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[OM] Re: HDR attempt

Subject: [OM] Re: HDR attempt
From: Moose <olymoose@xxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:32:54 -0800
Ali Shah wrote:
> Thanks Marc!
>
> I am not sure what to make of HDR. Is it photography? 
> Some people I know do amazing HDR work but you are right - you can go 
> overboard. It does however get
> "oohs and aahhs"! 
>   
I guess I must have missed the memo. Here I thought HDR was simply a way 
of working around limited DR in film/sensor. Apparently it is now a way 
to get an artificial 'wow' factor.

I'm of the general opinion that HDR, a great solution to a real, but not 
very common, problem, is used mostly when not needed, at least for its 
original purpose. Take a look at this image. In the original shot, the 
view out the windows appears blown out, as do the sunlit spots on the 
carpet and chair. On the other end of the DR, the ceiling and dark 
carpet pattern  are lost in shadow.  Yet all were there in the RAW file. 
<http://moosemystic.net/Gallery/MPhotos/Calif/HearstCastle/HearstBed.htm>

Would HDR have been any use? Sure, why not. Not so much at this size, 
but for a large print, shadow detail would be better and noise lower. 
But this was shot on the run, with neither tripod nor time for 
bracketing. But really, a properly exposed shot on a contemporary DLSR 
had enough DR for this very high contrast subject with bright summer sun 
outside and deep shadow inside.

Your "1st HDR Attempt" is a great capture, but I don't see where HDR, in 
the sense I give above, would be anywhere near necessary. Unless the top 
part was very, very bright and you brought it into balance with the 
rest. If that's the case, congrats, as it is very natural looking.

The other images are interesting exercises in amping up images - to the 
extent that I can't tell if the simple HDR part was useful or not. Not 
that I dislike them, I just don't understand what HDR has to do with it.
> <snip> I always ask - how did people do it before the DSLR?
>   
Used CN film, which has very wide DR, and custom printing to retain the 
DR. Automated prints give no clue of the DR in the underlying film 
negative. Do a decent scan of that snap of people on a picnic under 
white sky and in front of black shadows under the trees. WOW! Blue sky 
with nice fluffy clouds! Foliage detail in the shade! A whole different, 
and much, better image.

Bracketed, scanned and combined manually until HDR software came along.

Before scanners, tedious hand masking and hand burn/dodge along the 
seams to create a natural transition.

Moose

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