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03/13/2003 05:09:48 PM · #1 |
Bleak skies are so predominant during the winter time, but unless the clouds are really dramatic, it seems to take away so much from our photos. So I was thinking, "How would one produce a photo that had bleak winter skies and still make something that would be enjoyable to view (all of)." Is this too restrictive of a subject (both in content and world-wide availability)? Would there be any lessons that could be learned to improve this otherwise impossible aspect? Is this possible?
Anybody got an idea that would improve on this concept for a challenge? |
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03/13/2003 05:28:00 PM · #2 |
Well, part of the problem with this is it is too reliant on weather conditions. It would unfairly affect those in the southern hemisphere if held during the northern winter.. Just imagine how having a challenge for blue skies would affect those in England or Seattle!
However, I don't think winter skies make shooting impossible. Some shots really benefit from overcast skies. One of the things I do is to desaturate my photos and increase the contrast, sometimes doing a hue shift. That takes much of the dreariness out of the photo and makes it fairly interesting visually. When the current challenge is over I'll post some before/after bridge outtakes that I took on a overcast and foggy day. |
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03/13/2003 05:30:08 PM · #3 |
I don't really think this would be good as a challenge because some people live in countries where it isnt winter, and some live in countries where there is never cloud because it is so hot and sunny and......
Anyway, in a few of my latest Portfolio additions I've tried to make the bland skies work as good contrast from the subject.
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=14436
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=14435
And in the next photo the bland and overcast sky is the main subject of my photo, and I personally think it is very effective.
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=14341
I think applying a duotone, specially blue, also brings out the mood and atmosphere of these type of shots.
Message edited by author 2003-03-13 17:31:59.
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03/13/2003 05:33:55 PM · #4 |
Well, if the challenge was to get the bleakest sky available, I think all of my Pacific Northwest fellow photographers would have quite an advantage! I am so tired of the grey, lifeless skies that when I actually see some texture in the clouds I am thrilled. A lot of my better photographs were taken on overcast days but they have interesting clouds - not the flat, blah depressing . . .
Message edited by author 2003-03-14 13:06:26. |
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03/13/2003 05:34:35 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by Swashbuckler:
Bleak skies are so predominant ...
Anybody got an idea that would improve on this concept for a challenge? |
Uh...you should have known I'd take an extreme approach. If you scroll down in the comment area of Golden Gate you'll find a link and thumbnail of the original image...about as bland a sky as you could ask for... |
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03/13/2003 05:36:42 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by joanns:
Well, if the challenge was to get the bleakest sky available, I think all of my Pacific Northwest fellow photographers would have quite an advantage! I am so tired of the grey, lifeless skies that when I actually see some texture in the clouds I am thrilled. A lot of my better photographs were taken on overcast days but they have interesting clouds - not the flat, blah depressing . . . |
I remember Herb Caen quoting a Sunset District (San Francisco) toddler pointing up into a bright sunny sky and exclaiming "Look Mommy! Blue fog!" |
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03/13/2003 05:37:32 PM · #7 |
I agree that the bleak look in winter (in some latitudes) can be used to advantage.
I am working on a series of panoramas of Vancouver harbour, and the only one I am quite happy with right now is one that features the winter sky as a major player.
Message edited by author 2003-03-13 17:38:45.
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03/13/2003 05:41:35 PM · #8 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I remember Herb Caen quoting a Sunset District (San Francisco) toddler pointing up into a bright sunny sky and exclaiming "Look Mommy! Blue fog!" |
LOL!! |
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03/13/2003 05:42:48 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by Jak:
I agree that the bleak look in winter (in some latitudes) can be used to advantage.
I am working on a series of panoramas of Vancouver harbour, and the only one I am quite happy with right now is one that features the winter sky as a major player. |
Very nice panorama! Is it stitched or just one wide-angle?
Here's one where the clouds were dramatic enough, except for the huge blown-out hole covering 1/4 the sky... |
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03/13/2003 05:42:50 PM · #10 |
Originally posted by Jak:
I agree that the bleak look in winter (in some latitudes) can be used to advantage.
I am working on a series of panoramas of Vancouver harbour, and the only one I am quite happy with right now is one that features the winter sky as a major player. |
Jak, I recognized that right off nice job - Our NW skys really can add drama. - I second the question - are you stitching?
Message edited by author 2003-03-13 17:49:39. |
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03/13/2003 06:25:32 PM · #11 |
An overcast day is the world's biggest softbox. :-)
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03/13/2003 06:39:32 PM · #12 |
In response to joanns and the General: thanks for the comments. I am stitching using a program the name of which escapes me right now. I'll look it up when I get home.
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03/13/2003 06:39:39 PM · #13 |
O.K. Ben, you're right, it's not a fair challenge for places other than England and the Pacific NW, maybe a few others....
Would you consider doing a tutorial? (I know you're busy, but....)
This seems to be an often repeated theme...if only the sky was "nicer". I'd greatly appreciate the help!
JAK and JOANNS - your overcast pieces are really, really nice, but....
the skies aren't the totally bleak (at least what I see doesn't seem like the originals would be so), they have breaks in the clouds and darker spots that do add drama by themselves. What about totally bleak, solid gray skies? (Like the ones I've been looking at for the past week or so)
Maybe I should have placed this forum in another section?
[quote=Konador]I don't really think this would be good as a challenge because some people live in countries where it isnt winter, and some live in countries where there is never cloud because it is so hot and sunny and......
Anyway, in a few of my latest Portfolio additions I've tried to make the bland skies work as good contrast from the subject.
And in the next photo the bland and overcast sky is the main subject of my photo, and I personally think it is very effective.
Message edited by author 2003-03-13 18:46:16. |
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03/13/2003 06:58:04 PM · #14 |
I would say that most of the examples given above do NOT have bland skies.
The weather is bleak, certainly, but the skies are dramatic. Most have great cloud definition, some shapes, some light and shade. Ben's shafts of sunlight is anything but bland.
Bleak does not equal bland.
A bland sky to me is one where the sky is a uniform pale grey - no cloud shapes, no light and shade, nothing. Like a big grey blanket covering the sky. In a photo it is incredibly bland if it takes up meaningful space within the frame.
The photos shown don't have that kind of sky.
I'd say the only thing one could do with that sky is take advantage of the even light on the subjects and concentrate on those rather than the sky itself, or use it as a plain backdrop to something more exciting.
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03/13/2003 07:07:14 PM · #15 |
Gosh Kavey! You hit it exactly! My biggest issue with this sort of sky is that it fools the camera into thinking it's bright and wonderful, so often the subjects are muted and not well defined against this sort of sky. Avoiding this type of skyline seems to be the only alternative (or waiting for it to change - boring!!)
Kavey, would you consider being my "interpreter"? |
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03/13/2003 07:21:34 PM · #16 |
you are right that the two examples I used are not bland skies - they were examples of overcast with personality. My bland sky photos are awful and don't live on my hard drive very long. Anyhoo...
It looks like I will be challenged this weekend, in my search for a good photo or two, by bland skies. I purchased a graduated gray filter that is supposed to help keep the gray sky from being overexposed. I'll let you all know if it helps. |
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03/13/2003 07:34:34 PM · #17 |
The bland and overcast skies that Vancouver is expecting this weekend are a bore, it is true. But we have the Peace Rallies on Saturday to brighten up the streets. I hope to get a bunch of essentially sky-less shots.
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03/13/2003 10:55:53 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by Kavey:
I would say that most of the examples given above do NOT have bland skies...A bland sky to me is one where the sky is a uniform pale grey - no cloud shapes, no light and shade, nothing. Like a big grey blanket covering the sky. In a photo it is incredibly bland if it takes up meaningful space within the frame... |
Ahh...you mean more like this? I got a bunch of comments about the color or lack thereof, but haven't figured out what else to do with it... |
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03/14/2003 07:29:50 AM · #19 |
Originally posted by Swashbuckler:
Gosh Kavey! You hit it exactly! My biggest issue with this sort of sky is that it fools the camera into thinking it's bright and wonderful, so often the subjects are muted and not well defined against this sort of sky. Avoiding this type of skyline seems to be the only alternative (or waiting for it to change - boring!!)
Kavey, would you consider being my "interpreter"? |
:) lol
I tend to overexpose a little - whitens the sky out even more but at least the exposure on the main subject is OK. But I tend to try and include as little of this kind of sky as possible.
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03/14/2003 07:31:40 AM · #20 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Ahh...you mean more like this? I got a bunch of comments about the color or lack thereof, but haven't figured out what else to do with it... |
Yeah - that kind of non-descript grey. In your image the sky is simply used as a neutral backdrop to the main subjects so it's not as intrusively bland as images where it's taking up the top third of the frame - but even then I'd like it better were it a plain blue sky.
Not sure what else to do with it. I do like the shot though.
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