Boulders and Pools, Bolsillo Creek

Camera: Olympus E-500: 64 mm EFL, ISO 100, 1/25+1/50+1/100 @ f11, blended using HDR

I find the dappled light of the sun through the forest canopy to be very magical. It is difficult to capture that magic in a photograph, however, probably because highlights are always blown out while at the same time shadows are blocked.
This photograph, while perhaps not compositionally compelling, is my attempt to extend the dynamic range of my digital camera by bracketing the exposure by +/- 1 EV and then blending the shots using Photoshop HDR (High Dynamic Range), a new feature in the CS2 version.
I further enhanced the image by adding the best exposure of the foremost pool back in as a new layer under the blended image, with a mask in between. I then painted out part of the mask to reveal the unblended image of the pool.
Note: The amber color you see in the foreground is natural, the water being tinted by tannin.
- Richard Kreis