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09/11/2006 10:46:43 AM · #1 |
If I am hveing trouble shooting, just say a tree, becase the sky is super bright, and I am not catching any detail in the foregroung. Would I want to buy a Grad. ND filter, a reg. ND filter, or maybe a polarizer?
Any help would be great, Thanks!! |
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09/11/2006 10:49:29 AM · #2 |
If you're having problems getting detail in the foreground due to a bright sky then it's a graduated ND you need.
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09/11/2006 10:49:51 AM · #3 |
| You could get away with none by shooting in Full Manual and setting the exposure yourself. You may need to take two exposures and combine them in PS if you want both the sky and the object to be correctly exposed. |
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09/11/2006 10:49:56 AM · #4 |
| For that problem you'd want a graduated ND filter, to darken the sky but allow a "normal" exposure for the foreground. |
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09/11/2006 10:52:42 AM · #5 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
For that problem you'd want a graduated ND filter, to darken the sky but allow a "normal" exposure for the foreground. |
If there is an object jutting into the sky, say a statue or church steeple, the ND isn't going to help the near side darkness of the tall object - will it? Won't the near side of the tall object still be dark? |
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09/11/2006 10:58:34 AM · #6 |
| Yes, dark objects jutting into a bright area can pose a problem. |
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09/11/2006 11:04:52 AM · #7 |
What about a colored filter? I heard with a colored filter they darken the same color and lighten the opposite, thus a blue filter might help if it's a bright blue sky? But I think that only works with black and white? It's one of those thinkgs I've been meaning to learn more about...
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09/11/2006 11:15:47 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by cpanaioti:
Yes, dark objects jutting into a bright area can pose a problem. |
Right -- if the foreground objects are close enough you might try a fill-flash, or else you need to do some dodging on the darker objects.
If you shoot in RAW you can extract two versions from the shot, one each optimized for FG and BG, and then combine/blend them. If you're not shooting in RAW then you might try the same with bracketed exposures shot from a tripod.
If you already have a single shot with this problem, I've had some success evening-out the exposure using Photoshop Curves adjustments made through layer masks graduated similarly to a filter.
A color filter may help -- I think red/orange filters darken the sky -- and a polarizer might help if the sun's at the right angle, but will also darken the FG. |
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09/11/2006 11:43:34 AM · #9 |
| I checked at the local wolf camera, they have a cokin ND4, would that be too dark for sky trouble, or should I start with a 2 or 3?? |
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09/11/2006 11:46:44 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by RockBruise:
I checked at the local wolf camera, they have a cokin ND4, would that be too dark for sky trouble, or should I start with a 2 or 3?? |
It depends. Each situation is different.
To determine which grad ND filter to use you need to know the number of stops between a proper exposure for the highlights and a proper exposure for the shadows.
Ideally, you would have a set of grad filters, each with a different strength. |
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09/11/2006 11:53:24 AM · #11 |
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Change your metering setting to "Spot" and focus directly on the tree to see if that brings out the proper exposure.
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09/11/2006 11:54:19 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by lesgainous:
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Change your metering setting to "Spot" and focus directly on the tree to see if that brings out the proper exposure. |
Sounds like that would blow out the sky then... |
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09/11/2006 12:05:00 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by glad2badad:
Sounds like that would blow out the sky then... |
Definitely so. However, depending on the severity, some editing could restore (or replace) the background. It all depends on what  pix-al wants from the photo.
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