NOOB Here! Some questions..Advice welcome!

EGutierrez91 · Feb 18, 2012

Hey guys, I just picked up a Canon T2i after wanting one for a good while. I got a pretty decent deal so I didn't pass it up. This is the first time I went out to actually take pictures, but being limited to just the 18-55 and it was cloudy/overcast and getting dark. I do have a 75-300 (doesn't have IS though) that might've been better. Unfortunately I didn't have it with me.

Questions
1) In my situation (cloudy, getting dark) is there any way to brighten up the view in the background without post-processing?
2) Would a longer lens be better? Or should I be messing more with longer shutter time?

IMG_0278 by LimeLitePhotography_NYC, on Flickr

18-55mm Kit Lens - ISO 250 - F3.5 - 1/160 Exp

IMG_0246 by LimeLitePhotography_NYC, on Flickr

18-55mm Kit Lens - ISO 200 - F6.3 - 1/60 Exp

Basically I'd like to be able to brighten things up in these situations without post-processing.

RachRobPhotog · Feb 18, 2012

Did you try adjusting the white balance? I'm a noob too. But I find adjusting that in cloudy situations helps a little bit. Correct me if I'm wrong pros.

EGutierrez91 · Feb 18, 2012

I didn't even think to adjust the white balance. I guess that's one more feature I can add to the list that I can play around with when shooting.

cgipson1 · Feb 18, 2012

#1 is underexposed..... flash on the subject would have helped keep from blowing the sky

#2... foreground is underexposed... sky is blown. This could have been helped with a GND filter.... and exposing for the foreground

You have "do not edit" or I would post some quick edits....

cgipson1 · Feb 18, 2012

EGutierrez91 said:
I didn't even think to adjust the white balance. I guess that's one more feature I can add to the list that I can play around with when shooting.

has nothing at all to do with white balance here..

Destin · Feb 18, 2012

Dark subject + bright background = the need for fill flash and/or HDR to get them both exposed properly.

RachRobPhotog · Feb 18, 2012

Ah ok. My bad. Thanks for correction.. I come across this problem too cgipson1 what would u change in the exif data he gave??

EGutierrez91 · Feb 18, 2012

cgipson1 - I've edited my settings to say they are okay to edit. These are both unedited.

In this situation - how would I adjust to the underexposure that I'm dealing with. I'm not sure what you mean by exposing for the foreground.

Destin - Thanks for the tip!

cgipson1 · Feb 18, 2012

EGutierrez91 said:
cgipson1 - I've edited my settings to say they are okay to edit. These are both unedited.

In this situation - how would I adjust to the underexposure that I'm dealing with. I'm not sure what you mean by exposing for the foreground.

Destin - Thanks for the tip!

you have the option of choosing what to expose for. It depends on how you meter, where you meter, and what settings you choose to use. Read your manual.. see if your camera will do spot focus.. it is handy when you are faced with contrasty shots like these. It will allow you to precisely tell the camera where you want the correct exposure metered from.

#1 assumed the girl was your subject.... but your primary exposure was for the sky.. so the foreground was too dark...

#2... I was assuming that the pic was late in day.. sunset? Based on the contrast of the shot. The color was there.. hiding, I just enhanced it a bit

these took me about a minute to do both of them.. so they aren't perfect..... just examples...

EGutierrez91 · Feb 18, 2012

Wow, picture 1 looks much, much better. Same for picture 2. I guess I'll fix some of my pictures up in post-processing now while I keep learning.

Thanks for the tips!

petto · Feb 19, 2012

Is #1 on whidby island WA? Fun place.

rokvi · Feb 19, 2012

EGutierrez91 said:
Wow, picture 1 looks much, much better. Same for picture 2. I guess I'll fix some of my pictures up in post-processing now while I keep learning.

Thanks for the tips!

Remember to shoot in RAW if your camera has the capability.

timputtick · Feb 19, 2012

In situations like these manual white balance is pretty unnecessary I only manually adjust in poorly lit conditions, the composition doesn't do much for me. I think the first would be better if you included the view the girl is looking over to create a mood. I think the second would of been better from a low perspective and it's also underexposed.

EGutierrez91 · Feb 19, 2012

petto said:
Is #1 on whidby island WA? Fun place.

It's in Queens, NY (near the Whitestone Bridge)

rokvi said:
Remember to shoot in RAW if your camera has the capability.

I can shoot in RAW or RAW+JPEG but I figured I wouldn't need to use RAW until I got somewhat decent. I'll check it out and shoot some pictures in RAW.

timputtick said:
In situations like these manual white balance is pretty unnecessary I only manually adjust in poorly lit conditions, the composition doesn't do much for me. I think the first would be better if you included the view the girl is looking over to create a mood. I think the second would of been better from a low perspective and it's also underexposed.

I did realize that you can't tell what the girl is looking at. For the second I really wanted a lower perspective but there is no way down there without climbing through someones backyard.