Boston Photo Walk Tone Mapped Images

[polarbare]

Feel free to comment.

1) The Fountain Shot
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3457/3737120893_5ac0d0be71_o.jpg

2) Northern Ave. Bridge
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3421/3737915276_5139134e70_o.jpg

3) Public Alley 101
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/3737121265_9326a176e2_o.jpg

4) Downriver
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3442/3737916134_1745b56134_o.jpg

[fly my pretties]

#1 is a seriously decent image, the processing on 2 and 4 are overdone in my opinion. I think image #3 would be as good as #1 if you were able to fix the sky, it's flaws are very visible.

That being said, in strict lighting terms, 1 and 3 are exceptional.

[jgrussell]

Not sure about the rest but #1 is a real winner. Spectacular image.

[gconda]

1 & 3 are wicked !

[gconda]

are these true HDR or single images tonemaped ?

[Harreh]

The smiley is awesome!

[Picture North Carolina]

Stunning! Fantastic! Precise!

(Oh, the pictures? I like them - especially that first pano / wide angle).

But what I'm commenting about is the subject title of the post! Stunning! A photographer who gets is - the difference between HDR and single-image tone mapping!

[polarbare]

@gconda -- just tone mapped from a single exposure loaded into Photomatix.

Thanks CannedHeat - That's specifically why I said tone mapped and not HDR. Hopefully we can get more folks to follow suit! :)

@fly -- The sky in #3 is tone mapped with no other Photoshopping done to it, what flaws are you referring to? The gradient of it isn't linear but that's just how the sky looked.

thanks for the responses everyone.

[Picture North Carolina]

P.S. - jokes and comments aside, I really do like that first one. Based upon what looks like extreme parallax warping, it looks like it may be a 180' pano?

If so, did you tonemap individual frames before assembling, or tonemap assembled frames?

[fly my pretties]

@gconda -- just tone mapped from a single exposure loaded into Photomatix.

Thanks CannedHeat - That's specifically why I said tone mapped and not HDR. Hopefully we can get more folks to follow suit! :)

@fly -- The sky in #3 is tone mapped with no other Photoshopping done to it, what flaws are you referring to? The gradient of it isn't linear but that's just how the sky looked.

thanks for the responses everyone.

If you look along the tops of the buildings, you will see where the halos are 'pinching' the line of the building. I always notice it, because it makes the picture look like it's got a couple of pebbles stuck underneath it..

[polarbare]

Not quite that wide, but probably 120ish, shot with the Sigma 10-20 f4.5-5.6 - 5 shots stitched I believe. The stitching isn't very good IMO but I like the overall feel of the shot.

Procedure was to load photos into Lightroom, export as .TIF into PS using automate->photomerge. Basic brightness/contrast adjustment then used photomatix filter to apply tone mapping to the entire image. Used filter->distort-lens correction and cropped to a rectangle.

[polarbare]

@fly -- wow, can't believe I didn't notice! That'll be fixed before this goes to print. Thanks for noting that!

[fly my pretties]

Yeah no worries man, sorry for seeming so picky.. it's only because it's such an exceptionally taken picture that the flaw really caught my eye.

Awesome shot, and yeah, well, well worth a print!

[polarbare]

If people aren't picky about the details in our photos, how can we hope to improve? :)

[wolfden]

1 and 3 are excellant processing

[Scottes]

Sweet images Brad.

Where were you for image #4, Downriver? I can't place how you'd get that angle...

Edit: Never mind. Googlemaps showed me that you must have been somewhere behind the skating rink on Commercial Street.

[polarbare]

If you know where the basketball courts are where the riverwalk meets the base of the Zakim, we were right down there. We had walked down Hull street and crossed over to the riverwalk and I took it from right in that area. Sigma 10-20 to get a nice wide view.

And thanks for everyone comments, particularly the nit-picks. :)

[Scottes]

Yep, I know where to go next time. Thanks.