Home · Register · Join Upload & Sell

Moderated by: Fred Miranda
Username  

FM Forum Rules
Landscape Posting Guidelines
  

FM Forums | Landscape Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

  

Archive 2014 · Help: Acadia

  
 
gnbuzz
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Help: Acadia


I'm hoping all you masters might offer some advice I always learn a ton.

The feedback I received from my "West Coast View of Acadia NP" thread (https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1299954) was that the pictures I made here and Little Hunter's Beach had too much of an HDR look. Both are single-shot images. I understand and agree with the criticism of the Little Hunter's Beach photo, but am struggling to see "HDR effects" in this one.

I totally went for the reflections in this shot. Used a polarizer, and a 3-stop ND filter to calm the water. It was late morning and the light was turning harsh.

Maybe the "mistakes" were with the exposure? Taken with Nikon D800, Nikkor 18-35mm at 24mm, f16, 4 seconds at ISO 100. (BTW, I always check "Show Exif," and that used to work but hasn't the past few months for me).

Anyway ... I didn't open up the shadows as much, darkened the midtones a bit, and corrected the color in the second version.

Thanks as usual for comments and critique.

Best,
Glenn




Original






Second try



Edited on Jun 11, 2014 at 07:24 PM · View previous versions



Jun 11, 2014 at 02:03 PM
Timmeh
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Help: Acadia


Hi Glenn,

The HDRish look I think comes from the shadow lifting on the trees, and the selective darkening of the sky. This sky being darkened is noticeable because the brightness of the reflection is greater than the brightness in the sky. With the sky brightness as it is, the foreground should be darker. There's certainly a fine line between muddy shadows and overly bright skies, and too much dynamic range being compressed into one zone, and for me the unreality line has been crossed. I would try brightening up the sky a bit, and backing off on the brightness of the foreground (mostly the trees that should be in shadow).

Tim



Jun 11, 2014 at 02:40 PM
JimFox
Offline
• • • • • • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Help: Acadia


Hey Glenn,

Your Edit looks best here. I would have your original the top photo and the edit the 2nd photo, it's more natural to comment that way. The slight darkening of the trees really helps the shot to lose that HDR feel. Perhaps because the other shot in your other thread had a stronger HDR feel, it got this shot tied into it. But your edit here really helps. Sometimes it's just slight changes that make a difference.

Jim



Jun 11, 2014 at 05:15 PM
kylebarendrick
Online
• • •
Upload & Sell: On
p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Help: Acadia


I agree with Jim - the darkening of the of the foreground trees and shoreline in the top photo make it look much more "real" to me. Very nice photo.


Jun 11, 2014 at 05:37 PM
gnbuzz
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Help: Acadia


Timmeh wrote:
Hi Glenn,

The HDRish look I think comes from the shadow lifting on the trees, and the selective darkening of the sky. This sky being darkened is noticeable because the brightness of the reflection is greater than the brightness in the sky. With the sky brightness as it is, the foreground should be darker. There's certainly a fine line between muddy shadows and overly bright skies, and too much dynamic range being compressed into one zone, and for me the unreality line has been crossed. I would try brightening up the sky a bit, and backing off on the brightness of
...Show more

Hi Tim,

Thanks very much. I understand your explanation. I thought some of the highlights in the clouds were too hot, so I lightened the sky without keeping pace with the reflection. It seems like darkening the mids served to balance the scene.

Glenn



Jun 11, 2014 at 07:28 PM
gnbuzz
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Help: Acadia


JimFox wrote:
Hey Glenn,

Your Edit looks best here. I would have your original the top photo and the edit the 2nd photo, it's more natural to comment that way. The slight darkening of the trees really helps the shot to lose that HDR feel. Perhaps because the other shot in your other thread had a stronger HDR feel, it got this shot tied into it. But your edit here really helps. Sometimes it's just slight changes that make a difference.

Jim


Thanks, as usual, Jim. I transposed the photos to avoid having two bad versions of the same scene appearing as thumbnails in Most Recent. Yes, I was overthinking it. Also ... I'm glad I made the edits here!



Jun 11, 2014 at 07:31 PM
gnbuzz
Offline
• • •
Upload & Sell: Off
p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Help: Acadia


kylebarendrick wrote:
I agree with Jim - the darkening of the of the foreground trees and shoreline in the top photo make it look much more "real" to me. Very nice photo.


Thanks for weighing in, Kyle. This is my daughter's favorite image from our trip, so I want it looking as good as possible



Jun 11, 2014 at 07:32 PM





FM Forums | Landscape Photographer | Join Upload & Sell

    
 

You are not logged in. Login or Register

Username       Or Reset password



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.