Feedback needed to fix this picture in lightroom

[matrosov]

Good morning I am new to the forum and way out of knowledge on how to take proper shots the first time right. So two fold question. 1) What could I have done differently when taken this picture originally and 2) Any way I can fix it in lightroom. I am happy with the face but those highlights coming thru the window are way too distracting. I've tried to dull them down with highlights slider but haven't had much luck. Thank you for your help.

 

[weepete]

The highlights look blown to me, meaning they were so bright that the camera could not capture any data there. You won't be able to recover them in post as there is nothing to recover.

In future if you want to avoid this you'll need to use a flash to balance up the brightness of the light sources or shoot to preserve the highlights (your histogram will tell you if they are blown)

 

[DGMPhotography]

Yeah, they are too blown out to be fixed. Your best bet would be to Photoshop it out/clone in a new background.

But probably easier just to learn from this and do it better next time.

It's always better to underexpose than overexpose.

 

[KmH]

We can see the catch lights in the child's eyes that you did indeed use flash for fill.
Unfortunately the camera settings were such that the flash didn't balance with the harsh and bright background light.

The trick is to set the camera exposure manually so the bright background light is properly exposed and then determine how much flash you need.
Making test shots and looking at the test shot 's histogram on the rear LCD of the camera is one way we can evaluate exposure.

• Understanding Histograms, Part 1: Tones & Contrast
• Understanding Histograms, Part 2: Luminosity & Color

As mentioned the bright part of the shot is blown out, meaning that all 3 color channels (red, green, blue) are at their maximim of 251.
If only 2 of the 3 channels are at maximum (blown out) a little bit of detail is recoverable.
If only 1 of the 3 channels is blown out more detail is recoverable.

 

[matrosov]

We can see the catch lights in the child's eyes that you did indeed use flash for fill.
Unfortunately the camera settings were such that the flash didn't balance with the harsh and bright background light.

The trick is to set the camera exposure manually so the bright background light is properly exposed and then determine how much flash you need.
Making test shots and looking at the test shot 's histogram on the rear LCD of the camera is one way we can evaluate exposure.

• Understanding Histograms, Part 1: Tones & Contrast
• Understanding Histograms, Part 2: Luminosity & Color

As mentioned the bright part of the shot is blown out, meaning that all 3 color channels (red, green, blue) are at their maximim of 251.
If only 2 of the 3 channels are at maximum (blown out) a little bit of detail is recoverable.
If only 1 of the 3 channels is blown out more detail is recoverable.

Thanks a lot. for the links. Yes this is what I get for using great camera as a point and shoot this was shot on auto mode. I am going thru my kids pictures now trying to organize them and ripping my hair out for all the great memories I blew out of the water .

 

[Didereaux]

We can see the catch lights in the child's eyes that you did indeed use flash for fill.
Unfortunately the camera settings were such that the flash didn't balance with the harsh and bright background light.

The trick is to set the camera exposure manually so the bright background light is properly exposed and then determine how much flash you need.
Making test shots and looking at the test shot 's histogram on the rear LCD of the camera is one way we can evaluate exposure.

• Understanding Histograms, Part 1: Tones & Contrast
• Understanding Histograms, Part 2: Luminosity & Color

As mentioned the bright part of the shot is blown out, meaning that all 3 color channels (red, green, blue) are at their maximim of 251.
If only 2 of the 3 channels are at maximum (blown out) a little bit of detail is recoverable.
If only 1 of the 3 channels is blown out more detail is recoverable.

Thanks a lot. for the links. Yes this is what I get for using great camera as a point and shoot this was shot on auto mode. I am going thru my kids pictures now trying to organize them and ripping my hair out for all the great memories I blew out of the water .

NAh, you didn't lose any memories, a slightly blown out photo has absolutely zero to do with the memory of the moment...still works as a memory trigger.