[C&C] Menlo Castle HDR/revisited

Fenster

Also - day 10/365: I took out this morning and captured a scene that was almost identically framed as it was when I last captured it over three years ago. Now, as then, I went with a HDR for processing. Opinions? Flames?

(Follow the link for the scene as it was in 2006)

DK32

I really like this. Subtle HDR in fairness. I like the contrast of untouched greenery against the windows looking out to the cold & bitter winter.

stunt_penguin

Now THIS is real HDR - I really like this , though I think you're a *touch* too bright on the green, it should be a little more shady I think so we don't focus on it too much - it has no obvious light source you see.

Anyway , great work!

daycent

The green is too much for me, the hue looks unnatural.

Fenster

The last time I photographed this scene I tried to tone the green down, but came away wholly dissatisfied with the result (too dark).

Cosmo K

Sorry, but thats a terrible picture.

mikeanywhere

Cosmo K wrote: »

Sorry, but thats a terrible picture.

And such a statement deserves to be followed up with the reason why otherwise don't bother posting.


Mark - I like it a lot better than the original version (now that I see this). Also keeping in mind that it was different season & also time of the day.

Cosmo K

mikeanywhere wrote: »

And such a statement deserves to be followed up with the reason why otherwise don't bother posting.

Well, was there really a need for HDR? Tbh, I don't think so. The sky looks overexposed, composition does nothing for me, and the leafs look simply too green, badly done HDR imo.

I produced a HDR with leafs just as bad a year ago, looking back at it now, I think its absolute rubbish.



This is not a personal attack, I simply don't like the picture.

Fajitas!

Cosmo K wrote: »

Well, was there really a need for HDR? Tbh, I don't think so. The sky looks overexposed, composition does nothing for me, and the leafs look simply too green, badly done HDR imo. .

I'm not standing up for the OP, but seriously, have you looked at the sky lately???

There's nothing else up there, HDR or not, that's how it looks. The HDR here gave a balance between the inside and outside, it's not OTT, it doesn't need to be.

Fenster

Cosmo - you tossed out a standard HDR: Saturated and over-processed. My goal is to match what the human eye saw. Stand indoors, be dark adapted and look out the window. What do you see? It isn't a simple case of highlights and shadows when the photo was taken at midday during a high and bright overcast.

The dynamic range that human eye can naturally perceive is so much broader than a camera, but it still has its limits. I could have pushed the sky and backdrop even further, but if I followed through with this I would have been falling back (either near or into) tone-mapping.

My previous attempt was taken right at sunset in October:

PopeBuckfastXVI

I wonder, as a project, if you could take one half from one and one half from the other and stitch them together, or fade them so you're looking out an autumn and winter window?

Might be interesting to try, might not...

Fenster

It wouldn't work - at least not easily. Too many discontinuities in the placement of foliage and angle to make it an easy stitch.

DaireQuinlan

I think the greens are a bit overcooked as well, there's just too MUCH contrast between the frosty almost monochromatic scene outside and the saturation of the greens inside. Something a little more subtle might work better. When I glanced at it first I thought you'd done a (gasp !) selective colour. I was releived to find this wasn't the case

mikeanywhere wrote: »

And such a statement deserves to be followed up with the reason why otherwise don't bother posting.

In fairness, Fenster is quite prone to the one liners in C&C threads himself. I take it as any feedback at all is useful to some extent. That said, if someone delivers a one liner C&C, then with the complete lack of any other context I normally check their photos to see if I want to actually take the comment on board or not

DaireQuinlan

PopeBuckfastXVI wrote: »

I wonder, as a project, if you could take one half from one and one half from the other and stitch them together, or fade them so you're looking out an autumn and winter window?

Might be interesting to try, might not...

:eek: +1 for option of a thumbs down button on boards !

Fenster

DaireQuinlan wrote: »

In fairness, Fenster is quite prone to the one liners in C&C threads himself. I take it as any feedback at all is useful to some extent. That said, if someone delivers a one liner C&C, then with the complete lack of any other context I normally check their photos to see if I want to actually take the comment on board or not

I am terse, but I'm usually better than 'its terrible' except when I am dealing with swan photos.

I've bowed to criticisms about the green and took it upon myself to tone it down substantially:

Cosmo K

I much prefer your last atttempt, but thats just my personal opinion.

Sniipe

quick question for you fenster - how do you get to the castle? Do you come to the end of a bunch of houses then park and jump the fence with the cows in it?

mikeanywhere

Sniipe wrote: »

quick question for you fenster - how do you get to the castle? Do you come to the end of a bunch of houses then park and jump the fence with the cows in it?

Fence is usually open but otherwise over you go!

Fenster

mikeanywhere wrote: »

Fence is usually open but otherwise over you go!

^What Mike said.