The Memorial (My first HDR attempt)

[DRO]

Hello all.

First and foremost I am here to learn as I truly am a lowly beginner when it comes to doing any sort of post-processing. Having said that I am also a beginner when it comes to photography.

I can take any kind of critque that people care to hit me with as I find that its one of the best ways to learn.

So, as you cannot learn without showing then I have submitted this first image for your comments.

The Memorial. (Canon 350D, 18-55mm lenses, time 7:30 pm, light fog after damp day, temp 1.5C).
(3 images (-2,0,2 bracketed, merged as a HDR and subsequent adjustment in CS2).



Let me add that I would have liked to have done a square on shot but because of the light on the buildings behind I had to move slightly to the right so that the column obscured the light. I think that this is also the reason for the apparent slight curvature that can be seen on the right hand side of the column. I also do not like the red fringing effect on the light behind the column, is there anyway I could lessen-remove it?

So there you have it. Have a right go about it as I am here to learn and learning is what I am here for.

DRO.. (another David in real life).

[iPhillip]

Its tiny.

Up the image size? Seriously its hard to critque a photo which is probably the same size as this post.

[DRO]

Its tiny.

Up the image size? Seriously its hard to critque a photo which is probably the same size as this post.

Hello iPhillip, thank you for your comment.

I used a size that was based on the size of other peoples work that is shown in other threads. No doubt the posting of the image with a border is what has caused it to look far smaller. So I have learnt something today which can only be a good thing.

So, the image again without the border (and slightly higher dimensions)



If this still appears to small could someone please give me a little advice on what is an acceptable posting size for images on here.

Thanks

DRO...

[iPhillip]

Much better :P Generally the bigger the better! So don't be afraid to up the size again.

[milleniummuppet]

Hi,
I like the interesting 'golden' pavers in the front of the image!

To help you I would like a little more information to better understand the image .
What causes the glow behind the memorial, and how much of it would you like to remove?
And what is the glow, and picture as a whole roughly supposed to look like? (eg. how much glow is there really meant to be, and is it meant to wash out the background)

Also, which post-processing programs do you have at your disposal?
Photoshop, would be the most useful when it comes to altering such detail in an image .

[DRO]

Hello milleniummuppet,

This is a nighttime photo on a day where it had been very damp all day and then we got a small amount of misty-fog, so this accounts for some of the hazy look in the background.
The lighting behind the column comes from a street light (sodium I think) which is directly attached to the buildings in the background.
I believe its a combination of the misty fog and this light which is causing the the glow (golden) colour scheme throughout the image.

As to removal of the glow, its the sort of red fringing (halo effect) at the top of the background glow thats I am unsure of. I cannot make my mind up if this fringing adds to or detracts from the image.

I do use PS7 as well as CS2 but have such a small amount of image manipulation knowledge that I would not know how to go about reducing-removing this fringing without inadvertently affecting other areas of the image.

As to the settings on the camera I made a big slipup in that I had the camera on the A Dep setting and failed to notice that until I got back home. I shot back out again but the mist-fog and disappeared when I got back and also there was some cars parked behind the memorial because theres a cafe-bar just 20 yrds to the left. So the scene as it was was no longer photographically pleasing. Oh well I learnt something that day as well...

DRO...

[shreds]

DRO, or David,

If you are using HDR, then you should be able to do a lot more with this image. Ideally I would retain a glow but make it less prominent. Has it burnt out the detail of the shops on all the images or is there one where detail in the windows is still displayed. If not, then next time, maybe do a few extra shots that might allow this detail to be retained, even if the rest of the shot is very dark. Once you merge them all you will find that the overall effect is more where you are trying to get too.

Other than that, I think that a glow behind such a sombre subject somehow lifts the picture. Put what ever interpretation or title you like, but I think it is better than just a picture of a memorial.

'Seeing the Light?' .... perhaps, which of course you can't and neither can the poor souls who it commemorates. Or can they?

Get my drift?