Fountains Abbey Cloisters: My first pic post ,interested to hear what you reckon Mick...

swarfy Loc: UK

My first pic post ,interested to hear what you reckon
Mick

before

(Download)

After

(Download)

hikercheryl Loc: Madison, NC

Mick,
Very nice capture! I would like to see one somewhere between the original and the HRD you posted. I am just trying to learn to do HDR. What program did you use?
Also maybe the right side, as I view it on my screen, should be rotated up a smidgen?
Cheryl

busted_shutter

Little too much for me. Believe it's done best when it leaves you guessing. That point where you want to say something's different, but you can't quite figure out why. Did two renditions...if you'll permit, would like to post them.

Mercer Loc: Houston, TX, USA

swarfy wrote:

My first pic post ,interested to hear what you reckon
Mick

I would level the horizon and keep the original. Sorry.

simplesimon Loc: UK

Mick
An excellent subject for HDR, but slightly over-cooked IMHO.
When looking at the work of others who are"new" to HDR, it appears to be a common instinct to do this when 'playing' with a new technique. Just for interest sake, are you using a post processing program or "in camera" for your HDR?
Keep experimenting - it is great fun

joehel2 Loc: Cherry Hill, NJ

IMHO, the original was so good, it didn't benefit from the HDR.

Peter Boyd Loc: Blyth nr. Newcastle U.K.

swarfy wrote:

My first pic post ,interested to hear what you reckon
Mick

Nice effort, but you don't really need HDR for this shot. Here's one I did as a single raw exposure processed in Elements 11, and then used layers and levels to balance the outside light in the window at the end.

Actually my avatar shows the balance better than this version

(Download)

Photoman74 Loc: Conroe Tx

Agree :thumbup: Subject :thumbup: Technique
HDR is one of the tools that has a very large learning curve.
One has to learn and preform each aspect.
Many tutorials stop with the finished image as yours.
Take this image and now give it back some the shadows and lights that drew you to the image.
Take several trips to this location at different times after you have studied many photographers images and techniques, compare to this , measure growth. Encouragement :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

MWojton Loc: Yardley, PA

Peter, what you did looks great without using HDR. Could you explain to me (in as much detail as you have time for) what you did how long it took (how many different steps)

Thanks

MW

Peter Boyd Loc: Blyth nr. Newcastle U.K.

MWojton wrote:

Peter, what you did looks great without using HDR. Could you explain to me (in as much detail as you have time for) what you did how long it took (how many different steps)

Thanks

MW

Hi MW, I took one shot in raw, metered for the internal light. I then converted the raw file to j-peg in Elements 11. Next I made a selection of the window area using the lasso tool and used a levels adjustment layer to darken the exterior until it was visible instead of just looking white. Then I merged the two layers and added some sharpening. Altogether this took about ten minutes. Another way to achieve the same effect would be to produce 2 raw conversions, one for the interior and one for the exterior, and combine them in Elements.
Pete.

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

Peter Boyd wrote:

Nice effort, but you don't really need HDR for this shot. Here's one I did as a single raw exposure processed in Elements 11, and then used layers and levels to balance the outside light in the window at the end.

Peter,

In your version, you lost the composition of the first post, this was where my eye was drawn. In your version the window is near center of the frame, in the first version the eye is drawn toward the window by the pillars in the right of the frame.

Your image processing of light and shadows is much better than the HDR version. The secret to good HDR is knowing when to stop.

Michael G

Peter Boyd Loc: Blyth nr. Newcastle U.K.

Armadillo wrote:

Peter,

In your version, you lost the composition of the first post, this was where my eye was drawn. In your version the window is near center of the frame, in the first version the eye is drawn toward the window by the pillars in the right of the frame.

Your image processing of light and shadows is much better than the HDR version. The secret to good HDR is knowing when to stop.
Michael G

Hi Michael, I did not muck about with the OP's picture, my version is a picture I took last year, that is why the composition is different. I wasn't criticising the OP's picture, just showing a different way of producing a result.
Pete.

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

Peter Boyd wrote:

Hi Michael, I did not muck about with the OP's picture, my version is a picture I took last year, that is why the composition is different. I wasn't criticising the OP's picture, just showing a different way of producing a result.
Pete.

Peter,

OK. I think you can see why I came to that conclusion.

I think you can also see the difference in composition, if you take your exposure, your PP on your exposure, and use the other composition, you would have a winner.

Have a good day,

Michael G

busted_shutter

Peter Boyd wrote:

Hi Michael, I did not muck about with the OP's picture, my version is a picture I took last year, that is why the composition is different. I wasn't criticising the OP's picture, just showing a different way of producing a result.
Pete.

Hijacking a new OP's thread....not cool at all!

Armadillo Loc: Ventura, CA

busted_shutter wrote:

Hijacking a new OP's thread....not cool at all!

busted_shutter,

Nobody hijacked any thread. I commented on Peters image, and he replied to my comment. All was well within the concept of the OP posting of an image.

Michael G