Crystal Mill using ENFUSE

I thought I would fool around with LR/Enfuse after the HDR conversation yesterday. This was 3 shots, 1 stop apart, merged with Enfuse and standard tweeks in LR. Since I haven't posted anything in a while, I thought I would try this one.

Looks EXCELLENT!

I really like it Jack, I told you LR/Enfuse works great! Especially with water motion in the images.

It does look good. I still might want to add just a bit more contrast though, not much but maybe just a little.

Now that's an HDR optimized image that works great, IMO! Well done, Jack!!

Yes, this one is working great, and a nice comp too! I'm with Darren about the contrast, just a little more, or just pull down the shadows a little. But the shady side of the creek (above the falls) is the only part that looks HRD-ish to me, just a little too light there in the context of the whole scene.

Great shot, but would like to see more contrast in the shadows upstream of the falls, otherwise for an HDR shot very acceptable.

For me, maybe just a touch more contrast, but that's all personal taste anyway. I bet this works great as a print. Excellent shot, Jack!

Hey Jack, question, that composition lends itself to a ton of detail for a three image blend. Produced as a small internet image looks very nice indeed, however I would be interested in seeing a 50-100% crop of the leaves in the trees. I bet there's some mushy blending in there. Most blending software has trouble matching up the tiny details, like leaves because there invaribly going to be slight shifts in the image to due wind/camera shake. Try taking a single Raw image- create three 1 stop exposures- save each exposure to TIFF or JPG. Then blend. See if that works for you. Just an idea.

Kane

Thanks for the comments everyone..much appreciated.

Kane, I wish I knew how to blend. I understand the process but I get totally confused about layer masks and all the blending stuff...do you know any good tutorials on the subject? And by the way, thanks for signing your print....that image is AWESOME!!

Pretty good, minimal use of HDR, and I had to look twice before I found it in the rocks and shadows. Then, once I found it, it got in the way. For me, I'd prefer to lose even that hint of HDR, and accept a more "realistic" compromise or even vignetting. I mean, I think the details in the rocks and the trees competes with the rest of the composition.

Jack, I was assuming that Enfuse was a blending software (exposure/hdr) where one just drops images of different exposures and it blends em into one image. If this is true, then you can get the same result using a single Raw image saved into 3 different exposures of your choice. Take those three exposures and drop them into Enfuse, then see if you like the result.

Kane

Very nice! Amazing detail and color.

You are right Kane about Enfuse doing the blending...I just threw the 3 images in there but I hadn't done anything with them in RAW before doing the Enfuse...I'll try that. on the large printed image I do notice some ghosting along the mountain tops. I need to look at the rocks to see if I can fix what Tom was referring to.

Dan, thanks for the encouraging comment.

Jack I think it's an awesome shot!!

@Kane I disagree he would get the same results, as a single RAW file won't have the same detail in the highlights and shadows that three images with 2 steps under and over would have. But it would solve some of the leaf ghosting problems.

Jason, are you saying a single RAW uncompressed file saved at three differnet exposures(often 2), then blended wouldn't show the same results or better? I differ. You're underestimating the power of a RAW file.

Let alone the ghosting is a given; most untrained eyes can pick up ghosting. Miniscule Exposure issues can be worked out with basic post processing.