# HDR Beginner



## BananaRepublic (Jul 6, 2016)

Hi

These are amongst the first HDR images if ever done, Im not a beginner per say but I am at this.

Critique is welcome.

PS, You may need oven gloves.


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## tirediron (Jul 6, 2016)

Not bad; not nearly as over-cooked as some.


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## dennybeall (Jul 6, 2016)

I'd agree, not so overdone. You might try something to make the central object, the backhoe, stand out more. Perhaps some brightness or increase of color??? Also perhaps raise the camera up and crop off some of the front dirt.


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## Light Guru (Jul 6, 2016)

I don't see a big enough dynamic range in the image to to need to use HDR.


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## john.margetts (Jul 7, 2016)

Light Guru said:


> I don't see a big enough dynamic range in the image to to need to use HDR.


Agree. They are not so much HDR as tone mapped images. Not an effect I like.


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## smoke665 (Jul 7, 2016)

I like the first image better. Something about the perspective of the second is distracting. In both it seems that the dark foreboding sky is overpowering everything else.


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## BananaRepublic (Jul 7, 2016)

Light Guru said:


> I don't see a big enough dynamic range in the image to to need to use HDR.



I bracket 9 images half stop each, to be honest I only did it as an exercise really. I didn't know much about post either but I wanted them to look more real world then action comic.


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## BananaRepublic (Jul 7, 2016)

tirediron said:


> Not bad; not nearly as over-cooked as some.


Thanks,  could you offer a link that would help with post processing.


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## Braineack (Jul 7, 2016)

whatever method you used ruined your tree-line; that's the first thing I noticed when I viewed them full size.

Next thing I noticed was how "crayon-like" the image looks--like you ran it through a lot of noise reduction.  

The colors between the two shots are vastly differently.  The orange on the excavator is much more intense on the first shot, and the second shot is pretty washed out.  Both have two much contrast and the sh

In terms of HDR, I'm not really seeing it -- I'm pretty sure you could have done the same with a single RAW capture and some time in post.  Still a lot of dark areas that should have visible information but you're just presenting as black. 



BananaRepublic said:


> I bracket 9 images half stop each,



There was no need for 9 images -- you only need enough to capture the DR of the scene.  

Take a shot where you are just clipping the blacks.  add a 1/2 or 2/3 a stop and take another. Repeat this until you're just clipping whites.  An arbitrary number of shots just has diminishing returns, it provides no additional image information and takes more processing power/time.


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## BananaRepublic (Jul 8, 2016)

Braineack said:


> whatever method you used ruined your tree-line; that's the first thing I noticed when I viewed them full size.
> 
> Next thing I noticed was how "crayon-like" the image looks--like you ran it through a lot of noise reduction.
> 
> ...



I knew most of those things before I posted but I had never attempted it before because I never had a interest , in saying that, Yes I could have done better but No I didn't know any better when taking them and going into post. I don't really know the most appropriate time of day for the best effect. Next time I will spend 10,000 hrs learning and honing before I post a "beginner" post up.

But your critique is welcome


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## Braineack (Jul 8, 2016)

see you in 10,000 hours!   Hope my input shaved off a few.


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