Blown Highlights

[CorrieMichael]

I am not really sure where to post this but.....I am wondering how you fix blown highlights on faces.......or am I just totally screwed?

 

[Photographiend]

In my experience you are just screwed. For what ever reason even with all today's technology it seems over exposure still = a destroyed image. Although if the blow out isn't too bad sometime people can still appreciate the image even with the blown out light. I have one of my daughter that I know is bad but my family still loves it.

 

[kathyt]

Did you shoot in RAW?

 

[frommrstomommy]

This might come down to how bad it is.. lol Post the image and maybe people can give it a go. I blow out pics of my son ALL the time in our living room when I'm chasing him and he gets real close to the sliding glass door.. sometimes I'm able to salvage by bringing down the exposure on the whole image and then fixing the parts that were "fine" with a brush to bring the exposure back up. Might be a horrible explanation, but we just woke up.

 

[tirediron]

If it is truly blown (as in 255) then yes, you are threaded. If there's some detail, and you shot in RAW, you may be able to recover something with a tool such as Lightroom's localized editing brush.

 

[pixmedic1]

for correcting exposure and white balance, shooting raw gives you the best chance.
it all depends of course, on the amount of correction that is needed. PS and LR can only do so much, even with a raw file.

 

[kathyt]

for correcting exposure and white balance, shooting raw gives you the best chance.
it all depends of course, on the amount of correction that is needed. PS and LR can only do so much, even with a raw file.

Good point. Show us the image Corrie before someone gets hurt.

 

[CorrieMichael]

for correcting exposure and white balance, shooting raw gives you the best chance.
it all depends of course, on the amount of correction that is needed. PS and LR can only do so much, even with a raw file.

Good point. Show us the image Corrie before someone gets hurt.

Here is the image yes I have the raw file

 

[Mach0]

Here is the image yes I have the raw file

<img src="http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=42328"/>

They don't look too nuked. I would try using the local adjustments brush. I would have at it but I'm at work and using my phone.

 

[kathyt]

for correcting exposure and white balance, shooting raw gives you the best chance.
it all depends of course, on the amount of correction that is needed. PS and LR can only do so much, even with a raw file.

Good point. Show us the image Corrie before someone gets hurt.

Here is the image yes I have the raw file

View attachment 42328

This is an easy fix. You are using LR right?

 

[CorrieMichael]

Good point. Show us the image Corrie before someone gets hurt.

Here is the image yes I have the raw file

View attachment 42328

This is an easy fix. You are using LR right?

yes

 

[Naphtali14]

Super easy to fix if you're working with the raw file in lightroom.. and they don't even look that blown out to be honest. Just use the highlight slider a tad in LR4 and lower the exposure maybe by a smidgen.

 

[DiskoJoe]

for correcting exposure and white balance, shooting raw gives you the best chance.
it all depends of course, on the amount of correction that is needed. PS and LR can only do so much, even with a raw file.

Good point. Show us the image Corrie before someone gets hurt.

Here is the image yes I have the raw file

View attachment 42328

Its fine. Leave it as is.

 

[raaskohx10]

I think the above pic can be corrected as in my opinion there is no direct light falling on the faces rather it is difused light.

 

[kathyt]

It looks like you just need to pull down your highlights about 10 points.