Sony DSLR "Picture of the day"

[sparkie1263]

Nice image of the bridge. I know you cannot get a true HDR from on image. It just simulates the HDR look. You can set the three different exposures from the one RAW image and get a decent HDR,
Frank

[Peekayoh]

Hi Frank, I don't buy that explanation and whomever sold it to you did you no favours.

The camera sensor has a specific dynamic range and no amount of post processing will change that.
Yes you can take an image and, for instance, simulate an overexposure and the highlights will appear burnt out. But you can also reverse the process because the detail is still there, just hidden.
If the image was overexposed when you took it and the highlights are burnt out, there's no detail present to process, so you can fiddle about all you like and there'll still be no detail.
And yes you can use HDR processing to make a poorly exposed image look better but there are tools better suited to the job in Photoshop and in Elements.
On the other hand, a real HDR image aggregates the "good" data from however many frames you process and discards the "bad" data, so blown highlights are discarded in favour of more detailed highlight and so on with midrange and shadow detail. In this way you get an image with a greater dynamic range than can be recorded by the camera sensor in a single exposure.

I don't like to preach but you are better off learning good practise rather than wasting your time using HDR in a way never intended.
Done right, HDR can produce spectacular results but there are downsides, like your monitor can't reproduce the dynamic range of a proper HDR, neither can your printer, so the 32-bit HDR is reduced to 8 or 16-bit and squashed (dynamically) for viewing. Therefore, not every picture is suitable for HDR treatment and not every HDR looks impressive, and that's where the individual expertise of the photographer comes into play, again.

Peter (trying to be helpful)

Hey dr4gon, how much discussion like this is appropriate in this thread or should it be elsewhere.

[millz]

[IMG][/IMG]

[dr4gon]

Peek, well done! I've done that as well. Great simple easy trick to do in photoshop with masks! The reflections are so calming! Did you use a tripod for this? or just really good steady hands and alignment?

[Peekayoh]

You're joking dr4gon! Steady hands at my age. Tripod, Tripod, Tripod! (get it)

[dr4gon]

Got it! lol..... tripod = perfection everytime!

[sparkie1263]

Thanks Peter
I have alot to learn both behind the camera and after the shot. I just like messing around to see what I come up with.
Frank

[Peekayoh]

Millz, your image, to me, appears washed out.
That may be because I tend towards low key images unlike this one.
I would have post processed and given this a bit of a kick in the curves dialog.
Doesn't mean yours is wrong though.

[oric1]

Thanks dr4gon & Peek.

dr4gon, actually a storm was approaching when I took that shot.

Peek, love that apple shot, very sharp & 3D like. Great lens!

The owl's eyes sure look as big as a marble

Camera: Sony DSLR-A300
Lens: Tamron AF70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di LD Macro 1:2
Focal Length: 300mm
Exposure: ISO 400
Exposure Time: 1/50
Aperture: f/5.6
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Pattern
Flash: No

[Peekayoh]

That's a beady stare if ever saw one. Good work.

As for the "Apple" lens, I was expecting that choice to stir up some debate, but it didn't. Go figure.