First HDR attempt - how can I do better?

[guitarjunky]

I took 3 exposures.... -2, 0, +2 with exposures ranging from 1 to 30 seconds.

I used a Lee 6 stop ND filter to acheive the water effect and processed with Photomatix...

5D Mark II
ISO 50
f/22
Canon L 16-35 mm at 16 mm

did some correction work for color saturation and adjusted the curves...

Any composition tips are welcomed and of course any comments about everything else as well.

Thanks!

[autofocus]

I can honestly say there isn't anything about the photo and your processing that I don't like. I love the deep rich tones. Great job

[graciousness]

I agree with Vince! What a great photo. Where's the like button?

I usually don't like HDR but this one was just spot on.

[Gaurav Prabhu]

You did a fantastic job with your first HDR. It seems natural & not overtly processed. Give yourself a pat.

If I would have to think composition wise, its a bit centered. A slight camera tilt downward would be great so as to enable more of the water stream in the picture. Not that big issue though

[guitarjunky]

Originally Posted by autofocus

I can honestly say there isn't anything about the photo and your processing that I don't like. I love the deep rich tones. Great job

Wow thanks! This is encouraging... I appreciate the thumbs up.

[guitarjunky]

Originally Posted by graciousness

I agree with Vince! What a great photo. Where's the like button?

I usually don't like HDR but this one was just spot on.

Many thanks for the good words! The like is on smugmug

And thanks for noticing the «natural» look. That was the more important thing for me... My goal is to reproduce what the eye sees and not to have the effect ruin the feel.

[guitarjunky]

Originally Posted by Gaurav Prabhu

You did a fantastic job with your first HDR. It seems natural & not overtly processed. Give yourself a pat.

If I would have to think composition wise, its a bit centered. A slight camera tilt downward would be great so as to enable more of the water stream in the picture. Not that big issue though

Thanks again!

Good point on composition. I think I was too low... I was in the water (cold) and I was afraid that water movement was going to affect sharpness if I was too high on the tripod... But I agree with you.

[alstauffer]

I agree with everything else that's been said - fantastic photo and great processing. Definitely not overdone and the overall color is great - very natural.

The only negative I can find to critique is the gray washed-out sky that pokes through the tress. Unfortunately I don't have a suggested fix since its still something I'm trying to remove from all of my HDR waterfall photos Composition-wise, it is very centered, so maybe panning slightly to the right (putting the waterfall/stream coming down one of the 'thirds' lines), or maybe even moving a little forward and higher and panning down and right might give another interesting angle? But that's all just nitpicking, trying to find something to comment on.

Overall, great work, definitely a keeper.

[JBK617]

Nicely done, I like the natural feel to the colors.

I'm curious as to what time of day you took this, given you had the 6 stop filter and the varying exposure times.

TFS

[Krusty79]

Great shot. Nice composition and you have some wonderful colors. However, I think the bright sky has caused the rest of the image to be slightly underexposed.