HDR - My first attempt

I have alot to learn. I know that but here's my first attempt at HDR (High Dynamic Range Photography). Okay, it's really my 4th or 5th time but it's the first attempt I'm willing to put out here and show. Like I said, I know I have alot to learn about this yet. To be honest I really don't completely understand it but as I play with it I'm sure it'll "click" somewhere along the way. I purchased The Complete Guide to High Dynamic Range Digital Photography by Ferrell McCollough.

First I used the bracketing option on my D80. This means my camera takes a series of 3 shots - exact same shots and I put my camera on a tripod to help in that endeavor. It takes what we'd consider normal and then it takes 2 more shots - one over-exposed and one under-exposed. Once I get them home and in the computer, I use Photomatix to merge these 3 photos together. After that it's a matter of messing with the tone mapping, exposure, etc... I guess kinda tweaked the photo to what I want it to look like.

So here are those 3 photos.

This is the normal photo. If I were not on the bracket mode, this is the single shot I would have gotten.


This is the underexposed shot.


This is the overexposed shot.


This is my end result. I'll be honest, I'm not sure what I did exactly to this photo. I just sorta messed with some setting and this looked okay. It's not near what I would like for it to look but it's a start. We all have to start somewhere.