For what it's worth, the original shot is so good that its hard to say I really like the painted one. Maybe if you take an ugly shot (if you are even able to take an ugly shot), I could probably appreciate the paint brush effect more :-0 Just say'n
Ok, this is one of the 3 original shots the HDR was done from. As you can see, I do quite a bit of post processing to most of my images.
Since I worked for a color lab in another life, I very much enjoy all the bells and whistles that photoshop gives me while not being in the total darkness.
QUOTE]
I love PS as well. I use about 0.25% of the program, but I'm learning every day. Your PP makes a world of difference in your shots! As recommended by you, Helene, Jen and others, I have been using Photomatix thlately and really like the program. Yesterday's B&W and today's post are both PP'd using Photomatix.
In all my HDR trials (and errors) I've found that I need to take at least 5, and sometimes even 9 shots to make sure I have the shadows and highlights. I end up using 3 or 4 that I pick from the batch. QUOTE]
Learned something new again! I went from shooting a 7 bracket shot back to a 3 bracket with a full stop on either side. Didn't seem like the 7 came out well. I never thought about picking the best individuals out of the batch.
I love this site!!!