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12/20/2004 11:03:54 AM · #26 |
Originally posted by Olyuzi:
To get white snow I don't think you want to UNDERexpose, but rather overexposing. If the snowboarders are most important to your shot, I would consider using the partial metering off of them and then overexposing a bit using exposure compensation. |
no you have to overexpose. the extra brightness of the snow causes the camera's meter to automatically underexpose (trying to bring the highlights to neutral grey), so you have to crank the Exposure compensation up, usually by 1 to 2 stops, depending on how much snow is in that particular scene.
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12/20/2004 11:06:18 AM · #27 |
That's a good discussion of this behavior. The 300D, 10D and 20D should all be able to do this. The only real difference between this and a "true" spot meter is the size of the spot, in the case of these cameras it is somewhat larger than what is normally considered a "true spot metering" function.
For my uses, the "partial metering" in the 10D had been adequate for the purpose. The thing to remember is that the camera tries to make the metered spot mid-gray, so if you meter on the snow, it will come out mid-gray (yuck). Exposure should therefore be compensated upwards. 1.5 to 2 stops is a good starting point, actual value will depend on the situation.
I'd also suggest shooting RAW, this will remove the worry of white balance. You can process later and tweak the WB once, then use that setting to convert the rest of your shots taken under similar conditions.
Message edited by author 2004-12-20 11:09:32.
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12/20/2004 11:24:18 AM · #28 |
That's exactly what I said...You may have read my statement too fast as I stated you DON'T want to UNDERexpose, but rather overexpose.
Originally posted by jxpfeer:
Originally posted by Olyuzi:
To get white snow I don't think you want to UNDERexpose, but rather overexposing. If the snowboarders are most important to your shot, I would consider using the partial metering off of them and then overexposing a bit using exposure compensation. |
no you have to overexpose. the extra brightness of the snow causes the camera's meter to automatically underexpose (trying to bring the highlights to neutral grey), so you have to crank the Exposure compensation up, usually by 1 to 2 stops, depending on how much snow is in that particular scene. |
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12/20/2004 12:02:15 PM · #29 |
| I have a litle experience photographing at glaciers and in snow. I usually use Centerweigthed average and overexpose 2/3-1 stop but sometimes that´s even not enough. Just take a carful look at the histogram. |
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12/20/2004 01:06:02 PM · #30 |
Originally posted by Olyuzi:
That's exactly what I said...You may have read my statement too fast as I stated you DON'T want to UNDERexpose, but rather overexpose.
Originally posted by jxpfeer:
Originally posted by Olyuzi:
To get white snow I don't think you want to UNDERexpose, but rather overexposing. If the snowboarders are most important to your shot, I would consider using the partial metering off of them and then overexposing a bit using exposure compensation. |
no you have to overexpose. the extra brightness of the snow causes the camera's meter to automatically underexpose (trying to bring the highlights to neutral grey), so you have to crank the Exposure compensation up, usually by 1 to 2 stops, depending on how much snow is in that particular scene. |
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yar.... my eyes they be failin me...
heh ;) and i read it twice to make sure i was reading it right too. dont' i feel like a horse's ass! :)
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01/04/2005 12:51:44 PM · #31 |
| I read this in Byran Peterson's Understanding Exposure book. Take a meter readig off the palm of your hand. Use that, and then go up by 2/3 to 1 stop. I have never tried it, but he says it is a good alternative to using a gray card which I don't have. |
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01/04/2005 12:54:30 PM · #32 |
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:
Originally posted by doctornick:
Originally posted by Prof_Fate:
Beware white balance - snow can reflect a blue sky and take on a blue cast. Same on cludy gray days, it will look gray. |
Solution for this = shoot RAW... |
I tried to shoot in the raw one snowy day, nearly froze my woody off.
Sorry...it is getting late and me punchy. |
LOLOLOLOL |
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01/04/2005 12:59:25 PM · #33 |
One handy way is to take one shot of just plain snow, choose Set custom WB on your camera and select that shot.
Was doing just exactly that today. Am working on examples. Will post 'em soon.
Cheers
Petur
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01/04/2005 01:23:56 PM · #34 |
Ok, here are the shots. Not processed at all in PS except for 16->8 bit and resize for web
Unbalanced snow --------- Balancing shot --------- Balanced snow
  
Message edited by author 2005-01-04 13:24:17.
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01/04/2005 01:28:11 PM · #35 |
None of those are 'balanced' in my opinion. The first is the truer of the lot although still off. (presuming you shot under blue bright skies)
Last time I looked snow was white :D
One tip is to use a graduated ND filter say 2 stops, that will let you get in the bright sky and give you a 2 stop extra exposure on the snow resulting in whiter whites.
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01/04/2005 01:29:01 PM · #36 |
This was my problem in tahoe. All my photos have a blue hue. I had to warm them all up in PS. It took hours!!!!
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01/04/2005 01:31:48 PM · #37 |
Originally posted by mirdonamy:
This was my problem in tahoe. All my photos have a blue hue. I had to warm them all up in PS. It took hours!!!! |
Shouldn't take hours, more like minuets. Presuming as most often happens - the sky is OK and exposed correctly, the snow will either bne grey or blue. Select the snow via a PS mask, and adjust levels - that is all that should be needed.
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01/04/2005 01:39:12 PM · #38 |
hsteg, you have some great animal shots! I have a sun conure and love your sunny pic! I lived in S.FL my entire life til 26. Then, i moved to LA. It's great you got into photography so young. I took classes at MacFatter VocTech for Photography at age 15 & 16. Keep up the great work! Have fun in the snow!
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01/04/2005 01:42:36 PM · #39 |
I had 700 photos and did them one at a time because some were taken at different exposures as i was trying to compensate while out shooting. So, I went through each one carefully to balance it as best as I could using curves and color adjustments. I don't know how to use the masking tools yet :(
Originally posted by jonpink:
Originally posted by mirdonamy:
This was my problem in tahoe. All my photos have a blue hue. I had to warm them all up in PS. It took hours!!!! |
Shouldn't take hours, more like minuets. Presuming as most often happens - the sky is OK and exposed correctly, the snow will either bne grey or blue. Select the snow via a PS mask, and adjust levels - that is all that should be needed. |
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01/04/2005 01:56:02 PM · #40 |
If you have PS, masking is easy peazy.
Just click on the quick mask button (bottom of tools) then paint in the area you want to select, the beauty is that it gives precise control and if you use an airbrush a nice feathered edge. Then simply click back on the selection tool next to it, and hey presto it turns it into a selection.
tutorial
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01/04/2005 02:26:18 PM · #41 |
Originally posted by jonpink:
None of those are 'balanced' in my opinion. The first is the truer of the lot although still off. (presuming you shot under blue bright skies)
Last time I looked snow was white :D |
Well, I never said they were perfectly balanced :)
The first one is far too blue, mainly reflected light. That was shot under 60-80% clouds, into the setting sun.
The "balanced" one is too grey, I know, but it's a start, and since I shoot in RAW it's often easy to adjust, either in C1 or PS (or both).
For me, the balanced one is truer (if a bit too gray) than the other, but my monitor has never been properly calibrated.
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01/04/2005 02:29:58 PM · #42 |
I found myself confronted with snow over christmas and ugh, I hate it! The range of light and dark in most of my shots due to the snow was awful and I didnt get the opportunity to meter and snap for the two extremes.
What I learnt? Stay away from snow!
Message edited by author 2005-01-04 14:32:48. |
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