HDR Landscape - First test image

eummagic

New member
Hello all,
I have taken 7 snaps with exposures +3, +2, +1, 0, -1, -2, -3 and used Photomatix Pro to create this HDR image. This is my first shot, so pls advise me how to improve further on...
Bharathapuzha_HDR (1158 x 768).jpg
 

JoeLewisPhotography

Senior Member
Looks great, but 2 things i notice right away....#1 is how dark it is on the lower right....it is distracting, and takes away from the image...if it is something that cannot be fixed, try cropping it "portrait" and using just the left side where the trees and clouds are (focal points). There doesn't seem to be much to look at on the right side of the image anyway.
#2, clean your lens. I see several "splotches" throughout the sky...the most noticable is right in the clouds...These could also be birds....with multiple exposures birds can look like blotches....You can always clone these out in photoshop, either way.

nice job on the first attempt though! It takes some practice.
 

eummagic

New member
Looks great, but 2 things i notice right away....#1 is how dark it is on the lower right....it is distracting, and takes away from the image...if it is something that cannot be fixed, try cropping it "portrait" and using just the left side where the trees and clouds are (focal points). There doesn't seem to be much to look at on the right side of the image anyway.
#2, clean your lens. I see several "splotches" throughout the sky...the most noticable is right in the clouds...These could also be birds....with multiple exposures birds can look like blotches....You can always clone these out in photoshop, either way.

nice job on the first attempt though! It takes some practice.
Your suggestions well noted...Thank you
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
You may have the HDR "strength" slider set to high which can result in parts of the shot being "over cooked". Also try using fewer shots. You also have to remember that HDR is most effective in high contrast scenes, very dark shadows and bright highlights. If what you are shooting is more to the flat side then a smaller f/stop range works better. Your shot goes from +3 to -3. In a scene like this try shooting one stop up, one normal, and one stop down. With HDR "more" is not necessarily better.
 

eummagic

New member
You may have the HDR "strength" slider set to high which can result in parts of the shot being "over cooked". Also try using fewer shots. You also have to remember that HDR is most effective in high contrast scenes, very dark shadows and bright highlights. If what you are shooting is more to the flat side then a smaller f/stop range works better. Your shot goes from +3 to -3. In a scene like this try shooting one stop up, one normal, and one stop down. With HDR "more" is not necessarily better.
Thanks for your suggestions, in that case can you pls suggest which snaps should I merge from +3, +2, +1, 0, -1 ,-2 ,-3? I will select those exposures and do the HDR merge and will update in the forum for my understanding...
I am confident that you gurus will definitely make my shots to best shots...
 

Joseph Bautsch

New member
The +1, 0, -1 are the most common but they are not necessarily the best ones . Try playing with different combinations for different effects, just two of the shots, a +1, and a 0 or a combination of +1, 0, and a -2. Experimenting with different combinations of exposures will teach you more about HDR faster that reading a book or looking at videos.
 

eummagic

New member
Hello all,

I have taken suggestions from our gurus and have used exposures 0, -1 & -2 and cropped a bit. Pls comment & advise...
Bharathapuzha_HDR (1245 x 797).jpg
 

fotojack

Senior Member
Yes, that looks much better.......even better than the one I did of yours. :) Using 3 exposures is the way to go. Like Joseph said, keep playing with the exposutes with 3 shots, and you will see something you like.
 

eummagic

New member
That looks better. Try other combinations. Play with the settings. That's the way to learn to get the HDR you want.
Yes, that looks much better.......even better than the one I did of yours. :) Using 3 exposures is the way to go. Like Joseph said, keep playing with the exposutes with 3 shots, and you will see something you like.
Thank you for your comments, Iam really happy to be a member of this forum. Your critics make me learn new things...
 
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