San Fran -- my HDR attempt.

There will be a poll on this one. I would like to hear some comments, on the way this turned out. I have seen some of the awesome HDRs (Duder comes to mind), so wanted to give it a shot.

Please let me know which one has more of an impact, the color, or b&w version. Apologies for the size and quality...but that's best for most users (56K and BB).

Canon 5D and 17-40L, polarizer, 4 images merged into one. A bit of PP, and here they are...so please, take the time to comment...even if it is a negative one.

Color:

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'image/gif' | Byte size: ZERO | PHOTOBUCKET ERROR IMAGE

I'd like to see a bit more contrast in the color.

Thanks...Stefan. Appreciate the insight.

I think there is too much foreground.

KAC

Thanks for the info, Kenny. This picture was taken from Mt. Tam. which is a little ways away from San Fran. as you can tell. Would you crop it from the bottom, so that the trees were out of the picture? As in an inch or so from the bottom? Or otherwise.

Well actually .... if I were taking this, I think I'd use a zoom and zoom in one part of the city....of course that might not be what you were trying to do with this. I guess it just seems to me that if it is to be a pic of SF then that should be most of what is in the picture.

Hope that helps...

KAC

Guess I should have labelled it, 'Views from Mt. Tam.' as a better title. Maybe that was what this one was supposed to convey.

Thanks for the help. Appreciate the comments, and time to judge this one. Nice job.

I'm a newbie to digital photography....what is HDR?

BTW, the pictures are beautiful, I am from the SF Bay Area, it makes me miss it even more.

Sorry, none of them really do it for me. I love that you tried, as I really like HDR a lot. Of the three, I prefer the last. My reason for not caring for them is that they seem washed out, almost like there was a mist or fog in the air. Keep trying, do what you like, that is what matters much more than my opinion.

Added this instead of editing:
Forgot to vote, voted I didn't like either for reasons just given. Do you use Photomatix? I have been using it and enjoy the affects although the program isn't that user friendly and the manual is certainly lacking.

Now many here will come on and say maybe this is tone mapping not HDR. I really don't kow the difference and don't really care, I consider any of the zoomed up images in Photomatix HDR regardless (I love my ignorance at times!) How did you create your HDR images?

Edited to add:
I just did an exif on the last image and it said the software was photoshop. The plug-ins won't be nearly as effective as Photomatix. Give it a try with the free download and see what you think.

I tried Photomatix, and didn't really like what it was producing. Maybe it's the lack of manuals, I dunno, but it doesn't seem to work with the images.

As for the 'washed out' effect, that's just the way San Fran. was that day, as you can see the fog/clouds/etc. in the mountains on the right and left.

Thanks for the vote, and the tips. I will take a look into the plug-in again, I suppose.

joegolf68 wrote in post #2930036
Sorry, none of them really do it for me. I love that you tried, as I really like HDR a lot. Of the three, I prefer the last. My reason for not caring for them is that they seem washed out, almost like there was a mist or fog in the air. Keep trying, do what you like, that is what matters much more than my opinion.

Yes, there was a lot of fog in the area, that day. Just reread your comments...

#3 looks great

Thanks Calico. Was a cold wind up there, that evening...but an awesome view. Well worth the trip to Mt. Tam.

Nice shots but I think they could have been improved by better lighting conditions, and a more interesting sky. A line of interesting clouds along the horizon, and some more contrasty, lower light would have brought the picture to life. Nice effort though! Why not return another day?

I like the bottom one best.

edit: Also I think the large amount of tree in the left foreground spoils it a little. Could you get round a bit, or perhaps get on a longer lens? - I think the scene gets interesting round about where the water starts, and you'd still get those nice hills on the right hand side in. Just my opinion, mind.