Do i Need a filter?

Booshka

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Was out today taking some snaps, a couple pics were in the direction of the sun which was low in the sky, when i got home i noticed that the ground area was extremely dark while the sky was perfectly exposed and some were the opposite way round, i.e great ground area and blown sky. Do i need a filter of some kind so that you get both exposed well?

Thanks for any help.
 
Several things you can try. As far as filters go, a graduated neutral density filter will block light from one side but not the other so using such a filter to block out the bright sky could help. Also, a split filter which has a hard line between a darkening side and a clear side. Problem here is you have to place the line pretty much on the horizon or the break point between light and dark. I would normally try to meter the whole scene, then open up 1 to 2 stops. This will bring in more detail in the shadows but shouldn't blow out the highlights.
You don't say if you were shooting digital or film and if film, whether color, b&w, or transparencies. B&W has a lot higher latitude for overexposure than color.
 
Sorry for not mentioning, it's digital in colour and thank you for those filter ideas i'll look into them.

Cheers.
 
Don't forget with digital, that you can put the camera on a tripod and take two pictures, one exposed for the sky and the other for the ground and overlay them, using the a transparant blend to make a perfectly exposed picture.

Rob
 
Rob said:
Don't forget with digital, that you can put the camera on a tripod and take two pictures, one exposed for the sky and the other for the ground and overlay them, using the a transparant blend to make a perfectly exposed picture.

Rob

Good idea ^

If you ever have this problem with film then you will need a graded neutral filter or you can use, the zone system when you are printing. Who was saying that Ansel Adams wasn't great? :)
 
Rob said:
Don't forget with digital, that you can put the camera on a tripod and take two pictures, one exposed for the sky and the other for the ground and overlay them, using the a transparant blend to make a perfectly exposed picture.

Rob

:hail: I hadn't thought of that, thank you very much.
 

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