nude statue

[Sodak]

Walking around the garden at the Flamingo in Las Vegas. This was taken about high noon, so I think I know the answer to my question (go back later in the day- not an option here) but... how can I avoid blowning out some of the leaves here and still get the subject. I was using an nd filter.

 

[Sherman Banks]

how can I avoid blowning out some of the leaves here and still get the subject. I was using an nd filter.

A ND filter is just going to bring the whole scene's lighting down, therefore to properly expose you will need to adjust your shutter speed/aperture to bring it right back up to where you started. The best solution to high contrast lighting is to not shoot in it. You could also use a flash to bring the darker areas of your shot up and properly expose for the blown out areas. Really, just try to shoot when the light is softer or you're gonna get a scene where you're losing quality at one end of the spectrum.