HDR

Experimenting with HDR Photography

With this post I will be experimenting with high definition images, which I have edited using Photoshop to create the final pieces. To create these images I needed to take 3 consecutive images. One normally exposed, one under exposed and one over exposed. These images were then merged within the computer programme to provide an almost 3D depth of field to the photograph.

Artists Photography - Girolamo Cracchilio 

The artist whom I have chosen to research regarding HDR photography is Girolamo Cracchilio. He is a foreign photographer who bases his work around the topic of landscapes,and is a regular user of the HDR technique. The photographs are very artistic in composition and the use of reflection on the water is an effect which particularly drew me to his images.  Light also plays a large role within his shots and the sunsets are visually striking.  The wide angle lens is used to a great effect as it almost allows the image to wrap around you and you become drawn into the photograph.  

The second image i have looked at by the artist also features a landscape scene, but this image uses the HDR effect to draw out both the colour in the land and also sky. The sunset is the focal point of the photograph and is the first thing the viewer will look at due to the strong orange tones. This orange hue envelops the scenery and is very pleasing to the eye.  It creates texture on the water and silhouettes on the land. I will keep this in mind when I photograph my landscapes and try and use the light to an advantage.  In this second image cloud formation plays an important role as it almost billows out from the centre of the photo. This creates interest and helps to showcase the colourful sky to it's best ability.

The final image by Girolamo Cracchilio i have chosen to feature in this post, is quite different compared to the two above. Once again the image uses the HDR effect to create a dramatic sky whilst also creating contrast with the rocks and sea below. The clouds again are very prominent, however, this time, they are almost used to mirror the texture of the sea below.  The rock formation in the foreground of the image is also a good way to draw the eye into the frame.  These rocks seem to be more in focus, showing higher detail, but this effect enables the rest of the shot to take on an almost dreamy atmosphere which I like.
This is my favourite image of the three, due to the fact that it is more gloomy than the previous, however it still creates a striking atmosphere and the use of light within the composition is very clever.


My Own Photographs

This was the first image which I created using photoshop and the HDR technique.  Like with the images of Girolamo Cracchilio, I tried to mainly focus on the sky and the formations of the clouds.  
I edited the detail within the image as much as possible to enhance the separation within the clouds, whilst also being able to see the foliage on the trees in their true colours. I used the tree to frame my shot and the leaves in the top of the frame and the bottom of the frame helped to create a balance in my photograph. I tried to replicate the gloomy atmosphere from the last photograph by Girolamo Cracchilio and I was pleased with the result.

My second image has been taken to try and entirely focus on the tree as a subject. I positioned the tree in order to try and draw the viewers eye to the bark as it showed the most detail within the photograph. The contrast levels were also edited to make the leaves look more artificial and stand out more against the dark sky. The rich green colour provide the photograph with strong definition which I thought enhanced the shot.

My final image was the photograph that I was least happy with due to it not featuring the vivid colours that the previous two had. I also felt that I must have slightly moved the camera in-between images, as they don't properly align and therefore, a slight shadow is formed within one of the images used.  This image did not have the interest of the first two, the colours did not lift the shot and the composition was not successful.  The definition of the leaves is missed as there is not enough contrasting textures and unfortunately the shape of the tree is not striking enough to be a focal point of the photograph.



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