HDR Panoramas, worth it?

I have been shooting some HDR panos lately with mixed results. what do you guys think?

Nice colors, very subtle HDR. I like that. Needs better composition IMHO.

1. Too much grass, don't really know what the focal point is. I want to see more castle and the beautiful orange glow on the trees.
2. Distortion ruins it for me. Perhaps putting the tripod INSIDE the corner of the fence would be better? Subject in center, move it left or right.
3. Distortion again really shows in the handrail at left of frame. I like the leading lines but they go right to the center again. Turning slightly to the right could have helped. Great color and reflections.

FarmerTed1971 wrote in post #17511861
Nice colors, very subtle HDR. I like that. Needs better composition IMHO.

1. Too much grass, don't really know what the focal point is. I want to see more castle and the beautiful orange glow on the trees.
2. Distortion ruins it for me. Perhaps putting the tripod INSIDE the corner of the fence would be better? Subject in center, move it left or right.
3. Distortion again really shows in the handrail at left of frame. I like the leading lines but they go right to the center again. Turning slightly to the right could have helped. Great color and reflections.

1- I think you are right. I was going for a wide view of the castle, but after cropping it, I think I prefer it that way (cropped)
2- I was doing the distortion intentionally! I will probably re-shoot in a weeks time or so there. Maybe worth a try
3- I know about the distortion, finished shooting it, realized that I should have been at the center of the small "bridge" but thought: -Feck it, I'm tired, I'm going home!-
I am happy with the colors and that the HDR is not too hard. Was looking for a more natural tone

As far as the HDR goes it looks really good in the first and last image, very subtle. The second image seems off though. Its probably not your fault but the sky seems very blotchy. Especially in the middle of the photo above the building with the bluish greenish blotches.

I like the subtlety of the HDR in these except in the sky on 1 & 2. I don't even know if it is a result of the HDR or other editing/merging but I see weird stuff going on.

On my monitor in #1 I see the sky starting off white, then getting pinkish above the castle/building and then a white stripe just right of the castle, above the tree and then pink again.

On #2 I see a white band separating most of the trees/building/horizon from the sky, with some kind of weird color transitions to the blue part.

Three is my favorite of the bunch, even with some distortion. The sky looks more even to me and the colors are beautiful.

Hope this is helpful and thank you for sharing!

Thanks for all the input guys! I agree with the sky being a bit over the place on the second one. On the first one, the light changed quite rapidly during the sunset and probably that is what creates those effects on the sky, from white to pink. Still much to learn, but i am having fun with it!