For one thing, I think the HDR portion was done quite well. If he didn't tell you it was HDR, would we even know it's HDR? :) It's all a matter of what the photographer was trying to achieve in the first place. HDR-style like Atlantis' shots or HDR-style to compensate for the difference in dynamic range within the scene?

Composition-wise I think he could have shot from a lower angle.

Hmmm......I'd say it's not really an HDR image, because the original scene did not have a very wide dynamic range to begin with. Looks like a jpeg from my camera with the Dynamic Range Optimizer turned up a little.

You need to pick a scene with over a 5 (ish) stop difference between the shadows and highlights and expose correctly for each part of the scene.

^^ yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking. I mean I've seen some of you guys post HDR images on here and they looked really good, but to me this one just looked like a regular jpeg.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3491/...904ee6b78f.jpg


taken last week at Iona Beach

^ pretty!

Actually, I really like the HDR aspect of this shot for exactly that reason: so many seem to have taken the HDR concept to the extreme and are using it to extreme effect, making unrealistic-looking pictures. To me, the whole idea is to take a scene that's got too much range to capture properly, and make it LOOK perfectly natural... which is what Paolo's done.

Keitaro's Iona shot is a good example of what, to me, is abuse of HDR (and apologies if it's not an HDR, but it sure looks like it), with the rocks being over-brightened and the sky being over-darkened to the point that they look unnatural together. I mean, it's a neat shot, it looks cool, but it doesn't look natural. Paolo's does.

I agree with you. There is a range in the scene, the sunlight hitting the windows, and then the dark shadow parts by the shopping cart and sleeping bag.
It doesn't have to be over the top to be a HDR image. We wouldn't have known if he didn't say, right?

You've just described why the image fails as HDR. A true HDR would not have any shadow areas or highlight ereas. The shadow areas should not be in 'shadow'. That scene looks as if it was just one shot, not many with the highlight/shadow filter applied a little.

couple recent shots

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3257/...dda0d6a2_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/...ed2ac33b_o.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/240/3...40d306d7_o.jpg

its not hdr. Its just been edited in lightroom/photoshop.

I tried to bring out the clouds, and the sunbeams in the back. What would you do to balance it?

So it should just be solid grey?

You know what i mean.

I don't think you can judge what is HDR and what isn't. HDR, just like dodging and burning is a TECHNIQUE to make your photo(s) more to your liking. to be honest who cares if its HDR? I don't understand why there are a whole bunch of photos posted as "HDR" and its super colorful, no shadows w/e. HDR does not equal punchy color, shadowless images.

Again, HDR is a technique, I don't personally think you can look at an image and go, no thats not HDR. its like saying "No, you didn't dodge and burn it."

I may be wrong Senna, but maybe your trying to say there's no need to apply HDR techniques in capturing that photo?

People need to understand what the HDR technique is...there's a lot of ignorance here. In digital photography, it's a technique of applying tone mapping to a scene by using several different exposures to display an exaggerated dynamic range. No, the colours do not have to be punchy, but mid to deep shadow areas are inherently kept to a minimum, as are very bright highlights.

Your points are well made from the technical side of things.

However, the point of calling the other members here ignorant is not. Hopefully that kind of attitude doesn't translate to how you treat your customers at Beau.

WTF... the word 'ignorant' is not an insult! The word merely means to not have knowledge or awareness of something. Geez.... :( I certainly did not mean for my comment to be a insult.

If a customer is ignorant about a certain product or technique, it's my job to tell him/her the proper information, which is what I did in my previous post.

some shots from today

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/...85e281d1_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3493/...a00ef6a7_b.jpg

A few from my John Casablanca's Institute BYOB photoshoot today.

Editorial style:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...I/DSC_8521.jpg

Fashion style:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...I/DSC02414.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...I/DSC02413.jpg

^ BYOB? Bring your own boobies? :) haha

here are some shots for an assignment for class :)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3362/...be2762.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3505/...80c15f.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3406/...1054ef.jpg?v=0

Hmm.. maybe it's just the expressions of the model, but i like the editorial style more than the fashion style

Oh I really like that!! :)

Nice Rig shots Jordon!

Jordan, just curious... how long does it take you to edit out the rig?

Re Senna & Levitron: Senna is one of the nicest and most helpful guys I've met on here (I'm making this sound like it's a dating website lol). I'd go back to his store any time to buy more equipment/gear. I don't think he called the other person ignorant at all. Like Senna said, he was just informing him/you guys on how an HDR image is usually (and properly) done. But I guess in the end it comes down to the photographer and how they want the image to look like in their mind.

Anyway, less fighting, more picture posting. Peace! :)

it doesn't take too long. i spent more time editing the colors i wanted for the series. a little clone tool here, a little healing here. done deals, if you want to make it even easier on your self. take a picture on a tripod in the exact placement after you take the rig off. then photo merge it in photoshop

I'm glad you didn't mean it as an insult. The word is certainly ambiguous as to it's meaning and I read it to mean that the people who commented against your views to be "lower" than where you stand. Generally speaking, "ignorant" or "ignorance" is used in a negative manner rather than positive :)

Actually, the word 'ignorant' is not at all ambiguous. It is an absolute term which strictly means a lack of knowledge or awareness. It is not meant to be used in any negative manner...it is misused in that way though, much like the words, "unique" or "couple" which are misused by err, ignorant people.