Covered Bridge

[Don Chesnut]

Covered bridge (still able to drive through it) at Stone Mountain, Georgia.

[Donald]

As I keep saying (much to the annoyance, I'm sure, of those who promote and practice it), I'm not a big fan of this excessively tone-mapped style.

However, I am a fan of good composition and this is a good one, in my opinion.

The line formed by the shore line in front of us running left-to-right back to the bridge and then turning to run right-to-left as the bottom of the bridge, is wonderful. Really gives a strong line for teh eye to follow and takes us across and through the image.

The verticals on the lower part of the bridge then contrasting with the diagonals of the latticework on the upper part provide a very visually pleasing effect.

[Don Chesnut]

What I am learning to do with the HDR photography is to enhance my photos so they are pleasing to look at. I try not to over do the tonemapping (though sometimes it does come across that way). I'm still learning this process. I started this in April of 2011. I am not a fan of the overdone HDR photos, but I believe that if done correctly, it can enhance the photo in a pleasing way. Thanks for your comments about the composition.

[GrahamH]

Hi Don,
I like the composition, but I find it a little soft, as if an Orton effect (diffuse glow style) which doesn't work for me. I don't know if this is an effect of the HDR, my monitor or something else.
Graham

[RockNGoalStar]

I kind of agree with Donald in the tone-mapping stakes, but I think this is quite tastefully done. It's perhaps just leaning over the borderline between realism and overly tone-mapped, but I still find it a very pleasing image. I agree with what everyone else has said about the composition, it's a very nicely structured image that takes the eye in and around the scene.

Did you combine multiple exposures for this? Or did you just tone-map a single image?

[Don Chesnut]

I used 5 exposures on this one using Photomatix Pro. I've been trying different techniques. I used Color Efex Pro 4-Tonal Contrast, then used Viveza 2 to bring out details, then back to Color Efex Pro 4- Glamour Glow and Darken and Lighten Center. That's why it may appear a little soft. I try different techniques to see what I come up with and submit them for critiques. Sorry I did not respond before but I was in Avon Lake, Ohio, celebrating my fathers 22cd birthday on 2-29-2012.