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10/21/2005 09:51:46 AM · #1 |
Is there something that you can do to make photos look better if you need to take them outside during a time when it's overcast and the lighting has that "flat" or dull look? (filter? flash?)
Message edited by author 2005-10-21 09:52:19. |
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10/21/2005 10:22:00 AM · #2 |
not exactly sure but a circular polarizing filter may help and a flash would probably be good if you don't have reflections to deal with. You can always adjust the contrast and curves a little in post processing too. My old olympus used to be bad about dull images so I always had to post process.
Good luck.
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10/21/2005 10:37:28 AM · #3 |
Originally posted by pianomom:
Is there something that you can do to make photos look better if you need to take them outside during a time when it's overcast and the lighting has that "flat" or dull look? (filter? flash?) |
That's my favorite time for outdoor shots (except for the sky). You don't get harsh shadows, color washout, and blown highlights as often. It really depends on what you are taking a picture of as to what you would do to improve it. Practice helps the most. I need to practice shots in bright sun. Or move to Seattle. :)
I typically expose for the highlights then use curves. Not much help, I guess.
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10/21/2005 10:38:48 AM · #4 |
| I do have a circular polarizing filter so I can try that when it comes up. I was just reading again about lighting and avoiding it when it's "flat", but sometimes you may not have a choice but to take the picture then anyway even though it's not the best situation. So, I just wondered when those times came, if there was something that you could do to make it look better. |
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10/21/2005 10:42:12 AM · #5 |
[/quote] That's my favorite time for outdoor shots (except for the sky). You don't get harsh shadows, color washout, and blown highlights as often. It really depends on what you are taking a picture of as to what you would do to improve it. Practice helps the most. I need to practice shots in bright sun. Or move to Seattle. :)
I typically expose for the highlights then use curves. Not much help, I guess. [/quote]
So, if it's ok to take pictures then, what did they mean by "flat" lighting? That's the time that I thought they were talking about.
Message edited by author 2005-10-21 10:43:09. |
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10/21/2005 10:53:30 AM · #6 |
Well, it really depends on the subject. And, sometimes, flat lighting is ideal. It really just depends on what you are using it for. Bear Music has a great thread on lighting: mentorship - natural lighting
I don't find cloudy days to be perfectly flat - there is always a glow from somewhere, usually up. :)
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10/21/2005 10:54:24 AM · #7 |
FLAT LIGHTING - Illumination that provides little contrast on the subject and light or imperceptible shadows.
Short discussion at MPIX |
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10/21/2005 11:02:06 AM · #8 |
I always remember flat light when skiing. You can't see the moguls. Everything just seems to blend together.
Enhancing contrast will help to a certain degree which is where a circular polarizer comes in.
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10/21/2005 11:02:53 AM · #9 |
When the lighting is flat... grey, overcast, doesn't provide much contrast in the shadows... it can be used to your advantage or disadvantage. It can help with people, since you don't have the strong shadows, you can create your own softer shadowing with a reflector or flash. You'll want the light source on an angle to the subject.
. This photo was created on an overcast day. Since the sun still is a source of light, you need to work to create the lighting you want. I did not use any other light source, and if I were redoing it, I'd add a reflected light on the guy's tux.
Later, when the sun filtered through, I had a much more difficult time controlling hot spots from filtered light on the white dress.
Another time when flat lighting helps is when you are trying for long exposures, such as waterfall shots.
The key is to use the light you have to its advantage.
Becky
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10/21/2005 12:06:40 PM · #10 |
| Thanks! The article that I had read earlier was talking about when it makes the photos look boring, etc. But it's good to know that you can still shoot photos then and have them look good. |
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10/21/2005 12:20:22 PM · #11 |
| Think of it like this, the sun is realitivy small bright point like a flash usually is, therefore it is harsh, To make a flash less harsh you can bounce it or difuse it with a filter, cloudy days just act as a natural filter for the hars light of the Sun. |
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10/21/2005 12:20:32 PM · #12 |
A lot of subjects actively benefit from overcast lighting. Flowers, in particular; flowers shot in sunlight usually are overly contrasty with too many confusing shadows/highlights to work very well. Broader landscapes, on the other hand, are difficult to do well in flat light since we depend on shadows to give us texture and depth in landscape photography. Bumbing the saturation of selected colors will help a lot, as will judicious use of levels.
     
The above all were shot in flat light. The dlowers are essentially unmanipulated beyond color correction, while the landscapes have some serious levels and color work done on them to make them pop.
Robt.
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10/21/2005 01:10:42 PM · #13 |
| Thank you all for helping me to understand. :) |
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10/21/2005 01:30:38 PM · #14 |
Original:  Adjusted: 
I made three horizontally-oriented masks (sky, land, water) through which I used various Curves adjustments.
Taken with my Olympus 2MP P&S a few years ago at my dad's place. My only "award-winning" photo -- Michael Reichman posted it as a (good) example at Luminous Landscape (in it's earlier form).
The print looks like this: 
Message edited by author 2005-10-21 13:34:41. |
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10/21/2005 01:40:30 PM · #15 |
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10/21/2005 01:47:45 PM · #16 |
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10/21/2005 02:58:43 PM · #17 |
| Great pics Robert! Do you know what kind of flower the 3rd one is? |
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