First Critique - HDR Image of Hard Disks

[snadowitz]

Hi - this is a tonmapped image of a stack of old HDD platters. Please tear it apart!! tell me how to improve it or whatever....

A stack of old HDD platters. These are disks from a set of old HP PA-RISC 9000 Series D Class machines that I recently scrapped - I could not resists taking the HDD's apart as the internal workings always fascinate me - so precise!!. The disks are a whopping 7.2GB - 3 or 4 platters for 7.2GB - how ancient and vintage is that eh!!!!!!

This shot is made up from 3 exposures converted to HDR and tonemapped in Photomatix Pro.

Exposures: 3 seconds, 1/1.25 seconds and 13 seconds
Aperture: f/20.0
Focal Length: 72 mm
ISO: 100



Here is a link to the original on Flickr:-

Flickr Photo Download: HDD-Stack

[Murtasma]

I don't think HDR was necessary in this situation. How were the platters lit? On my monitor it appears like there is a slight orange color cast that I would try and remove from the image. Moving the platter in the foreground more toward the back between the other plates then cropping a little tighter could make a really fantastic abstract image.

A scene light this is all about the light, reflections and patterns. Thanks for sharing, now get back out there and work with those platters since they are no good anymore.

[snadowitz]

Originally Posted by Murtasma

I don't think HDR was necessary in this situation. How were the platters lit? On my monitor it appears like there is a slight orange color cast that I would try and remove from the image. Moving the platter in the foreground more toward the back between the other plates then cropping a little tighter could make a really fantastic abstract image.

A scene light this is all about the light, reflections and patterns. Thanks for sharing, now get back out there and work with those platters since they are no good anymore.

Thanks for the tips - the lighting - fluorescent tubes in my office and light from a nearby window. I messed up the white balance hence the colour cast but ...........I kinda like it. I do think the HDR enhanced the shot though. I will take your great advice about the composition and redo this shot with a closer crop!!!