Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: 7h3C47 on March 11, 2013, 06:02:15 pm

Title: Any lighting/contrast advice? Two shots of the Fjords in Norway
Post by: 7h3C47 on March 11, 2013, 06:02:15 pm
The color was really crappy due to the weather, so I definitely want to keep them in B&W.  I'm having some issues with the lighting though...I can't seem to find a happy medium that looks decent.  If you have any thoughts on contrast and lighting adjustments, please share.

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8366/8518630931_6c7999fcf1.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-feesh/8518630931/)
SDIM0063 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-feesh/8518630931/) by MR.FEESH (http://www.flickr.com/people/mr-feesh/), on Flickr

(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8090/8518630489_a69e069acb.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-feesh/8518630489/)
SDIM0051 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/mr-feesh/8518630489/) by MR.FEESH (http://www.flickr.com/people/mr-feesh/), on Flickr
Title: Re: Any lighting/contrast advice? Two shots of the Fjords in Norway
Post by: rogerxnz on March 12, 2013, 05:01:53 am
It seems to me the range of tones in both scenes is beyond the capability of your camera's sensor and you have neither captured detail in the shadows or detail in the highlights. Conventional wisdom is, I think, to capture detail in the highlights because nothing can bring back detail which is not there and there is a chance of bringing out detail in the shadows using software even if that area is underexposed.

The other option is to take two shots with the camera on a tripod, expose one for the highlights and the other for the shadows and then combine them in software.
Roger
Title: Re: Any lighting/contrast advice? Two shots of the Fjords in Norway
Post by: RSL on March 12, 2013, 09:08:15 am
+1
Title: Re: Any lighting/contrast advice? Two shots of the Fjords in Norway
Post by: Chairman Bill on March 12, 2013, 09:11:02 am
Or make judicious use of graduated neutral density filters
Title: Re: Any lighting/contrast advice? Two shots of the Fjords in Norway
Post by: nemo295 on March 12, 2013, 11:42:19 am
Assuming you shot these in RAW and you're using Photoshop, you may be able to improve upon the blown out values in the sky and the underexposed hills by cranking up both the Recovery and Fill Light sliders in Photoshop's Camera Raw section.

But frankly, it probably won't help enough. It would be better to re-shoot when the sun is at your back.