The question photographers should be asking about any approach such as HDR is: "Does it contribute to the overall effectiveness of the shot?"

I have seen HDRs that have that storybook illustration look that matches the content of the shot very well. I have also seen landscapes where the lighting, colours and use of HDR resulted in a spectacular shot too, but a lot of planning and hours have been involved to get the shot.

On the other hand, I have seen shots where HDR has not contributed to the shot at all. The same effect could have been produced by using a neutral density graduated filter, an enhanced polarizer, decreasing contrast in the camera menu or postprocessing. I have also seen HDRs where there has been slight camera movement, less than perfect merging of shots and edge softness which weakened the photo.

Tegan