Backyard Sunset

There, isn’t that nice?

Well… I like some parts of it, actually – that’s why I’m posting.  This HDR was taken with three frames on the Panasonic LX3, handheld.  That it came together so well, I like.  The saturation?  Well, I didn’t realize how over-saturated it was when I did it.  But I sat on it for two days, and now the sky and grass just feels radioactive.

So I’m posting this as a reminder to everyone: don’t oversaturate your HDRs!

A better description: reds and oranges do increase in saturation. They also alter hue – oranges approach red, red gets deeper.  Blues stay consistently blue (but darker and lighter).  Yellows increase saturation at brighter luminosities – this was a shock to me (and yet, it makes sense).  Purple ranges from a deep violet to a lilac color.

So shooting for saturation: yes, slightly darkening does increase saturation – especially for blues and reds.  For others, there may be unintended (or intended) consequences!

Insight and information from Perfect Exposure.  Highly recommended reading if you’re new-to-intermediate and looking for in-depth info.