[Leica] HDRitis?

[Aram Langhans]

There are a few people in my camera club that try HDR, too.  In my opinion, 
they overdo it.  I have rarely seen an HDR that I think looks good.  Of 
course, maybe there are some that look good and the person does not admit to 
using HDR.  In those cases, I would say they did it right.

I have thought a good deal about this and I wonder if the reason it looks 
"wrong" to experienced photographers is because we have come up from film, 
and with film we had certain expectations as to what was possible and what 
was not.  I am talking slide film for me.  I expected shadows to be blocked 
up if I did not burn out the highlights.  I had a fairly limited dynamic 
range.

This film look is engrained in our minds.  When some new technique like HDR 
comes along, it looks wrong.  Not "natural" meaning not what film could 
accomplish.  I have tried a few in the past, and have tried a few more now 
that Lightroom has HDR built in.  did not like the earlier attempts, but I 
do not mind what LR is kicking out.  Maybe because they use RAW files?  Not 
sure.  And maybe because I don't push it much.

I have also found out that as digital cameras have gotten better, especially 
those with the Sony sensors, they have so much dynamic range that I can get 
about everything I want from a single well exposed image.  When I hear those 
guys with their autobracketing set to fire off 5 shots every time, I wonder 
about their abilities as a photographer vs their abilities as a computer 
technician.  Where does their skill lie?  I told one once that if he knew 
how to expose one frame he could save himself a lot of time. I don't think 
he appreciated my comment.

I think those who push it beyond what is natural are claiming artistic 
freedom.  Ansel Adam's idea that the print is the negative is the score and 
the print is the performance.  But I don't like their performance.

I think Jeffery has it right:  "Sort of like how artists feel about Thomas 
Kinkade".  Well stated.

Aram

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From: "Lew Schwartz" <lew1716 at gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 05, 2015 2:03 PM
To: "Leica Users Group" <lug at leica-users.org>
Subject: [Leica] HDRitis?

> I'm checking out a few camera clubs in the vicinity of my new home and I'm
> distresed by what I see as the overuse of the hdr look. Maybe it's old
> fogey me, but I find it nightmarish & oppressive.  How's it look to the 
> LUG
> dudes?
>
>