Too much sky

[Scarecrow]

this tree for some reason just continued to stand out at me the entire day so I started to snap a few shots. Problem was the shot came out with too much light so the sky looked washed out while I got my colors from the tree. What are some tips to avoid a sky washout and still keep the colors from the tree and bridge? I shoot in RAW AV mode and with an ISO of 100 78mm f/4 and 1/250 sec too long of exposure?

 

[Robin Usagani]

exposure is exposure. If you meter it so the sky is blue, the tree is going to be really dark green. If you meter the tree, the sky will be light blue and maybe white.

 

[Davor]

If your camera has Multiple exposure feature that would have helped allot, and its a shame there was so much distracting foreground and background.

 

[Scarecrow]

davor what do you mean by distracting forground and back ground. Just curious so I know what to try and avoid next time I go there...?

 

[tyler_h]

Tonemapped in PP? Not a fan...

Sky is always lighter during the day. Shooting in golden hours (a few hours around sunrise and sunset) will allow you have have a more balanced exposure.

Depending on the direction you're pointing your camera, a circular polariser (circular or you wont have autofocus) would help and adds contrast totherwise it is a matter of exposing for your subject. Sometimes in shots like yours you might be able to underexpose by 1/3 or 1/2 of a stop to prevent washing the sky out too much; then you'll just have to make some adjustments in PS to bring some more light back into the picture but keep the brightness of the sky darker.