Yokohama Station HDR

[rokclmb]

This attempt at HDR (I've done just a few trials) was made with 5 images that were all exposed the same. I didn't bracket the exposure or change any settings on the camera. The only thing that changed while I was taking the original pictures was the traffic.

It could probably be done a lot better by somebody with more skill but I thought it was a neat idea that I would share.

 

[Bynx]

For an HDR of a scene like this I think it only works from a single Raw file. You will lose the trail of headlights and also those annoying black spots where headlights were shining on one of your shots and those annoying ghost cars. One last thing, I dont think you bracketed your shots enough. The white sign over 641 should be more legible instead of blasted out. Looking at your shot again it might be possible to make an HDR from a few jpeg if you move the whole shutter speed scale down so that your fastest shot is enough to not have the cars visible, only the bands of light. You might need a ND filter to achieve this. I think the picture would look kinda empty without those streaking lights.

 

[bigtwinky]

I dont see why you decided to use HDR for this image, what was the purpose?

 

[rokclmb]

My main goal was to blend a bunch of shots with headlight trails as I could into one shot and make the road look very busy. I wanted to have as much headlight trail as possible. I would time my shots so the trails would be in each individual picture. At the time I took the pictures I wasn't thinking of HDR, but as I looked at them when I got home I thought it might be cool to blend all the pictures into one.

 

[bigtwinky]

Try using bulb mode on your camera for that.

You need a remote that will allow you to lock the shutter.
Get a piece of cardboard, paper, whatever that is black and can cover your lens. Keep the shutter open (with bulb mode) and only remove the sheet of paper from the front of the lens when there are cars going by.

You'll have to check your total shutter lenght ahead of time to know how long you can do this for without over exposing the shot.

 

[Bynx]

I dont imagine you really bracketed your shots for HDR effect. You just needed a series of long exposures to get the headlight trails. What you have here isnt an HDR.

 

[SrBiscuit]

the light sources being replaced by black spots = not ideal.

 

[rokclmb]

I know it's not really a HDR image. As I said in the original post "I didn't bracket the exposure or change any settings on the camera." I guess "tone mapped" or something else might be a better term. I wanted the lights from the traffic to show up but I also wanted something different than an normal long exposure shot. I have a remote that can lock the bulb open, but I just wanted a different look.

 

[SrBiscuit]

are you pleased with the shot?

 

[bigtwinky]

are you pleased with the shot?

Good comment (being serious here, not sarcastic).

 

[SrBiscuit]

oh i know youre sincere twinky...as was my question.

i know sometimes im guilty of forgetting whether or not i like the shot. i can get hammered with C&C and advice, but i try to go back to the image and say "hmmmm...did i accomplish what i set out to do?"

lots of sound advice here for the OP, but it seems he was going for a different look...if he got was he was hoping for, then i say kudos, OP. well done.

 

[rokclmb]

I am happy with it. If I wasn't I wouldn't have shared. I know it's not great and there are many people who could do a much better job. I'm new to photography. I've done very little editing of any type. I thought I'd try something "outside the box", and was overall happy with how it turned out.