A blah field, after HDR and Lomo

[vgal]

I went out yesterday to a nearby park, looking for some kind of inspiration in the dreary, gray, still-dead Massachusetts world.

The original picture:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehchix0r/460656620/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/205/460656620_be7bba0402.jpg" width="500" height="334" alt="Across the field" /></a>

This is the original picture, no exposure compensation. By itself, I knew it was pretty boring, so I snapped it in autobracket mode, trying to keep myself as still as possible, and ended up with a +2.0 and -2.0 EV version as well. I was hoping with some HDR-ing, something cool could end up happening with the clouds.

Intermediate step:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehchix0r/460663529/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/460663529_bc54ef0e60.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Across the field - HDR" /></a>

To get to this step, I:

Merged the -2.0, 0.0, and +2.0 EV pictures into an HDR rendering.
Used the Photomatix plug-in for Photoshop to do the tone mapping.
Converted it to an 8-bit image. When the HDR Conversion box popped up, using the Exposure and Gamma method, I bumped the exposure up because it looked too dark.
Rotated the image to level the horizon.

It looked much more interesting than the original image, but then I remembered the Lomo tutorial (http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-make-digital-photos-look-like-lomo-photography/) on the blog.

The final product:
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/tehchix0r/460662097/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/188/460662097_7b12488754.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="Across the field - Lomo" /></a>

I followed the Lomo tutorial (http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/how-to-make-digital-photos-look-like-lomo-photography/) pretty much step-by-step. I'm not sure if I went too extreme with the effect, but I think it makes the original boring shot more interesting, at least.

[jiminyClickit]

vgal,

Intermediate (#2) is wonderful to behold, Lomo not so much. Landscapes may not be the best candidate, even if well done. Second photo is good HDR example.

[wulf]

I like the final effect, although I would also want to keep a copy of the intermediate step on hand as well, as it is an interesting image in its own right.

Wulf

[Christa]

I like #2 the best but the final product is a very cool pic. I think it looks great.

[wyndhydra]

vgal,
Those shots are wonderful. Number three looks very cool but is a bit too contrasty for my liking. I love number two!!! The sky is wonderful and you can really make out the forms of the trees better (which is a big plus in my book). Great job :)

[stetson ography]

I'd be tempted to remove the vignetting from the final image, as it doesn't add much really, whereas the rest of the lomo process has made for quite otherworldly image that's really striking.

[auer1816]

I think the final image looks great. It has some character and it's got a kick to it. Very well done, I love a photo that breaks out of it's conventional look.

[higabyte]

i love the final image, i think it'd adding some tombstones would make it creepy awesome.. lol great job!

[Griggs]

I can't believe how nice #2 looks from the original, I'll have to figure out how you did that.

I think the final product would look cool as a black and white. It would look a little spooky and mysterious, I can see that hanging on a wall.

[matthewchj]

Great improvement from the original.
The lomo looks nice. It is brighter, the colours really stand out and there is more contrast