Did I fix or kill this image... be honest I can take it.

I made a dumb mistake...

I was so proud of my second attempt at HDR and I thought it looked great. (or so I thought) Adjusted everything in photoshop got the levels nice. looked a little dreamy but not too much. I had the PSD file so I erased the RAW files... Then I posted this...

http://i52.tinypic.com/263woq0.jpg

Dumb me had my monitor set to some kind of night mode or something. I went through the calibration tutorial and I hopefully fixed the issue going forward.

I tried to fix it with out the RAW files. So I ask you did I kill it? I feel like I lost some of the true green colors. Any opinions welcome. Thanks

http://i51.tinypic.com/2n08u1g.jpg

If the feeling that you want to convey is a bit lonely or sad then the first one fits right in. If your intention is more of featuring the architecture of the building then definitely the 2nd one is the one to go. Among the 2 I would prefer the first one only if you were able to dodge the important areas of the stone structure so I can see more details in it. The 2nd one seems to be a bit bright but still very acceptable so I think both are still OK, for me. :)

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Originally Posted by jiro

If the feeling that you want to convey is a bit lonely or sad then the first one fits right in. If your intention is more of featuring the architecture of the building then definitely the 2nd one is the one to go. Among the 2 I would prefer the first one only if you were able to dodge the important areas of the stone structure so I can see more details in it. The 2nd one seems to be a bit bright but still very acceptable so I think both are still OK, for me. :)

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Never used the dodge tool before...

like this?

http://i55.tinypic.com/wgvtic.jpg

Thank you Jiro!

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Originally Posted by KTHXBAI

Never used the dodge tool before...

like this?

http://i55.tinypic.com/wgvtic.jpg

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BINGO!!! You're good and you learn fast! :D

Mike - I definitely think the last version is my preference. Well done.

- Bill

You fixed it! I like the last one. Just light enough to see some of the detail in the structure.

The last one is indeed great!

Just a small remark or question: Do you usually erase the RAW files or did it happen by mistake?
These files I never erase. You can see it as the digital negative and gives you all the flexibilty in Post Processing.

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Originally Posted by Hansm

The last one is indeed great!

Just a small remark or question: Do you usually erase the RAW files or did it happen by mistake?
These files I never erase. You can see it as the digital negative and gives you all the flexibilty in Post Processing.

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by mistake on purpose... I wanted to clean some out of the card and I didn't have them saved to my HD. live and learn!

Hi Michael,

I think both images work on different levels as Jiro has already pointed out.

I think the lesson to be learnt here is to back up your files as soon as they hit the hard drive. We don't always do it for obvious reasons but for the ones we want to keep it should be the first thing to do. I always burn the raw files onto two discs and then onto an external drive.

You didn't say which version of PS you have, and the dodge and burn tools vary massively between versions. Up until CS5, I wouldn't have even considered using either tool, asn there'd are many many ways to achieve the same result. In CS5 the Adobe team finally fixed those tools, and they work as they should, without bruising the pixels like the older versions did.

Regarding your images, and as stated above, both work depending on what your intention was. My personal fave is the third, that you dodged.

Last, though CS5 is ok at HDR, there are lots better tools out there. I use Photomatix Pro, and HDR Expose, as they work differently and achieve different results. Sometimes I'll use both, then combine the results in PS and use layer styles to create a whole new look.

Last, back your original RAW files to DVD the second tthey hit your drive. That way you'll always be able to get them back when (not if) your drive crashes.

Keep on going!

Reid Mason
Mason Photographics
Http://masonphotographics.com
Flickr - Mason Photographics

Thank Reid. I just DL, Photomatrix I will give it a shot on my next image. Oh and I was using CS5.

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Originally Posted by Mason Photographics

Last, back your original RAW files to DVD the second tthey hit your drive. That way you'll always be able to get them back when (not if) your drive crashes.

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As for the lesson I can't agree more. In the late 90's I had a hard drive crash and I lost every digital memory of my early and late 20's years.