Recently I have taken to “not” reviewing my images until Friday morning, when I would choose my photograph for the 2010 Deck collection on the main site. But this week I broke from the norm to attempt another HDR (High Dynamic Range) image. I went with Nikhil out to get his daily photograph, and we turned down the dividing road between the villages of Better Hope and Vryheid’s Lust, I wasn’t much inspired by the things I saw, but the sky was very nice, and I thought that a wide-angle HDR would turn out nicely. I had also just downloaded my trial version of Nik HDR Efex Pro and I wanted to try it out.
I have blogged about how I normally process my HDR images before, so this post is more about showing the results of trying the new software from Nik. I was impressed with the similarity it has to the other Nik software I’ve tried (like the Nik SIlver Efex) and it is easy and intuitive to use. I did not try to learn too much on this first try, just played with the basic settings to see how it stacked up against Dynamic HDR from Mediachance.
I think the resulting image speaks for itself, both Nik HDR Efex Pro and Dynamic HDR were able to help me to portray the variety of tones that I saw, in this case I was facing the slate afternoon sun, so the image has a lot more detail than a standard shot of the sky which rendered the buildings in the foreground as mostly silhouettes.
Take a look and let me know what you think 🙂 If you click on the image the site has it a bit larger.
The Michael Lam Collection's Blog 
And for the follow up (naturally) you will do a nice complete tutorial for us, won’t you? 🙂
I think that I will have to learn more about the software before I try doing that 🙂
Wow! That is a very striking image.
Thanks Nigel, the setting sun can give nice cloud effects 🙂
this is very striking. i’m with Nikhil – won’t you give us a tutorial? i’ve never attempted HDR and am so new to photography i didn’t even know what it was! it is definitely something i’m going to have to try – i assume i can with my d90…
Thanks Joseph, I think what Nikhil was referring to was the specifics of this particular software 🙂 I have donea small tutorial on my HDR before at this post, and as I experiment with the new software from Nik (before it expires) I may do a new write up. Thanks for the encouragement.
Hi Michael. Thanks again for the photos. WoW. This photo is a winner in any part of the world. You have stepped up a notch or two. You are in a league for the very talented. Cecil
Thanks Cecil, experimenting with HDRs certainly makes the image “pop” more than normal 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement as usual 🙂
The sky/clouds are quite dramatic on this HDR shot. I too think it came out a bit dark but love those coconut trees and the way they stand against stormy looking skies.
Good one Michael.
Thanks Sasi, I wasn’t so inspired by the scene as I was with the sky and being I had just downloaded the Nik HDR software, I wanted something to try it out on 🙂
Very nice Michael, dramatic and punchy. Like it a lot!
Thanks David! Always happy to hear 🙂
nice moody image – love the sky! have not experimented with HDR yet but am intrigued.
Thanks Sheila.
Amazing, I wish I could hang up this image and stare at it every day! I love it!
Thanks Martina, that’s quite a compliment! let me know when you want the large JPG.
If you are serious I would live a copy. Name your price!!!!
Thanks for your offer Michael, but I think it’s good to support fellow artists, I didn’t realize I could purchase these, I may want more than one of your prints, so I will select and purchase. I like Mpix too.
Well I’ve always been a lover of dynamic skies, and an avid consumer of HDR, so this is definitely a winner for me…
Thanks, I went a bit dark, but I didn’t want too much detail in the buildings 🙂
Nice stuff, do inform me when you publish again something similar!
It feels very Gone with the Wind, all drama, and decay!
I’d be interested in the story behind the place names, thats the reader in me coming out! Is there someone in Guyana who is collecting the stories behind some of these places?
Thanks Cynthia 🙂 I don’t know if anyone is doing that, it would be a shame to lose that much history.