SUSAN VERSUS HIGH DYNAMIC RANGE

In the post prior to this one, I wrote about taking photographs of the waterfall where the buildings and sky in the background were too bright...

...or the waterfall was too dark, but the buildings and sky looked better.

I went in search of a solution and learned about high dynamic range. (What did we do before the internet?)

• Read the online article HDR: A Beginner's Guide to High Dynamic Range Photography  http://www.digitaltrends.com/how-to/what-is-hdr-beginners-guide-to-high-dynamic-range-photography/#ixzz4AuCyvzLV
• Watched a video by Canon on HDR photography          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP8MRjxY86w
• Studied the manual that came with my camera (not much help there, really) 
• Upgraded my copy of Lightroom to Lightroom CC
• Played with the settings on my camera
• Shot a few practice photos
• Played with the settings on my camera
• Shot a few practice photos
• Played with the settings on my camera
• Shot a few practice photos

Finally it was time to load up Enzo and head back to Bellevue Downtown Park. I was ready to tame the high dynamic range beast. 

Golden Hour √

Tripod √

Camera √

Memory Card S**t!

The next evening, I returned, memory card inside my camera. 

Golden Hour √

Tripod √

Camera √

Memory Card √√

Bellevue Skyline √

Waterfall... wasn't operating... Noooo..... followed by S**t!

I tell you all this in explanation as to why the final photograph doesn't include the waterfall. What you see in the foreground is the pool at the top of the waterfall. 

There was no way I was leaving the park without my prize, so I took this photograph. Not what I was hoping for, but not a bad beginning.