Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: A shadows question  (Read 3923 times)

Quentin

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1222
    • Quentin on Facebook
A shadows question
« on: June 26, 2005, 05:27:27 pm »

My opinion is we have become obsessed with "shadow detail".  Its received wisdom that its a sin to have "blocked" shadows.  I think this can and sometimes is taken too far.  Look to achieve a natural looking balance that allows (in the right kind of image) for a little 100% black.
Logged
Quentin Bargate, ARPS, Author, Arbitrato

DustinWilson

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2
A shadows question
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2005, 03:47:02 pm »

How much should one open up shadows in PS? If you open up shadows too much the photo looks flat...correct? Yet I see photos from famous photographers with deep shadows. Whats your opinions on this?
Logged

Jonathan Wienke

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5829
    • http://visual-vacations.com/
A shadows question
« Reply #2 on: June 26, 2005, 09:47:01 pm »

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
-Ecclesiastes 3:1-8


There's also a time for shadow/highlight detail, and a time for blocked shadows/highlights; a time for saturated colors, and a time for black and white; a time for sharpness and detail, and a time for soft focus; a time for shallow DOF, and a time for wide DOF; a time to overexpose, a time to underexpose, and a time to get exposure exactly right; a time to crop, and a time for negative space; a time for flash, and a time for ambient light; a time for heavily artistic post-processing, and a time to leave well enough alone; and a time for every camera format under the sun.

The trick is figuring out what treatment is appropriate for a given image. That is the beginning of photographic wisdom.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up