Valley View Glades - Part 1 - First HDR Attempt

LCARSx32 · Oct 2, 2010

I've seen quite a few really well done HDRs on the forums lately and thought I'd give it a stab. I love sunsets but one exposure can never do them justice.

These were taken at a conservation area a few miles from my home. I wanted to test out my new-to-me Sigma 30-70mm f/2.8 m42 lens. I searched for trails online and found Valley View Glades Conservation Area. What a place! I'm definitely going back.

These are the first HDRs I've ever done, so please be brutally honest. I'll be posting Part 2 in a few minutes because there were too many and I wanted to separate the HDRs.

Thanks, -Ray

#1

#2

#3

*EDIT* Forgot one!

#4

LCARSx32 · Oct 3, 2010

Anyone? I don't bite!

alannahrose · Oct 3, 2010

They don't have that overdone look that most people get with HDR, and I don't know if you were going for that or not. Haha. I find the first and third ones to be the most interesting.

LCARSx32 · Oct 3, 2010

alannahrose said:
They don't have that overdone look that most people get with HDR, and I don't know if you were going for that or not. Haha. I find the first and third ones to be the most interesting.

I was trying to get it to look like it does in real life. I don't like the overdone look that has become associated with HDRs. I'm hoping that's how they turned out.

Thanks for the feedback. I like #3 a lot myself. It was the hardest to put together because I kept getting halos around the tree line.

PerfectlyFlawed · Oct 3, 2010

I dont think they really look like "HDR"... :meh: #2, maybe, but the saturation just looked bumped on them a little. I love the sunburst though... and the road in your last shot compliments the picture.

alannahrose · Oct 3, 2010

Well then, good job! Haha. Sometimes I like it to look HDR and sometimes I hate it.. It gets old very quickly.

sovietdoc · Oct 3, 2010

that 2nd shot is nice

sam_justice · Oct 3, 2010

Yayyy! Someone using HDR for what it's meant to be used for! Not for creating eye raping ecstasy infused photos.

What did you use for Post? Photomatix? If so I can't really critique on that since I only use the exposure fusion technique. They're nice compositions though! Shame the sunset wasn't the most interesting one around I like number one the most although it looks like there was some chromatic aberration around the tree. Maybe a gust of wind blew and jogged the camera slightly or something when bracketing?

Babs · Oct 3, 2010

Nothing to say on the HDR, I'm afraid. It's on my (very long!) list of things to learn!

But I love #2. Bit of a shame about that big dark cloud at the top ... but there's not a lot you can do about that! And the other clouds, sun burst rays and the detailing of the foliage at the front is really nice. IM (very amateur!) O!