HDR manual blending with layer masks - First attempt

[theraven]

There has been much discussion about HDR lately and the use of multiple exposures and keeping it realistic. So here is my first attempt, 3 exposures, +/-2 then layer masks to keep the parts I wanted.

Thoughts and crit? Please click the image to view on a black background!


St James Church, Longton by Raven Photography by Jenna Goodwin, on Flickr

 

[Elines]

Hi Jenna, I barely know what HDR is so will comment from the perspective of an interested non-expert.

Maybe trial use of HDR is a case where it is actually better to put up the 'best' ordinary photo taken so that people can form an opinion on whether or not the HDR version is better and if so was it worth the effort.

I have read that double processing can help with the problem of, for example, backlit scenes - would that be an (?easier and ?more natural) alternative to HDR?

I like the composition with the path leading you into the picture and the visibility of the church's architecture.

Re is it realistic ...... the bushes in the foreground look a bit yellow to me but maybe they should be.

More importantly for me, would be..... do you like it? And if you do then it doesn't matter if it is 'realistic' or not. But then my aim in photography is to produce images that - for whatever reason - I like in an artistic sense, and your objectives may well be different.

 

[D4rr3n]

As far as combining different exposures for a natural look this is very good

 

[horrocks]

I have not heard of this technique, and it is certainly a great improvement on straight HDR, much more realistic. I think if you pulled back on the saturation slightly, and/or adjusted warmth to pull the strongest of the oragne/yellow off a bit..

 

[cargo]

Looks good to me. Just how I imagine it looked in real life.
These lamps have a real yellow cast on them if you drive down many roads. Until I bought my camera I never saw such things but now I see them all the time.

Gaz

 

[SilentG180]

I think it is a natural representation of the scene and imagine you would have found it hard to get any detail in the church without using the -2 stop photo as part of the HDR so yes a good example of the use if HDR.

Would be interested as previously mentioned to see the best of the original exposures as a comparison

 

[Pinkbikerbabe]

Very good HDR I like the realistic feel to it and the detail is spot on I like the light effect coming from the lamp post.

 

[theraven]

Cheers guys, I will try to get the normal exposure up soon, I'm not on my PC atm.

 

[GWR100]

You have handled it well Jenna. Im not a great fan of HDR and have seen far too many badly over blown images and feel it is a latest craze like colour popping was a few years back. But I repeat you have treated it with great sympathy, nice image.