Shiny HDR look?

I'm sure most of you know what I mean. For some reason all of my HDR images come out looking kind of the same. I'd really like to learn how to make them amazing and glossy looking.

Here's what I mean. Mine always turn out like this.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/57482477@N08/5​465501323/

Bump your saturation up a bit, the image itself looks okay, the colors are a bit muted...and bump the contrast, looks a tad flat
Post a link to those you are trying to emulate..so we have something to go by

I guess like this:

http://wallpapers.varj​ati.com …ke-Wallpaper-1280x800.jpg

I realize the water is what is shiny, but it seems like the whole photograph seems more real and beautiful compared to that "painted" look.

Max Powers wrote in post #11941246
I guess like this:

I realize the water is what is shiny, but it seems like the whole photograph seems more real and beautiful compared to that "painted" look.

That photo probably was not an HDR.. they probably just used some GNDs or NDs to neutralize the sky.

EDIT: it is an HDR, so that means it would come down to your work flow.

What is your HDR workflow?

I normally take the however many exposures I've taken into Photomatix, merge and then straight into photoshop for the rest. Contrast, saturation, sharpening, etc.

Lately I've been trying to do it all in photoshop following instructions by Scott Kelby. It's supposed to be more photo realistic and then it incorporates high pass sharpening.

Max Powers wrote in post #11941246
I guess like this:

http://wallpapers.varj​ati.com …ke-Wallpaper-1280x800.jpg

I realize the water is what is shiny, but it seems like the whole photograph seems more real and beautiful compared to that "painted" look.

there is no reflection on the water in your image because you have no light for a reflection and you are to far away from the water to pick up the reflection if there was one..And fast moving water in my experience only really reflects at night when doing long exposure. I have 1 similar to what you linked to but the conditions were very similar, slow to non moving water, very close proximity to the water etc...

Max Powers wrote in post #11941180
I'm sure most of you know what I mean. For some reason all of my HDR images come out looking kind of the same. I'd really like to learn how to make them amazing and glossy looking. Here's what I mean. Mine always turn out like this. IMG_2317 by Chenelster, on Flickr

For it to be shiny it must be of something shiny. Make the photo on a sunny day and make it when the water is much smoother.

Dull lighting can't be magically converted to shiny lighting.

Are you doing any selective dodging and burning or are you just applying global changes?

With my HDR workflow I usually set any noise reduction and white balance corrections in LR on the raw images and then export them to Photomatix. I simply use the Fusion Auto setting and then export it right back to lightroom where i do all of my final editing. I have found that I have a really hard time getting colors and tones right if I try and tweak it in Photoamatix first.
In LR most of my workflow consists of selective dodging and burning (a lot) coupled with contrast; black point, exposure, clarity, tone curve, and sharpening adjustments. When photomatix exports the images for some reason they seem to have no contrast and no sharpening at all even if it was applied to the Raw before export. Just some thoughts.
The image you have up right now looks a little dark and the sky look quite ominous. Was it about to storm when you took this image?

Looks over-sharpened or over processed in your HDR software.

Scatterbrained wrote in post #11942928
Are you doing any selective dodging and burning or are you just applying global changes?

With my HDR workflow I usually set any noise reduction and white balance corrections in LR on the raw images and then export them to Photomatix. I simply use the Fusion Auto setting and then export it right back to lightroom where i do all of my final editing. I have found that I have a really hard time getting colors and tones right if I try and tweak it in Photoamatix first.
In LR most of my workflow consists of selective dodging and burning (a lot) coupled with contrast; black point, exposure, clarity, tone curve, and sharpening adjustments. When photomatix exports the images for some reason they seem to have no contrast and no sharpening at all even if it was applied to the Raw before export. Just some thoughts.
The image you have up right now looks a little dark and the sky look quite ominous. Was it about to storm when you took this image?

Hmm, I'll try the burning and dodging. I haven't really played with that kind of stuff yet.

And yeah, it was about to rain pretty hardcore. Didn't really stop for a few days!

Do more in PS. Cant get shine off wavy water tho.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Yeah for sure.

Thanks

You could always just create the water reflections for some glossiness.

...I meant to add...you'll never see the Bay that smooth of course.

HOSTED PHOTO
please log in to view hosted photos in full size.

Holy Cow, Gene. That is quite a fantasy! Can you imagine?