Water Reflection

Well here is one more HDR , do you think this is still to cartoon like.



Thanx in advance ( I am just learning )

Everybody has different tastes in images, as i have found out and observe, you cannot please all the people all the time. Primarily you should create images that are for you and your own taste, unless of course you are on a commission. Don't worry about trying to please us as you will never please everyone here!

However you ask our opinion, so although it is an interesting effect, personally i don't like it being so artificial and soft. I agree it is cartoon like, and in fact in my opinion many hdr's are over-processed and unrealistic. I prefer hdr when it is applied in a more subtle way. However, what do i know?! I don't do many hdr's and have never published one here

Thank you for taking the time to reply, I do take on what everybody says,

I'm fond of both the OTT HDR and the natural looking stuff, learning how to do the OTT helps learn what the controls do and allow you to decide how it turns out.

If you wanna bring out details in a shot using HDR, try having the non HDR'd shot as a base and use a layer of the OTT HDR processed version and lower the opacity it gives punch to shots without looking too OTT.

Here is an example, this was a single shot HDR from a RAW file and then layered into the original exposure to bring out the details and leave it with a natural feel:

Well that's more my type of hdr!

I think it depends on the tools you use too - there are some 'hdr' packages out there where, I'm not actually all that keen on the end result. Think Photomatix is probably the leading one

You have a fabulous sky there, and I quite like the landscape but I'm finding the reflection very over powering and distracting.

I actually use Stanokellas technique for most of my editing, not HDR though. I'll give all the pop, contrast etc I like, then layer it over the original and lower the opacity until I feel the balance is right.

Thank you for the info I personaly like the over the top HDR, and also the more natural look the detail in the one you have posted is brilliant.

For me it seems to be a fine line between Cartoon and natural when I process in Photomatix, I just cant seem to get the balance right, but I will Keep on trying.

Thanks again Goggs....

OTT has its place, but in this case it has created a very distracting reflection - especially that overly bright bit slap bang in the middle. The eye doesn't get led in anywhere, just stuck on that bright spot which is a shame as there are other lovely details in the picture which have been overpowered.