Cafe Du Monde - A New Orleans tradition
by SEG

Comment by digifotojo:
I just noticed this thread and beings I started a HDR Photo Side Challenge I would like to comment. I never got to vote on this image but if I had, I would have scored it a 6 based on the clarity of the elements and the precision involved. It has nice opposing lines and strong color. There is nothing wrong with this image so the score must have been a result of personal taste. It appears somebody gave it a 1 and somebody a 10 but most scored it 5.
You did an excellent job and it should have scored higher. As for the halos around the chimneys, I barely see them on my new laptop screen and I'm ruinning Vista so I can see most imperfections. I don't think that should have been a problem. I really think it was more esthetics and POV (point of view) than anything else. I think had you perhaps taken another view and played up the florals more it might have attracted more people. I, for one, would like to see more of the wonderful flower baskets and planters that seem to have gotten lost at the bottom of the image, that's just me but I wouldn't be surprised if others felt the same way.
Next time, try your potential entry out in a side challenge first and see what people have to say about it. It's a great borometer for predicting how an image will score.

Cafe Du Monde - A New Orleans tradition
by SEG

Comment by FrankRobinson:
A lot of this will be down to taste, but for me the benefit of HDR is the chance to expose more of the picture correctly, while maintaining the look of a photo. I have seen HDRI used very effectively to produce a slightly 'cartoon' image as you have here but it leaves me a little cold.

I would also recommend processing to avoid the halos around the chimney (a common sign of excessive use of the shadow/highlight tool as well I have found) and the slightly over saturated colours.

To me it actually doesn't look that crisp - the lines are sharp but thick, which I often also find a problem when I am trying HDR and my photos are not exactly in line (from manual rather than remote shutter normally!)

As to why it didn't score well, I just don't think it is to DPC taste. If you look at the front page, the photos tend to be sunsets/landscapes or action shots of this and that. Do one of those and you can get away with all sorts of technical failures (mentioning no names on a recent challenge!)

Cafe Du Monde - A New Orleans tradition
by SEG

Comment by tryals15:
This might warrant a 6-7 from me in voting. The colors are too vivid for me. I love the HDR effect, but I'm also sort of finicky about the results that appeal to me. Mostly I just want a beignet now... =]

Cafe Du Monde - A New Orleans tradition
by SEG

Comment by BarbB:
I didn't vote on this challenge, but I would have waviered between a 5-6. ...I love the detail metal lace ironwork (I'm sure it's got an engineering name that I don't know). The ironwork is the softness in the image, and make a nice contrast against the brickwork.

The negatives for me are; the main focus is the sign, which is, just, not that interesting. If the lights underneath it were alight, it would have illuminated it.....and for my taste it is over saturated....too much colour....on the bricks & the garden, and on the sky.

Remember JMHO, and I have learnt a lot from people who don't know it all, they just know what they like.....and are willing to tell you what and why....and they are the voters...

PS I'm hanging out to get a HDR program.....so... enjoy playing....and remember to have fun, and it's all just pixels....:)

Cafe Du Monde - A New Orleans tradition
by SEG

Comment by bobonacus:
I didn't vote but I think I would have been going for the 5 button.

The first thing I notice is the halos around the chimneys which are distracting and the sky is a little too dark for the rest of the lighting and a little noisy (you could just select the sky (allowed in advanced only) and run a heavy noise routine on it depending what software you are using).

The rest of the scene is just a tiny bit over processed for my tastes and I'd just like it to be toned down a fraction. The lighting on the building is uneven which looks like more halo effect (though I could be wrong) maybe you could post your original? Maybe turning up the light smoothing in the HDR software.

The text on the sign leads you straight out of the photo, it would be better (though maybe not possible) to have the whole shot reversed so the text would be on the left and lead you into the shot.

I think the whole crop is a little tight, especially on the awning, the awning blends into the building behind. Maybe slightly wider or even fill the frame more with the awning. Maybe a different angle, I find the shot is a bit flat, maybe the street going off into the distance would lead you into the shot more and give a more 3d feel to it.

all IMHO of course!

Cafe Du Monde - A New Orleans tradition
by SEG

Comment by bvy:
Must... have... beignets... (one thing I miss about living there.)

Great shot. Love the POV and the angle. I swear I see Mardi Gras colors in the rows of hanging planters.

Cafe Du Monde - A New Orleans tradition
by SEG

Comment by Citadel:
Quite overprocessed in my opinion. Its a nice looking image but it really doesn't look like a photograph any more.

Cafe Du Monde - A New Orleans tradition
by SEG

Comment by Melethia:
Yes it is. And the beignets are the main reason to go there. Don't wear black - that powdered sugar gets all over everything! :-) Nice pop in the colors, good framing.

Locascio
by SEG

Comment by Teafran:
There is a very effective monotone feel to this even though it's not a monotone image. Very dramatic in feel and dark and forebidding from an emotional standpoint - a very good artistic success. From a technical standpoint, it's a little oversharpened, but that can be viewed two ways - as a positive halo effect or a negative one. Given the rich and variable detail, the positive approach is much more valid. Well done.

Out of trash comes beauty
by SEG

Comment by kenskid:
Weed? That's no weed. The scientific name for that gree organism is:

Greenleafis popoutoftrashish

Originally posted by awelsh: .. or a weed ;)