Gotcha Chris.
The area I am liking in HDR does make the images look fake...check these out.
Put the original images besides these and it make them look really fake....it's all personal opinion just like I have mentioned...some like to enhace a little some more like to overdo and I have a lot to learn yet.
Check these out...do they look real...not to me...but thats what I like.
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008...-hdr-pictures/