Shooting into the sun/light

[chiefpackman]

I've been playing around with this for a couple days now. What is the proper way to set up to shoot towards the light source? This shot was from today. It took quite a bit of editing to pop out the foreground and tone the sun down. Problem is I feel like you can tell. I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Any Ideas?

 

[Derrel]

Google search on the term "contre-jour" and you will see many examples. One tip: converting to B&W can help when the colors get rwlaly wonky--provided that the subject matter is actually decent.

 

[chiefpackman]

Thanks! Never heard that term before. Found some good info.

 

[windstar]

Try this shoot in Auto mode, read the picture info from the camera and work around that. It works for me.

 

[hirejn]

You have to accept certain problems when you shoot into the sun. One is that the sun will always be blown out unless you hide it. Two, you need to make exposure decisions on what's important. No camera can hold the dynamic range of a scene where the sun is included. So you have to decide where to keep detail and you need to understand exposure to get what you want predictably and consistently. Three, there will be flare unless you shade the lens.

If the sun is not in the picture, it opens up new opportunities to include back light and rim light if you understand how that light works and how to expose properly. Hiding the sun also helps reduce contrast and make for interesting compositions. In your picture, the only way you could have held detail in the sky and foreground is if you would have added a large light, or maybe a silver reflector, to fill in the foreground. Or you could do HDR, where multiple exposures are combined. Without knowing the exact image or effect you wanted to achieve, it's difficult to provide you specific advice.

 

[Derrel]

Contre-jour or "against the light" photography is its own technique, its own method, its own "thing". Here is the GOogle search result for images shot contre-jour, or "against the daylight".

contre-jour photography - Google Search

If you need to learn a LOT about how to find light, see light, and work witrh light, and how to position yourself in relation to the light, get a John Hedgecoe book on photography.

Here are two photographs, made as I was walking my kid into his school in the morning. Both contre-jour, both made with my iPhone.

[http://www.pbase.com/derrel/image/150477567.jpg ]

[ IMG_9758 copy_iPhone4.jpg photo - Derrel photos at pbase.com ]

The thing is, the ENTIRE success of these is predicated on me shooting AGAINST the light at the scene!!!! That is what contre-jour photography is ALL about; finding subject matter that is seen against the light.