Single shot whith HDR

Here is one picture (single shot) runned through easyHDR with dramatic dark settings vs. original picture.

With easyHDR:




and original (not processed) photo:

It's a better image with the HDR, but I do think the same could easily have been achieved without any HDR processing on this particular shot.

Regards
David

Yes, you might be right.

Exposure +0.5 EV (or +1 EV) would be needed and then play stand and background would be better, but the problem is snow, its too flat.

It's worked well and doesn't look to obvious.

There used to be a software program written in Java
and only supporting Intel CPU's (Lightzone.. hardly
surprising that they seem to have disappeared )
that allowed you to manipulate Zones individually
which is probably a similar thing.

EDIT:: It seems Lightzone may now be available for
FREE once they sort out Licensing Problems

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LightZone

It was quite a powerful program which won quite a
lot of awards. I'm sure AP picked it as the Best
Photo App one year.

Old Review:
http://www.photozone.de/lightzone-v205

-

I actually prefer the original as I find the 'fake HDR' contrasts a bit harsh and unrealistic, particularly the differences between the silver birch bark, sky and snow.

Here's a very quick attempt with more conventional means. It has just 0.25 stop more exposure and some texture pulled back into the highlights as that was explicitly mentioned in the OP. I did notice the HDR tonal mapping gave a benefit in putting some texture into the reds and making explicit the front and back red panels so I've done a bit of the same thing by steepening the tonal curve a touch at the red panels brightness point. I've probably made the red and yellow a bit too bright in doing so but it's only a quick play.

I like it. I wouldn't even class it as HDR, but just regular processing to reduce teh dynamic range.

Thanks.

It's nice to hear others opinions.

On that picture there are some elements that dosen't look very natural as Bob (gwing) said, like birch bark (too light, IMHO).