HDR with photomatix

This is one of the better frames from my HDR experiments this week. I

am trying to avoid the unearthly look that is a common outcome of HDR

processing with Photomatix. Does this look natural?

You have avoided the all-too-common over-wrought image which is seen frequently by users first using Photomatix.

In choosing a high contrast situation and I suspect in keeping the "Light smoothing" option in the Details Enhancer as "Very High" you have produced an example of how HDR can enhance an image in a high contrast situation without looking like something out of a comic strip. Sadly www.hdrcreme.com is full to bulging with gross examples of the beginner's art, when it could have been so much better a collection.

Let's hope that those of us using it on occasion for high contrast imagery can set a better example on Photo.net!

Do you happen to remember what settings you did use, how many exposures, and at what EV separations?

While I am a big fan of the more intense and surreal HDR images that many people hate, I also appreciate the use of Photomatix for more realistic images such as this one.  Great job!