Critiques Please (don't be soft)

[data5amurai]

I go through bouts of un-inspiration and I have just kicked out of that and have a new passion to get out and take some shots. So, with that in mind I want to throw something out there and ask you for some critique on it. I have been doing HDR for awhile and I am moving to an even more subtle feel with it. I just want to know what you think about it either from a technical perspective or just what it makes you feel like.



F5
ISO100
1/400
3 Exposures at +/- 2
Photomatix - Photoshop Process

I was trying to achieve gothic beauty and am really starting to see myself moving towards very dull colors and away from bright color. I have been drawn to black and white lately however, this is not black and white but does contain its original color.

[MyFirstCam]

I'm not sure about the HDR, but it looks to me like the hole thing is a bit too dark. I feel like there should be a lot more interesting detail. Might also be the vignetting that makes it so dark.

[Sterling]

^^^I agree about the darkness. I don't know if it's a result of the HDR process, but it seems like a lot of texture in the stone has been washed away. Sort of like reducing Clarity in Photoshop. I like the idea of the muted colors but I wonder if they are a bit too muted here. Now that you mentioned it, I do see a bit of green in the lower right. But if you hadn't mentioned it I don't think I would've noticed.

[cruelphotography]

I dont really see WHY you have chosen to used HDR here.

1.
You don't utilize your dynamic range. The only thing here that would be out of your cameras normal range, would be the sky. But it appears to just be darkened away by a vignett.

2.
You have added "to much" contrast, and the blacks have lost its detail.

3.
In effect your shot is left with very little dynamic range, with both highlights without detail (sky, top of the head), and shadows (forrest) without details =)

Not much nice from me here, but you kind of asked for it on the topic title ! =D

-O

[CGK]

i agree to dark,have you used a vignette i might be wrong but maybe try backing that down.

[syphlix]

not sure you need HDR on this one... usually that's to capture more dynamic range, and you seemed to want less here.

you could have just done this in one exposure by exposing for the statue then darkening the bg in post, or maybe you didn't even need to do that here if the statue was already a good deal brighter...

[stevoarnold]

I agree with the previous comments regarding HDR - until I read them my first question was going to be "Did you actually use HDR on this shot?"... I just dont see it.

That said, I like the composition a lot, the image is nicely balanced with the flowers in the bottom right adding to the balance. I think without them it would have seemed lop-sided. The sky in the upper right also lends well to the balance.

Overall I like the result, no matter how you got there!

[torqueguru]

I like the final result! But I dont see any need for HDR to attain that. Well we all have different ways of arriving atthe same results...as I belive result matters most. So, nice stuff! Pull up the exposure a eeny weeny tiny bit
cheers,
Mukul.

[cbweyland]

I really am no expert, but I don't see any reason for HDR here. What's the point. You could have achieved this in other ways.

That said I really like the result. Yes, it's a bit on the dark side, but that goes well with the subject and her face half in the shadows lends her an air of mystery and makes her come alive in an eerie sort of way. Eerie is good.

[wal]

I like the tones here. it's got a soft dreamy ghostly feeling... very nice, but a little bit dark. And i dont think the need of HDR to achieve this kind effect...