Nov 24, 2008
Cafe Modern in HDR
by Kevin Buchanan
Taken by Kevin Buchanan. View larger on Flickr.
Cafe Modern at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth. This is a three-exposure HDR image tone mapped in Photomatix Pro, taken with a Canon Digital EOS Rebel XT. I took this HDR image handheld, without a tripod. I’m not a big fan of super-processed HDR images, so I always try for a more realistic appearance – I think I’ve achieved that on this image.
Thought y’all might like to see.
Tags: architecture, cafe modern, hdr, Photography, The Modern




10 Comments, Comments or Pings
apap
Please stop with the HDR. It really benefits nobody.
Nov 24th, 2008
Tim
The camera (and digital editing) is an instrument of visual abstraction like any other. Isn’t the benefit what you make of it? If anything HDR is interesting with regard to how we want technology to catch up with the sophistication of the human eye. Will it catch up to the sophistication of human experience?
A nice subtle composition in my opinion – the subdued colors are interesting.
Nov 24th, 2008
Steph
Wow, APAP, that’s a real intelligent, well-thought out, helpful comment. :-
I’d say your useless comment benefits nobody.
Nov 24th, 2008
Max
Steph, I think APAP is a purist who is gigging Kevin for manipulating photos to suit his artistic taste and/or to compensate for his lack of photographic skill (if that’s what this HDR business is all about), not a useless fool as you would seem to believe. In other words, he’s talking some trash. They’ll start throwin’ down lens caps any time now.
Max
Nov 24th, 2008
Kevin Buchanan
There is no need for this much controversy.
I’m trying HDR because it interests me and because I would like to explore it, not because I’m covering for a lack of photographic skill – I think the many non-HDR photos I’ve posted here should vouch for that. Whether you like my work or not is immaterial – it should be obvious that HDR is an area of interest for me, not a crutch I use because I can’t do anything else. I wouldn’t be going HDR if I wanted a crutch – it is not especially simple to achieve good results from the process.
HDR is an imaging technique, nothing more nothing less. It is simply the process of blending and tone mapping multiple exposures to capture a greater range of detail and light than is possible with a single exposure. I don’t do overprocessed HDR – I think that Cafe Modern photo is quite realistic.
At any rate, I’ll continue to post photos, including HDR. If you don’t like them, fine – that’s A-OK with me. Just remember I’m not forcing you to either like them or even look at them.
Nov 24th, 2008
apap
Sorry guys. I wasn’t trying to flame. Reading what I typed earlier, I was totally flaming.. My comment was poorly worded in the 10 seconds I had to make a comment before running off to do other things. Can I rephrase this in the 10.5 seconds I have at my disposal right now?
Kevin, I was not making any commentary about your skills as a photographer. I just view HDR as a repulsive post production monster that ruins some damn fine photographs. Can we see the pre-HDR shots?
Nov 24th, 2008
apap
Steph,
Adverbs modify adjectives. Adjectives fail to do so.
Nov 24th, 2008
North Fort Worth Hippie
Can other people post photos? I have no problem with Kevin or his photos. However there are a number of people who (a hem…) would like to get a photo on West and Clear.
Are photos encouraged or not?
Nov 25th, 2008
Bernie
NFWH-
We used to have a regular feature called “viewfinder.” We haven’t been doing it much lately, but we should start again.
The way it works is you upload your photos to a flickr account, and tag any that you think might be appropriate for our site “westandclear.”
Then every so often we search flickr for those photos, and post away.
Nov 25th, 2008
Felicia
What better place to explore and experiment than at the Modern?
I’m just sayin’ …
Nov 28th, 2008
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