SIJ09 HDR revisited.

Here is the single image with the camera managing the exposure. (sorry reposted HDR image before - here's the correct one now).

Thanks for posting both. My brain just can't wrap itself around HDR. I find that much detail in light shadows weird. But seeing the same image in just B&W does not feel weird, while that's even more different from real life scenes. Go figure!

Must say Bill that from what I can see from the thumbnail the X100 handled the range in that single exposure quite well.

If you don;t mind my critiquing the processing. The HDR is certainly not over-cooked - I assume this is tone mapped rather than exposure blended - but the light areas (e.g., the border plants on the pathway) look just a little too strong. If you're using Photomatix, then maybe a little touch less on the Highlights/Whites slider?

Mark I posted the wrong comparison photo - have another look. The tree is in shadow and the sky is washed out.

It really does bring out the detail in your picture.

I don't understand anything about tone mapping or, really, anything about HDR - however I do appreciate its uses! Lots of textures going on in that end of the garden, Bill. And right now, I envy you your sunlight!

This is exactly what HDR is for. I'll have to side with Stillshunter though that the effect is just a little too strong. For me, it's the details.....they're just too much. I do this ALL the time myself. I've started getting things where I think they should be and then walking away from the computer and coming back 5 minutes later. Usually, it looks too strong and I split the difference. It's all personal taste, of course, but the more HDR I do, the more I realize that if you can tell it's HDR by looking at it, then it's usually too strong (unless they style of image calls for it and you're intentionally going for gritty).