Article on the process that sucks the life out of your photos

On 28/04/2015 8:28 a.m., RichA wrote:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...amic-range.htm

Slightly dated but an accurate article which includes subjective advice
to not "overdo" HDR.
"best results can always be achieved by having good lighting to begin with"
While that is true, outside of the studio - more often than not - it's
impractical to achieve - which is why Ansel Adams used (the darkroom
equivalent) of "HDR".

On 28/04/2015 9:32 a.m., RichA wrote:
On Monday, 27 April 2015 16:52:25 UTC-4, Me wrote:
On 28/04/2015 8:28 a.m., RichA wrote:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...amic-range.htm

Slightly dated but an accurate article which includes subjective advice
to not "overdo" HDR.
"best results can always be achieved by having good lighting to begin with"
While that is true, outside of the studio - more often than not - it's
impractical to achieve - which is why Ansel Adams used (the darkroom
equivalent) of "HDR".

Difference is, he shot in black and white (thank God) and he didn't go insane with the tone curves. I don't know what to call extreme HDR, but there has to be a word for it.

The same applies for colour as for B&W. Not going "insane with tone
curves" is fairly well explained in that article.
An added problem these days is that people don't print, but view images
on a multitude of different devices, few of which are even close to
being correctly calibrated.
I dislike overdone HDR. I visited a studio the other day where they had
on display a "family formal portrait" print - large size, on canvas,
with horrific flat HDR effect. However the HDR was just rancid icing on
a cake made of turds.
I dislike formal family portraits, printing photographs on canvas is
either a stupid pointless trend or at best artistic confusion gone mad
and as the shot was taken in a studio, the photographer had no excuse
for resorting to HDR to compensate for his apparent lack of skill with
setting up lighting.

On Mon, 27 Apr 2015 14:32:08 -0700 (PDT), RichA
wrote:

On Monday, 27 April 2015 16:52:25 UTC-4, Me wrote:
On 28/04/2015 8:28 a.m., RichA wrote:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tut...amic-range.htm

Slightly dated but an accurate article which includes subjective advice
to not "overdo" HDR.
"best results can always be achieved by having good lighting to begin with"
While that is true, outside of the studio - more often than not - it's
impractical to achieve - which is why Ansel Adams used (the darkroom
equivalent) of "HDR".

Difference is, he shot in black and white (thank God) and he didn't go insane with the tone curves. I don't know what to call extreme HDR, but there has to be a word for it.

The word is ****, but at the same time, it could be a choice as an
artistic statement. Still ****, of course.

On 4/27/2015 6:36 PM, Bill W wrote:

snip


The word is ****, but at the same time, it could be a choice as an
artistic statement. Still ****, of course.


I would not paint all Harry Potter HDRs with the same brush. (pun not
intended.)
A lot of people like the Harry Potter effect. IMHO that effect is
overused. When done with a suitable image, it can be neat. If used with
a non-suitable image, there may very well be a ****ty effect.


--
PeterN

On Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:28:34 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 4/27/2015 6:36 PM, Bill W wrote:

snip


The word is ****, but at the same time, it could be a choice as an
artistic statement. Still ****, of course.


I would not paint all Harry Potter HDRs with the same brush. (pun not
intended.)

Heh. I wasn't familiar with that term. I had to Google it, but I like
it.

A lot of people like the Harry Potter effect. IMHO that effect is
overused. When done with a suitable image, it can be neat. If used with
a non-suitable image, there may very well be a ****ty effect.

On 28/04/2015 2:08 p.m., Bill W wrote:
On Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:28:34 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 4/27/2015 6:36 PM, Bill W wrote:

snip


The word is ****, but at the same time, it could be a choice as an
artistic statement. Still ****, of course.


I would not paint all Harry Potter HDRs with the same brush. (pun not
intended.)

Heh. I wasn't familiar with that term. I had to Google it, but I like
it.
I did too. It's a fitting description.

A lot of people like the Harry Potter effect. IMHO that effect is
overused. When done with a suitable image, it can be neat. If used with
a non-suitable image, there may very well be a ****ty effect.


IMO it's just a fad which gets tiresome. Not the only one.

http://www.imagesabound.com/lone-tree-lake-wanaka-new
"Would love to photograph this tree when I head to NZ South Island in
late September. Are you able to tell me the exact location of the lovely
tree please? Lisa "

My answer - find a "photographic guided tour" bus in the general area
and follow it. You'll have the approximate location right when they all
clamour out of the tour bus, most of them carrying about $20k worth of
gear. The precise location is where you'll find dozens of them trying
to set up their tripods, all at the same height, all at the same place,
all at the same time. With luck, there will only be one tour bus there,
however at dusk or dawn, expect several.
As a local, I'd rather photograph the sheep.

On Tue, 28 Apr 2015 14:37:58 +1200, Me wrote:

On 28/04/2015 2:08 p.m., Bill W wrote:
On Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:28:34 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 4/27/2015 6:36 PM, Bill W wrote:

snip


The word is ****, but at the same time, it could be a choice as an
artistic statement. Still ****, of course.


I would not paint all Harry Potter HDRs with the same brush. (pun not
intended.)

Heh. I wasn't familiar with that term. I had to Google it, but I like
it.
I did too. It's a fitting description.

A lot of people like the Harry Potter effect. IMHO that effect is
overused. When done with a suitable image, it can be neat. If used with
a non-suitable image, there may very well be a ****ty effect.


IMO it's just a fad which gets tiresome. Not the only one.

http://www.imagesabound.com/lone-tree-lake-wanaka-new
"Would love to photograph this tree when I head to NZ South Island in
late September. Are you able to tell me the exact location of the lovely
tree please? Lisa "

I will ask my daughter who lives down there part of the time.

My answer - find a "photographic guided tour" bus in the general area
and follow it. You'll have the approximate location right when they all
clamour out of the tour bus, most of them carrying about $20k worth of
gear. The precise location is where you'll find dozens of them trying
to set up their tripods, all at the same height, all at the same place,
all at the same time. With luck, there will only be one tour bus there,
however at dusk or dawn, expect several.
As a local, I'd rather photograph the sheep.
--

Regards,

Eric Stevens

On 28/04/2015 3:03 p.m., Eric Stevens wrote:
On Tue, 28 Apr 2015 14:37:58 +1200, Me wrote:

On 28/04/2015 2:08 p.m., Bill W wrote:
On Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:28:34 -0400, PeterN
wrote:

On 4/27/2015 6:36 PM, Bill W wrote:

snip


The word is ****, but at the same time, it could be a choice as an
artistic statement. Still ****, of course.


I would not paint all Harry Potter HDRs with the same brush. (pun not
intended.)

Heh. I wasn't familiar with that term. I had to Google it, but I like
it.
I did too. It's a fitting description.

A lot of people like the Harry Potter effect. IMHO that effect is
overused. When done with a suitable image, it can be neat. If used with
a non-suitable image, there may very well be a ****ty effect.


IMO it's just a fad which gets tiresome. Not the only one.

http://www.imagesabound.com/lone-tree-lake-wanaka-new
"Would love to photograph this tree when I head to NZ South Island in
late September. Are you able to tell me the exact location of the lovely
tree please? Lisa "

I will ask my daughter who lives down there part of the time.
-44.698357, 169.117559 should get her close enough.
The tree is nice enough, the sight of it almost perpetually surrounded
by hordes of "photographers" not so enchanting. (this time of year -
Autumn colours - is particularly bad).



My answer - find a "photographic guided tour" bus in the general area
and follow it. You'll have the approximate location right when they all
clamour out of the tour bus, most of them carrying about $20k worth of
gear. The precise location is where you'll find dozens of them trying
to set up their tripods, all at the same height, all at the same place,
all at the same time. With luck, there will only be one tour bus there,
however at dusk or dawn, expect several.
As a local, I'd rather photograph the sheep.

On 2015-04-28 01:28:34 +0000, PeterN said:

On 4/27/2015 6:36 PM, Bill W wrote:

snip

The word is ****, but at the same time, it could be a choice as an
artistic statement. Still ****, of course.

I would not paint all Harry Potter HDRs with the same brush. (pun not
intended.)
A lot of people like the Harry Potter effect. IMHO that effect is
overused. When done with a suitable image, it can be neat. If used with
a non-suitable image, there may very well be a ****ty effect.

There is a time and place for every tool, and HDR images do not have to
invoke Harry Potter, or even worse the dreaded Thomas Kinkade.
Here is another LR CC HDR. No over saturation, and no Kinkade haloes.
http://adobe.ly/1GrgIdG


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 2015-04-28 02:37:58 +0000, Me said:

On 28/04/2015 2:08 p.m., Bill W wrote:
On Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:28:34 -0400, PeterN
wrote:
On 4/27/2015 6:36 PM, Bill W wrote:

snip

The word is ****, but at the same time, it could be a choice as an
artistic statement. Still ****, of course.

I would not paint all Harry Potter HDRs with the same brush. (pun not
intended.)

Heh. I wasn't familiar with that term. I had to Google it, but I like
it.
I did too. It's a fitting description.

A lot of people like the Harry Potter effect. IMHO that effect is
overused. When done with a suitable image, it can be neat. If used with
a non-suitable image, there may very well be a ****ty effect.

IMO it's just a fad which gets tiresome. Not the only one.

When used subtlely and for the right scene HDR can be a usefule tool.
Unfortunately opinions have been clouded by the flood of over the top,
over saturated, and over-cooked images.
Greater DR in new sensors is going to obviate the need to turn to HDR
for many photographers.

http://www.imagesabound.com/lone-tree-lake-wanaka-new

Somehow I don't think that image was in any way reaching for photo-reality.

"Would love to photograph this tree when I head to NZ South Island in
late September. Are you able to tell me the exact location of the
lovely tree please? Lisa "

That is another tree like the "Lone Cypress" at Pebble Beach, a camera
magnet. I guess we can blame Ansel Adams for the popularity of that one.


--
Regards,

Savageduck