Architecture A or B - Nanton Grain

Wired · 08-18-2013, 09:35 PM

which look do you prefer?

I'm partial to the non-HDR myself.

HDR version is a 5 frame hand held.

**Miguel** · 08-18-2013, 09:58 PM

Neither quite frankly. The post-processing on both examples calls way too much attention to the technique rather than letting the image convey its own inherent power. I'd would be curious to see a straight rendering of the image though as it looks like it has some potential. One thing I would do is lose the horizontal utility wires across the picture. They interfere with the more interesting outlines of forms in the sky.

M

Gregory_51 · 08-18-2013, 10:05 PM

I prefer the non HDR. It has all the detail needed and you can concentrate on the buildings rather than the processing. The range of tones isn't so extreme that a HDR treatment is needed. I like HDR but not when it gets pushed this far. I might suggest straightening the buildings and cloning out the grey thing in the lower left. The power lines could be cloned out too but then you're changing the scene quite a bit from what it actually was. I did a quick edit to show what I mean, just my 2 cents.
alternate edit of photo by wired | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Regards
Greg

wildman · 08-19-2013, 12:15 AM

Forget all the bells and whistles - it cries out to be a well-toned BW.

imaspy · 08-19-2013, 02:47 AM

HDR was never intended to get people making awful eye-burning images like that second one. i liken HDR usage like that to adding awful fake lens flares or similar post-processing nightmares.

i think wildman is right, with the right treatment i think this could be quite nice as a black and white shot

and i'd be interested to see the original too.

**interested_observer** · 08-19-2013, 03:20 AM

I like aspects of both. In the first one, the red vs white - even the rail card has both colors. In the second, backing off the HDR, trying to keep the red and white from the first, while having a bit of the sky notched up slightly. I think the power of HDR is having a more natural rendering of it. I like the thought of a black and white, but then you loose the red vs white coloring. Removing the wires would only help the image.

Wired · 08-19-2013, 08:12 PM

I'll go back in and play a bit. I purposefuly made the 0ev photo two stops under exposed to the red elevator so I could hand hold and recover in lightroom so the original image is still quite dark.

I'm not very skilled with deleting object, but I admit the overhead wires bug me a lot too. So I'll be using this one to experiment.

Thank you for the help and I'll expand.

twitch · 08-20-2013, 06:41 PM

It's crying out for LR5 treatment of auto straighten.

Wired · 08-20-2013, 08:05 PM

went back in right from the original RAW file and came up with these two images:

I gotta say, I love the B&W one a lot more than the color version.

**Schraubstock** · 08-20-2013, 11:08 PM - **1 Like**

Hi

Sorry Wired, but to me all look a bit too intense and the B&W looses too much detail, it should not be like this because the sky is bright enough still to give you more exposure latitude. Finally could not resist to have a go at it but it is hard to rescue this one as already too many correction were done. But still...

All corrections done in Nik Viveza and a finally a light DeNoise in Tpaz. Also corrected the verticals in PS using "Edit-Transform-Skew"

Greetings

Wired · 08-21-2013, 04:45 AM

What is too intense? This has been my processing style for a while and anything tips to help me create more pleasing images would be benificial.

**Schraubstock** · 08-21-2013, 05:07 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by Wired

What is too intense? This has been my processing style for a while and anything tips to help me create more pleasing images would be benificial.

Not sure how to answer your retort, however if this is your style then please do not ask for critique. You are bound to receive answers you don't like.
You ask how to create more pleasing pictures, didn't you ?

Greetings

Wired · 08-21-2013, 05:44 AM

Originally posted by Schraubstock

Not sure how to answer your retort, however if this is your style then please do not ask for critique. You are bound to receive answers you don't like.
You ask how to create more pleasing pictures, didn't you ?

Greetings

It's my style but I do want to know how others could help me improve. I'm not rejecti.g the advice, I want he critque to help me grow. Which is why I'm asking what makes it intense. Is it the clarity or contrast boost? The lack of shadow boost? I don't know. That's what I'm asking.

If my style could benefit from dialing the knobs back a touch I would like to know which ones

to reiterate: I'm not upset or getting wound up with the critique, I'm just want to refine my technique so I'm taking all the advice I can.

Gregory_51 · 08-21-2013, 09:24 AM

You will never get everyone to agree because everyone has different taste. Some hate HDR of any flavor, some will want it B&W, some lighter, some darker, some with more grain, some with less grain, etc. etc. etc. Probably the best you could hope for is a majority that is favorable to one version, also the more versions you offer the less consensus you will get. I think your version 2 is better as it's lost the clutter of the power lines and it's less saturated. The HCBW has some appeal too although I would feel it's too contrasty and has lost too much detail. I'd still like to see the perspective corrected. I find Shraubstock's version too bland, too light and smoothed out. It's taken all the drama out but he did correct the perspective. There are hundreds of ways to process it. If you ask for others opinions you will get what they like. You can take some advice that you think might improve things but it comes down to what you like, not what someone else likes. If it's your style to like contrasty images that's fine and you will get support from those who like contrasty images but not from those who don't. Here are a couple more versions that I did from your version 2. Again these are some that appeal to me more but maybe no one else.
alternatives versions of photo by Wired | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Cheers
Greg

Wired · 08-21-2013, 10:05 AM

Originally posted by Gregory_51

You will never get everyone to agree because everyone has different taste. Some hate HDR of any flavor, some will want it B&W, some lighter, some darker, some with more grain, some with less grain, etc. etc. etc. Probably the best you could hope for is a majority that is favorable to one version, also the more versions you offer the less consensus you will get. I think your version 2 is better as it's lost the clutter of the power lines and it's less saturated. The HCBW has some appeal too although I would feel it's too contrasty and has lost too much detail. I'd still like to see the perspective corrected. I find Shraubstock's version too bland, too light and smoothed out. It's taken all the drama out but he did correct the perspective. There are hundreds of ways to process it. If you ask for others opinions you will get what they like. You can take some advice that you think might improve things but it comes down to what you like, not what someone else likes. If it's your style to like contrasty images that's fine and you will get support from those who like contrasty images but not from those who don't. Here are a couple more versions that I did from your version 2. Again these are some that appeal to me more but maybe no one else.
alternatives versions of photo by Wired | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Cheers
Greg

thanks Greg. Thats one area I haven't done a lot with is straightening the buildings without affecting the ground. I tried to play with it a bit, but am waiting for the LR5 tools when I upgrade later this fall.

I like your edit with the redder sky, while it's not what I saw with my own eyes (Which was a sky just finishing from a store at dusk at the end of golden hour) it is still pleasing the the eye.

I do agree, not everyone will like HDR or high contrast. I like highly cooked HDR, but have a hard time pulling off. I much prefer the high detail, high contrast images that I normally edit, but I'm trying to get more feedback on how I can perfect my style. If too many people are finding I'm taking it a bit to far, maybe I can learn to dial back a bit which will appease more people who like the bold colors that can accompany a high contrast image.

08-18-2013, 09:35 PM	#1
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519	A or B - Nanton Grain Lens: FA 31 Camera: K5 Photo Location: Nanton AB which look do you prefer? I'm partial to the non-HDR myself. HDR version is a 5 frame hand held.

08-18-2013, 10:05 PM	#3
Gregory_51 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: London, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 343	I prefer the non HDR. It has all the detail needed and you can concentrate on the buildings rather than the processing. The range of tones isn't so extreme that a HDR treatment is needed. I like HDR but not when it gets pushed this far. I might suggest straightening the buildings and cloning out the grey thing in the lower left. The power lines could be cloned out too but then you're changing the scene quite a bit from what it actually was. I did a quick edit to show what I mean, just my 2 cents. alternate edit of photo by wired \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! Regards Greg Last edited by Gregory_51; 08-19-2013 at 09:51 AM.

08-20-2013, 11:08 PM - 1 Like	#10
Schraubstock Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,386	Hi Sorry Wired, but to me all look a bit too intense and the B&W looses too much detail, it should not be like this because the sky is bright enough still to give you more exposure latitude. Finally could not resist to have a go at it but it is hard to rescue this one as already too many correction were done. But still... All corrections done in Nik Viveza and a finally a light DeNoise in Tpaz. Also corrected the verticals in PS using "Edit-Transform-Skew" Greetings Last edited by Schraubstock; 04-06-2014 at 03:28 AM.

08-21-2013, 05:44 AM	#13
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519 Original Poster	Originally posted by Schraubstock Not sure how to answer your retort, however if this is your style then please do not ask for critique. You are bound to receive answers you don't like. You ask how to create more pleasing pictures, didn't you ? Greetings It's my style but I do want to know how others could help me improve. I'm not rejecti.g the advice, I want he critque to help me grow. Which is why I'm asking what makes it intense. Is it the clarity or contrast boost? The lack of shadow boost? I don't know. That's what I'm asking. If my style could benefit from dialing the knobs back a touch I would like to know which ones to reiterate: I'm not upset or getting wound up with the critique, I'm just want to refine my technique so I'm taking all the advice I can. Last edited by Wired; 08-21-2013 at 07:39 AM.

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08-18-2013, 09:58 PM	#2
Miguel Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Near Seattle Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,743	Neither quite frankly. The post-processing on both examples calls way too much attention to the technique rather than letting the image convey its own inherent power. I'd would be curious to see a straight rendering of the image though as it looks like it has some potential. One thing I would do is lose the horizontal utility wires across the picture. They interfere with the more interesting outlines of forms in the sky. M

08-19-2013, 12:15 AM	#4
wildman Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Flyover America Posts: 4,469	Forget all the bells and whistles - it cries out to be a well-toned BW.

08-19-2013, 02:47 AM	#5
imaspy Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 294	HDR was never intended to get people making awful eye-burning images like that second one. i liken HDR usage like that to adding awful fake lens flares or similar post-processing nightmares. i think wildman is right, with the right treatment i think this could be quite nice as a black and white shot and i'd be interested to see the original too.

08-19-2013, 03:20 AM	#6
interested_observer Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Tumbleweed, Arizona Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,707	I like aspects of both. In the first one, the red vs white - even the rail card has both colors. In the second, backing off the HDR, trying to keep the red and white from the first, while having a bit of the sky notched up slightly. I think the power of HDR is having a more natural rendering of it. I like the thought of a black and white, but then you loose the red vs white coloring. Removing the wires would only help the image.

08-19-2013, 08:12 PM	#7
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519 Original Poster	I'll go back in and play a bit. I purposefuly made the 0ev photo two stops under exposed to the red elevator so I could hand hold and recover in lightroom so the original image is still quite dark. I'm not very skilled with deleting object, but I admit the overhead wires bug me a lot too. So I'll be using this one to experiment. Thank you for the help and I'll expand.

08-20-2013, 06:41 PM	#8
twitch Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Posts: 4,571	It's crying out for LR5 treatment of auto straighten.

08-20-2013, 08:05 PM	#9
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519 Original Poster	went back in right from the original RAW file and came up with these two images: I gotta say, I love the B&W one a lot more than the color version.

08-21-2013, 04:45 AM	#11
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519 Original Poster	What is too intense? This has been my processing style for a while and anything tips to help me create more pleasing images would be benificial.

08-21-2013, 05:07 AM - 1 Like	#12
Schraubstock Site Supporter Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Melbourne Photos: Gallery Posts: 3,386	Originally posted by Wired What is too intense? This has been my processing style for a while and anything tips to help me create more pleasing images would be benificial. Not sure how to answer your retort, however if this is your style then please do not ask for critique. You are bound to receive answers you don't like. You ask how to create more pleasing pictures, didn't you ? Greetings

08-21-2013, 09:24 AM	#14
Gregory_51 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: London, Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 343	You will never get everyone to agree because everyone has different taste. Some hate HDR of any flavor, some will want it B&W, some lighter, some darker, some with more grain, some with less grain, etc. etc. etc. Probably the best you could hope for is a majority that is favorable to one version, also the more versions you offer the less consensus you will get. I think your version 2 is better as it's lost the clutter of the power lines and it's less saturated. The HCBW has some appeal too although I would feel it's too contrasty and has lost too much detail. I'd still like to see the perspective corrected. I find Shraubstock's version too bland, too light and smoothed out. It's taken all the drama out but he did correct the perspective. There are hundreds of ways to process it. If you ask for others opinions you will get what they like. You can take some advice that you think might improve things but it comes down to what you like, not what someone else likes. If it's your style to like contrasty images that's fine and you will get support from those who like contrasty images but not from those who don't. Here are a couple more versions that I did from your version 2. Again these are some that appeal to me more but maybe no one else. alternatives versions of photo by Wired \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! Cheers Greg

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08-21-2013, 10:05 AM	#15
Wired Veteran Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Edmonton, AB Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,519 Original Poster	Originally posted by Gregory_51 You will never get everyone to agree because everyone has different taste. Some hate HDR of any flavor, some will want it B&W, some lighter, some darker, some with more grain, some with less grain, etc. etc. etc. Probably the best you could hope for is a majority that is favorable to one version, also the more versions you offer the less consensus you will get. I think your version 2 is better as it's lost the clutter of the power lines and it's less saturated. The HCBW has some appeal too although I would feel it's too contrasty and has lost too much detail. I'd still like to see the perspective corrected. I find Shraubstock's version too bland, too light and smoothed out. It's taken all the drama out but he did correct the perspective. There are hundreds of ways to process it. If you ask for others opinions you will get what they like. You can take some advice that you think might improve things but it comes down to what you like, not what someone else likes. If it's your style to like contrasty images that's fine and you will get support from those who like contrasty images but not from those who don't. Here are a couple more versions that I did from your version 2. Again these are some that appeal to me more but maybe no one else. alternatives versions of photo by Wired \| Flickr - Photo Sharing! Cheers Greg thanks Greg. Thats one area I haven't done a lot with is straightening the buildings without affecting the ground. I tried to play with it a bit, but am waiting for the LR5 tools when I upgrade later this fall. I like your edit with the redder sky, while it's not what I saw with my own eyes (Which was a sky just finishing from a store at dusk at the end of golden hour) it is still pleasing the the eye. I do agree, not everyone will like HDR or high contrast. I like highly cooked HDR, but have a hard time pulling off. I much prefer the high detail, high contrast images that I normally edit, but I'm trying to get more feedback on how I can perfect my style. If too many people are finding I'm taking it a bit to far, maybe I can learn to dial back a bit which will appease more people who like the bold colors that can accompany a high contrast image.