Nature Photographers Network
This is the preserved archive of the original Nature Photographers Network. The community continues at naturephotographers.network.
Cap Le Moine + Repost
‹ PreviousLandscape GalleryNext ›

Cap Le Moine + Repost

by Eva McDermott

Gallery: LandscapePosted June 9, 2010693 views16 comments
Dare I say, without stirring controversy...... this is a three image HDR processed in Photomatix. Well it is. I posted a more anemic version earlier but took it down after 3 hours of no comments (+3 stop reverse ND grad, single exposure, LR and CS4 processing only). Even a +4-stop reverse ND grad in combination with the polarizer could not remedy the scene without turning the sky deep purple. All day, I was thinking about posting this first but chickened out and posted the anemic version which is now history.

Cap Le Moine is about an hour's drive north of my favorite beach in Inverness and maybe 20 minutes south of Cape Breton Highlands National Park, another favorite place of mine. We were on our way to a Celtic Colours concert when I saw this scene, so I stopped and shot a few.... a few more.... and then some making us late for the concert......

Thanks for looking and for any comments, critiques or beatings you wish to leave. All appreciated. I know many don't like HDR here on NPN (and probably some use it but don't say) but I thought I would give it a try for something a little different from me anyway. Could not get the sky right even with +3 and +4 reverse gradients so thought I would try and process the image with the HDR software I have. In addition, there was a stiff wind blowing so I hope the movement of the grass is not a distraction. I tried to correct for ghosting,and background movements but even the single exposures were not immume to movement caused by the strong wind.

Canon 40D
Canon EF-S 1-22mm at 15mm
ISO200 f/18 0.5, 0.8, and 1.3 sec
SR Warming Polarizer + 3-Stop Reverse Gradient ND

BTW - That little bump on the horizon close to the center is the little island some of you may have noticed in many of my Inverness Beach images.

SEE REPOST BELOW.

Comments

16 comments
Comment posted by Kurt Budde on June 9, 2010 at 10:30 PM
Can't tell at all - which is the whole idea! I don't see any, but you may want to look carefully for any ghosting in the clouds due to the movement and HDR combo. Photomatix typically doesn't handle cloud movement well.

Great sense of depth with the coastline leading out to the far horizon. I especially like the long sun reflection on the right. Nice double leading lines that form a big "V".
Registered on May 19, 2008, 39 Posts, 246 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Pelton on June 9, 2010 at 10:37 PM
It looks good to me, Eva. Beautiful scene, well composed. Processing looks good to me.
Registered on November 25, 2003, 380 Posts, 4647 Comments
Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on June 9, 2010 at 11:05 PM
HDR? Doesn't look it at all Eva. Perfectly done all around. A very lovely scene.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Capurso on June 9, 2010 at 11:06 PM
Beautiful shot, Eva. Perfect processing--I never would have guessed it was HDR! Looks like a nice night for a concert too.

Mark Capurso
Phoenix, AZ
Registered on January 4, 2008, 47 Posts, 321 Comments
Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on June 10, 2010 at 12:02 AM
I think you did a fine job with the HDR work, it looks quite natural. The only tip off is the subtle artifacting in the clouds, which would be avoided if you were to do a manual blend instead - or at least just on that region.
Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments
Comment posted by Gabriel Colburn on June 10, 2010 at 12:18 AM
I've seen many HDR photos before that are quite obvious and not natural looking. This one however is not one of those. You did a great job not over doing it in the HDR. There does appear to be very slight artifacts in the clouds, but I'm sure you can correct it. I like the contrast between the warm and cool areas of the image.
Registered on June 9, 2010, 3 Posts, 10 Comments
Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on June 10, 2010 at 3:34 AM
Hi Eva, I would have to say that I immediately recognized this as different from your usual processing and scrolled down to see whether it was HDR. Not that there is anything that needs fixing, but to me at least I easily identified it as such. It's a pretty scene and worth trying a manual blend too for comparison.
Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments
Comment posted by Anthony Vincent on June 10, 2010 at 7:59 AM
Looks surprisingly natural as well Eva. Another fine seascape and Im on board with you taking a series of shots and turning it into a little time action clip.
Well done
Registered on February 5, 2009, 199 Posts, 2775 Comments
Comment posted by Luis Argerich on June 10, 2010 at 9:38 AM
It's a very nice composition and I specially like the shoreline, it's full of detail and makes me travel the photo.

I think it's a great work!

Abut the HDR there is some ghosting on the clouds, I've been told photomatix 4 will have a much better ghosting removal algorithm so stay tuned!

:toast:
Registered on December 22, 2009, 91 Posts, 1349 Comments
Comment posted by Rick Goldwasser on June 10, 2010 at 9:46 AM
Wouldn't have known it was HDR, just a very nice image with vivid colors and beautiful light.
Registered on May 10, 2009, 127 Posts, 970 Comments
Comment posted by Eva McDermott on June 10, 2010 at 12:56 PM
Here is a 3-image manual blend done in PS CS4. Interested in your thoughs. Thanks again folks. It does seem a little less heavy than the HDR version. Many thanks for your input.
Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments
Comment posted by Ricardo La Piettra on June 10, 2010 at 1:04 PM
Love the last blend Eva, exposure looks great in my monitor. Great photo.
Registered on July 22, 2009, 62 Posts, 730 Comments
Comment posted by Lon Overacker on June 10, 2010 at 3:07 PM
Eva,

I'm not sure what was so "anemic" about the version you deleted, but what I can recall at least is that I think this one is better. :-) With the exception of the issues with the clouds, this looks great to me. I really like the warm light on the slope as well as the sky's reflection in the sea. Now the most recent manual blend you posted certainly fixes the cloud issues and this one is also quite natural with just a little less "pop" than your original.

I don't know anything about hdr processing so I can't really make any suggestions other than to say I think this posting here is wonderful.

Lon
Registered on November 24, 2006, 521 Posts, 19147 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Chambers on June 11, 2010 at 9:27 AM
What a grand vista. Excellent processing as well - this has none of the telltale signs of HDR. I'm sitting here thinking how nice it must have been to be sitting there listening to the wind blowing and the waves crashing. Of the two images I prefer your original post as it seems richer in color and contrast.
Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments
Comment posted by Bruno Silva on June 11, 2010 at 10:42 PM
I really like how you, well, like we say around these parts, how you put you´re thoughts on "clean dishes"..."I know many don't like HDR here on NPN (and probably some use it but don't say)"...thumbs up for this, eva!!! to be honest, I don´t do hdr but don´t have anything against it too. I´ve tried some but they allways seemed kind of, from another planet..lol! the hdr looks nice, my only nit would have to be with some ghosting in the urc. I really like the blend version, great colors and deph!! great work, eva(in both versions).
Registered on May 6, 2009, 132 Posts, 1406 Comments
Comment posted by Michael R Reynolds on June 11, 2010 at 10:54 PM
Very dramatic feel. I like the "pop" in the clouds. The HDR still looks natural. Best Regards.
Registered on February 26, 2008, 54 Posts, 812 Comments