South TX Sunset

[LANCE B.]

This is a quick hand held 3 shot bracket HDR using Photomatix Details Enhancer Painterly in the default mode. CC please so I can better learn what others like about HDR and what to adjust in the program. I dig the painterly effect but could easily see how it can be overused. Thanks in advance.

Lance-

[Stargazer77517]

Well I am pro HDR, and like it, the effect works also. Ive done a few with that effect and have had some pros and cons. If it appeals to you , then its a goodin.

[LANCE B.]

Thanks, Fred. I think it works here, too.

[kenw]

I think the effect works quite well here. I might crop it differently, but you didn't ask about that....

[LANCE B.]

Hi Ken,

I could see cropping to move the horizon out of the middle. I knew I was "breaking a rule" but wanted the cloud formations. Were you thinking of something else. I'm wide open to any cc, so I appreciate your input.

Thanks for the help.

Lance-

[kenw]

Lance: you hit the nail on the head. I would simply remove some of the sky to move the very colorful sunset up a bit. After your treatment, the clouds don't have the vibrance and interest they may have had prior, so here's a case of where the treament (HDR in this case) can really affect the balance of the scene. on the other hand, cropping the sky might mess up the balance of the post which is in a good spot overall. I really like the shot, my comments are only food for thought and should NEVER be taken as gospel.

[lhdvies]

I like the shot! I'm not very wise about HDR & in fact not a fan of some that I see, but I like this one. Don't know why I like it technically, I just like the photo, has a nice lonesome feel to it.

[LANCE B.]

Ken, you are right about the clouds. I may try a gradient in LR to bring them back a bit as well as crop some out. I appreciate your critique.

Leon, Thank you.

I liked the zig zag movement that weaves to the distance. At least, that's what caught my eye initially and I believe it gives the lonesome feel.

[venchka]

Have you tried the gradient in LR on the original RAW files? Maybe two gradients. One to burn in the sky & one to dodge the foreground? For a very nominal donation, you can own LR/Enfuse.

LR/Enfuse - Blend Multiple Exposures Together in Adobe Lightroom

[LANCE B.]

Thanks, Wayne. I do have Enfuse and that may work better. I have not yet tried it. Truth be told, I really have not used Enfuse much. It's probably a good time to get my investment back out of it, lol.

[PEC]

I actually like the clouds :)

I shoot quite a few HDR (as many as 9 steps a lot of the time)...

One question I have for myself is does it look like it did with my eyes when I shot it?

Given the low position of the sun and the heavy clouds, the bushes seem a bit bright. I might try decreasing the saturation of the greens a bit, but that is just me :)

[LANCE B.]

Thanks, Paul. I can see de-saturating the greens. They are close but too green. It looks HDR-ish to me, especially with the ominous clouds (which are overdone). The clouds were forming up but not to this degree. This is more of an artist rendition, lol. Still, I dig the feel and that is what prompted me to post for C&C. Thanks again to all.

[wapiti]

Looks great to me.

[LANCE B.]

Thank you, Bill.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by LANCE B.

Thanks, Wayne. I do have Enfuse and that may work better. I have not yet tried it. Truth be told, I really have not used Enfuse much. It's probably a good time to get my investment back out of it, lol.

I find the gradients and/or Enfuse can handle anything I have thrown at them so far. One thing I have learned the hard way: Bracketing should be very limited on the overexposure side and go farther on the underexposure side. I am also beginning to believe that symmetrical patern built into the camera software isn't the way to go. Something like +.5, 0, -2, -4 seems to work better. I could do that in camera and just not use all of the exposures. In the future I'll try individual exposures for each part of the scene.
Using 2 gradients: One from the top down and lower exposure & brightness for the sky-clouds-sun. A second from the bottom up and increase exposure and brightness for the foreground.