maryp Loc: Boston

I love the effects of HDR and have been following this forum excitedly. I purchased Photomatix Essentials this morning and just tried it. Since I had no bracketed pictures, I over and under exposed two RAW images by 2. For the sun/clouds I had to photoshop out rain drops on my lens. Is there hope?

From last trip to Venice


Sun trying to peak through over Boston

MadMike Loc: SALT LAKE

These look good, but can't wait untill you do one with multiple exposures. The Pseudo- HDR is great, but I don't think you can get the detail that you do using three seperate exposures. Looking forward to seeing more from you, and others. Madmike

2 Dog Don Loc: Virginia Beach VA

I agree as I am in the process of learning HDR I just bought an A65 and was sorry to see that the bracketing is limited to either 0.3 or 0.7ev, so I will have to use exposure compensation to work outside these limits

lorenww Loc: St. Petersburg

HDR is cool and you have the hang of it. I shoot +-2 which is as far as my camera goes, looking forward to more.

maryp Loc: Boston

Thank you! I did some bracketing yesterday but of no real subject, just to see the camera's capabilities.

conkerwood

Once you start bracketing exposures then you will see the incredible flexibility that this process offers. I have to say that the idea of over and under exposing a pic and then recombining in photomatix is not the best way to go though for some reason that's what people choose to do. It generates a lot of noise and putting a single pic into photomatix and allowing it to generate the pseudo HDR is, in my opinion, a much better way to go.

I am really looking forward to seeing your pics once you get into processing bracketed pics, as I think I can pick up a real sense of excitement in the way you write. HDR done well is an amazing art form (and I choose the word art very deliberately) HDR done badly is cringeworthy. I think the best advice I can give to anyone starting out is that HDR is not an end in itself. HDR is a process.

Apart fro HDR the composition of the sunrays is lovely, I would love to see the pic before processing. But if you look carefully you can see all of the noise towards the bottom half. You also have a lot of marks on your sensor, time to get a cleaning kit and brave the world of sensor cleaning.

Look forward to hearing from you

Peter

maryp Loc: Boston

I will download the original when I get home. You're pushing me out of my comfort zone with sensor cleaning!! :)

MadMike Loc: SALT LAKE

The only thing I see wrong with a single image, is that you do not pull the detail out of the shadows, or lower the Blow Out in the bright areas. I'm not perfect, but I have seen some done much better than what I can do so far. One suggestion for getting better HDR is to shoot at 100 ISO and on a tripod. I'll have go out tomorrow and practice what I preach, but carrying a tripod is a pain for me, but that's part of the process.

maryp Loc: Boston

Here are the originals

Boston


Venice