Sunset at the Marina

[gerafotografija]

I immediately liked the contrast of the saturated dark colors in the foreground, and the golden hour light in the softer background of this scene.

Since I captured a few bracketed frames, and it seemed to benefit from it, I tried a less photorealistic HDR look than what I have used in the past.

The loss of detail in the background seems to work compositionally (at least to my eye which is not really experienced in HDR), but I am wondering whether the sort of graying out or posterization I notice in the background is easily avoidable? Is this related to the default gamma setting or something else that didn't map well from 32-bit back to 16-bit depth?

Sorry for my lack of familiarity with what is probably pretty basic Photoshop technique.
Thanks in advance!

[wmchauncey]

I tend to base my C&C on "would I hang it in my living room and is it a simple image". 
Your image has little dynamic range with a cluttered background...I do like the foreground, green boat/dock/larger boat.
That dynamic range works for the foreground.

[gerafotografija]

Thanks for the comment. I guess I was hoping the complexity of the background and repeating objects/colors would merge into something more like texture and draw the eye into the picture a bit.

[brandtb]

You mentioned at the outset that you liked "the contrast " between the foreground and the background. I would have considered first...what is actually in the foreground and background. In the foreground there is a reddish brown thing on right, and white thing on the left, a kayak buried in front of the walkway, and a boat shot nearly headlong so you can't see it's shape - this foreground takes up more than half the frame - and there isn't really anything interesting in it...and grayish.  When I saw this shot I was immediately drawn to the beautiful qualities of light in the background.  I would have started to work were the light was interesting and gone from there...is there a shot?...who knows? /B

[gerafotografija]

When I saw this shot I was immediately drawn to the beautiful qualities of light in the background.  I would have started to work were the light was interesting and gone from there...is there a shot?...who knows? /B

Got there just as the light was half way across the marina. Walked over to the other side, but couldn't find a another good vantage point before the light went totally flat. Will try again when the opportunity comes up.

Thanks for the critique, it helped reset my thinking.