Sunrise over a Train Trestle

[Greg McCary]

This one is from last week end. What do you think?

[Orgnoi1]

Before I poke and prod... can you elaborate on your settings the best you can? There is no EXIF data attached to the picture to check out.

[Greg McCary]

Before I poke and prod... can you elaborate on your settings the best you can? There is no EXIF data attached to the picture to check out.

F/18, Trying for a star effect, 1/160 ISO200. With a circular Hoya Polarizer. Poke and prod at will. That's why I put it here......

[Orgnoi1]

ok... unsure of the star thing... but I think I would have went two ways with this...I think I would have raised the shutter speed and brought the tone of the picture further down towards a true silhouette... or pulled your aperture in a bit and brought up the colors a tad... you have some green leaves in the foreground... and the sky is slightly gray casted...

Bringing the shutter speed up will fix the green leaves and the gray cast...

[drg]

Greg,

This is one where you could use the split/graduated density filter and/or a Circular Polarizer to great effect. The CP could be used to accentuate the sky, though most likely won't deepen it as the light is probably to direct. The Cokin could be used to knock down the highlights and bring up the foreground if you were so inclined or desired that result.

A higher shutter speed will push this more towards the range of a silhouette, but alone won't fix the sky other than to lessen its dynamic range. There's a good possibility it would be grayer.

This is the perfect example of when to use HDR type multiple exposures (or multiple developments of a RAW file) to get more exposure range and thus detail. Tripod required!

By the way it is a TRESTLE not a TRUSSEL.

[Greg McCary]

Greg,

This is one where you could use the split/graduated density filter and/or a Circular Polarizer to great effect. The CP could be used to accentuate the sky, though most likely won't deepen it as the light is probably to direct. The Cokin could be used to knock down the highlights and bring up the foreground if you were so inclined or desired that result.

A higher shutter speed will push this more towards the range of a silhouette, but alone won't fix the sky other than to lessen its dynamic range. There's a good possibility it would be grayer.

This is the perfect example of when to use HDR type multiple exposures (or multiple developments of a RAW file) to get more exposure range and thus detail. Tripod required!

By the way it is a TRESTLE not a TRUSSEL.

Thanks DRG for correcting my grammer. This next exposure may have had the Cokin on it. I have had my Cokin Grads for about two weeks and I really like them. I am still playing and learning. I am just not a big fan of HDR just yet. I guess I am a little old school and the effect of it doesn't seem right to me, a bit on the cartoon side. The high F/stop creates a star effect that keeps the light from looking blown out. I appreciate your critiques.

[Orgnoi1]

Greg I have to admit... rather see it like this than HDR also... theres an extreme where HDR looks good... a moderator on NEF has it down to a science (Member name Zacker)...but his cartoonlike images are on purpose... HDR wasnt intended to be used at such an extreme that people are trying to push it IMO...

[drg]

Now I like this one better.

I know what you mean about HDR. One problem is that too many people are confusing HDR with trick or effect photography like Orton effects or don't realize you can't do it with JPEGs. The cartoon effect isn't what HDR is suppose to look like at all.

I like the star effect from the higher F stop, of course you can use a Star filter as well when the number of highlights is limited as in this photo. Cokin makes some fine ones of those as well.

[Greg McCary]

Ross, I too have seen a couple of photographers that do very well with HDR. One right of off the top of my head is one named Woodsac on another forum,. He has some stunning HDR's. I have tried a couple of HDR's myself and may explore it more later on.
Drg, You hit the nail on the head. HDR isn't used for it's intended purpose. My biggest problem with it is movement in the image. Any puff of wind or cloud movement and the overall effect for it's intended purpose goes out the window. But HDR does have it's place and I do see plenty of them that I like. Thanks to you both for the input.

[gahspidy]

Greg, I like the second version better as well. The starry effect and the exposure of the greens in the fg add tremendously to the scene. The only thing missing is a train on the trestle.
Btw, I believe HDR has very, very limited use. However, most things become successful for reasons other than their intended design/purpose.

[readingr]

Greg,

Sorry old bean but I don't like either of these.

#1 to dark and for me doesn't work as a silhouette.

#2 Am I looking at the sun or the bridge. The sun overpowers this and the greenery at the bottom I find distracting. Crop that lot out and it may improve but not sure if it will work for me.

Sorry

Roger

[Greg McCary]

Thanks Gary, I do intend to do some HDRs later on. The one thing, is I just haven't found a subject that I feel would work.
Roger. "old bean". You made me laugh this morning. Thanks for your critique........