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DPChallenge Forums >> Photography Discussion >> Blown Highlights
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 03/15/2012 12:18:40 PM · #1
So after some critique on my photos, and looking back through my portfolio and some of my pictures on my hard drive, I have come to realize that my style incorporates "blown highlights". This is not an accident, this is something I purposely do. I like the look, it's something that interests me... so I have come to realize, that this is, in fact... PART of my photography style.

I will not shun it, I will not stop doing it... I have accepted it, and I will embrace it. :)

Just thought I'd share. I'm sure there's other things that are in my photography style... this is just one that really stands out to me.
03/15/2012 12:24:09 PM · #2
You can blow your highlights in PP. Capturing full tonal range will give you more options for PP. Just a thought :)
 03/15/2012 12:26:36 PM · #3
Good to hear, the last thing I want to see is more "obvious-HDR-is-obvious" images on here =).

I think I have a similar feeling to you; when I first started taking photos I was briefly obsessed with retaining all the detail in the images - but then I started studying the photographs of others I found truly spectacular and realised most of them do have blown highlights and it isn't a flaw in the image - the important thing is retaining the information in the scene that matters to you, everything else is just noise =).
 03/15/2012 12:53:38 PM · #4
I think there is a difference between high key and blown highlights. It is okay to do high key but not acceptable to have blown highlights(not saying you can't do it, just saying for good scores on here and to get your photos accepted on say a stock photography site or on 1x you can't)You can have something really bright almost white and not blow the highlight.

I'm not saying this to criticize you or say that you can't like blown highlights. I'm just saying this so that you realize with good photographic technique you can have the best of both worlds you can have a bright high key photo with no blown highlights.

This one for instance is very bright and high key but it does not have any blown highlights.
03/15/2012 12:56:23 PM · #5
Originally posted by sjhuls:
I think there is a difference between high key and blown highlights. It is okay to do high key but not acceptable to have blown highlights(not saying you can't do it, just saying for good scores on here and to get your photos accepted on say a stock photography site or on 1x you can't)You can have something really bright almost white and not blow the highlight.

I'm not saying this to criticize you or say that you can't like blown highlights. I'm just saying this so that you realize with good photographic technique you can have the best of both worlds you can have a bright high key photo with no blown highlights.

This one for instance is very bright and high key but it does not have any blown highlights.

Well said :)
 03/15/2012 12:57:30 PM · #6
Originally posted by HawkinsT:
Good to hear, the last thing I want to see is more "obvious-HDR-is-obvious" images on here =).

I think I have a similar feeling to you; when I first started taking photos I was briefly obsessed with retaining all the detail in the images - but then I started studying the photographs of others I found truly spectacular and realised most of them do have blown highlights and it isn't a flaw in the image - the important thing is retaining the information in the scene that matters to you, everything else is just noise =).

You are confusing high contrast and high key with blown highlights :)
 03/15/2012 12:58:47 PM · #7
I appreciate your thoughts... but I'm not too worried about scoring high or getting accepted at 1x. Nor am I interested in stock photography. My photography satisfies my artistic needs... which is good enough for me.
 03/15/2012 01:02:31 PM · #8
Originally posted by sjhuls:
I think there is a difference between high key and blown highlights. It is okay to do high key but not acceptable to have blown highlights


To use 3 of my photos as examples (from my fairly small collection on this site), all of which have received favourites:







Now the scores on the two challenge entries might not be high 6's or 7's, but that's just photographic ability - if anything I would say the blown highlights in each of these scenes only serves to improve the image.
 03/15/2012 01:03:44 PM · #9
Originally posted by dyridings:
I appreciate your thoughts... but I'm not too worried about scoring high or getting accepted at 1x. Nor am I interested in stock photography. My photography satisfies my artistic needs... which is good enough for me.


Good on yer,its all about doing what you want and what satisfys you,thats good.
 03/15/2012 01:14:27 PM · #10
this thread title is funny after the one going around yesterday.
 03/15/2012 01:22:36 PM · #11
Originally posted by dyridings:
I appreciate your thoughts... but I'm not too worried about scoring high or getting accepted at 1x. Nor am I interested in stock photography. My photography satisfies my artistic needs... which is good enough for me.


I think it is very admirable to have a style you like and stick with it. Too many people including myself sometimes do what is acceptable by everyone else and not what they truly love.

One more thought though, I think most of the photographers out there who break the rules know how to follow them first. I think it is fine to like blown highlights but first learn how to take a portrait or landscape without blown highlights, then once you do, go ahead and blow all of them out. It's easy enough to do post processing ;)
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