[Marcus Kauffman]

I'm looking for thoughts on this single image hdr. Comments, criticisms, suggestions?

Thanks,

MK

[baro-nite]

With this processing I find the shot almost abstract, with color the main subject. (Indeed, for this processing I'd crop out the shore at bottom.)

This is a pretty subtle application of HDR-type tone mapping. Even so, as usual with such treatment most regions of the image have a similar overall brightness. That can work well with images with lots of detailed textures and/or micro-contrasts; in this case I think it diminishes what might otherwise be a compelling visual flow based on the orange lights and the blue of the water -- everything's so bright that there's no particular flow to the image, no obvious starting point.

Were this my capture I'd probably try two or three approaches and see which I liked best:

1. "Purist" processing seeing what I can do with a single curve adjustment;

2. Layered processing, using separate layers for the sky/masts, the boats/lights, and the foreground reflections. Higher contrast for the sky/masts, possibly an HDR tonemapping for the boats/lights, and possibly flattening the curve of the foreground to make it more about color while leaving the boats/lights as the main focus.

3. Whatever "artistic" PP would work to give a painterly look.

It's a very attractive capture with lots of possibilities.

[Marcus Kauffman]

Thanks for the insightful thoughts. Your comment about the lack of focus is well taken. I agree that is what I see as the central problem with the photo, no place for the eye to go and little or no movement. I had not "seen" that before. It's not a problem I can change with this composition but something to aim for in future shots.

I posted a new cropped version and made the lights more pronounced as they are the main draw.

Thanks again!

MK

[Ash]

Marcus, while your edited version shows some improvement, it is also oversaturated and far too 'cool' (blue/low in temperature setting). Focusing is definitely an issue, and the composition is somewhat haphazard. This scene doesn't need HDR in my opinion, but if you boosted some of the shadow detail in the image, you may get a decent result that may look a little like an HDR image without actually needing HDR.

[Schraubstock]

Hi

This sort of "over the top" colour treatment is often used to great effect in advertising where it is required to augment a particular message. However the underlying motive then needs to be part of this message, so message and coulor distortion need to form a total picture. Advertising is possibly the only place it ought to be used.

In this shot as an artistic coulor distortion it fails because it "swallows up" the subject matter, as a result neither motive nor colour is pleasing to the eye, all that is left to look at is a mass of blue and orange.

Greetings

[Marcus Kauffman]

Baro-nite, Ash and Schraubstock,

Thank you all for your insights! I guess the take aways from your comments are: improve focus and composition, and use what is there as opposed to forcing something.

This is the first photo I submitted to for critiquing and I learned a lot. Your perspectives and suggestions helped me to view the image more critically and gave me ideas to carry forward.

MK

[Schraubstock]

Baro-nite, Ash and Schraubstock,

Thank you all for your insights! I guess the take aways from your comments are: improve focus and composition, and use what is there as opposed to forcing something.

This is the first photo I submitted to for critiquing and I learned a lot. Your perspectives and suggestions helped me to view the image more critically and gave me ideas to carry forward.

MK

Hi
Thanks for your gracious comments.

Greetings