Sky in Landscapes (How Do I Make it Look Good?)

[bvjgcigh]

I've been noticing people capturing amazing skies in their landscape photography. I just can't seem to be able to get this look no matter what I try. I've tried hdr, long exposures, etc. Does this have to do with simply the location or is there some sort of trick in the camera or post-processing I am missing? It would be awesome if I can get a good answer! Thanks!

-Bera

 

[EIngerson]

Shoot with the sun to your back. Choose your times of day to make that happen. Low ISO's, Polarizer. There are many ways to achieve this and many ways in post to fix it. I hope this helps some.

 

[Juga]

GND

 

[MK3Brent]

GND

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

Graduated Neutral Density filters are great place to start. Not all horizon's are going to be level and allow for them, but for the one's that do, these are a great tool.

Polarizer for getting deeper blues and more saturation

Properly used HDR when shooting scenes that exceed your sensor's dynamic range. Or there's the in-house beginner's guide to HDR. I have on good authority the author is a really cool guy.

 

[Light Guru]

Graduated Neutral Density filters are great place to start. Not all horizon's are going to be level and allow for them, but for the one's that do, these are a great tool.

Polarizer for getting deeper blues and more saturation

Properly used HDR when shooting scenes that exceed your sensor's dynamic range. Or there's the in-house beginner's guide to HDR. I have on good authority the author is a really cool guy.

People often over look exposure blending and jump to HDR. In my opinion exposure blending can give much more pleasing results then HDR.

 

[Majeed Badizadegan]

People often over look exposure blending and jump to HDR. In my opinion exposure blending can give much more pleasing results then HDR.

Exposure blending is the same general idea as HDR. It's just doing it manually on layers versus letting software like photomatix do the heavy lifting.

I almost exclusively manually blend my hdrs

 

[tirediron]

Or, in this day and age of easy digital manipulation, just grab another sky and throw it in the shot.

 

[Light Guru]

People often over look exposure blending and jump to HDR. In my opinion exposure blending can give much more pleasing results then HDR.

Exposure blending is the same general idea as HDR. It's just doing it manually on layers versus letting software like photomatix do the heavy lifting.

I almost exclusively manually blend my hdrs

Same basic concept in shooting but vary different in post and they give vary different results.

The tone mapping done in HDR is nothing like blending part of one exposure with part of another exposure that is done with exposure blending.

 

[Tailgunner]

Shoot with the sun to your back. Choose your times of day to make that happen. Low ISO's, Polarizer. There are many ways to achieve this and many ways in post to fix it. I hope this helps some.

This^

Timing and controlling light is everything. Yes, a GND filter will work wonders but one really needs to understand light and when is the best times to shoot. The best times in my experience are generally in the morning around 6-8am and in the afternoon around 6-8pm. Shooting during broad day light can cause the skies to be blown out...over exposed looking. My advice is to decide on a scene and choose a spot where the sun is at your back. Then observe this location/spot at different times of day to see what looks best.

 

[bvjgcigh]

Ok thanks! I'd better be getting a GND filter then.

 

[The Barbarian]

The most dramatic effect is to use a polarizing filter and shoot at right angle to the sun. Maximizes the effect, and clouds become very white and well-defined.

 

[amolitor]

Henry Peach Robinson was telling people to composite in different skies, in 1869 He was using orthochromatic emulsions, though, so it was pretty much technically unfeasible to get decent skies in a landscape with a single exposure.

 

[bvjgcigh]

The polarizing filter seemed, at first, the most attractive to me, but I don't like having to worry about where the sun is too when I'm trying to compose my shots.

 

[weepete]

The biggest thing will be shooting at the right times of day. To get great skies you need to be to balance the light from the sun and in the sky with the landscape.

Gnds and polarisers are good, and I use them but they will only give your skies a nudge. they wont make really bad conditions good or suddenly turn a rubbish sky into a great one. if you can get out just after a storm where there are still some clouds about mixed with blue sky or a setting sun this can be a great time to shoot some dramitic skies