By the waters edge

[anonymouscuban]

OK... breaking the rules a bit here by posting two images. This is a shot I took last year while in Northern California. I dug this one out and reprocessed it. I gave it an unconventional crop which I think works better as the original had the horizon too centered. I used this odd crop because I didn't want to lose anything to the left or right but still bring the horizon up.

The first image is actually an HDR Tone Mapped from three exposures. After tone mapping it, I then masked in the original 0 EV exposure to get rid of some artifacts and other junk from the tone mapping process and to also give it a more realistic look.

My questions about this image is which works better, the color or the B&W? Also, how is the HDR... overdone? Any other feedback is welcome on either version.

OH... the horizon looks slanted to me, tilting left, but when I place it on a grid, it's straight.

http://anonymouscuban.smugmug.com/HDR/Landscapes/dana-3/723737523_evBzB-XL.jpg

http://anonymouscuban.smugmug.com/HDR/Landscapes/dana-2/723736537_Gz3KK-XL.jpg

[lfortier]

Of the two, the color version works very well for me.

What I like is that it does have some of that HDR glow without being overdone, which is what happens to most, including my own.

I didn't notice the imperceptible tilt of the horizon until you mentioned it.

Next time, don't tell anyone.

Lee :thumb

[Mr. Quiet]

The color one is very good. I don't think the BW one works as good because to much of the interesting picture is lost in itself. Very nice shot...

[adbsgicom]

Like the color more here. I think you are rotated, just laying another window over the image shows the horizon off. The pier seems level, but some of the lines on the building also seem off.

[Miguel Delinquento]

So, what's the subject of these shots? The bird? or the HDR processing?

M

[anonymouscuban]

Like the color more here. I think you are rotated, just laying another window over the image shows the horizon off. The pier seems level, but some of the lines on the building also seem off.

I think it maybe lens distortion. I shot this with my ultra wide angle lens. I will see if I can correct in PS.

[anonymouscuban]

So, what's the subject of these shots? The bird? or the HDR processing?

M

It's the 3rd rock from the left.

[Miguel Delinquento]

It's the 3rd rock from the left.

Good one :D

But you catch my drift.

It's a nice enough shot, but I don't see anything all that compelling that just grabs my eyeballs. Neither HDR nor your very good B&W conversion can elevate matters to me--especially compared with some of the knockout stuff you've been sharing here lately. The shots of your wife and the "Nuts" are on a whole 'nother level.

M

[anonymouscuban]

Good one :D

But you catch my drift.

It's a nice enough shot, but I don't see anything all that compelling that just grabs my eyeballs. Neither HDR nor your very good B&W conversion can elevate matters to me--especially compared with some of the knockout stuff you've been sharing here lately. The shots of your wife and the "Nuts" are on a whole 'nother level.

M

OK... I did get what you meant earlier but I thought I'd give you a little Tit for your tat.

I'm gong to post one I took earlier today. Not too sure about it. Similar to this one... not sure if the subject is strong enough.

[Nikonic1]

The color photo is fantastic. I think the HDR is spot on as well. It is really quite dramatic. Very well done.

[HoofClix]

I certainly like the color version, and I can't tell that its an HDR. It is definitely tilted CCW of you go by the horizon, which is what I think you should go by, but by less than a degree. If you fix that, the dock on the blue structure looks tilted. You decide, but the horizon is more bothersome to me.

I know you are capturing what may be what you remember, but I think the image also suffers from too low overall luminisity. Even if it was dark and subdued, you could make it more compelling by just raising the outputs on the curves. I'd bet it was brighter than you think!

[anonymouscuban]

OK.. I reworked the image a bit. I fixed the tilt. I also worked with the curves a bit but I did various masks to try to give the photo a bit more focus on the subject, which hopefully you (Miguelito) can tell it's the blue building and dock.

I present to you two crops for your critique.

Original in first post:

http://www.thesotelos.com/HDR/Landscapes/dana-3/723737523_evBzB-XL.jpg

Nw one:

http://www.thesotelos.com/HDR/Landscapes/Marin-County-1/724618710_SSRCY-XL.jpg

Tighter crop:

http://www.thesotelos.com/HDR/Landscapes/Marin-County-2/724619459_y5Vzq-XL.jpg

[HoofClix]

Well done, either crop!:clap

[Weisel]

Obviously the color version won over the voting, and I strongly agree as well. Now on to your new versions. I like them both. Personally I think I like the bigger scene, the original crop. I like to see more in this shot. More landscape to pull me into that fantasy land as I look.

I like your new twist on the coloring. It's just inside the threshold of being too far into HDR land. Not quite over the line, which I like!