Modest HDR attempt

Let me have your critical analysis on this HDR shot.

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Any reason you didn't level the horizon?

I'm not a fan of heavily processed HDR's, but this one I like. Though, I would fix the artifacts that you have going on along the left edge above the horizon.

My bigger problem with the shot is whether or not the HDR is the only thing making this photo intersting. My eye has no one place to land on. It roams from the Water Works, to the Schuylkill, to Boat House Row and onto the sky.

oversaturated imho and what happend to the sky, aside from the that the shoot is composed very well, just try not going so extreme with the colors and hdr effect untill you know its limits, i am not an hdr expert i just know what "look" i like

Agree that the shot is over-cooked. I think the horizon has to work that way as far as straightening it. If the horizon was to be straightened, then the buildings (which are the subject as i understand it) would all by crooked. It might could use a very slight amount, but the actual horizon is not what should be used as a reference for straightening.

The light is on the edge of surreal - just a bit too good to be true and not false enough to be surreal.
I support the posters that suggest straightening the horizon. The boathouse (is that what is called?) is leaning to the left as far as I can see.

Thanks, guess I'll keep working at keeping it toned down a bit and working at focal points.

I know where this is Right between the Spring Garden bridge and Art Museum. I like the effect on the trees to the right and the boat houses in the background. The foreground building is too yellow and the water almost looks oily.

I like the look of the HDR. There seems to be a color cast, and the horizon isn't straight. I gave it a quick go, just using ACR. Adjusted WB and straightened.

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JimmyG wrote in post #9286764
I know where this is Right between the Spring Garden bridge and Art Museum. I like the effect on the trees to the right and the boat houses in the background. The foreground building is too yellow and the water almost looks oily.

Sunset, it cast a yellowish shadow. To much push on the temperature setting.

That's true, the sunset usually gives you a pretty warm tint. Sometimes it can be a bit much though. The white balance adjustment is usually done to taste. I really dig what HDR did for the scene as a whole though. There are still some pretty dark shadows, clipped actually, as well as some clipped highlights. With the dynamic range of this scene I would add an additional underexposed and overexposed exposure.

Apart from the straightening I like the original better Carguy4471. Your WB adjustment makes it far too blueish for me. It lost the nice sunset feel - even if a tad overdone.

vk2gwk wrote in post #9287114
Apart from the straightening I like the original better Carguy4471. Your WB adjustment makes it far too blueish for me. It lost the nice sunset feel - even if a tad overdone.

As I go back and look at it now, you're pretty right. I think somewhere between the two would be a good medium.

i was thinking somwthing like this how you dont mind my edit

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The more variations I see, the better I like the original.

They are all overprocessed. Also not much of a fan of the composition as a whole.