Help with HDR please

I am trying to learn how to do HDR pictures. I love the ones that look really out there. I tried to do one with a free download trial. It isn't what I wanted as far as tone mapping. Please someone, can you help me out? Here is what I did before and after. Tripod, manual, 1 stop difference

The fianl

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkstyson/3682903617/" title="HDR !!!!_800x600 by TysonSparks, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3638/3682903617_a924d2d2fc_o.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="HDR !!!!_800x600" /></a>

The start of the exposures

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkstyson/3683715452/" title="Z7026292_800x600 by TysonSparks, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/3683715452_6e08109e5b_o.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Z7026292_800x600" /></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkstyson/3683715592/" title="Z7026293_800x600 by TysonSparks, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2660/3683715592_09bd189f1b_o.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Z7026293_800x600" /></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkstyson/3683715294/" title="Z7026291_800x600 by TysonSparks, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2526/3683715294_e7f076c563_o.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Z7026291_800x600" /></a>


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/sparkstyson/3683715062/" title="Z7026289_800x600 by TysonSparks, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2596/3683715062_a45d708ac1_o.jpg" width="800" height="600" alt="Z7026289_800x600" /></a>.

When you tone mapped the image, did you play with the sliders? If you crank the luminosity slider way up, you will start to get that funky look. Same with the color saturation slider. I did a quick version in Photomatix Pro 3 but I don't want to post the image without your permission.

Please post it, I am looking for input.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tyson L. Sparks

Please post it, I am looking for input.

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I don't know if this is the look you are going for, but here is the result I came up with by cranking up the luminosity and saturation.

Once you are done in Photomatix, don't foget that you can take the image into another program and continue to tweak it.

Tyson,

I really like your first result, it's clean, not over saturated and cartoony (which you see a lot in HDR). I prefer HDRs that give a more realistic look, as your does.