# First HDR of Christmas for me



## nos33

Okay this is taken with my new lens i just bought to replace my broken 18-55.

Let me know what you all think.


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## vipgraphx

picture is pretty cool. looks like  a painting sort of.


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## nos33

I shot this in the dark with the lighting coming from the lights on the tree.  That is what is causing the shadows on the wall.


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## PhotographyByMK

WOW!! Very nice!!


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## robertandrewphoto

Maybe it's me but the focus seems kinda soft. Processing is nice though.


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## Bynx

What is that weird stick in the background hitting the ceiling and the back wall? Is it some kind of deformity on the backside of the tree?


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## Majeed Badizadegan

Agree that the focus looks soft but good processing.


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## nos33

last spring my neighbors were cutting down an aspen tree so my wife took one of the branches and put it next to the TV (it was a big aspen).  It looks nice while giving my cats something to scratch on instead of my furniture. And that was the only corner of the living room that works for my Christmas tree.

Thanks for the comments. I appreciate them


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## Mena

very nice, I like the shadows it casts. At first glimpse I thought it was a faux leather finish on your wall/


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## McNugget801

A bit over cooked IMO.


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## MissCream

McNugget801 said:


> A bit over cooked IMO.



I agree, way over cooked.


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## SlickSalmon

When it comes to photographing christmas trees, over-processing often works.


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## ph0enix

Bynx said:


> What is that weird stick in the background hitting the ceiling and the back wall? Is it some kind of deformity on the backside of the tree?



Mosquitos are that big in Utah


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## nos33

ph0enix said:


> Bynx said:
> 
> 
> 
> What is that weird stick in the background hitting the ceiling and the back wall? Is it some kind of deformity on the backside of the tree?
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mosquitos are that big in Utah
Click to expand...

Large bugs like the desert


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## nos33

In this photo I was trying for the warm fuzzy feeling of Christmas morning.


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## Bynx

If the only light was coming from the christmas tree then its an amazing shot and you have captured a lot of detail. What was your longest exposure?


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## nos33

you know i was just playing with the different settings on my camera.  I had it set for AEB -2, 0, +2 took 3 and spun the dial 2 clicks and then took 3 more.  So i cant really tell you what the highest and lowest exposures were.  I need to try and repeat what I did because i like it.  The whole house was dark except for the tree lights


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## Bynx

Read the EXIF data from your brightest image.


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## nos33

this is what the brightest to the lowest exposure says

Highest Exposed:

Camera:    Nikon D5000
Lens:    AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G
Shot at 35 mm
Exposure:    Manual exposure, 4 sec, f/11, ISO 1100, Compensation: +2
Flash:    none
Focus:    AF-S, at 5.0m, with a depth of field of about 44m, (from about 2.4m before the focus point to about 42m after)
AF Area Mode: Single Area
Date:    December 10, 2011   10:14:27PM (timezone not specified)
(6 days, 2 hours, 26 minutes, 19 seconds ago, assuming image timezone of 7 hours behind GMT)
Time Zone Offset:    -07:00
File:    4,288 × 2,848 JPEG (12.2 megapixels)   
5,429,114 bytes (5.2 megabytes)     Image compression: 85%


The Least Exposed

Camera:    Nikon D5000
Lens:    AF-S DX Nikkor 35mm f/1.8G
Shot at 35 mm
Exposure:    Manual exposure, 1/15 sec, f/11, ISO 3200, Compensation: +2
Flash:    none
Focus:    AF-S, at 5.0m, with a depth of field of about 44m, (from about 2.4m before the focus point to about 42m after)
AF Area Mode: Single Area
Date:    December 10, 2011   10:13:38PM (timezone not specified)
(6 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes, 11 seconds ago, assuming image timezone of 7 hours behind GMT)
Time Zone Offset:    -07:00
File:    4,288 × 2,848 JPEG (12.2 megapixels)   
2,974,638 bytes (2.8 megabytes)     Image compression: 92%


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## Bynx

When shooting a scene like this try to keep your ISO down lower. You shot from 1100 to 3200. Not sure what the effect on the Compensation +2 does to the image. So you could have shot at f6, reduced your ISO and had an image with less noise. If your camera is on a tripod then keep fstop to about midpoint like f6 or f8. ISO should be 100 or 400 max. And your shutter speeds set to match which will mean longer exposures, but using a tripod it shouldnt matter. I dont know how much better your shot would turn out. You did just fine as is.


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## PhotoWrangler

ISO400 at F/8..... I have the same shadows.

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/general-gallery/266174-oh-chrimmus-tree-oh-chrimmus-tree.html


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## Bynx

Nice shots Christopher, but if you shot at ISO1100 or 3200 your images would have had a lot more noise. Its not the shadows that is the issue.


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## PhotoWrangler

I know, but I thought someone was asking about the shadows. Maybe I misread the first few posts. I was skimming.


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## Bynx

I dont think those people understood that the only lighting in the room was coming from the bulbs on the tree. Knowing that you can appreciate what a good shot it is.


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## nos33

My ISO settings were set to auto.  I did not see too much noise during processing.  I like the one you did Christopher.


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## unpopular

Bynx said:


> If the only light was coming from the christmas tree then its an amazing shot and you have captured a lot of detail.



Many people who shoot HDR don't bother with the meter, they'll simply expose ±2EV and hope that the dynamic range of the scene will be within this latitude.

When exposing for HDR, it may be useful to spot meter the shadows uncompensated, record the measurement, then spot meter the hilights and provide exposures throughout this range. For example, if your meter reads 8 seconds at the shadows and 1/400 at the hilights, you could take exposures at 2EV intervals

8
2
1/2
1/8
1/30
1/120
1/400

in order to obtain the whole scene without compromise. You may not want to actually use this whole range, but you will know that the entire image is going to be there, which is the whole point of hdr.


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## MatteoSaeed

I like that a lot !


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