What do you think of HDR?

[retinax]

I can not abide gratuitous, surrealistic HDR.

+1.
OP, bring both images to the same overall contrast and brightness and compare again. Maybe dodge the man's face a little bit. That should do it.

 

[KenR]

As with just about any printing/processing technique, if I can tell the photographer has employed that technique, then in my opinion, it’s overdone.

 

[agentlossing]

As with just about any printing/processing technique, if I can tell the photographer has employed that technique, then in my opinion, it’s overdone.

Hmm, I'd probably put it "if it's one of the first things I notice about the photo, it's overdone." Maybe I'm just a little more forgiving.

 

[Rayt]

I have viewed tons of digital images online and thought HDR was a stylistic choice like people who print high contrast in the darkroom. I can see it does look unnatural but in a way pleasing with a slight pop to it. I wonder how it will look printed out?

 

[ColSebastianMoran]

What do I think of HDR? I think it helps a lot sometimes, and I think it's easy to overdo it.

Images posted in this thread so far look good to me.