Category Archives: Wheels

HDR carries a stigma of over processed, over saturated and generally laughable photos. That has been my limited experience with this interesting processing style. I have seen some lovely subtle work though. My ideal HDR photo is one where you’re not quiet sure if it is HDR or not. Used right, it can help you properly expose a photo that would otherwise be impossible without complex lighting set ups. I’m not pretending to be an expert here. In fact, this is my first attempt at HDR so you’re free to call me a newb.

I scouted this location a couple of weeks back. It’s interesting because it’s one of only a handful in Sydney that has a sunset-over-water view. OK, so there might be plenty up north but this one is close to home so it’s special. :p

Each day since then I’ve been waiting for some interesting cloud formations. Last night after dinner I went outside to test an IR filter and noticed the clouds were perfect. I quickly threw my bag in the car and cursed myself for leaving my fuel tank empty so I rushed like a mad man to the servo. The light was fading fast but I was driving faster. I got there with a few minutes to spare and right when the sky lit up with a brilliant orange accentuated by these awesome looking clouds (I really need to learn my cloud types).

Not long after, I was asked to move my car as it was in the way of the boat ramp but by that time I had more than enough photos. Processing them in HDR was easier than I expected. The only hard part was trying to find a good balance of exposure and saturation. A lot of the presets that came with the program were wild looking and way over the top. In the end though, I’m pretty happy with the results for a first time attempt. The stigma of HDR is brushed away and I look forward to using this method again.