HDR imaging - again!

As some of you may remember, I shot a number of test High Dynamic Range images (HDRi) for one of the top retouching studios in Central London. All exciting stuff and thoughts of moving in a different photographic direction almost materialised but as usual, nothing came of it! Naturally, my ears prick up at the mention of HDRi and the above reworking of a dusk picture of One Great George street is a very recent example. As usual my approach is to use a stated workflow but to add in my own techniques and twists to try and create something more . . .

The above image consists of an eight frame stitched panoramic, processed three ways through LightRoom, then combined as an HDRi in PhotoShop and then combined with the dark and original renderings of the image back in PhotoShop. Finally, I reveal and balance the image with masks.

There is something here and I'll have to get the ass in gear and get out at dawn or dusk and shoot some architecture to create some raw material to work from. As usual, I find it hard to make time for this sort of project, due to family commitments and the potentially awkward hours but as sunrise is stupidly early at this time of year and I would be shooting an a hour before - it could work. I'll need to work out the timings, locations and logistics and try not to get arrested at the same time!