Lake of Menteith (not HDR)
“High Dynamic Range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allows a greater dynamic range of luminances between light and dark areas of a scene than normal digital imaging techniques. The intention of HDRI is to accurately represent the wide range of intensity levels found in real scenes ranging from direct sunlight to shadows”… (Wikipedia)
I am on the horns of a dilemma!…
After much soul searching, I am in the process of double processing my shots, one through Photomatix for the (albeit subtle) HDR effect, and Raw conversion through Adobe Camera Raw (ACR), and fine tuned in Photoshop CS4.
Here is my dillema… both shots take about ten minutes from start to finish, both shots are (to me) quite appealing in different ways.
There is a blog here that shows what can be done without HDR effects, but, I urge caution, some of the shots are tone-mapped, which, as far as I was aware, is HDR effect… and it throws up another conundrum, if photographers are so keen to point out that their images are not HDR’s… why make them look like they are?… one of the bloggers on the site put it very succinctly… “Not HDR, just tonemapped.”=
“Not dead, just pining for the Fjords”
I think that, moving forward ( a great corporate phrase used many time last week at the conference i attended) I will be a bit more judicial with my processing… if an image cannot be made to represent what i saw ‘on the ground’, i will HDR it in an effort to represent what I saw, and more importantly, what I felt , when i made it…
Lake of Menteith (HDR)
5 Comments
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HDR, definitely HDR in this case. I’m a big fan of HDR but to bring out the sense of “being there” and “feeling” the scene. I love this shot, David. Good job! I don’t worry about what other photographers think. Photography is Art–some love it some don’t….
If you’d like more on HDR check out “HDR Spotting” http://www.hdrspotting.com/ If you like it and want to be a part of it let me know, I can give you an invite code to join.
Again, great HDR shot, just enough to pull in some feeling
Howie
P.S.
“Pining for the Fjords” LOL!!! Hadn’t heard that one for a while–thanks for the reminder!!!
So true David, its very difficult to know which method to go with but as always, whichever way you produce your images, they are always stunning.
You always manage to capture the scenes so well, it’s as if we the viewer are there in person.
As always, look forward to seeing your latest images.
Interesting to read your thoughts on HDR, they seem to be similar to mine.
I haven’t dabbled much, mainly because of the images I see using it, with arty effects and huge halos around the subjects.
I see HDR as an opportunity to represent what the eye can see, but which the camera can’t reproduce.
I tend to use selective ‘levels’ to bring out shadow detail but, of course, it has to be there in the first place. Seeing your images above makes me want to ‘have a go’ and I think I’ll do just that!
Now — where’s that tripod!
Moley
In my opinion there is a place for HDR, but not required for every shot.
Tone Mapping (yes I think this is a form of HDR), comes in much more useful.
For me Tone Mapping, is an alternative to using/changing filters.
I have been using Hitech filters, and although good, I am starting to find better results are achievable by just tone mapping three images. Maybe top of the range filters (e.g Lee) will yield better results?
Full HDR is a post processing skill that not everyone appears to achieve (exceptions being David as seen here, and Shuggie(flickr) ), who have both nailed it.
Hi David,
Personally, I prefer the image without HDR as most that I see are overdone and for that reason I have never tried to attempt it, but it is up to each individual.
Love your work!
Cheers Katrina