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zepps_apprentice

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HDR is funny, some photos I think it might help, actually hurt it. It's a crap shoot, although I've only been using it for about a week. The B&W at the top is also HDR, that photo I didn't think HDR would help, and to my surprise it did.

Do you have experience/use HDR?

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HDR is funny, some photos I think it might help, actually hurt it. It's a crap shoot, although I've only been using it for about a week. The B&W at the top is also HDR, that photo I didn't think HDR would help, and to my surprise it did.

Do you have experience/use HDR?

Yeah I thought it might be(although the fact I didnt know hilights that its a good shot IMHO ;)), the real giveaway in the 2nd shot though is that you can see that areas in shadow are just as bright as the rest of the pic where as we don't know what direction the sun was shining in the B&W shot.

I'v not used it but personally I'm not a fan of the "HDR" look, there are some very good pics that use merging but this idea that "shadows are evil" isnt one I agree with. For a pic like that train shot I'd guess the results maybe better if the two exposures werent as far appart in brightness.

Edited by greenman
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HDR is similar to Jimmy using the theremin. It's not the main instrument, but in the right time and place, it works. Using it all the time would be a bore. I to, was not a fan of HDR, but I think my analogy works. My short experience with it, I feel it works best with landscape/cityscape photos IMO. That's why I was very surprised at the results I got for the top B&W photo.

I do enjoy using it in the right time and place. Again, IMO, it doesn't work with 85%-95% of the photos I take. There are quite a few photographs you have taken where it would give the photo a different feel and look. I enjoy your work.

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HDR is similar to Jimmy using the theremin. It's not the main instrument, but in the right time and place, it works. Using it all the time would be a bore. I to, was not a fan of HDR, but I think my analogy works. My short experience with it, I feel it works best with landscape/cityscape photos IMO. That's why I was very surprised at the results I got for the top B&W photo.

I do enjoy using it in the right time and place. Again, IMO, it doesn't work with 85%-95% of the photos I take. There are quite a few photographs you have taken where it would give the photo a different feel and look. I enjoy your work.

Are you using multiple different shots taken from a tripod merged together or the same shot altered? the former seems like the main use of HDR to me to extend the dramatic range of the sensor.

That Train pic is a very well composed shot but the HDR does nothing but hurt it for me, alot of the colours have lost there vibrancy and the shadows being so bright just looks unnatural.

clearbeacon028.jpg

clearbeacon031.jpg

clearbeacon044.jpg

Edited by greenman
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It's not the "real" HDR which uses at least three different shots w/different exposures. It's done on one photo, so no tripod needed. Here's the link to the program I'm using. http://www.hdrsoft.com/

Very nice photographs above, I especially like the middle one. Are the first two the same area but different sides of the hill?

Here's some photos from yesterday I took at the NY Botanical Gardens. All have the HDR added to them.

378400_2718646489282_1350610480_3005315_1686823482_n.jpg

308454_2718649929368_1350610480_3005316_1241618968_n.jpg

381100_2718652609435_1350610480_3005318_1758574604_n.jpg

376753_2718654569484_1350610480_3005320_678736507_n.jpg

386234_2718655369504_1350610480_3005321_995826412_n.jpg

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It's not the "real" HDR which uses at least three different shots w/different exposures. It's done on one photo, so no tripod needed. Here's the link to the program I'm using. http://www.hdrsoft.com/

381100_2718652609435_1350610480_3005318_1758574604_n.jpg

Again I like the B&W pic the most, I spose because the format is already somewhat removed from reality. The Model town does I agree benefit from the "HDR look" for the same kinds of reasons. I'd try doing the multiple exposure version aswell, its hard to get the settings right from what I gather but I have seen some good results. Personally I preffer using grad filters but I spose in the city thats not as easy with no clear horizon.

Very nice photographs above, I especially like the middle one. Are the first two the same area but different sides of the hill?

You can actually see the same group of trees in both which is a bit of a giveaway ;). All three are actually from the same area as are many of those I'v posted recently, Haresfield Beacon overlooking the Severn Vale in Gloucestershire where I take the dog walking most mornings.

Edited by greenman
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Great shots, especially the black & whites. I get the magazine 'Black & White' and it features some of most beautiful B&W photos I've ever seen.

The magazine recently combined color too so you actually get two magazines in one. :^)

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Can you tell us what camera and program you use to get such beautiful black & whites? :^)

The clouds are amazing.

Canon 550D, Tiffen 2 stop graduated screw in filter to help equalise sky/land light levels and just Canon's free Digital Photo Progression software to edit. I shoot raw most of the time and then convert to black and white in DPP, generally using the red digital filter then manipulate the various contrast controls. The best starting point though is always a dramatic sky in the first place, right under a storm cloud helps alot as you get both a dramatic sky and dramatic light coming in from the side underneth it to make the ground more striking.

stormybw2.jpg

treeshadows034.jpg

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Canon 550D, Tiffen 2 stop graduated screw in filter to help equalise sky/land light levels and just Canon's free Digital Photo Progression software to edit. I shoot raw most of the time and then convert to black and white in DPP, generally using the red digital filter then manipulate the various contrast controls. The best starting point though is always a dramatic sky in the first place, right under a storm cloud helps alot as you get both a dramatic sky and dramatic light coming in from the side underneth it to make the ground more striking.

stormybw2.jpg

treeshadows034.jpg

Thanks for the info. :yesnod:

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