| Author | Thread |
|
|
01/07/2006 08:06:09 PM · #1 |
Is an ND filter the thing to use to reduce contrast on a sunny day? Today was my first "day out" with my new outfit, just a short walk around in Old Town Alexandria (VA), and most of my pics ended up with heavy contrast -- in many, depending on how I metered them, highlights are blown out or shadow detail is lost. For example, in these two pics of a pigeon who paid me a visit on the waterfront:
- heavy contrast makes the tail feathers a big black blob
//home.earthlink.net/~creaturestevens/postpics/DSC_0090.JPG
- heavy contrast masks the bird's eye and such
//home.earthlink.net/~creaturestevens/postpics/DSC_0091.JPG
Would an ND filter be the cure for this? Or is there a different type of contrast-softening filter? Or should I just do what I've done in the past, and rely on post-production in Photoshop to fix levels, etc.?
Message edited by kirbic - Converted large pics to links :-). |
|
|
|
01/07/2006 08:15:17 PM · #2 |
ND filter will darken the entired scene, including the already dark areas, but the number of stops indicated, and is used to allow slower shutter speeds.
Say, moving daytime city scene or flowing water on a waterfall, without blowing the picture out.
A Graduated ND filter can help with contrasty areas, but it is usually used for bright sky, dark ground or sunsets.
What might be helpful, is to take the picture in RAW, create two exposures from the raw file, and use the High Dynamic Range function in CS2 if you have it.
|
|
|
|
01/07/2006 08:19:09 PM · #3 |
You need a conrast reduction filter. You can get them at B&H, but you should call and ask. I don't think it's listed on their site.
|
|
|
|
01/07/2006 08:22:10 PM · #4 |
Have you tried turning in-camera contrast to it's minimum setting?
|
|
|
|
01/07/2006 08:23:01 PM · #5 |
For high contrast scenes, shooting in RAW can certainly help. You'll need to "expose to the right" to gain all that can be gained. Moving to a RAW workflow takes some preparation and learning, though.
When shooting JPEG, make sure the camera settings aren't creating a problem. The default image parameters for many cameras are a little "contrasty". Setting to a less contrasty tone curve can help you retain more detail at both the highlight and shadow ends. You may have to tweak contrast later for best results.
|
|
|
|
01/07/2006 08:43:21 PM · #6 |
Thanks ... I adjusted the in-camera settings after reviewing the pics I took today. They were still set at default, so I built a custom optimization profile with, among other things, tone compensation set to -1 (medium-low contrast). I'll try that (tomorrow should be another clear day) and adjust accordingly.
I'm finding that this is a lot like autocrossing / track racing ... it is more important to hone your skills with "seat time" in what you've got before throwing upgrades at it to try to compensate for inexperience. Of course, having a good body and lenses is a must (just like having a capable car and the right tires) but now I need to master my skills so that I know how to better use potential future upgrades.
P.S. Sorry 'bout the big images -- wasn't sure of the protocol on this site and there was nothing in the FAQ. What is the max allowed size, or are links always preferred over [img] tags?
Message edited by author 2006-01-07 20:44:15. |
|
|
|
01/07/2006 08:49:10 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by Creature:
I'm finding that this is a lot like autocrossing / track racing ... it is more important to hone your skills with "seat time" in what you've got before throwing upgrades at it to try to compensate for inexperience. Of course, having a good body and lenses is a must (just like having a capable car and the right tires) but now I need to master my skills so that I know how to better use potential future upgrades. |
Well said!
Originally posted by Creature:
P.S. Sorry 'bout the big images -- wasn't sure of the protocol on this site and there was nothing in the FAQ. What is the max allowed size, or are links always preferred over [img] tags? |
We do tend to be a little anal here on large images, unlike a lot of other sites. There's no real set rule, but normally anything larger than about 480px in longest direction should be a link, as a rule of thumb.
|
|
|
|
01/07/2006 10:30:41 PM · #8 |
I don't understand why people don't just set their cameras for the minimum contrast setting possible. Why reduce the amount of tones your camera can capture? I only change this setting when I can see the histogram isn't hitting the whole range but this is very rare.
I put the contrast back with PS, but I keep the detail in the highlights and shadows. It really beats me why everyone doesn't do this.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 09/22/2025 03:11:53 AM EDT.
