How to Make Overcast Sky Your Friend?

[biker]

Well, the attached shot is definitely nothing very special. I can get to this place in less that two hours from my home. But there are places you visit only once in your life and weather might not be the one you wish. The totally overcast sky (grey or whitish) making everything look flat and "colourless" seems to be a real enemy to your shots. And you do want some great (or at least good) pictures from that place!
So, what are your tips to get the maximum from this situation?

My shot (although it's nothing special) doesn't suffer from the overcast sky so much. As the quarry is quite "plastic" itself the absence of strong shadows is rather an advantage. It's not about greenery so it's not a big problem its dull colour. The background hills aren't so interesting so I don't mind they're suppressed by the mist. And the thin skyline - okay - there the landscape ends. Fullstop. There was no post-processing done on this shot (just reducing its size) but the Creative/Vivid mode and Adaptive contrast were turned on while shooting.

My tips:

• HDR doesn't work in situations like this. While you can make foreground brighter and get some "colour" to the sky, it looks rather unnatural.
• Trying to "inject" blue or dramatic sky from another shot or generate it by an algorithm doesn't fool anyone.
• Using camera flash - please no!
• B&W or Sepia can help much more. But sometimes you want pictures in colour.
• Local contrast enhancement added in a reasonable amount can help.
• The same with saturation.
• Increasing the colour temperature setting (also in PP from RAW) to add some reddish tones to the picture.
• Focusing on interesting subjects and so distracting people from looking at the white sky.

What more?

[luxborealis]

• Nail the Black point;
• Increase Clarity;
• Use adjustment brushes in specific places to increase contrast, alter colour temperature;
• Don't shoot and enjoy the memory.

[shadowblade]

- Find something else to do for the day. When it's overcast, I often don't even bother bringing out the camera or going to photo spots. That's when I get my eating and drinking done...
- Find something worth shooting that doesn't require shooting the sky and benefits from diffuse lighting - indoors, in a forest, in a cave, a waterfall, etc.
- If you can't, then shoot in black and white if it suits the subject

Shot at 'sunrise' in the middle of a snowstorm. I couldn't exactly come back, since I'd already used up all my time there, with bad weather most of the way:

[biker]

Frame to exclude the sky and background hills.

Yep, but in the case of this particular picture it would make it a bit out of context. Both foreground and background parts suggest the depth of the quarry. Without them it would be just a mess of stony surface. Or, am I wrong?

Don't shoot and enjoy the memory.

Definitely, if you are shooting for shooting - if you are somewhere to take great/impressive/artistic pictures. If you can stay in a hotel and spend a few days by other activities and wait until the morning when the sun rises that's right. But if you are like walking a distance trek with a limited time available and want to take pictures of the beautiful landscape as good as possible despite the overcast sky - that's what my question was about.

Shot at 'sunrise' in the middle of a snowstorm. I couldn't exactly come back, since I'd already used up all my time there, with bad weather most of the way:

Your picture actually has a very dramatic light - I like it.

One another tip:
Time for digital filters, film emulations, ...?

[Riaan van Wyk]

• Don't shoot and enjoy the memory.

I concur. If the "Light" is not present, no amount of fancy photoshop is going to help. Believe it or not, one doesn't always have shoot something just because you are there. Sometimes you can just sit and watch, experience, smell and feel.

[Isaac]

Yep, but in the case of this particular picture it would make it a bit out of context. Both foreground and background parts suggest the depth of the quarry. Without them it would be just a mess of stony surface.

Maybe out of context could be interesting. Maybe the question could be how to suggest the depth of the quarry without that foreground and background. Maybe the mess of stony surface could be interesting.

Make it so ! :-)

[Jens Peermann]

The latest version of ACR has a new tool called "Dehaze", which is available for Photoshop and Lightroom. I have been playing around with it and am very impressed. It somewhat similar to "Clarity" but does a lot more than just increase mid range contrast. I have not yet worked with it enough to give a full report, but already I can recommend giving it a good look and tryout.

[PeterAit]

Well, the attached shot is definitely nothing very special. I can get to this place in less that two hours from my home. But there are places you visit only once in your life and weather might not be the one you wish. The totally overcast sky (grey or whitish) making everything look flat and "colourless" seems to be a real enemy to your shots. And you do want some great (or at least good) pictures from that place!
So, what are your tips to get the maximum from this situation?

I actually prefer to shoot on (lightly) overcast days most of the time. The lack of direct sunlight prevents harsh shadows so one can see all the detail, and I find colors to be more saturated and lifelike. There are exceptions, of course, such as shooting rock formations out west where the shadows can add drama and compositional elements to the image. But for the gentler scene here in the east, I prefer overcast.

[biker]

Thanks for all your tips!

Maybe out of context could be interesting. Maybe the question could be how to suggest the depth of the quarry without that foreground and background. Maybe the mess of stony surface could be interesting.
Make it so ! :-)

Well, that's beyond my imagination at the moment but I'll try.

I actually prefer to shoot on (lightly) overcast days most of the time. The lack of direct sunlight prevents harsh shadows so one can see all the detail, and I find colors to be more saturated and lifelike. There are exceptions, of course, such as shooting rock formations out west where the shadows can add drama and compositional elements to the image. But for the gentler scene here in the east, I prefer overcast.

That's encouraging. I also like the mood of the landscape when it rains.

I'm going to keep shooting plain "reports" even without a "proper" light because my memory isn't good enough to keep those places longer than for a few days. And I want to revisit them through those pictures in the future.

[vartkes]

Focus on the subject. Not every landscape composition needs a sky and distant hills. In this image the subject is the quarry thus the upper 20% of the frame distracts; crop it. This lighting is ideal to photograph this subject. It is the big, softie diffuser. Explore different POV to increase the impact of the texture and repetitions of the quarry walls.
My attitude is not to chase the idealized light but to try to make the best I can of the light I have.

[Isaac]

That's encouraging. I also like the mood of the landscape when it rains.

You may find Eliot Porter's photographs encouraging.

[muntanela]

Get a 100mm macro. With it you can find many shot opportunities: landscapes, intimate landscapes, close ups, macros.

[Bob_B]

Get a 100mm macro. With it you can find many shot opportunities: landscapes, intimate landscapes, close ups, macros.

+1. My 100mm macro is my go-to lens when lighting is poor. It just gives me a lot of options, and macros often benefit from the more subdued light.

[NancyP]

Another vote for macro. I really don't want to shoot macro unless it is overcast! When it is clear, I have to fuss with diffusers, etc.

[kers]

Hello Biker,
I changed your image a bit; made the contrast of the- far way-stronger so it becomes more one image instead of two...

But i think your image is better: it shows a sad landscape in sad light.

It just depends what you want to communicate.

[biker]

You may find Eliot Porter's photographs encouraging.

Although some of them were taken more than 60 years ago I do like them.

Another vote for macro. I really don't want to shoot macro unless it is overcast! When it is clear, I have to fuss with diffusers, etc.

I understand. Sharp shadows can be killer of intimacy. On the other hand, the subdued light forces you to use either lower aperture or higher ISO values. Longer exposure times could be a problem because of even the lightest wind. But this is definitely better than sharp shadows.

Hello Biker,
I changed your image a bit; made the contrast of the- far way-stronger so it becomes more one image instead of two...

But i think your image is better: it shows a sad landscape in sad light.

It just depends what you want to communicate.

Thanks, your edit isn't bad at all! But I'm also not sure whether the meek light doesn't actually help here.