Brugges

[André]

Hi Folks

Sometimes I really like the hard local contrasts of these tonemap.
The original photo was taken in Brugges.

What do you think?
OK, oder too much?



André

[habakuk]

Hmmm. This greatly depends on what your intention was. First thought was "Castle Wolfenstein"...   Very dark, threatening, unfreindly and drastic. On the other hand, I spent quite a moment exploring the shot, which shows I wasn't bored or driven away. In the bigger size, there is also more sharpness which makes it easier to see and enjoy the many details. I'd consider flipping it horizontally, so my left-to-right reading style leads me to following into the depth of the scene.

cheers
®

[eob]

Tone mapping has its place in art photography, if done without exaggeration, but most examples I have seen so far (even works of well known artists) were pushing the envelope way too far, making photos look like primitive graphics.

I think that in your b&w version the tone mapping looks less hideous than it could look in color. As a matter of fact, in this particular case, the effect does not bother me at all. It adds some interest to the scene without dominating this magnificent architecture.

[Ted Byrne]

Hmmmm... do I know what tone mapping is? Is it HDR, a subset of HDR? A synonym for HDR? 

[André]

Thank you very much for your comments.

Tonemapping is a way to reduce the overall dynamic range and increase the local contrasts. Just try google for "photomatix tonemap". It is quite similar to DRI or HDR, but still another pair of shoes.

I know it's hardly anymore a photo what you get out of it. It is more kind of an illustration. The original picture was a flat, low contrast and boring image due to the bad weather.  Not much more then a memory of what we saw. That's why I played with some manipulation.
It looks horryble in colour, that's why it is only b+w.
I tried to mirror it, but I don't like it than anymore. Maybe I am just to familiar with the original.

Cheers,
André

[habakuk]

André. Have a look at the discussion in Ted's thread. There are interesting points in what a photograph is and what not. We're here to discuss anything where craft meets art.

cheers
®

[Theo]

Ok guess what i really like the shot (go figure). The moving your eye from the right to left adds a discourse that makes you look harder into the picture as with anything that is done out of a norm. It draws you in like the man with two different shades of sock you know something is wrong but you just can't put your finger on it. I think the b&w make it a strong hard picture like the stone in the buildings. Very nice job.


Yours

[aprilS]

My strong reaction is to the glowing light on the hard forms. That's very sensual, for me, and suggests people living within instead of the hard lines of architecture.

Looking at that, I'm also quite taken by the moving reflections in the water.

I enjoy the treatment for this scene.