SR-71 picture help

[james21]

I took this picture of the Smithsonian and I couldn't really get the lighting to work, so basically im just wondering what i can do using PS to bring out the plane more and make it look better
Thanks in advance!

 

[AirVenture]

That's a hard picture to take. I know the lighting at the museum isn't the best either. They use a lot of colored lights from different agles. Looks cool in person but the camera has no idea what to do. I'm not too sure how to fix this, other then adjusting the backlighting in Photoshop. How'd you manage to be at the museum with no one standing around the blackbird? I could hardly get anywhere near it, but that's not long after it opened.

 

[elsaspet]

Did you shoot raw? Maybe bring your exposure up a bit, and do a slight burn to bring attention back to the plane.

 

[james21]

How'd you manage to be at the museum with no one standing around the blackbird? I could hardly get anywhere near it, but that's not long after it opened.

I was there during the week after school had started for most people in the area over the summer, so luckily there wern't a whole lot of people around, I'll post up some other pictures I have from there some time if ya want.

Elsaspet: I'm shooting with film, no digital , so im sure that limits my options quite a bit.

 

[Garbz]

even with film the exposure can be lifted a bit. Take it to the lab and see what they can do for a start. I managed to do that for a film where I had a pol filter on the lense and my flash doesn't metre TTL. The lab was able to bring the selected photos 1 or 2 stops higher with less loss that photoshop would bring.

 

[karissa]

I was just there last week. Lighting there is really heard to deal with. I was having trouble getting shots that where not under exposed and still see the bird. At the same time the lighting can make for some cool shots. I have a one of the Joint Strike Fighter that I really like.

 

[markc]

Kind of repeating what Garbz said, mini-lab machines are often set for an average exposure. The bright light in the middle is probably throwing that off. Tell them to expose for the plane and see if it's any better.

 

[james21]

thanks for all the help, im gonna go and see what they can do tomorrow

 

[Vmann]

Try using the shadow highlight command under image>adjustments in PS to bring out some of the color and detail in the shadows

 

[Rob]

Your problem here is pretty simple - you're shooting a black object which has sunlight behind it. The camera has metered to average the scene out and consequently you've lost all detail on the black and blown out a bit on the sky/white bit. I would think your only chance of shooting that would be to ensure that you have no daylight in the shot - get closer, or to shoot the plane from that viewing balcony.

Rob

 

[Billy Webb]

I think a levels correction in ps would go a long way in bringing some detail to the bird... however i think with the blown out area will only worsen.