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08/25/2003 03:41:16 PM · #1 |
I regularly use my graduated gray filter when getting an even exposure is a problem. But, I came across a perfect example of when not to use the graduated gray filter. I did a duo exposure instead. The reason I didn’t use the graduated filter was that I needed the sky and reflection to be the same color. First shot, exposed for sky, second, for the flowers.
I used a layer mask in PS to remove the light sky from the light layer. Here is the result.
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08/25/2003 03:45:53 PM · #2 |
That looks great Jo Ann! Can you explain how you used the layer mask to remove the light sky from the light layer?
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08/25/2003 03:50:10 PM · #3 |
A very nice example, Jo Ann.
I've been recommending this technique to people lately.
Nice work!
JD Anderson |
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08/25/2003 03:53:03 PM · #4 |
Originally posted by goodtempo:
That looks great Jo Ann! Can you explain how you used the layer mask to remove the light sky from the light layer? |
Sure, I will get the info together a post it a little later. Right now I'm on "company time" and taking a little break. Hey, they give me a t1 line, what do they expect? :) |
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08/25/2003 03:54:21 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by smellyfish1002:
A very nice example, Jo Ann.
I've been recommending this technique to people lately.
Nice work!
JD Anderson |
Thank you. I am a die hard filter user that when I found a time that I couldn't use it, I had to post. This was my first time using the layer mask technique though but it worked great. |
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08/25/2003 04:00:06 PM · #6 |
Not to complain but...
Your resulting image is unnatural -- the reflection looks LIGHTER than the sky, and that never happens. :) One reason why sometimes you can always tell if someone uses ND is that their reflection is brighter than the sky.
Originally posted by joanns:
I regularly use my graduated gray filter when getting an even exposure is a problem. But, I came across a perfect example of when not to use the graduated gray filter. I did a duo exposure instead. The reason I didn’t use the graduated filter was that I needed the sky and reflection to be the same color. First shot, exposed for sky, second, for the flowers.
I used a layer mask in PS to remove the light sky from the light layer. Here is the result.
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08/25/2003 04:00:57 PM · #7 |
Looks like Mt Shuksan to me. Beautiful shot. I must go there myself. This weekend I am going on my annual hike to the Enchantments, in the Cascades. Over 7,000 feet up. It should be spectacular. I think I better get a graduated filter before I go. I'm glad you reminded me.
T
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08/25/2003 04:09:04 PM · #8 |
Tony, you are SOOO right! I missed that aspect when I put these together. A simple burn on the water has done the trick and I will use the adjusted photo in my portfolio. Just to clarify, I did Not us the ND filter.
Tim, you are right. It is Shuksan. |
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08/26/2003 10:25:06 AM · #9 |
Here is the link to the instructions I used for blending the two exposures.
Luminous Landscape Tutorial |
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08/26/2003 10:28:40 AM · #10 |
Thank you for this link/info! Very helpful. It's just what I was looking for. Wonderful picture also, joanns.
Ursula |
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08/26/2003 11:08:10 AM · #11 |
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08/27/2003 07:19:24 PM · #12 |
Pretty simple answer to "When not to use a graduated filter":
-- anytime you can edit it later.
-- anytime you can shoot a bracket from a tripod.
If you shoot just one shot, you can mask and adjust areas at will. If you shoot more than one shot at different settings, you can then combine arbitrary-shaped areas as you see fit.
Yeah, that's "spot editing" but I'd only consider avoiding spot edits for spot-free challenges. |
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08/27/2003 10:06:43 PM · #13 |
I agree that combining two shots of different exposures is the best way to go because you have the widest dynamic range available to you and you have the most control over how to blend the two shots. It can sometimes be impossible to achieve the same effect from a single photo because many areas, like cloud detail, can be blown out and unrecoverable. Same goes for shadow details that can get lost or mixed with unwanted noise if those areas are underexposed too far. I've been trying harder to take less shots but make more of them count by exposure bracketing more often.
T
Message edited by author 2003-08-27 22:09:25.
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08/28/2003 05:02:10 AM · #14 |
Something that's possible as well when you shot raw is to use one RAW shot only. Then you extract from this raw shot your 2 exposures, a +1 and a -1 that you then combine.
I do not have a GND filter (yet?) but I think that the results are not the same, visually, than combining 2 exposures, regardless of the method used.
The interest of the GND is you control at the time of the shot so you have less risks of 'not being able to combine'. Combine 2 shots can be tricky for reasons already mentioned.
Lionel
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08/28/2003 07:13:12 AM · #15 |
Jo Ann, or anyone, how would you "First shot, exposed for sky, second, for the flowers" without moving the camera.
You couldn't spot meter.
Would you use the default "average metering" of your camera and bracket the exposure? Or, spot meter for a medium lit area then bracket the exposure?
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08/28/2003 07:18:26 AM · #16 |
It's usually by bracketting the exposures, no real way to do otherwise expect by having a manual meter.
Lionel
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08/28/2003 08:51:29 AM · #17 |
Another thing to consider when using a graduated ND filter is that the graduation happens in a straight line. If the scene you are trying to capture does not have a straight line between the bright and dark areas then the GND filter will not work properly for you.
eg. Background bright, foreground dark and foreground object extends into the bright area (tree for example). In this situation you would get a graduated exposure of the tree, one part of the tree being darker than the other.
Cokin GND filters give you a lot more flexibility in this as you can adjust where the graduation line falls and at what angle.
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08/28/2003 01:38:40 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by goodtempo:
Jo Ann, or anyone, how would you "First shot, exposed for sky, second, for the flowers" without moving the camera.
You couldn't spot meter.
Would you use the default "average metering" of your camera and bracket the exposure? Or, spot meter for a medium lit area then bracket the exposure? |
Richard, first of all, you have to use a tripod. Second, once I have my aperature set where I want it, I set my shutter speed to manual and adjust the shutter speed for each exposure. For the SKy: 1/125 sec, for the flowers the shutter speed was 1/45 sec. I adjust it while looking through the viewfinder and I am careful not to nudge the camera in the process. I also use a remote shutter release. My ISO is 100.
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