# My HDR photos



## panos_adgr

Hello to you all!

I'm a new forum member and I'd like to post some of my HDR photos in order to exchange some ideas or read some advices from more experienced members that could help me gain some more technical experience improving myself. 

So I'm starting with my first HDR try.

It has some blown whites in the sky.


It was made by a single jpeg copied three times in order to create a bracketing by changing the brightness of the pictures.

Then I loaded them in photomatix without doing any post processing. 




Wien Donau Kanal (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr


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## panos_adgr

Here is another made with the exactly same method.  Both were shot with an old amd humble Sony Cyber Shot DSC W - 50.




Nafplio in Winter Colours (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr

Noise is present in this picture.


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## panos_adgr

Basically my biggest problem is noise. I now use a Nikon D90 camera shooting RAWs which I convert in tif in nikon viewnx before I load them in photomatix.  I do it like this because I 've noticed that when RAWs are converted in photomatix the merged imaged has a bit more noise.

I've also noticed that in  some cases merged photos have noise problems. Even if the source files are ok. Has this got to do with the exposure or with extreme dynamic range that exists in some cases and creates noise when photos are merged and tone mapped?


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## Braineack

It's a bit hot in the kitchen...

using tapatalk.


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## panos_adgr

Braineack said:


> It's a bit hot in the kitchen...
> 
> using tapatalk.


What do you mean??


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## Light Guru

panos_adgr said:


> Braineack said:
> 
> 
> 
> It's a bit hot in the kitchen...
> 
> using tapatalk.
> 
> 
> 
> What do you mean??
Click to expand...

They are bother over cooked. Aka over processed.


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## panos_adgr

You are right. I like to make them look sureal. All me HDR's are overprocessed making them look unrealistic.

This is another example.




Country Seaside (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr


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## Peeb

panos_adgr said:


> You are right. I like to make them look sureal. All me HDR's are overprocessed making them look unrealistic.
> 
> This is another example.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Country Seaside (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr


I rather like this one.


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## BananaRepublic

I like all three but they are over processed the last especially. 3 does look like it is the other two less.


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## 407370

The noise comes from the processing in Photomatix. Try toning down the effects or invest in a good noise reduction software. I use Neat Image - best noise reduction for digital cameras and scanners 

Works quite well for me:


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## panos_adgr

407370 said:


> The noise comes from the processing in Photomatix. Try toning down the effects or invest in a good noise reduction software. I use Neat Image - best noise reduction for digital cameras and scanners
> 
> Works quite well for me:
> View attachment 105255
> View attachment 105256



I had the impression, in the beginning that noise had to do with the original photo and the exposure. But later I read somewhere exactly what you said about photomatix.  I have also noticed that in some cases there is no noise at all or if there is, isn't much. So I think that it has to do also maybe with the exposure?  If you know more about the origin of noise in HDR case I would be glad to know also.

For the moment when I'm doing HDR I'm using seven RAW from +2 to -2 stops in 2/3 of stop steps which are created from one RAW. I then convert them to tif 16bit in nikon viewnx software because it makes better conversion than photomatix in terms of noise behavior after some comparisons I made. Then I load the tifs in pfotomatix for tone mapping.  I then do post processing in adobe vamera raw and finaly I make noise reduction in nikon capture nxd, which makes very nice jobs with setting profile 'better' in noise rwduction menu, or I use topaz denoise. After these steps I apply some sharpening in viewnx or topaz clarity.  

The third photo above with the tree and the bench by the sea is made lime this.

I know that I over do it with tone mapping but I really really lime this dream like look of photos. I like the sense I'm getting from the photo of wondering if this photo comes from a real landscape.

I 'll post a few more that where made as I described above and some of simpler processing.


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## panos_adgr

Processing as I mentioned above.




Colourful Rock (HDR)noise r by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr




Shower on the Beach (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr

Noise reduction is mild because I don't want to loose details from the sky and clouds.


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## Braineack

Do you guys actually like how these look?

using tapatalk.


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## panos_adgr

Nobody is obliged to like my photos. I have my own perspective and perception in HDR. If you don't like it don't like it's your right... Do you have any thing technical to add to help me? Or you are going to stick around complaining about what you see?


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## panos_adgr

Braineack said:


> Do you guys actually like how these look?
> 
> using tapatalk.



Dear Braineack this one is for you. Overcooked.




OPAKE (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr


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## pjaye

I like the first one and the one with the bench. There is something bugging me about the shower and the edges of the pole in the shower on the beach shot. But I know absolutely nothing about HDR so I'm not sure if I just don't like that one or there is something off.


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## panos_adgr

symplybarb said:


> I like the first one and the one with the bench. There is something bugging me about the shower and the edges of the pole in the shower on the beach shot. But I know absolutely nothing about HDR so I'm not sure if I just don't like that one or there is something off.


Maybe the halos are bothering you. I over do it with processing.


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## 407370

> I had the impression, in the beginning that noise had to do with the original photo and the exposure. But later I read somewhere exactly what you said about photomatix.  I have also noticed that in some cases there is no noise at all or if there is, isn't much. So I think that it has to do also maybe with the exposure?  If you know more about the origin of noise in HDR case I would be glad to know also.


Basically all pics have noise to some degree and tone mapping will expose that noise. Tend to be that  pics that suit tone mapping will naturally have areas that will generate noise, like blue sky between clouds. Busy pics with lots of small details will still generate noise but it will be less noticeable. Like the example below:


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## panos_adgr

407370 said:


> I had the impression, in the beginning that noise had to do with the original photo and the exposure. But later I read somewhere exactly what you said about photomatix.  I have also noticed that in some cases there is no noise at all or if there is, isn't much. So I think that it has to do also maybe with the exposure?  If you know more about the origin of noise in HDR case I would be glad to know also.
> 
> 
> 
> Basically all pics have noise to some degree and tone mapping will expose that noise. Tend to be that  pics that suit tone mapping will naturally have areas that will generate noise, like blue sky between clouds. Busy pics with lots of small details will still generate noise but it will be less noticeable. Like the example below:
> View attachment 105283
> View attachment 105284
Click to expand...


Has it got to do also with camera? I want to say that if I had a better one would I also have had better results? From the other hand people who do HDR also mention about noise in tone mapping whatever camera they use...

I'm currently using a Nikon D90.


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## 407370

> Has it got to do also with camera? I want to say that if I had a better one would I also have had better results? From the other hand people who do HDR also mention about noise in tone mapping whatever camera they use...
> 
> I'm currently using a Nikon D90.



Nah the noise is from processing not hardware. Do a bit of pixel peeping in these D810 sample pics Nikon D810 High Resolution Image Samples . The noise inherent in these images will be amplified significantly by tone mapping. These pics will already have been processed by Nikon to show the camera in best possible light. 

Its all a matter of degree. My tolerance for heavy processing is nearly limitless, other people criticise you if you crop a pic. Each to their own.


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## pjaye

panos_adgr said:


> symplybarb said:
> 
> 
> 
> I like the first one and the one with the bench. There is something bugging me about the shower and the edges of the pole in the shower on the beach shot. But I know absolutely nothing about HDR so I'm not sure if I just don't like that one or there is something off.
> 
> 
> 
> Maybe the halos are bothering you. I over do it with processing.
Click to expand...


Maybe that's it. Like I said, I know nothing about HDR, tried it once, failed miserably. The over processing doesn't both me, but that pole just looks odd.


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## dennybeall

IMHO to get HDR you need to take multiple photos with different settings so you capture a wider range of data than you can capture with one photo using the equipment you have. Then when you merge those multiple photos you have one photo with the  wider range.
If you just take one picture you just have that range of data, no matter how you play with it and the more you play the more noise.


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## panos_adgr

dennybeall said:


> IMHO to get HDR you need to take multiple photos with different settings so you capture a wider range of data than you can capture with one photo using the equipment you have. Then when you merge those multiple photos you have one photo with the  wider range.
> If you just take one picture you just have that range of data, no matter how you play with it and the more you play the more noise.


You are right!
But a raw file has a great amount of information captured so you can 'stretch' it to make a set of copies over and under exposed. It is an accepted technique to make HDR anyway. 

But the best is what you wrote.


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## 407370

You can edit a JPG to get the desired effect as well as RAW.


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## panos_adgr

407370 said:


> You dont need RAW to do HDR / Tone Mapping. See below for an edit I did on another thread using JPG:
> View attachment 105337




Yes. I've done quite a few HDRs from jpegs also. The first one I posted from Vianna is made from jpeg photos.


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## panos_adgr

407370 said:


> You can edit a JPG to get the desired effect as well as RAW.


Until now I do HDR mostly by converting RAW files to tif 16bit.


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## 407370

Pictures that have heavy processing are not really dependent on source format for the end result. Point and shoot / cellphone cameras are very good in certain lighting conditions and are perfect for HDR / Tone Mapping.


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## panos_adgr

407370 said:


> Pictures that have heavy processing are not really dependent on source format for the end result. Point and shoot / cellphone cameras are very good in certain lighting conditions and are perfect for HDR / Tone Mapping.


Hmm!  A couple of days ago I downloaded two HDR apps for my galaxy s3 phone and I wait for my holidays to do some test shots. Interesting!

Thanks for the support with your advices.


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## panos_adgr

Hi again!
I think that I'm solving the noise problem!  Here is a new one made of one RAW.

It is again hot in the kitchen cause I love it but not that much.




Cloudy Beach (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr

Noise is obviously less than other times.


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## thereyougo!

I wonder whether someone is being a little provocative.  I'm not sure I would call these HDR.  Because the aim doesn't appear to be to simply show a full dynamic range in the shot, more to attempt to show surrealism. That would be tone mapping.  Personally I'm not a fan.  And being perfectly honest I'm not sure they are even hitting the spot as tone mapped images as they (to my judgement) don't really seem to be saying anything.  The second one appears to have black and white in the middle of the shot.  

The oven is hot, but the cookies still seem half baked to me, and I'm not one for cookie dough ice cream....


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## panos_adgr

thereyougo! said:


> I wonder whether someone is being a little provocative.  I'm not sure I would call these HDR.  Because the aim doesn't appear to be to simply show a full dynamic range in the shot, more to attempt to show surrealism. That would be tone mapping.  Personally I'm not a fan.  And being perfectly honest I'm not sure they are even hitting the spot as tone mapped images as they (to my judgement) don't really seem to be saying anything.  The second one appears to have black and white in the middle of the shot.
> 
> The oven is hot, but the cookies still seem half baked to me, and I'm not one for cookie dough ice cream....


Respectful opinion very nicely expressed.

You are right! But! From the beginning I wrote that I like tbe surealistic result and this is my target.  When you create something there are no boundaries.  So what I do might not be appealing to some people and it's normal. And again but. There is no such a strict rule for a technique to follow.  Therw os creativitt even if it is provocative. These samea are also my first efforts and ot sure that I need to improve myself. So if you have any technical advices for me in order to do it better please feel free and I will appreciate it to read a few more things  to help me e eben even if tou are at the opposite direction.  The sure thing is that I'll improve myself. So what say you to bake mt cookies  better?


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## thereyougo!

To me they look incomplete.  Have you decided what you want the end result to be before you press the shutter?  Even with surrealist tone mapping you still need to have a plan for how you shoot, so  that it doesn't become chaotic without any definite plan.  Heavy Tone mapping for me is a bit like hip hop music.  Not to my taste, but I can respect the talent when it is well delivered. 

To me it just feels like you don't (yet) have a plan before shooting as to what you want the final result to be.


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## bogeyguy

panos_adgr said:


> thereyougo! said:
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder whether someone is being a little provocative.  I'm not sure I would call these HDR.  Because the aim doesn't appear to be to simply show a full dynamic range in the shot, more to attempt to show surrealism. That would be tone mapping.  Personally I'm not a fan.  And being perfectly honest I'm not sure they are even hitting the spot as tone mapped images as they (to my judgement) don't really seem to be saying anything.  The second one appears to have black and white in the middle of the shot.
> 
> The oven is hot, but the cookies still seem half baked to me, and I'm not one for cookie dough ice cream....
> 
> 
> 
> Respectful opinion very nicely expressed.
> 
> You are right! But! From the beginning I wrote that I like tbe surealistic result and this is my target.  When you create something there are no boundaries.  So what I do might not be appealing to some people and it's normal. And again but. There is no such a strict rule for a technique to follow.  Therw os creativitt even if it is provocative. These samea are also my first efforts and ot sure that I need to improve myself. So if you have any technical advices for me in order to do it better please feel free and I will appreciate it to read a few more things  to help me e eben even if tou are at the opposite direction.  The sure thing is that I'll improve myself. So what say you to bake mt cookies  better?
Click to expand...

I think the replies are giving you advice. Tone your photo's down!! If that's what you like, fine but it seems not many of the other replies do.


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## thereyougo!

If the OP likes the processing of his images, then it's up to him.  As they say, there is no accounting for taste.  It's more of a matter of having some direction to his images.  It all depends what he wants from his images.  Whether he wants to progress beyond what he is doing now.  He needs to have a vision of what he wants to achieve before he takes the shot.  That goes for all images, realistic or not.  It just all seems haphazard to me.  I don't think I will ever truly like a heavily tone mapped image, just as unlikely as I am to buy a Kanye West album.  No that's probably not a very good example based on Kanye's performance of Bohemian Rhapsody at Glastonbury!  

I think the OP is aware he is not where he needs to be as he is asking for advice.  Surrealism isn't about there being no order.  There still needs to be method in the madness.


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## panos_adgr

thereyougo! said:


> To me they look incomplete.  Have you decided what you want the end result to be before you press the shutter?  Even with surrealist tone mapping you still need to have a plan for how you shoot, so  that it doesn't become chaotic without any definite plan.  Heavy Tone mapping for me is a bit like hip hop music.  Not to my taste, but I can respect the talent when it is well delivered.
> 
> To me it just feels like you don't (yet) have a plan before shooting as to what you want the final result to be.


Well. The photos I've made HDR were not supposed to be HDR. So from a point you are right. First of all I have to create an HDR from the beginning.


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## panos_adgr

bogeyguy said:


> panos_adgr said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> thereyougo! said:
> 
> 
> 
> I wonder whether someone is being a little provocative.  I'm not sure I would call these HDR.  Because the aim doesn't appear to be to simply show a full dynamic range in the shot, more to attempt to show surrealism. That would be tone mapping.  Personally I'm not a fan.  And being perfectly honest I'm not sure they are even hitting the spot as tone mapped images as they (to my judgement) don't really seem to be saying anything.  The second one appears to have black and white in the middle of the shot.
> 
> The oven is hot, but the cookies still seem half baked to me, and I'm not one for cookie dough ice cream....
> 
> 
> 
> Respectful opinion very nicely expressed.
> 
> You are right! But! From the beginning I wrote that I like tbe surealistic result and this is my target.  When you create something there are no boundaries.  So what I do might not be appealing to some people and it's normal. And again but. There is no such a strict rule for a technique to follow.  Therw os creativitt even if it is provocative. These samea are also my first efforts and ot sure that I need to improve myself. So if you have any technical advices for me in order to do it better please feel free and I will appreciate it to read a few more things  to help me e eben even if tou are at the opposite direction.  The sure thing is that I'll improve myself. So what say you to bake mt cookies  better?
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> I think the replies are giving you advice. Tone your photo's down!! If that's what you like, fine but it seems not many of the other replies do.
Click to expand...



You are right about tone mapping. I have to tone done generally. I'thinking of using the exposure fusion as well instead of tone mapping and then post process in Adobe raw.


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## panos_adgr

thereyougo! said:


> If the OP likes the processing of his images, then it's up to him.  As they say, there is no accounting for taste.  It's more of a matter of having some direction to his images.  It all depends what he wants from his images.  Whether he wants to progress beyond what he is doing now.  He needs to have a vision of what he wants to achieve before he takes the shot.  That goes for all images, realistic or not.  It just all seems haphazard to me.  I don't think I will ever truly like a heavily tone mapped image, just as unlikely as I am to buy a Kanye West album.  No that's probably not a very good example based on Kanye's performance of Bohemian Rhapsody at Glastonbury!
> 
> I think the OP is aware he is not where he needs to be as he is asking for advice.  Surrealism isn't about there being no order.  There still needs to be method in the madness.


Your comments really helped me in the way of thinking before I take the shot. As this is my first time in HDR I'm enthusiastic on the capabilities processing. It is something that will mature inside me as time goes by like it did with normal photography. After all I'm an amateur.

By the way what is OP? I can see it under my avatar also on my profile.


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## thereyougo!

panos_adgr said:


> thereyougo! said:
> 
> 
> 
> If the OP likes the processing of his images, then it's up to him.  As they say, there is no accounting for taste.  It's more of a matter of having some direction to his images.  It all depends what he wants from his images.  Whether he wants to progress beyond what he is doing now.  He needs to have a vision of what he wants to achieve before he takes the shot.  That goes for all images, realistic or not.  It just all seems haphazard to me.  I don't think I will ever truly like a heavily tone mapped image, just as unlikely as I am to buy a Kanye West album.  No that's probably not a very good example based on Kanye's performance of Bohemian Rhapsody at Glastonbury!
> 
> I think the OP is aware he is not where he needs to be as he is asking for advice.  Surrealism isn't about there being no order.  There still needs to be method in the madness.
> 
> 
> 
> Your comments really helped me in the way of thinking before I take the shot. As this is my first time in HDR I'm enthusiastic on the capabilities processing. It is something that will mature inside me as time goes by like it did with normal photography. After all I'm an amateur.
> 
> By the way what is OP? I can see it under my avatar also on my profile.
Click to expand...


OP is original poster or original post.


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## panos_adgr

Thanks!


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## panos_adgr

Hi to all of you. After the end of my summer holidays I'd like to post another HDR try that I've made. I have taken in concern the opinions we 've exchanged and made an HDR image which is a bit over processed whith a slight halo effect but not like my previous efforts.

I'm waiting for your comments.




Skiathos Port (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr


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## ceejtank

The last one doesn't have an HDR look to it.  Just my .02.


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## Braineack

ceejtank said:


> The last one doesn't have an HDR look to it.  Just my .02.


Because it doesn't look cartoonish, or because it doesn't look real?

that last shot looks pretty good to me, the water looks odd though.


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## ceejtank

Braineack said:


> ceejtank said:
> 
> 
> 
> The last one doesn't have an HDR look to it.  Just my .02.
> 
> 
> 
> That's because you don't know what hdr is.
> 
> using tapatalk.
Click to expand...

No I do. High dynamic range. I get it. I've got books on it. I've taken hdr. I'm just saying this doesn't look it it to me. 

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


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## Wyatt

Your photos definitely have a surreal look to them which, since photography is a form of art and self-expression, if that is what you like then keep doing it! Some of them possess a similar feel to some of Trey Ratcliff's hyper post-processed photos. As for the most recent photo that you posted I see the HDR in it but you obviously scaled back on the post-processing which does give it a more believable look.


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## panos_adgr

Wyatt said:


> Your photos definitely have a surreal look to them which, since photography is a form of art and self-expression, if that is what you like then keep doing it! Some of them possess a similar feel to some of Trey Ratcliff's hyper post-processed photos. As for the most recent photo that you posted I see the HDR in it but you obviously scaled back on the post-processing which does give it a more believable look.


Yes. They do have a sureal look and this is what I like in HDR. I like creating images that look like they came out of another world and having in the back of my mind that the photo came from the real world.  I like the other sureal dimension of things! I 'd like to see some photos of Trey Ratcliff. Id it is possible posr a link.

About the previous age I posted it was a try to create a more realistic HDR.


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## panos_adgr

And another realistic HDR photo. Those one came up like this eventhough I tried to overprocess it. I like it though a lot!




Akrokorinthos Mountain (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr


I think that your contributions are obvious in the final pictures.  You made me also study and try realistic HDR creations.


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## Braineack

yeah, stick to this style...


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## panos_adgr

Braineack said:


> yeah, stick to this style...


I think that overcooking came because of my enthusiasm. It is noise but not always.


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## dennybeall

Where do we draw the line between ART and photography? To me, if it looks real it's photography and not real is art, which can also be very nice to look at and appreciate.


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## panos_adgr

dennybeall said:


> Where do we draw the line between ART and photography? To me, if it looks real it's photography and not real is art, which can also be very nice to look at and appreciate.


Nice point. But why should we draw lines? In painting there are many technics.  The same with music and the same with photography.

We could make an argue on reality and photography. It depends on what is in the frame each time. Is it a part of what is happening or is it the full view. And from which corner? Same is with the technic. Is panning point of view? Are the star lines on long night exposure reality?  These are all technics that help us express our subjective view of things through reality (?).


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## Empiric

Beautiful pictures, some of them are completely stunning and can be used as an argument why is HDR so popular.


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## panos_adgr

Empiric said:


> Beautiful pictures, some of them are completely stunning and can be used as an argument why is HDR so popular.


Thank you very much! It would surely be an interesting subject!


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## Empiric

Yeah it would be, it is one of my most frequent discussion with my image taking friends. Always loved the HDR, for example i couldn't even imagine doing something like this without HDR:


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## panos_adgr

Very nice photo!

Well.... There indeed many cases where HDR is inevitable in order to balance a composition mostly because of high dynamic range from dark to light. There are also other reasons of doing HDR and tone mapping that have to do with individual artistic expression.

If we take a look in Flickr there are many great users - photographers that display collections of images that are done HDR because of artistic expression and not necessarily because of technical choice sometime that they were in front of a subject or theme that had a high dynamic range.

Personally and often told I love HDR because it gives the ability to create surreal images that cross the border of reality and display you an imaginary world through reality. The real scene - image becomes an alternative presentation of a fantastic scene.

There are many people that like this kind of expression and there are others who hate it. But! In other arts such us music or painting people use also technics that create non realistic expressions. I.e. Keyboards in music and electronic sounds or distortion in some physical instruments. The same happens in painting. Why should it be wrong in photography or in HDR?


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## Crusty

I like them.  Knowing they are HDR and what your goal was with the processing I think you accomplished what you were trying to do.  For me I can imagine being there in a day dream, which is relaxing.  Yup, I do like them.

Dave


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## panos_adgr

Thanks a lot Dave for your comments!

I have quite a few more HDR pics to upload.

This one was taken this summer early in the morning.



The Pine Tree by the Sea (HDR) by Panagiotis Adamopoulos, on Flickr


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## Empiric

Yeah HDR is great signature like tool for many digital photographers to distinguish oneself from others. There is really a load of skillful people who amaze me everyday by the use of it.
Really love some of the urbex people who can make a surreal amazing beaty from pictures that originaly would make you spill your guts. For example this guy or this one. They suprisingly pulled it off so awesomely that I can't get enough of their works. 
For those interested here is one more by me.


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## panos_adgr

Empiric said:


> Yeah HDR is great signature like tool for many digital photographers to distinguish oneself from others. There is really a load of skillful people who amaze me everyday by the use of it.
> Really love some of the urbex people who can make a surreal amazing beaty from pictures that originaly would make you spill your guts. For example this guy or this one. They suprisingly pulled it off so awesomely that I can't get enough of their works.
> For those interested here is one more by me.


They are both of them, excellent, and it is sure that they know how to make HDR!


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