Mazda Protege5 HDR ImportFest 2008 (poll)

[Xerox]

I know that there are people who:
1) Don't like HDR - period.
2) Love HDR and the stronger the better.
3) Like HDR but must be subtle.

I see myself as #3 (like HDR but must be subtle) but sometimes a strong HDR looks good too.
I'm kinda starting with HDR and while working with the tone mapping it's easy to get sucked into it and do too much. So I need fresh eyes to give opinions. Thanks!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2128/2495677869_8e3d5f5369_o.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wifi_john/sets/72157605010350071/)
Click on picture to goto my ImportFest flickr set (still processing so not all pics are up yet)

Original:
http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p101/planetxerox/IMG_5253.jpg

[elysium]

Looks like a great shot. Sadly the halo's put me off a bit.

[aridan]

Sometimes strong HDR can make an image look interesting such as in the example you have posted above. But most of the time, overdone HDR just messes up with a photographic picture to a point where it becomes more of a painting than a photograph. Just my opinion, and hence, I fall into option #1.

[squashed]

For some reason the halo's in this shot do not bother me.

[Xerox]

Thanks guys. Do you see the halo all around the car? I only see very slight at the bottom.

[PhotosGuy]

I like the sky & background, but something between the two images would work better for me if the object is to make the car look good. A lot of guys here skip that step.
If the object is to do something "different", then you've managed that.

[Mark1]

Thanks guys. Do you see the halo all around the car? I only see very slight at the bottom.

I see a major halo on the bottom, off of the drivers sided of the wind shield top and bottom, under the 2 black cars, and the window of the black/yellow car (the one cut in half). All of which look like you could burn in to match. The sky looks great. But the car is starting to look like a toy. And that may not be a bad thing. Its just how it looks to me.

After darkening the halos. Id do a few more things. Like clone out the joints in the pavement. And the chalk lines on the ground. Darken the gray car and wheel on the left edge. Then it would be closer to complete.

This is a great attempt I think, just not a finished product.

[Mark1]

Xerox origional...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2128/2495677869_8e3d5f5369_o.jpg

My quick edit.....
http://img234.imageshack.us/img234/2760/fixtk0.jpg

[Xerox]

Thanks everyone! And thanks, Mark - it looks good.
I'll try to tone it down.

[ancientsanskrit]

For some reason I just really like it. Something is attracting me, perhaps the car's color. The halo doesn't really bother me that much.