High dynamic range photo of bowl

[Don Nurmela]

Well I bit the bullet and got the newest photoshop and here is my first attempt at a high dynamic range photo of a bowl. The HDR photo is a compilation of three photos that I took of the same bowl at different exposures while camera was on tripod. I have a graduated background coming so that will help.
Here is photo I posted previously.
183045
And here is same photo that was compiled with two others, one over exposed and one under exposed.
183044

What do you think?

[John Keeton]

Don, I think the best I could say would be "interesting." Just not sure of the objective in the HDR photo. I guess if it is just in trying to achieve a specific photographic effect, then it seems successful. However, my objective in photographing my turnings are to present as much detail, crispness, and true color as possible to convey the image of the turning as realistic as I can.

Wish I could be more excited about this with you as you have obviously put considerable effort and thought into it. Notwithstanding, I bet there are other folks that will enjoy the look - I have been called a "stick in the mud" - and, worse! A lot worse!

[Fred Perreault]

I honestly like the untouched photo (and the turning) very much.

The P'shopped pic looks rather un-natural :) :) :( :(

[Steve Schlumpf]

I have to agree with Fred's take on this. To me - shadow plays a large part when photographing our work. To remove those shadows tends to make the turning look 2D instead of a 3 dimensional object.

Keep working on it - I am sure you will find a happy medium that brings out all the contrast within a turning!

[John Beaver]

Don,
Thanks for posting this. I have been meaning to try the same thing. I'm a big fan of HDR photography.
After seeing this I do think HDR has some great applications, just not in shooting bowls.
You can control the lighting and balance when shooting a bowl, so there is really no need for using HDR.

[Johnny England]

I think the original one looks best, unless that bowl is supposed to be pepto pink. Maybe it's my monitor lets see what others think. BTW that is one sweet bowl!

[Keith E Byrd]

I think you did a great job on the bowl and agree with John - first picture is best.

[Dan Hintz]

With a touch of backlighting (so it doesn't look like the bowl is floating in nothingness), the first picture would be very acceptable for display. The HDR photo does not play to the strengths of HDR. I would use HDR while photographing a hollow form that I wanted to capture some of the inside... it's too dark in there, so the extra exposure inside would allow you to show that detail without blowing out the image of the outside. The major distortion of the bowl's color is probably what really turns me off on this one.