Correctly exposing the sky

[Steve56]

Hello all,

I'm having problems correctly exposing the sky on a nice clear day or typically when the sun is going down in the evening. I understand the Sunny 16 method but no matter what aperture I use, I always seem to have a blown out sky with no detail whatsoever. On the reverse of that I can end up under/over exposing the whole scene.

Take this recent photo as an example :

Heres my attempt at fixing it in photoshop

Any advice welcome

 

[SCraig]

Too much dynamic range. you'll never get that bright sky and dark shadows unless you bracket the shots and combine them in HDR. Otherwise you'll have to give up the brights or the darks. Which one to lose is up to you.

 

[Steve56]

Ah I see.

I don't think I have any HDR Software, I'm not a big fan of it anyway.

But it's good to know that there's nothing that can be done in terms of the settings used. Suppose I'll have to pick a different time of day to shoot.

 

[SCraig]

Don't discount HDR, just the way it is predominately used. When used for what it was designed for it can do amazing things. The overprocessed, oversaturated look does nothing for me either, but when it is used to provide additional dynamic range without blowing the saturation through the roof it can really make a photograph look nice.

I don't do much HDR so I'm not very good at it, but here is one that was in a situation similar to yours:



It was shot early in the morning so the left side of the building was in bright sunlight while the right side was in deep shadow. I bracketed it with 3 shots, one metered for the left side, one metered for the right side, and one in between the two. They were combined with Photomatix and the combination is much better than any one of the individual shots that I took.

Edit ... I just noticed that the sky is just slightly oversaturated. I'm starting to see a halo around the right edge of the building. It could just be this monitor at work though since I didn't see it at home.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Or you need to shoot it from the other side where the wall is not in the shadow.

 

[KmH]

Ah I see.

I don't think I have any HDR Software, I'm not a big fan of it anyway.

But it's good to know that there's nothing that can be done in terms of the settings used. Suppose I'll have to pick a different time of day to shoot.

They make graduated neutral density (GND) filters specifically for your type of situation. The dark part of the filter reduces the brightness of the sky so the sky and the darker foreground are both within the dynamic range your cameras image sensor can handle.

However, the GND solution works best when there is a straight line delineation between the sky and foreground. A GND wouldn't work for the photo you posted. for example the windows on the left side of the photo.

HDR software is not needed, since one photo exposed properly for the sky and a second photo exposed for the darker forground is 1 exposure short of the 3 needed to make a true HDR.

In image editing jargon 2 exposures blended together are called a composite.

 

[RichardsTPF]

Or you need to shoot it from the other side where the wall is not in the shadow.

Or you can reshoot it in the morning.

 

[Steve56]

I have bought a filter but like a numpty I bought it to fit my 50mm lens, which is no good when using an 18-55mm for landscapes. lol

On a separate note, what would any professionals do with this photo in Photoshop? I really like the symmetry in it but I feel it needs something to bring it to life a little and I'm still learning how to use Elements 9. I just can't think what I can do to make it pop a little. I'm terrible when it comes to creativity using photoshop.

Any suggestions people?

 

[KmH]

You could start by leveling it.

Do you shoot in color and then convert to B&W post process so you have more control of the tonality of the B&W? (B&W adjustment layer for example)

Do you know how to use PsE 9 to dodge and burm?

 

[Dao]

For the issue #1, take a look at the following link and scroll down to "Blended exposures to expand the dynamic range"

JuzaPhoto - Layers and Layer Mask

 

[Steve56]

You could start by leveling it.

Do you shoot in color and then convert to B&W post process so you have more control of the tonality of the B&W? (B&W adjustment layer for example)

Do you know how to use PsE 9 to dodge and burm?

That photo was taken freehand without the use of my tripod so it does appear slanted to an extent (assuming that's what you mean by levelling)

I shoot in black and white with the camera and then usually edit the shadows/midtones, contrast etc in elements. But the photo above is completely untouched.

I'm aware of Dodge and Burn but honestly I don't know how to use it to improve my photos. In other words I tend to go overboard with it. lol

 

[Edsport]

Hello all,

I'm having problems correctly exposing the sky on a nice clear day or typically when the sun is going down in the evening. I understand the Sunny 16 method but no matter what aperture I use, I always seem to have a blown out sky with no detail whatsoever. On the reverse of that I can end up under/over exposing the whole scene. Any advice welcome

Changing the aperture isn't the best way to go to help with the sky, changing the shutter speed is a better way...

 

[KmH]

The camera just desaturates the color image, which is what the camera actually starts with, resulting in a significant loss of contrast and dull, flat looking, monotone photos.

Controlling contrast is the essense of a B&W photo.

Shooting with B&W film, to control contrast we used colored filters on the lens, mindful film type/brand choices, a variety of darkroom chemicals and film negative developing techniques, and judicious choice of the paper we printed on.

Producing a B&W image from what a digital camera captures is as involved. The advantage today is we don't have to wear a rubber apron, rubber gloves, or work in the dark.

 

[Forkie]

Yu may get a small improvement by changing your metering mode. Were you spot metering for this shot? Matrix metering my improve it a bit.

 

[Robin Usagani]

Yu may get a small improvement by changing your metering mode. Were you spot metering for this shot? Matrix metering my improve it a bit.

matrix metering will just make the background blown more and the building exposed better (or vice versa depending on where he pointed the spot metering). I think the OP just did not understand you cant capture this high range without taking more than 1 exposure.