HDR Effect

[rjgjr]

I thought I would try something a little different when I ran across a free trial of some HDR Software called Photomatix, maybe some of you have heard of it. Knowing nothing about HDR and having no images that I had recently taken with the proper exposure bracketing, I winged it and took some previously shot images and did my levels adjusting in PE 4 just for fun. I combined 3 different adjusted images and here is what the software gave me. Again, there are so many bells and whistles on this thing but I really didn't use anything. C&C welcome just for the fun of it. Always looking for something new to try.





This a shot I took about 15 years ago in the Alabama Hills near Lone Pine, CA in the Eastern Sierras, the HDR effects don't show nearly as much on BW

[jgs001]

Love the effects Richard. It's all too easy to go over the top with HDR processing and ruin the resulting images. You've got some halo's around the land in the second image, so it might be worth turning the strength down or setting the radio button (light smoothing I think) on the right hand option, or maybe a combination.

[JohnC]

The jury's still out for me on this one, Richard. Some  HDR photos can look great  but as John points out folks tend to overdo them and grass, for instance ,just doesn't look right. I do  like these photos and  it gives  the monochrome photo  a vibrance  it wouldn't otherwise have, I'm sure and also there are no colours to 'overdo'.  I'd like to have seen the before and after.  At the moment I've got enough to do getting my regular photos to a good standard lol..but I'll definitely look at this HDR one day, it's probably the future for all photos.   

[rjgjr]

I'm on the same boat with most people, still very unsure on what I think about HDR. In the hands of the professional, I have seen incredible HDR images, but for the novice(me), it's way over my head, As I stated in my opening, all I did was click on begin to blend the 3 images and then click process. There must be a thousand different options you can use. These are what came straight from the program. I agree that the green grass and trees look vey unreal for the most part. I think I'll stick with my entry level PE4.

[John9929]

Lovely shots Richard, that last one is a cracker, I expect to see The Lone Ranger riding round that corner any time