My first HDR

[rtbaum]

I can not help but believe that I went a little overboard with sharpening, but overall I would like your opinion.

This is a feature known as "The Waterslide", it is a long day of portaging to access in the BWCA. Overall, it was a hell of a trip!

[Shadowman]

Very tame HDR, not enough contrast, could the scene have been captured in one shot by exposing for the sky and using exposure compensation?

[rtbaum]

Very tame HDR, not enough contrast, could the scene have been captured in one shot by exposing for the sky and using exposure compensation?

Short answer is no, rock is shaded, way too wide dynamic range. I just didn't want overcook it with too much contrast

[JBW]

My first impression is that it is way too grainy?

[rtbaum]

My first impression is that it is way too grainy?

Hi, Brian

The grain is the actual nature of the rock. Donald posted in reference with his exposure to the European version of old rocks, this The oldest exposed rock on earth.

[Manfred M]

I just didn't want overcook it with too much contrast

HDR images tend to be a bit low contrast and the resulting output is usually too flat. After all you are mashing all exposure levels into a very constrained dynamic range that your display can handle. I'd be tempted to crank up the contrast a touch.

[JBW]

Hi, Brian

The grain is the actual nature of the rock. Donald posted in reference with his exposure to the European version of old rocks, this The oldest exposed rock on earth.

I didn't know that. but then there is so much I don't know.

[IzzieK]

Welcome back, Randy...you've been away far too long I suppose...nice shot here of the slide...A bit of contrast might help. I had not done HDR at all so what do I know...???

[rtbaum]

Izzie, glad to be back. HDR is something that I am still working out. for your amusement, this is my latest attempt.

[Shadowman]

Izzie, glad to be back. HDR is something that I am still working out. for your amusement, this is my latest attempt.

Much better.

[rtbaum]

Thanks, John......I'm not sure about the sky, it just doesn't look right. I'm thinking of adjusting it to better compliment the pool? .....I will say this, I'm learning a bit more about Photoshop CC with this exercise.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Randy, I like your second edit

[Rebel]

Its a bit too busy for me with no real focal point.

[caraholic]

I have just started playing with hdr, but I don't have a decent attempt yet to post! I do like the contrast in your second photo better, even though I am a total novice in hdr...

[IzzieK]

I like this one better, Randy....maybe one day I can try HDR...I envy those who can...like you.

Izzie, glad to be back. HDR is something that I am still working out. for your amusement, this is my latest attempt.

[DanK]

I actually like the first better. The first needs some work on tonality, e.g., to bring out contrast in the rocks, which you did in the second. However, at least on the awful laptop monitor I am looking at, the second is edging into the distorted colors that are a frequent characteristic of HDR photos. e.g., The sky seems almost turquoise on this monitor. It may be the monitor, not the image, but it was exactly this sort of sky that ended my brief attempts with HDR Pro in photoshop. Since then, I have only used exposure fusion, which simply selects well-exposed areas from each image, without tone mapping. This also tends to produce low-contrast images, but the lack of contrast is easy to fix.