For a natural result, look into exposure fusion rather than traditional HDR tone-mapping.

Traditional HDR merges exposures into a high-dynamic-range file and then tone-maps it back down for display. That tone-mapping step is where the exaggerated “cartoon HDR” look often comes from if pushed too far.

Exposure fusion takes a different approach: it blends the best-exposed parts of each bracketed frame directly into a normal low-dynamic-range image. Because it skips heavy tone-mapping, the result is usually much more subtle and realistic.

So if your goal is simply “better exposure” with preserved highlight and shadow detail, exposure fusion is the workflow to seek out. In practice, that means using software or blending methods designed to combine the bracketed shots into one balanced image, rather than emphasizing local contrast and HDR effects.