Vagabond’s Caravan

First HDR Attempt, originally uploaded by IngSiang (Vagabond).

Yay, my first HDR attempt!

I read/heard about HDR on the first few months I started photography as a hobby (when I was using my Sony P&S) but never really succeed in creating any:

1) I chose the wrong subject
2) my small tripod is not sturdy enough (last time)

Anyhow, since most of the HDR I saw are too artistic for me (toooo surreal looking for me), I didn’t go into the details of this area of digital photography.

Recently, a blog-mate of mine, Teddy, is in love with HDR and that tempted me to try ‘em out myself. Took 3 shots (-2 EV, 0 EV and +2 EV) and following this tutorial (easy to follow). I didn’t bring my tripod to school (bring the camera itself is already attracting a couple questioning, bring my tripod along and I’ll be considered showing off), I took these photos by resting my camera on the balustrade of the corridor (is that what you call it?). I think it moves a bit, that’s why the photo is not tack sharp at 100% view, haha.

This scene is most likely to be my favourite scene of Maktab Duli, especially early in the morning, when the grass looks really unique as different amount of sunlight shone of different part of them, and create something which looks rather dynamic. And the tree is a perfect focus point, I think. The difficult thing is to bring out the details of the grass and building, while preventing the sky from overexpose, pretty tough and could only be done by either using a GND filter, or using HDR (or similar technique).

Please let me know if this photo looks underexposed in your monitor/LCD. Underexposed mean erm, something like too dark (where they’re not suppose to looks that dark). Thanks! Hmm, guess it’s time to calibrate my monitor.

Note: I have to go now, I’ll write more about HDR itself tonight or tomorrow or perhaps Sunday, hehe. Maybe next time, lots of incoming tests and overdue homeworks, urgh!

Here’s another shot I processed last night, a high contrast shot of Brunei’s flag in MD. Not a HDR although it looks like one. =)