Last Sunday we had planned to go to Winkworth Arboretum with the Nokia Camera Club. This arboretum is one of the best places in the South East of England to visit for Autumn colours. I normally end up visiting a couple of times in the autumn and once of twice in spring.
So we watched the weather forecast eagerly all week. Rain was predicated! It was meant to clear by 1pm, so we were hopeful for some sunny photos!
We all met up in the arboretum car park and 11am, in the rain!
On entering the arboretum, a person approached us who worked there and noticing all our cameras suggested we head off in one particular direction to see a large red acer tree. It was actually the direction we were going to go, but it was good to know we had the right idea, and it we were not to early for the colours!
It continued raining!
So I thought it would be ideal for HDR images (High Dynamic Range). These images consist of taking an under exposed image, correctly exposed and over exposed, and then combining the using special software which then brings out the details in the highlights and lowerlights, in other words areas of the photos that might normally be lost.
I tried this with a few images and a couple of the views. These are a couple of the results.
It still continued to rain.
So when we had finished getting drenched, and trying to protect our camera gear, and as there was sign of the promised sun, we head back up to the top of the arboretum, and went in search of a nice warm pub and food!
It was a really enjoyable and wet day, but we got some good photos.
Now, I like to add, that I have always said I don’t like to modify my photos. This still stands. I don’t clone out bits and add bits in, but I do change the brightness and contrast where necessary. HDR is a similar thing. Its using the 3 or 5 (even up to 9) images of differing exposure and combining them together. So the photo isn’t really being modified like cloning, but enhancing the depths and highlights of the image to be more like you see with your eyes. Some HDRs can be over done, but I’d like to think that mine are subtle enough that you might not be able to tell.
You will see more and more HDR added to my website, but they well be labeled. See what you think!