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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Exposing for the highlights
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 05/28/2006 07:50:00 PM · #1
I have seen several posts about people taking two shots - one properly exposed and then a second shot that was exposed for the highlights - or I have seen it mentioned the first was for the shadows and the second for the highlights.

Can someone:

1. Explain how you expose for one and then the other - what exactly are you looking for.

2. How do you combine the two in Photoshop?

Thanks,

RP
05/28/2006 07:56:55 PM · #2
Say you took a photo of a church in bright sunlight, with some dramatic clouds, while the front of the church is in shadow.

You will either end up with a good looking sky and a dark church, or a blown out sky with a good looking church.

If you shoot raw, you can adjust your settings twice - once to make the sky look good, the other to make the church look good.

Then you combine the best of both in photoshop.
Edited to add:

As to photoshop, there are several ways to combine them, but I'm still fumbling with those issues, so I'd rather let someone else explain it properly before I lead you up the garden path.

Message edited by author 2006-05-28 19:58:49.
 05/28/2006 07:58:01 PM · #3
i'll tell you how I do, but there are many ways:

1. You can use the bracketing function on your camera which takes three shots at once. For example, one shot exposed at 0, +1, +2 f-stops. This allows for a range of exposures for later editing.

2. This is how I do it. It is the cheap and easy way. But sometimes I don't want to bracket or am just lazy. I compose the shot at say 1/150, f/8. I take the photo. I don't move the camera (tripod works best, but I hand hold it and am very steady), and rotate the dial to move the shutter speed, up or down, to expose for more highlights or shadows. You can rotate the aperture value instead. Remember, you must do this in manual mode. So then you have one 1/150, f/8 ...one 1/300 f/8...one 1/500, f/8. You see. You can get as layered as you wish...

Then you go to Photoshop and open both photos. i put the highlights exposure on top and shadow exposure on bottom. Then start erasing the top layer (or use layer masking) to reveal the shadows that lay beneath. Use opacity and blending modes to achieve the look desired.

That is a rough go of what I do. You could use the HDR merge function, but that doesn't work for me half the time. Hope that helps.
 05/28/2006 08:04:33 PM · #4
Here is another way to approach your question.

Better Tonality unsin RAW
 05/28/2006 08:56:58 PM · #5
Originally posted by American_Horse:
Here is another way to approach your question.

Better Tonality unsin RAW


I do that exact thing for almost everything, but for very difficult sky/foreground issues and not getting any pixelation/grain, I also do it my posted way. Nice link though..
 05/28/2006 09:07:14 PM · #6
Originally posted by American_Horse:
Here is another way to approach your question.

Better Tonality unsin RAW

That article explains it well and almost makes it easy (at least it SOUNDS easy). I like it!
 05/28/2006 10:42:57 PM · #7
ALL - thanks for all the responses!
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