# Just some HDR pictures from last night



## ShopVac (Apr 25, 2010)

Just tooling around with some pictures I took this evening. Looking to find a way to keep the chrome / glossy affect while retaining the color more.

Needless, here we go...feedback welcome.

This one's a little busy with everything around it...but I tried to smooth out the car some, so the car pops from the picture.









Here I'm trying to capture the color of the sunset, while not losing focus through the trees. I had to run a few different layers trying to hold most of the image.









Typical stormy sky approach...lifting the strength to full 100%. Of course by doing this, I get a nice cartoonish looking picture.









Just trying to tone down the sky some because of the trees in the background while maintaining the glossy look...


















Thanks for looking


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## chicagofan00 (Feb 10, 2008)

The ones with the trees seem almost too busy, a lot of fine detail going on in the photos. The third and fourth shots, the car looks rather odd. Why is the red so dark?

Overall good shots though. :thumbup:


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## ShopVac (Apr 25, 2010)

These any better, or are they still too busy with the detail in the block?

I was able to get rid of some of that cartoonish look...but then I lost the reflection...


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## Chris90 (Apr 7, 2003)

I'm not a fan of heavy HDR but I really like the 1st 2 Mini shots.


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## TL_617 (Mar 28, 2011)

i like the second shot of the mini with the sunset


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## ShopVac (Apr 25, 2010)

Thanks guys...I'm still trying to get the hang of this. I'm decent at editing regular photos with CS5 and Topaz...but merging them, not so much.

I think I need to trust my eyes more at the start and not get off on such a tangent. I see some basic tutorial help on HDR...but haven't run into a full fledged 'this is how you do it' site.


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

HDR :thumbdwn:


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## ShopVac (Apr 25, 2010)

Dave 330i said:


> HDR :thumbdwn:


I realize it's a love or hate...I probably do it more because I like fooling around with the software after the fact. Well...that and I don't seem to have a keen eye like the rest of you for taking a legit pic to start (honest anyway). My best work seems to come with night shots...again though, something that doesn't take skill.


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## PlzDuntBanMe (Mar 18, 2011)

I really like the pictures, especially the ones with the cartoon look on them!


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## ShopVac (Apr 25, 2010)

Thanks...even though that's the part I'm trying to fix, one did make its way to my desktop.

I've definitely learned a good bit this past week, but still do not possess the skills others have. Here's one where I'm trying to get a reflection from the water.










I'm still working on toning down the foreground and background parts.


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## jackalope (Jan 29, 2009)

I like what you're doing with the HDR, but I really don't like the busy backgrounds especially trees that seem to eminate from the car. Get this fundamental right, and your HDR work will be that much better.

Question (as I'm not too familiar with the limitations of HDR): can you do HDR with a shallow depth of field? If so, this may also help make your subject pop.


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## ShopVac (Apr 25, 2010)

jackalope said:


> I like what you're doing with the HDR, but I really don't like the busy backgrounds especially trees that seem to eminate from the car. Get this fundamental right, and your HDR work will be that much better.
> 
> Question (as I'm not too familiar with the limitations of HDR): can you do HDR with a shallow depth of field? If so, this may also help make your subject pop.


Thanks...I appreciate the feedback.

I don't see why HDR couldn't handle depth of field, as the picture is more of over/under exposing a picture rather than the aperture settings. I don't know that I've ever really tried it with a shot like that, as usually everything you have in focus has the correct lighting on it. I'm not sure that HDR would get you any gains... :dunno:

One way to find out though....


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