altheman Loc: Christchurch, New Zealand

Took this to enter a competition with. It was a dull day but because there was a "Nor West arch" over the Southern Alps and it was approaching sunset the sun had just dipped under the clouds and it was truly the "golden hour". I was lazy and had left my tripod in the car so this Hdr is hand held and at the time I was fairly certain that I was wasting my time as the shutter speed for the over-exposed shot was 1/13th sec. Thank god for OSS. Shot with Nex7 and a Tamron 18-200mm @ f9 & 1/13th, 1/50th, & 1/200th iso 400 imported into Lightroom and then exported to Photomatix and then back into Lightroom

Before


HDR

Len Van Hirtum Loc: Nashua, NH

Hi;

Nice Images however, I apologize, for needing to articulate that, I feel, the first image is excessively dark and both images require or, could use, some addiational "line, curve," and brightness/contrast work. '

Please take a look at mine which I've include. ( I am by no means an authority) Just attempting to help

Thanks

Len Van Hirtum

One of about four remaining 1800'S NH Handbuilt Stone Arch Bridges


Stone Arch Bridge


Turbulent Water under the Bridge

Len Van Hirtum Loc: Nashua, NH

Altheman;

In my opinion, your HDR image is preferable. It looks to me, that you shot these images in mid-day when shadows and bright locations are inter-mixed therefore, making it difficult to achieve effective color balance without average meter readings (HDR, etc). I believe it is best to shoot these types of scenes either in early am or near sunrise

Len

altheman Loc: Christchurch, New Zealand

If you had read the post properly you would see that they were exposed just before sunset 5.01pm in fact. the name of this thread is HDR before and after so the top photo is the "correct exposure" of a three shot bracket. I was so blown away that I was able to get anything usable that I really didn't do much to apart from a minor crop. Besides I like it the way it is

Len Van Hirtum Loc: Nashua, NH

Sorry, if I offended you. My comments were/are purely intended as "constructed". What really counts is that you like your work. I, occasionally sell mine and I've recognized that if I do not take copious notes about my shooting, (shots), and endeavor to use my "minds eye" to envision the scene and what I am attempting to communicate (and, ideally, sell), I will not improve. It's easy to go out a shoot images however, I believe it's much more difficult to "grow as a photographer" without using each outing purposefully and as a learning experience.

Thanks

Len

RVDigitalBoy Loc: Clermont, Florida

What a wonderful "after" image. Great HDR processing. I find it remarkable that both the foreground and background are in focus.

I like your style of processing! Don't let anyone persuade you otherwise!

Len Van Hirtum Loc: Nashua, NH

Hi RV;

I rarely am critical of other's work; I - typically endeavor to communicate advice which is based on my age (old) and experience (intermediate)

Thanks for your kind words

Len Van Hirtum

altheman Loc: Christchurch, New Zealand

Thanks
I agree with you although I have never been one for taking notes. I was just a little annoyed that you had made assumptions about the time the photographs were taken when I felt I had clearly stated the approximate time. ie the golden hour just before sunset.
A note of explanation: Here in Canterbury NZ we get a foehn wind we call the "Nor' Wester" one the things this produces is the "Nor' West Arch" and as you can see when the sun dips below the "arch" we can get some quite spectacular sunsets and before sun actually sets the light becomes incredibly warm as you can see from the shot of the trees (the only pp is a slight increase in contrast) the first photos are not mine they are from google images

Nor' West Arch


Nor' West Arch sunset


Nor West Arch 1/6/13


Golden trees in the golden hour just before sunset as the sun dips below the nor' west arch

Len Van Hirtum Loc: Nashua, NH

These images are "Spectacular"

Len

sford122 Loc: Amarillo TX

I am not experienced in shooting HDR. My only feedback is to tell you how much I like your work. I'd definitely have this enlarged and hanging on my wall if it were mine. The fact that you shot it handheld is amazing. Love the colors and the water reflection.

SoHillGuy Loc: Washington

SoHillGuy Loc: Washington

Well done for hand held. I like your HDR interpretation of colors. The only thing I notice, and only when under large magnification is noise which has occurred in the sky.

Chinaman Loc: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Hi alterman
Well done. It came out well aligned and sharp for a hand-held attempt. I was surprised to see the amount of details in the reflections. I like how you have included a foreground because that gives the image a sense of depth.
As I was srolling down the page, I thought the image was a bit contrasty, but didn't appear to be so when the whole image is viewed. The downloaded image certainly showed a lot of 'grain'. There is also chromatic abberation in the overhanging leaves on the top right. You need to take care of these issues which can spoil an image. Your HDR and editing process is incomplete if you forego them.
I feel this is an image of 2 images. I think if you crop the top half of the image above the line of golden trees and show some sky, you would be drawn in by the lovely green reeds, concentrate very much more on the beautiful reflections and then the bridge and other objects at the waterline and explore the lovely green and golden trees. Compositionally, it will also look better. I would also increase the contrast of the water to bring up the colours of the reflection more.
The second attempt is to crop above the reeds. The viewer then looks at the waterline first and is then drawn up along the trees to the sky. Again, compositionally, it will look better. The two trees look a bit dark to me and selectively lightening them will bring some details and interest back to them. I know they are backlit and therefore in shadows, so don't overdo it or it will look un-natural. I would also darken the sky a bit to reduce the contrast that I mentioned in the beginning.
Two images for the price of one - thats something you don't get often.

Chinaman Loc: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

Isn't it amazing that these bridges are still standing.
Len, I feel your third image has been overdone. The water is looking very plasticky, the leaves are too contrasty and the rock on the right has become unsharp (which seems contradictory, because increasing contrast ususally sharpens).

Chinaman Loc: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

You may be right about the colour balance problem, but HDR is best for scenes of high contrast, ie bright highlights and deep shadows. So afternoon and night time are best times to use HDR, IMO.