Some more HDR Hawaii pics -- C&C please

[shortpballer]

#1

#2

#3

 

[camz]

I think they're all really underexposed.

 

[Gaerek]

I agree with Camz here, they seem underexposed. I'm not sure that daytime in Hawaii is the best subject for HDR. The purpose of HDR (High Dynamic Range) is to show details in both shadow and highlight that a sensor couldn't normally display. I was in Oahu last August, and during the day, I never had any trouble with capturing highlight and shadow detail in one frame. If you are set on HDR with these photos, I might suggest tonemapping a single exposure instead. These don't have the HDR look to them.

#1 and #2 - The entire frame is blurry/out of focus. I cannot see a single point that's in focus, except maybe that plant in the foreground in #1. In #2, I really like how the clouds look. Good composition in both.

#3 - Probably my favorite, but it still suffers from the OOF/blurry problem, though it's not as bad as the first 2.

 

[shortpballer]

Yea I took them handheld...maybe thats why they are slightly blurry. didn't feel like hiking up the mountain with a tripod.

 

[shortpballer]

Here are the originals with a little pp. Let me know if these look better.

#4

#5

#6

 

[shortpballer]

And here is the second image with just tone mapping...

 

[Bad Andy]

I really like #3. My very favorite of all of your photo's so far. I am not sure why you did a multiple exposure HDR though. It doesn't look like it needs it. I would like to see a single exposure of the same scene, and I bet it is not that different, and may be better (reduction in noise, movement, etc.). Just my 2 cents.

-Andy

 

[inTempus]

I like the images that aren't tone mapped.

What are you using to do your HDR's? Photomatix? Did you use bracketed shots or are you just using the same picture with different exposure settings in Lightroom?

 

[shortpballer]

photomatix, bracketed shots. I just think the plants move too much, or maybe my hand. So they never look in focus and the just look pretty bad most of the time lol. These shots are also probably not the best candidates for HDR either....

 

[musicaleCA]

Nope they aren't, and as I said in the other thread, you need to practise very good technique to produce good HDRs. For me, personally, that means carrying that tripod with me everywhere (unless I'll be running, like covering a parade or other event), and if I can, using my laptop to control the camera remotely as well for added stability. (along with proper form and set-up of the tripod, yadda yadda)

The single exposures are just fine, and the wee tone-mapping of that one image really brought out the colours. No need to make an HDR out of everything.

Also, are you in Hawaii right now? Because if you are, I'd suggest not bothering with the PP and just shoot, shoot, shoot. Dump the RAWs on a hard drive and forget about editing in the field.

 

[DCFLA]

These are amazing pictures, I would love to live there

 

[shortpballer]

I'm editing back in the hotel... not in the field.

 

[musicaleCA]

Well, that's what I meant. Get out of the hotel and shoot! You can edit when you get back to the continental US. (If I were in your position, there's no way I'd spend any time in the hotel. I'd be out shooting all day until my feet begged for sweet mercy. And then I'd shoot about 50 more frames. )

 

[Stormin]

And lug around that tripod! You're a tourist, and you're allowed to look like it...

 

[member666]

I'm a newbie here and to the photography world and it's my first post. The pics kind of seem blurry to me but maybe "underexposed" is the correct term as some of you have stated. :meh: