It's so amazing to me the different tastes that people have. I really like this kind of processing and thought your SP was fantastic. It doesn't look over the top to me at all. I love doing (trying to do) casual, fun shots of people with this processing. It brings out so much character.
Truthfully, at first I didn’t particularly care for this type of processing, in it’s infancy it was usually overdone, making photos look cartoon like. Out of this group a few emerged that took tone mapping and mastered it. My only problem with tone mapping now, is how far short in skill ,my attempts compare to the few like Robert.
The thing that is so great about the self potraits is how much of our personalities came through in them. I liked the ones that were a little bit different and personal, and I think this is one of those. Not everyone "gets" it, but it obviously has personal meaning to the owner of the shot and I think that's what's great about it. Not everyone got my SP either, but I think it said something personal about me and that's what I was trying to accomplish. Standard, smiley headshots are fine, but not nearly as interesting and personal. I think the tone mapping in Bear_musics shot is what took it from a regular old photo to a really personal self portrait. I think you either get it or you don't. I personally like it!
Thank you for explaining it Bear Music.
Now don't get me wrong, you are a wonderful photographer and I really enjoy alot of your photos, and even though it does do what you wanted it too, I still don't "like" it. I am biased against HDR as a whole I supose.
Thank you for explaining it Bear Music.
Now don't get me wrong, you are a wonderful photographer and I really enjoy alot of your photos, and even though it does do what you wanted it too, I still don't "like" it. I am biased against HDR as a whole I supose.
That's absolutely OK, of course; it isn't to everyone's taste.
I liked the processed results less when I first saw the image than I did after I "studied" it for a few moments. The HDR is a bit over the top for my taste, but I can't say that I don't like it. Actually I like it quite a bit. To use an analogy: I could say that Picasso's "Guernica" is a bit over the top as his presentation stretches reality, but I certainly "like" the painting. In a similar fashion I like your over-the-top HDR. It stretches reality too. But I still appreciate it...especially the more time I take with the photo.
All of which leads me to say something else about the whole process of these challenges (and the entire DPC site, for that matter). If we click through photos fast just to vote on them, then first (fleeting) impressions will likely lead to viseral reactions and equally viseral votes (which is ok, its a matter of choice and available time). On the other hand, if voters take a few moments with a photo the entire experience is more enriching. I learn more by paying closer attention to what someone is trying to accomplish and that leads me to imitate or otherwise extend myself as a photographer (which is what is important to me). So I say, photographers "should" go over the top from time to time. That's how we hone our skills and how photography expands our collective experience.
...and with a face like yours...the possibilities are endless. (mine too, I might add).
