to me, but this isn't really my thing either. Any thoughts?

 

[A. Simard]

I don't know what HDR is, but if you want another opinion to add to your own, I must agree that it doesn't look real. The water looks completely like dried lava from a volcano, unless it in fact is dried lava in which case it looks proper.

 

[LittleMike]

HDR: High Dynamic Range. Basically, you take two or more images and merge them together to try to get the most detail out of shadows and highlights as possible.

The effect on the water is intended, and is what would be seen on a single exposure of any length of moving water. Here's a few links to examples of water in motion I've done in the past:
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...-photo-gallery/198631-one-zion-old-fence.html

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...oto-gallery/203464-virgin-river-take-2-a.html

 

[A. Simard]

Hmmmm, as an amateur who doesn't know anything about HDR (until you kindly explained it), I must maintain that the water in your original picture doesn't in the least bit even look like water to me. Maybe that would change if I saw a more zoomed-in version. But hey, whatever floats your boat (pun intended).

 

[LittleMike]

...the water doesn't have anything to do with the hdr effect, but whatever floats your boat :thumbup:

The only thing affected by the HDR was having a properly exposed sky rather than a blown out one.

 

[ann]

you have some halo issues , and the grass color is a bit much. it is not easy to use this technique with moving objects including water.

as an aside you might get more input if you posted this in the hdr section. Not to be ugly but so far most of the comments have been from people who are not doing this technique.

 

[csgrafix]

I think theres too much reflective color on the water from the sky. Is there a way to darken the water? not sure if that would make a difference in the reality of the photo.