partial overexposure on close-ups

[ebc123]

hello! i have a little sony cybershot h-50. it will generally take good close-ups. the problem is that even on a dark overcast day, when i get in close the subject will "shine" (overexpose) in places; especially if it is wet from rain. i've tried manual adjustments on shutter priority at 1/200 sec, and aperture priority at f8 (smallest one it has). i dont see much if any any difference from the auto setting.

i have a perfect example of the kind of photo i'm talking about but cant see how to attach. i need a url for people to be able to see it ? (asks for url after clicking on "insert image" icon.)

many thanks for any help!

 

[UUilliam]

Lower your shutter speed

 

[battletone]

cant see how to attach. i need a url for people to be able to see it ? (asks for url after clicking on "insert image" icon.)

many thanks for any help!

URL is a web address. You need a host somewhere on the web (ie not on your harddrive) so people people can access the photo.

Flickr is probably the most popular, but I haven't used any of them.

 

[KmH]

Those are called 'specular highlights'.

They can be mitigated at capture with a circular polarizing filter (CPL) on the lens.

If a polarizer wasn't used and they weren't blown out at capture they can be mitigated somewhat in post processing.

 

[Dwig]

...i've tried manual adjustments on shutter priority at 1/200 sec, and aperture priority at f8 (smallest one it has). i dont see much if any any difference from the auto setting...

Of course not since Aperture Priority and Shutter Priority are still auto settings. When you use these modes and make your choice of aperture or shutter speed, respectively, the camera adjusts the other component to compensate. Neither will cause the camera's opinion of what is the correct quantity of light to change so the brightness of the image won't change compared to Program.

To alter the camera's opinion you need to use the Exposure Compensation (AKA: +/-EV adjustment, ...). With this you tell the camera to make lighter or darker images when in any of the automatic modes.

The only other way to alter the brightness of the exposed image is to disconnect the camera's meter by going to Manual exposure where you decide the correct f/stop and shutter speed and the camera's opinion is ignored.

 

[Dwig]

Lower your shutter speed

Won't work for two reasons:

1. In the Shutter Priority mode the OP was using, the camera will simply change the f/stop to compensate and thus get the same quantity of light in the exposure.

2. Lowering the shutter speed won't fix the OP's problem even in manual as their complaint was overly bright highlights. In manual lowering the shutter speed and keeping the same f/stop would yield an even worse exposure. The OP would want to raise the shutter speed or use a smaller aperture (smaller f/stop, larger "f number") to darken the overly bright images.