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[daq7]

If you take multiple shots, you have the problem of image alignment. If you use one raw file you do not. Multiple shots still need to be processed from raw unless you load the raw directly into photomatix. But yes, after that photomatix is faster than doing your tone mapping by hand. No question. But it does not always do what I want. Anyway, sorry to make your critique thread about PP.

[Frog]

Not a problem for me daq.
I do not have to do any pp of each exposure when doing hdr as I do the pp work after combining in photomatix.
Image alignment isn't a problem when using a tripod and photomatix's own alignment feature which has options......vertical/horizontal lines or features.
It does become a problem with wind blown objects,(trees, plants, flags, lite people and animals and also clouds). I deliberately took these shots as quickly as possible especially to keep the clouds from moving too much between shots.

Jimmy, yes it was Sunday evening. I don't know what your schedule is but I don't have one, being retired so let me know. Send me an email or pm. We each probably know of places the other doesn't.

[OldClicker]

If you have Photomatix, you can just load a single RAW file and it will use all the available dynamic range to produce what it calls a 'pseudo-HDR'. - TF

[gahspidy]

Frog, I like the scene and the composition is fine, but the processing treatment seems to be too much and too obvious. There is an interesting aspect about it, but i think ultimately it interferes with the scene and image rather than enhance it.
Have not read through the entire thread, but plan to do so now that i offered my take on the initial image.

[Frog]

Have never tried that, OC.
Thank you Gary and I'm tending to agree. Will try some different approaches and make sure I have my filters with me next time.

[armando_m]

Have never tried that, OC.
Thank you Gary and I'm tending to agree. Will try some different approaches and make sure I have my filters with me next time.

To do that rather than clicking the Create HDR button , you have to do a File/ Open and select the raw file

then continue with the normal tonemapping flow.

[daq7]

The photomatic image alignment algorithms are pretty good, but they are not perfect. And yeah I have tone mapped the raw directly in photomatix too I guess, it was a long time ago though. There are lots of ways to go about these things. I doubt any is better than another. For me I pull out the separate layers because I almost always do some hand blending, since photomatix doesn't often do exactly what I want.