Some Buildings at the Renaissance Fair

DGMPhotography · Aug 18, 2012

Okay, so I think I am getting closer and closer to a "real" HDR. I figured out what I was doing wrong so far - I haven't been using the exposure fusion option, I've only been doing tone mapping, and I didn't realize it. Anyways, I fused 3 exposures, and besides that did a little color saturation and contrasting. What do you think, am I getting better? AT ALL? And yes, I realize there is slight haloing.

And no watermark

Just don't steal, ok guys? Hah

zombiemann · Aug 19, 2012

I think you are definitely headed in the right direction. Once you get the halo thing figured out you'll be on your way as far as the HDR aspect is concerned. It's not over done, but you seem to have hit the lighting pretty well.

To be brutally honest, the composition doesn't do much for me. The bushes along the right and bottom distract from the building. I don't know anything about the site (where was this taken btw?) but if it is anything like most ren fairs it can be tricky to frame shots without tripping over a dozen elves and faeries. It looks like you at least made an attempt to follow the "rules", so points for that

HDR 7.5/10

Composition 6/10

DGMPhotography · Aug 19, 2012

zombiemann said:
I think you are definitely headed in the right direction. Once you get the halo thing figured out you'll be on your way as far as the HDR aspect is concerned. It's not over done, but you seem to have hit the lighting pretty well.

To be brutally honest, the composition doesn't do much for me. The bushes along the right and bottom distract from the building. I don't know anything about the site (where was this taken btw?) but if it is anything like most ren fairs it can be tricky to frame shots without tripping over a dozen elves and faeries. It looks like you at least made an attempt to follow the "rules", so points for that

HDR 7.5/10
Composition 6/10

Haha, thanks. I mean, I was changing stuff and noticed when the halos arrived, but I couldn't get the right look without the halos :/ Perhaps more exposures would have fixed this, but I wouldn't wanna lug a tripod around a ren fair the whole day, even if I had one. The site was indeed a tricky one. I couldn't avoid the bushes without cutting out too much of the building IMO. As for the rules, usually I just instinctively follow them to some degree, not that I'm ignoring them or anything. Ha, and is that your new thing now? The little ratings? I like it!

zombiemann · Aug 19, 2012

heh, it's been a really long hot sweaty day. I don't even know why I am still sitting in front of the computer instead of sacked out in bed.... much less why I post silly stuff like that

I kinda figured that was the case with the bushes. Many many moons ago I was an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (medieval reenactment and reconstruction) and am intimately familiar with just how rough it can be to shoot a site like that

DGMPhotography · Aug 19, 2012

zombiemann said:
heh, it's been a really long hot sweaty day. I don't even know why I am still sitting in front of the computer instead of sacked out in bed.... much less why I post silly stuff like that

I kinda figured that was the case with the bushes. Many many moons ago I was an active member of the Society for Creative Anachronism (medieval reenactment and reconstruction) and am intimately familiar with just how rough it can be to shoot a site like that

You are quickly becoming my favorite critic!

ha, so don't worry about it. I was at this fair all day, I should be going to sleep too, but I'm about to watch some Naruto!! Haha, and that's cool! That must have been a cool experience working with them.

Also, BEHOLD! I redid it and voila, no haloing!

zombiemann · Aug 19, 2012

I am no critic, just another rank amateur with way too much time on my hands. It's like when I go to the art museum. I couldn't tell you a Renoir from a Rembrandt, but I know what I like

DGMPhotography · Aug 19, 2012

zombiemann said:
I am no critic, just another rank amateur with way too much time on my hands. It's like when I go to the art museum. I couldn't tell you a Renoir from a Rembrandt, but I know what I like

Gotcha

Well what do you think of the new version?

Bynx · Aug 19, 2012

HDR covers both the lightest and darkest areas. The brightest here is the cloud which was blown. The darkest is the open windows which are plugged. So you need more exposures, both overexposed and underexposed to cover the extremes of the dynamic range in the scene. Also it seems you have borrowed Vips distortion lens. Try to keep your verticals vertical. Color wise the image is good and your focus is spot on. The halos you have here are difficult to fix but doable if the pic was a hanger and you didnt mind spending the time. And you still have haloing in your last version.

DGMPhotography · Aug 19, 2012

Bynx said:
HDR covers both the lightest and darkest areas. The brightest here is the cloud which was blown. The darkest is the open windows which are plugged. So you need more exposures, both overexposed and underexposed to cover the extremes of the dynamic range in the scene. Also it seems you have borrowed Vips distortion lens. Try to keep your verticals vertical. Color wise the image is good and your focus is spot on. The halos you have here are difficult to fix but doable if the pic was a hanger and you didnt mind spending the time. And you still have haloing in your last version.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking, more exposures. What do you mean about verticals though? The only lens I have is my kit lens.
I did not even realize "fixing" haloing was an option, I will have to look into that!

Bynx · Aug 19, 2012

Compare my post with your original and you will see how much the walls are leaning inward toward the center of the pic. Everything including halos is fixable if you spend enough time at it. Just have to decide if the time spent is worth it. Usually halos are easily fixed, but thats when the sky is lighter color than you have. Thats pretty heavily saturated.

DGMPhotography · Aug 19, 2012

Bynx said:
Compare my post with your original and you will see how much the walls are leaning inward toward the center of the pic. Everything including halos is fixable if you spend enough time at it. Just have to decide if the time spent is worth it. Usually halos are easily fixed, but thats when the sky is lighter color than you have. Thats pretty heavily saturated.[/QUOTE

Oh wow, I did t realize you did that. You photographers sure have some Photoshop skills! But that does alter the reality of it, yes?

Bynx · Aug 19, 2012

On the contrary. The walls and roof arent leaning in until you point your camera at it and the lens glass does its job and they all go leaning. But you can correct it if you want it to look better.

DGMPhotography · Aug 19, 2012

Bynx said:
On the contrary. The walls and roof arent leaning in until you point your camera at it and the lens glass does its job and they all go leaning. But you can correct it if you want it to look better.

Well yeah, they're of course not technically leaning, but while I was there, even from the human eye they were "leaning" from where I was standing, just because of the angle. I wish I could go back though and check- I'd love to compare them, while I actually knew about it.