HDR, Non-HDR, or Original?

[sk66]

Took some pics at a local cemetery...The idea for this image was something dark/spooky/imposing....I made the footprints going in and tried to jump out of frame so there was no prints coming back out...


Non-HDR version:


HDR Version:


Attached is the original:

Exif is the same for all:
Camera Nikon D3
Exposure 0.001 sec (1/1000)
Aperture f/4.5
Focal Length 12 mm
ISO Speed 400
Exposure Bias -2 EV

So which do you prefer and why?

[zona5101]

I like the HDR version mainly because the footprints are more noticeable. Also the name on the wall is a little more pornounced. I like the contrast /total range of the bricks in the non-hrd. In both it does feel like the building is falling away.

[sk66]

Thanks, I did do a bit of lens correction..maybe I should do more....

[BexJarratt]

I really like the composition, very dark and menacing.

I prefer the deeper red tones and more hooded appearance of the tomb on the non-HDR but the footprints on the HDR one are much more noticable. I don't know how easy it would be, but I'd be tempted to cut'n'shut the bottom half of the HDR onto the top of the original.

[sk66]

here's an attempt at fixing the lens distortion further and combining the two treatments...

[BexJarratt]

I think that look great, I makes me think of several passages from Dracula. Are you happy with it?

[sk66]

Yeah, pretty happy with it... I just wish I had left more room for lens distortion correction.

[augiecrazy8]

Definitely a choice by you. Some photographers want the final image to look as much like the actual environment as they possibly remember, others want to stylize the pictures to give them a surreal look. I guess I'm a bit more of the former as I personally like the first image as the snow looks white as opposed to a dark gray. It does bring out the footprints, but maybe some spot dodging & burning could do that for you as well.

To me the background is a bit distracting. I'm not an expert on fill light by any means, but I wonder if you could underexpose to darken the background quite a bit and then use some fill light to illuminate the building itself?

[sk66]

Yeah, background is a bit busy..Almost impossible to get shallow DOF @ 12mm. It's not nearly as bad viewed full size. The last edit has whiter snow which I also prefer. I couldn't really get to "white" as the day was very gray/dark...Making it white would really skew the rest. I guess I could do layer copies etc etc but this was really pretty simple post done.