Stream vs Stream

[Mad Aussie]

Still playing with these HDR images and trying different things.

Which of these two shots is more appealing??

[F8&Bthere]

On first look I like the lower one by a hair - they are very close of course, but there's a bit more detail or sharper detail in the background and reflections. The upper one looks a bit more ethereal, which is nice as well. Gorgeous shot(s)!

[Mad Aussie]

Thanks F8

[Gem]

I like the first better; I think the shadows add a bit more depth and gives it painted look. Although, on the right side, there's about a third of the picture where it looks considerably lighter than the rest (anything to the right of the tree trunk on the bank). It's not so noticeable in the second photo, but it really stuck out to me in the first. Lol, now I can't stop staring at it.

[Mad Aussie]

Yes the glow of the sun is more evident there because the bush thins out in the area you can see between those trunks.

I think I also like the first better. It's interesting to see who likes what version.

[kat]

I'm for #1 too!

[Barefoot]

They’re both very nice. It’s hard for me to say this without stepping on some toes, but I’m glad you didn’t feel the need to take it over the top in terms of tone mapping. The images have an enhanced quality but maintain a realistic look. That’s not to say that I can’t appreciate the work of some that use HDR for a more radical effect.

I wore it out myself there for a while. Just about everything I shot was exposed for HDR. I loved playing with "those little slider thingies" and abusing scenes that, in all honesty, could have been exposed very well with a single shot.

Anyway, I have no preference of the two. They’re both tastefully done images of a lovely scene. Hope that helps.

Just out of curiosity, could the scene have been properly exposed in a single frame?

[Mad Aussie]

Yeh ... I've seen some HDR that's overdone but it's worked beautifully ... I'm yet to figure that out or take suitable images.

For the majority of my photos I like to stick closer to reality ... with a touch of blur/glow where I think it might be a nice change.

No way I could taken that scene in one shot. The shadows were way too dark and the golden sections way too bright.

Thanks for those comments. I've got a long way to go yet I think.

[JAS_Photo]

I like them both as well. The first one is quite painterly in the style you would see in Victorian times by British artists of pastoral scenes.

[Marko]

Shot one wins for me. It has a more ethereal look as others have mentioned but it also has richer blacks.

...I think I also like the first better. It's interesting to see who likes what version.

Just a note...if you want a truer opinion, don't mention which you prefer until the end...as that can subconsciously influence a visitor's opinion. It's like voting on something in a room full of raised hands..results skewed everytime
(Sorry I took several sampling courses in my university days)