# Still Trying To Perfect HDR - C&C



## HughGuessWho (Mar 12, 2012)

I am still trying to get a firm graps on HDR without over cooking. Looking for C&C

#1







#2






#3






All shot with Canon Xsi 
All PP done in Elements and Photomatix Pro 3


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## Exerstine (Mar 12, 2012)

to me they all seem great! :thumbup:


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## 480sparky (Mar 12, 2012)

Was there enough dynamic range in the original scene to justify using HDR?


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## HughGuessWho (Mar 12, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Was there enough dynamic range in the original scene to justify using HDR?


Yes, the whites in the clouds and the setting sun to the left of number # would have either blownout or, there would have been zero detail in the trees and foilage.


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## xyphoto (Mar 12, 2012)

I like #2. It has the natural look. However, it still has some shadow areas with not much details. Keep on trying.


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## vipgraphx (Mar 12, 2012)

480sparky said:


> Was there enough dynamic range in the original scene to justify using HDR?



No need to justify why and when to use HDR...Just like there is no reason to justify using black and white or color. 


OP- pictures are a bit soft with no sharpness anywhere. #1 and#2 the clouds are real blurry. I like the colors in #3 best.

#2 the waters reflection of the sky is to bright. I did the same thing with some pictures I took a long time ago and now I can see why I was told the same thing.

Keep it up.


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## fokker (Mar 12, 2012)

#2 is my favourite here, though as said I would tone the refelction down a bit, and possibly the overall saturation slightly too.

You need to do some heavy sharpening on these to bring out the detail. 

Watch for ghosting effects in the clouds in #1 and #3.


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## HughGuessWho (Mar 13, 2012)

Thanks for the critique both good and bad. I will process them again and try to work on the sharpness and ghosting. The cloud reflections were mentioned a few times. How would I go about minimizing them, short of cloning them out?


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## HughGuessWho (Mar 13, 2012)

# 3 Sharpened

I did a little sharpening on #3 and tried to work on the ghosting of the clouds. Any improvement?


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## Bynx (Mar 13, 2012)

Its hard to make comments on softness because a nice sharp image can get screwed around with by either the host that sends your image here, or this site itself if it has to resize your image yet again to make it fit. Your processing is excellent.


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## bazooka (Mar 13, 2012)

Your 2nd edit is much sharper.  I also noticed the softness in the original set.  Strangely though, in the first one I kind of find it appealing.


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## theregoesjb (Mar 13, 2012)

really nice and natural looking

you may need to clean your sensor though (someone else might know better)... there is a reoccurring spec- a little below the top margin and  in the center of the left half of the image (in the cloud)
Most noticeable in 1 & 2

as im writing this i just noticed another in nearly the same spot on the right half too


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## MReid (Mar 13, 2012)

The first bunch so soft and overdone.
Three edited looks close to what a good HDR should look like.
Usually the unnatural color and shading in the clouds is a dead give away. Can still see the washout effect on the rocks in the front but overall this is a good looking HDR.


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## Syco (Mar 14, 2012)

Try sharpening the foreground but not the sky.  The reason is that 'detail enhancement' tone mapping increases edge contrast.  Clouds don't benefit from having edges, and sharpening only makes that effect worse.  A good technique is to remove cloud ghosting, so that they are in focus, but mask out their sharpening.


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## BZSPhotography (Mar 14, 2012)

Second one, amazing.


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## EchoingWhisper (Mar 14, 2012)

Your pictures all lack some local contrast. Try sharpening with a large radius.


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