Should I use this or not? HDR of Aqueduct

[ericmark]

I like the image but should I use it in an exam? This needed 5 not 3 images set in bracketing. OK I know I made a mistake. But it looks good and so tempered to use it as one of the four I need to enter for exam. Thoughts please.

Rules are I can only take in the original RAW images and I need to redo all processing in exam room. Only program loaded on the Mac's is Photoshop CS4 so for next 4 weeks not interested in any other program even if it's free and 100% better.

Yes British exam and have to use American software. But that's life. The subject is "Structures in the Landscape" and since this is a World Heritage site seemed a good venue. However the mist resulted in many of the shots being too grey and grainy looking and the trees stopped me getting ideal distance so whole bridge needed telephoto from surrounding hills which mist prevented. Only place I could get had two water treatment plants either side of river Dee. Not really what I wanted in picture.

It is the Pontcysllte Aqueduct if interested build by Thomas Telford used both to feed water and for narrow boats. One of the few canals with a flow with weirs at every lock.

[scorpio_e]

My eyes are glazing over. Can you please clarify what you are asking for?
I think the top right corner is WAY to blown out. It really distracts from the image. The images lacks contrast.

Hope that helps

[ericmark]

Thanks it was that sort of thing I wanted so you would bin that one and start again?

[Marko]

All in all this image has a nice feel to it. Personally, it's not my style of processing as has too much of a 'fantasy' feel to it.

The blown sky as scorpio pointed out is way blown and a major distraction. For me, it means the image is NOT a keeper.

Hope that helps - Marko

[Kevin.OBrien]

I agree with ericmark and marko about it not being a keeper. But maybe if you go into CS4 and try to do something with the top right (if the data in the .raw isnt lost) and try get some contrast and shadows on the bridge then it may be a keeper. But overall I like the concept and the composition of it.

[Mad Aussie]

I can see ways I could probably process this into something saveable but it will always be something less than what I'd wanted I think.

I think, especially for an exam, I'd take another set.

[ericmark]

Thanks what you all have said is what I thought but other non photography people had said how good it was and so I had started to waver. Glad you have put me back on straight and narrow.

Yes I have the three RAW images but even the darkest is well over exposed where the sun lit the mist and lightest is only just picking out shadows. Should have used 5 instead of three images. But too late now.

Only cure would to be to crop. Seems a little odd but for "Digital Photography" exam we submit on paper so suppose no one would know if I did crop. But would feel happier returning and trying again.

Write it off to experience. At least I have few more weeks to get what I need. I wanted to use HDR but after trying quite a few been rather disappointed to find centre image on it's own so often better than three combined. Plus seems to give super blue sky.

I can understand what histogram does but the radius and threshold is just trial and error can't get it into my thick scull what they do. Every HDR site I find seems to use other than Photoshop CS4 and I just can't work it out. Other than messing with both sliders seems to get image clearer there seems seems no rhyme or reason as to where they go.

Not that they would have helped here but keen to learn. "Bambi" kindly pointed me to Joseph Cartright's interview and it did help. And the Picturenaut software does seem to do a better job as far as colour goes but not allowed that in exam.

Any help on those two sliders would be most welcome.

[Chantelle]

I agree with the above, but you could always try put more contrast in this image and then crop that top half of the photo out.

[Mad Aussie]

The filters that use Radius and Threshold usually work on finding contrast in the pixels of the image/selection.

The Radius slider then controls the area around that point of contrast ... a larger or smaller area (includes more or less surround pxels).

The Threshold Slider is harder to understand but in the most basic terms it tries to make sure you don't overdo the function ... be it sharpening or whatever.
The Threshold Slider then watches the affected pixels and comapres those to their neighbours and limits the effect. It's can almost cancel out what you are doing.
Most people just leave the Threshold at 0. I often do also although I will sometimes bump it up a small amount.

[Mad Aussie]

Hey Eric ... I had a go at saving this image seeing as I sprouted that it was possible in my opinion.

It was a bit hard working with such a small photo but here's the result and under it ... your shot from above for comparison ...




Here's what I did ...

Curves treatment to increase the contrast.
Selected the blown out section and added a heap of monochromatic noise.
Then used the Clouds filter under Render in PS.
Had to to then use curves on just that section to make the clouds show properly.
Cloning and Healing tool next to fix the artifacts around the blown out area.
Some colour boosting and colour adjustment.

That's it.