HDR and downtown buildings in Halifax Nova Scotia.

       This past Monday April 15th/2013. seemed like the first day of spring as it was sunny throughout the day and very seasonable temperatures. After a long day of working away at the computer, I decided to take my photo gear with tripod that night and try to capture an array of different photos with HDR post processing in mind. Since I wanted to add a architecture section to my website, I decided to focus on buildings that I thought would make an interesting subject. I took 80 or so shots and came up with the best of what I thought would be the most interesting to blog photos about. Each photo took a half or full day to work on using Photomatix Pro and Photoshop CS6.

Freak Lunchbox, Barrington St. Halifax NS. This is a photo-realistic shot that was digitally enhanced in Photoshop and Photomatix Pro.

ISO - 500 and aperture F8. This shot was bracketed for one and two stops over, one and two stops under and one shot at the proper exposure. I brought all 5 exposures into Photomatix Pro where I used a B&W artistic filter and again used a surreal filter and merged two separate files in Photoshop CS6 using layers and masks to paint in different areas. The adaptive wide angle and the free transform filters were also used to straighten lens distortions.

The Cable Wharf, Murphy's

ISO - 800, aperture F8. Five exposures bracketed one and two over, one and two under exposure and one correct exposure. All exposures brought into Photomatix Pro and final output was taken into Photoshop CS6 for final touchups.

The Old Triangle Pub

ISO - 800, f/5.6, 1/3 s. Five exposures bracketed in increments of one and two over and one and two under exposure and one correct exposure. Like the Barrington St. file, I brought two separate files into photoshop CS6 for layering and painting. I use layer masks in Photoshop for a lot of my painting work. 

Overlooking Prince St., 

An HDR Colour toned photo comprised of five files merged into Photomatix Pro. and output and toned through CS6.

      This coming Monday night I hope to get out again and again with HDR as the main focus of my shots. I will try to do a little research on what I am going to shoot before hand and try know exactly what time will be the " Blue Hour " to capture the most aesthetically pleasing photographs. For those who do not know what the Blue Hour is it is; (from the French expression l'heure bleue^{[citation needed]}) is the period of twilight each morning and evening where there is neither full daylight nor complete darkness. The time is considered special because of the quality of the light) ( Wikipedia).

         

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