The Irish Gate x2

[hminx]

The point of the exercise here is HDR v's Curves The composition is not the best but the quality of the light is what caught my interest . The first is a three exposure +/_ 2 ev HDR, the second is a curves adjustment single exposure. I was wondering if curves isn't the better option here?

[EOSThree]

Hmmm. I didn't read the entire text at first so I didn't know which was the HDR and which was the curve adjustment. I actually think the HDR looks more natural, the curves seems to have a little more light in the shadows than I would like. It looks like the underside of the leaves are lit up more in the curves version, and I wouldn't expect them to be lit. I combine both, I usually do a 3-5 exposure HDR, then adjust levels on the composite. This seems to approximate what my eye saw without looking overdone.

[hminx]

Thanks EOS, was hand held so three exposures was about the limit. The HDR came with CS5 and while it does reasonable job there is probably a better option out there, appreciate your thoughts

[ksbryan0]

Pete, I'm liking the second image better. The clarity seems much better. May not be the more "natural" looking of the two, but if you increase the blacks a touch and the shadows even more, it may look more "real"...but I kind of like it as-is.

I've never heard of an Irish gate. In the states, we'd probably call them wrought iron gates. Maybe they're one in the same?

[hminx]

The Irish gate thing come about due to this being a gate I photographed near Donegal in Ireland a few months ago...

I know the composition is a bit weak as the gate is poorly defined but I appreciate your comments on the processing .

[ekonom]

Naturally beautiful, you should adjust the exposure