Last weekend Angela and I were in the mood for movies, so we each picked a movie we wanted to see. Angela picked "Kick-Ass", and I picked "Hubble 3D". Unfortunately, the nearest 3D IMAX theatre that was playing Hubble 3D was The Henry Ford Theatre in Dearborn, Michigan. So, we packed up our things and headed to sunny Detroit for the weekend.

When you are in Detroit, it is easy to notice that something seems wrong. The population of Detroit has dropped to half of what it was in 1950, and there are many abandoned homes and buildings. One of the most stunning examples of this type of urban decay is the old Michigan Central Station, which was used up until 1988.

Before we got there, I knew exactly what type of photo I wanted to try taking. It is a post-processing technique known as HDR, which actually stands for "high dynamic range", but the term is now being used in a more broad sense to describe a type of photo manipulation that makes things look hyperreal. Luckily, it was overcast when we were there, which was exactly the type of weather I was hoping for to make the shot work out.

So, this is my first attempt at an "HDR" photo, in the common vernacular sense of the term. It is not as extreme as some of the other HDR photos out there, but I prefer the more subtle effect.

Technical details: This photo was taken with my Rebel XT + EF-S 10-22 at 10mm, ISO 100, f/8 for 1/80th of a second. It was then extensively photoshopped.

Comments

This is gorgeous! The effect brings out the lonesome misery of the building,
making me want to break out into tears.  That's a good thing!  Great job!!

Wow very Tim Burton-esque in its eeriness, like a little set model with a blue
screen behind it. Very Awesome effect. 

Super cool! I feel like I'm viewing a screen-cap from a movie about a dystopian
future.