katu41

I have noticed that very few posts ever relate to HDR. It certainly is not to everyones taste as heavy saturation has the tendency to overwhelm the subject and composition of the image. However, there seems to be a place for this processing technique when executed properly. (By the way, I am in no way qualified to define what "properly" means.) I thought it might be interesting to see the kinds of photos the hogs thought would grab our attention.

For myself, I never attempted to do any HDR processing until about a year ago. I went through my library to see what shots might lend themselves to the HDR treatment. Here are a few examples for your consideration and comments. Download is a must.

Please provide some samples of your work.

Ground Zero Memorial

(Download)

Hollywood Alps

(Download)

Venice Window

(Download)

Paso Robles Chapel

(Download)

Cochin, India Sunset

(Download)

Bob Mevis Loc: Plymouth, Indiana

I think you did a great job.

MT native Loc: Big Sky Country — Montana

I enjoy HDR post processing. Granted, some images can be “overcooked”. Yours are excellent.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

The 'digital world' turned on HDR probably about 5 years ago. A more natural ecstatic is the vogue of today's photography. It probably relates to the in-camera HDR abilities today where software based HDR turns out the exaggerated saturation and / or grunge.

Regarding the need to launch your attachments, if they were saved to JPEGs in the sRGB colorspace, the thumbnails would match to the attached files, giving a more compelling reason to investigate the images in more detail. The final boat is very pleasing, but the thumbnail gave no indication of this potential.

I think your WTC memorial has great potential for use of HDR. I'd like to see less exaggeration in the blue in the sky (natural ecstatic) and more contrast in the image overall. The foreground is rather 'natural' as a photo where the background seems too oversaturated for the buildings, trees and sky.

WIHorseman

Nice set. The shot of the Ground Zero Memorial is a very effective use of HDR and gives it a haunting quality. I also like the final shot of the fishing boat on the India Sunset. Good work.

cameranut Loc: North Carolina

I like them. I think the last one is ideal. These remind me of the way things might look after a thunder storm when the sun peeks out from between the clouds.

katu41

Thanks Bob. I appreciate your looking. Do you have any HDR photos to share?

katu41

Thanks Dennis. I appreciate your comments. The HDR processing was simply using a NIK Collection filter to pump the image. Not a lot of creativity on my part. To me it's always about the subject and the composition. Just for fun, here are a couple of additional images. Do you have any of your own that you would like to share?

Hong Kong Meat

(Download)

Berlin Toon Town

(Download)

California Vinyard

(Download)

katu41

Thanks for your thoughtful reply. All the photos are saved as JPEGs but I don't know where you are suggesting that they be saved in the sRGB colorspace. Certainly a good suggestion and I hope I can figure it out.

My HDR was simply using a Nik Collection HDR filter and playing with the results. I do not have the technical skills to create this on my own. Do you have any HDR photos that you would like to share. My library has about 2,500 processed photos and I tried the HDR filter on only about 100 images. I wouldn't try to do this in my camera.

katu41

Thanks for commenting. I took the fishing boat image about two years ago and have been thinking of printing it on canvas and hanging in the living room. You may have given me the incentive to follow through.

katu41

Thanks for commenting. The fishing boat was a real surprise. The original image was good but the HDR really made it pop.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I grabbed an image earlier today as part of this offer to PP images: https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-657824-1.html

I initially re-edited the image of Disney's Hollywood Tower Hotel using Lightroom to a version of what I'd like for the image, and then took the edited result to an older (I think discontinued) product called Topaz Adjust from Topaz Labs. Upon returning from Adjust to LR, I adjusted the saturation downward to the attached result, below.

Regarding tools, the old HDR standard was Photomatrix. I've tested various images between Topaz Adjust, Photomatrix and Lightroom's own HDR process. I've pretty much settled on Adjust. I process probably 1 to 5 images out of 100, depending on the subject matter. I've been shooting a lot of nature of late that doesn't lend to HDR processing. Here's two examples of HDR-ish processing. I say 'ish' as I use just a single image, either as input to the HDR options of Topaz Adjust. Or, I take one image and create two other versions with the exposure adjusted +1 and -0 from the 'base' image. Photomatrix likes 3 or more images as input. The Gettysburg memorial is from now 8-years ago. I like the results, but it's different than I'd do today with my 2020 eyes and tastes.

The Bowman by Paul Sager, on Flickr


Peace and Memory by Paul Sager, on Flickr

Hollywood Tower with HDR effect

(Download)

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

George, regarding the colorspace and some ideas to avoid pixelation, see attached.

(Download)

katu41

I've never taken any classes so my skills are based on guesswork given the hardware and software that I work with. A friend turned me on to the Nik Collection a couple of years ago and I reprocessed about 500 of my best images. Took me about 4 months. I found that the B&W conversion worked really well so I converted a couple of hundred images. My main output is to produce coffee table photo books published by Blurb. I have about 25 books which have become my prized possessions. The lockdown is killing me as I really miss the travel to beautiful places.

I'll share one more photo with you. This is not HDR but it is probably one of my best "Scenic" photos. One of the other hogs that I met on this forum took me through the Swiss Alps last October. This was my money shot.

Just noticed I can't attach my image. I will try on another post.

katu41

The Klausenpass

(Download)