UWA HDR shot over water surface

[Cowseye]

1) In what area is critique to be sought?

I will like feedback on the composition and the application of HDR in this image.

2) What one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?

The effective usage of my UWA and a better composition.

3) Under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)

Almost noon time at a reservior. Water was calm enough for reflection but this image is compose to create a "Strange Reflection"

4) what the critique seeker personally thinks of the picture

I always love the strong impact of HDR images. I feel the colour in this picture is nice and the composition is ok.

 

[MRSAMO]

I like HDR but this one looks like its on full blast:

- Clouds look too dramatic making the scene appear quite dark, make it brighter?
- If a storm is brewing then the trees and water will literally shake due to wind and atmospheric behaviour, in this case they look peaceful (like something out of "Independance day", all you need is a spaceship lol)

I seem to like it better when I visually crop more of the bottom off so that I get a little bit of the water and most of the top.

 

[Cowseye]

I seem to like it better when I visually crop more of the bottom off so that I get a little bit of the water and most of the top.

Thanks for your comments Although the bottom half was left purposely to mirror the cloud's reflection.

Anyone would like to add on to more pointers for me?

 

[Override2Zion]

The horizon is a little tilted if you noticed and there is a bit of distortion. Apart from that I think the image looks quite surreal and it works for me but I would prefer the sky to be a bit more natural. I realised that the shadows within the tree canopies on the left and on the right seems to be black without details. You might not have made sufficient exposures for those shadows. Good attempt

 

[Cowseye]

The horizon is a little tilted if you noticed and there is a bit of distortion. Apart from that I think the image looks quite surreal and it works for me but I would prefer the sky to be a bit more natural. I realised that the shadows within the tree canopies on the left and on the right seems to be black without details. You might not have made sufficient exposures for those shadows. Good attempt

Thanks for your input. I think I know what to do with the photo. Gotta merge them again.

 

[crystal1993]

Due to everything being so dark it looks underexposed to me.
Just my $0.01

 

[allenleonhart]

radioactive water... O.O

looks dangerous.

me thinks hdr shld be used to enhance details, rather than overdoing. try subtle hdr, small adjustments first

 

[daredevil123]

Ask yourself...

will a reflection be brighter than the source?

will plants glow like they are radioactive?

And you will get your answer on why this picture doesn't work.

Pity... this pic had potential, till you killed it with your HDR processing.

 

[Edlet]

I like the bottom half of the pic :thumbsup:, did you use a polarizer?

But the upper half is too dark. The blue sky reflected in the water is way too different from the blackish sky in the upper half.

It catches the attention of the viewer, but not in the right way. Makes the viewer feel weird...

 

[espedine]

the sky looks too dark, did you use a GND? reflection of sky looks too different from sky, would rather it be equally exposed and not so dramatic clouds

 

[Cowseye]

Thank you all for the inputs.

Taking some advice from what you guys said, I've updated the shot with this:

I'll reply the questions that you guys posted later. Please comment

 

[daredevil123]

Thank you all for the inputs.

Taking some advice from what you guys said, I've updated the shot with this:

I'll reply the questions that you guys posted later. Please comment

Sky is still over done. Look at the blue parts of the sky... patches of dark blue with patches of lighter blue. And it is obvious the dark patches are result of huge halos around the clouds.

And look at the tree line on the left side... and the reflection of the tree line in the water... reflection brighter than the source?

And there is very obvious haloing around the treeline as well.

Go easy on the sliders. If you want to do HDR, do it properly. And try to pay more attention to detail... so far from what I see, you are just pushing sliders mindlessly and throwing out the resulting picture.

 

[Cowseye]

Not sure if there's a definition of properly for HDR, I'm using my intuition and how it looks. Any pointers what do I look out for as I slide the slider of strength?

 

[daredevil123]

Not sure if there's a definition of properly for HDR, I'm using my intuition and how it looks. Any pointers what do I look out for as I slide the slider of strength?

Well you can think that way.

But there is a proper way to do HDR. Which is to at least keep it realistic.

Nothing else to look out for. This HDR surreal thingy is too jarring to make it interesting enough to look at other details. If you think this kind of processing makes your picture nice... then my condolences.

 

[Cowseye]

Ah ok, the initial picture is to bring out the similar in shape of the clouds in the sky and the plants in water. I also like the nice green and blue colours above and beneath the horizon. Haha perhaps I'm more of painting the picture than making it realistic.

 

[daredevil123]

Ah ok, the initial picture is to bring out the similar in shape of the clouds in the sky and the plants in water. I also like the nice green and blue colours above and beneath the horizon. Haha perhaps I'm more of painting the picture than making it realistic.

Sure thing. Whatever floats your boat buddy.

 

[night86mare]

way over pushed. first picture, godzilla is coming out of the water.

second picture, the coloration is so patchy, your sky has different tones and now godzilla is coming out of the trees on the right.

it would be good to produce pictures without godzilla.

 

[night86mare]

and of course, my usual comment for TS, who falls into the group that just discovered hdr or something... so too overawed by the effect...

composition is more important than technique or cool gimmicky methods. what do you intend to show here? if it is the sky, how does the water contribute? do you think the mess in the water helps? how about the orange thing floating underneath the surface?

 

[MRSAMO]

I borrowed your picture and just cropped off the bottom (and maybe you don't even need most of the top):

 

[Cowseye]

I borrowed your picture and just cropped off the bottom (and maybe you don't even need most of the top):

Aiyah, like that defeats the whole purpose of the shot already.