9 Shot HDR Panorama

[CNelson]

This was something I hadn't done before and wanted to give it a try. I went to this location because it lends itself to this kind of image. I took 9 shots...to create 3 HDR images. I created the HDR images in Photomatix then combined them into a panorama in Photoshop and finally used Topaz Detail to give it all a little punch. It was so cold that after about 5 minutes out of the car I couldn't feel the camera in my hands.

Chuck

[Brownbear]

I think it is a truly gorgeous image.

[Manfred M]

Chuck, could I suggest that you post a larger image. The problem I have found with panos is that the viewer really does not do them justice and one needs to be able to get a larger view of the image.

You can see what I mean on the panos I posted in this thread: Mixed lighting shots Click on one of the shots to see what I mean.

My other question is why you used HDRI; I would have thought that the dynamic range in this image would have not have required that treatment. The image looks a bit flat because of the HDR treatment.

[Nancy Moran G]

THAT is gorgeous!
Nancy

[Shadowman]

Worth the suffering. Nice image.

[Wavelength]

That is awesome indeed; can i see your avatar image's original?
Regards

[CNelson]

That is awesome indeed; can i see your avatar image's original?
Regards

Thank you Nandakumar. Here's a link to the original of the avatar. It's a composite of a wild Canada goose in a snag extracted and put into a photo of the Shasta River on the ranch where I grew up. I came across the Canada goose when photographing some property for The Nature Conservancy. When I first saw it I thought that's a silly place to put a decoy...then it moved. I put a 400mm lens on my camera and started taking pictures....advancing 5 steps after each shot to get as close as I could before it flew. The background was must uninteresting so I've used the image in other contexts.



A second composite image of the same goose shot has sold a number of times in local galleries and was licensed for the cover of a 3-county telephone directory. The background is also a photo from where I grew up. It looks like this:

[CNelson]

Chuck, could I suggest that you post a larger image. The problem I have found with panos is that the viewer really does not do them justice and one needs to be able to get a larger view of the image.

You can see what I mean on the panos I posted in this thread: Mixed lighting shots Click on one of the shots to see what I mean.

My other question is why you used HDRI; I would have thought that the dynamic range in this image would have not have required that treatment. The image looks a bit flat because of the HDR treatment.

I wasn't aware I could post a larger version but I'll try below. Part of the problem is that the aspect ratio is very wide...I currently have it sized at 12 X 48" and at this size it's well over 300 PPI so it could be blown up quite large. I can zoom in and find lots of detail. Thanks for the link to your mixed lighting post.

I did HDR because the contrast between snow, sky, clouds and dark trees is significant and I can get better detail with HDR.

Here's a try at a larger post:

[CNelson]

Thank you Nancy, Christina and John. In a sense this is an awkward image in that the size and aspect ratio are beyond what we are used to for wall hanging. It would be expensive to print so I probably won't print it unless a gallery asks for it. However, someone familiar with the mountain...perhaps a commercial establishment might want a print like this and I'll have it in my inventory.

[chauncey]

Chuck...not excited about the pano but, the selected goose and stump is stellar.

[Manfred M]

Thanks Chuck - that does help. It's hard to make out the detail in the smaller version.