Just having some fun with HDR

[-Douglas-]

So I was messing around with the "batch processing" mode of the trial version of "Photomatix" and generated 4 or 5 different renderings of this shot and then combined them using PS3. notice no watermark, hmmmm?

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp49/dougle/POTN/testHDR/PondBrktA_11-02-08_2518And7moreComp.jpg (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp49/dougle/POTN/testHDR/PondBrktA_11-02-08_2518And7moreComp.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

And here is another one done in a similar manner:

http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp49/dougle/POTN/testHDR/mergedPMps3.jpg (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/%5BIMG%5Dhttp://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp49/dougle/POTN/testHDR/mergedPMps3.jpg%5B/IMG%5D)

This second one I think shows more details in the shadows and not as saturated. I can't tell which one I like better though of these two.
Any and all C&C welcome, it's all good!

this one is another PM PS3 combo just to see how it would come out:
notice slight watermark in the clouds,
http://i396.photobucket.com/albums/pp49/dougle/POTN/testHDR/combinePMPS3.jpg

[canonloader]

I like that first one of the two. More contrast and saturation. Maybe open the combine as a RAW in CS3 and adjust some Blacks to give it depth?

[-Douglas-]

thanks Mitch, now that I see them close together, the first one looks better to me as well.
going to try the blacks as well.

[pennypue]

I kinda like the third one....but it's kinda weird looking. I like it because it looks like a cross between a pastel drawing and a watercolour. :)

[-Douglas-]

thanks Pennypue,
but it's kinda weird looking.

I agree, hehehe, maybe what Mitch said about the blacks ! And my inexperience as well.

[canonloader]

The Blacks slider just brings out the lines in the image a little more. There are millions of lines, and the final effect is like giving the photo some depth to it, closer to a 3D look. Hard to explain, but it usually works good. :)

[tmcman]

Thanks for the demo.
Fascinating idea.
Sometimes I feel like a high detail rendition has some things going for it
and on the other hand a smoother rendition has merits too.
I'll have to try blending them next time.
I have blended an hdr and a single exposure but never two hdrs...