So this was taken about 6 months ago, right after I got my camera (Sony a200) with the stock lens... so forgive me please .

It's compiled of 4 shots, and I know it's shaky. I don't remember the exposure or anything.. but it was on a tripod but it was so windy and cold, I'd accidentally bump the camera when pressing the shutter button . I figured out a better way to not make it shaky, but that was then, this is now . That's why it's a little out of focus.

Let me know what you think.. I know it's not focused very well.. and the horizon is slanted (i dunno how to fix that in Photoshop)... and I'm not GREAT at photography.. but I LOVE constructive criticism.




-Aaron

 

I won't address the obvious, as you already did.

You need a detailed scene to take advantage of HDR. You're zoomed out so far, that even if you did get your exposures correct, there's not much to see.

You also didn't expose enough highlight detail in order to bring out the water and sky.

 

It was dark (obviously ) and I don't think I used flash. In Photoshop, when the water WAS highlighted it was green.. and even adding blues back.. it made the rest of the photo blue.

I'm not very good at post-production editing .

I just took some shots for the "angles" thread, and I'll try them with HDR and report back.

 

hey it's all practice we all shot pics like this, but once you get the hang of it, it's very rewarding

only thing I would say will eliminate most of the risk of shaking or bumping the camera is an off camera trigger. Invest in one of those, they come in very handy.

 

or use the 10 sec timer.

 

that's my plan next time .


Here's another picture I'm playing around with:

Same picture as my submission for angles, but with a .6, .5, .4 exposure.. Edited it photomatix:

 

For the time being, use a timer to shoot so you don't 'bump' the camera until you get a trigger.

About the comment on the zoomed out, he means there's not much stuff to show detail with, like he said.

 

Yeah.. I wish there was more cool stuff around me to shoot.. but there isn't really =/. I need to go back in to the city and shoot (San Francisco)

 

You can make anything look good...
I also use Photomatix. Delve into Tonal Mapping.

No tripod. Nikon D40, -1, 0, +1.
Simple pic.

 

are you doing the -1,0,1 in photomatix? I don't understand how to use the AEB on my camera =/