LIGHT Discussion Threads: Dive in, Talk it out
schmoo
Registered Users Posts: 8,468 Major grins
[imgr]http://www.schmootography.com/Workshops/Santa-Barbara/sb-01/519946602_T2gkm-M.jpg[/imgr]
We're gonna try something else around here, something to get things moving and take a break from photos-photos-photos all the time. :lol3 Loosen your tie, grab a beverage of your choice and drop in for a discussion or two.
Let there be LIGHT!
Photography 101: It's all about the light. Chasing the light. Making the light. Loving the light. Now let's give it a new spin! Landscapers' Ideas and Generally Helpful Topics. Or maybe Loving Ideologists Going Haywire Tomorrow?
Whatever it means to you, it's a place for those who like to grab their gear and (literally) go for a hike to banter, debate, share opinions and say whatever else you please about photography.
Open discourse
I'll post a new thread with a topic every now and then. They won't expire so you can always come back to weigh in when you have something - anything - to say. If you want to post a photo to illustrate your point, go right on ahead. Ask questions, swap stories, opinions, links, whatever you wish.
And of course, if you have an idea for a fresh topic, go ahead and post it in this thread. Your fellow Dgrinners will thank you!
One list to link them all:
![http://www.schmootography.com/Workshops/Santa-Barbara/sb-01/519946602_T2gkm-M.jpg[/imgr]](http://www.schmootography.com/Workshops/Santa-Barbara/sb-01/519946602_T2gkm-M.jpg[/imgr]){kind=link}
We're gonna try something else around here, something to get things moving and take a break from photos-photos-photos all the time. :lol3 Loosen your tie, grab a beverage of your choice and drop in for a discussion or two.
Let there be LIGHT!
Photography 101: It's all about the light. Chasing the light. Making the light. Loving the light. Now let's give it a new spin! Landscapers' Ideas and Generally Helpful Topics. Or maybe Loving Ideologists Going Haywire Tomorrow?
Whatever it means to you, it's a place for those who like to grab their gear and (literally) go for a hike to banter, debate, share opinions and say whatever else you please about photography.
Open discourse
I'll post a new thread with a topic every now and then. They won't expire so you can always come back to weigh in when you have something - anything - to say. If you want to post a photo to illustrate your point, go right on ahead. Ask questions, swap stories, opinions, links, whatever you wish.
And of course, if you have an idea for a fresh topic, go ahead and post it in this thread. Your fellow Dgrinners will thank you!
One list to link them all:
0
Comments
Anyway, I live on the SoCal coast and the sun here is very, very harsh. I think our "Golden Hour" lasts about 27 seconds and if you blink you'll miss the best part of it. As a result, I'm often not very happy with my day time photos. I've gone to slightly underexposing my images in camera (EV at -.3) then adjusting the exposure in ACR and/or PS CS3 and that works ok but I think it could be better.
So, other than waiting 'till after sunset to shoot, how does one deal with such harsh light? I'm sure there are thousands of photographers on the So Cal coast shooting under the same sun as I do so how they deal with the problem?
I shoot a D80 with the 18-135 kit lens most of the time.
I welcome any advice or wisdom on the subject.
www.socalimages.com
Artistically & Creatively Challenged
Howdy, Neighbor!
I think you're in the right spot, just most of the conversations have taken place in a couple other threads Schmoo links to at the end of her first post.
My location is set as San Diego because most folks probably won't know where I was if I put Rancho Penasquitos, but I'm really quite close to you, so I know how you feel. The best answer I can give you for how to deal with the harsh sunlight is not to shot in it! And believe me, I typed that with a pained look on my face because as thousands of images on my hard drive will attest, I don't follow my own advice. I just can't seem to be out of the house, camera in hand and just sitting there waiting.
So I shoot and shoot and hope something will work with the harsh sun, but more often than not those are the shots that never make it to my website because, as you said, I'm just never happy with them no matter what post processing I try.
Adding to that problem, I think we have an over-active marine layer. I'm not sure about other parts of the coast or the East Coast, but that heavy marine layer that sets in on our coast seems to have it out for me. I think that layer of clouds that rolls in just before sunset is what really robs us of our golden hour a lot of the time and I know it has stolen quite a few sunsets from me!
To combat the marine layer as best I can, I use a tool that a friend shared with me a little while back, the NOAA forcast site. This link actually takes you straight to the forcast for La Jolla, but you can change locations somewhere on there. I mainly look at Sky Cover, the blue line about half way down the chart. Too little means no clouds to light up at sunset and too much means no sunset at all. Like any weather prediction, it's not the be-all-end-all and I never let it convince me not to go out, but I will let it influence where I go. If the coast doesn't look great, I'll just go inland a bit where the marine layer won't have so much of an effect.
That elusive nature is one of the main draws to photography for me. You're not going to get awesome light and a sweet sunset everytime you go out, but that makes the time when you do get them so much better!
I think I got a little off topic as to your question on how to deal with photos with harsh light, but I really haven't figured out how to deal with them myself yet so I find myself leaving the house much closer to sunset now that I know the locations better. That way I can get to where I want to be and not have enough time to take too many shots without good light. (This theory goes out the window when visiting new locals, in which case I get there hours ahead of time and fill 4 memory cards before the sun even thinks about setting!
When shooting at sunset, or even just after when the colors are usually best, I've found using a graduated neutral density filter to be an imense help! Cokin makes some relatively inexpensive ones and I've had good luck with them though I'm sure the more expensive ones have they're benefits. My GND and the holder for it are alway in my camera bag!
Hopefully some part of my ramblings helps!
SmugMug QA
My Photos
in really harsh light you can shoot a series of bracketed exposures and combine them for an image
that runs the full gamut of tonal range.....the link in schmoos 1st post on HDR is a great place to start.
It does require software...by googling you can free (I think ziggy53 uses a freeware) or you can get
something like Photomatix for around $100.......
Also the use of ND and GND filters could help......I do not like any screw-in filter I suggest something
like Lee or Singh Ray in a 4x6" model with holder so the GND filter can be moved up and down to get horizon
line where you want it...................
Good Luck
You've helped a great deal Chris because now I know I'm not alone in dealing with the problem plus I love that NOAA link you posted. I guess I'll have to invest in a decent ND or GND filter and learn how to use them properly.
Not shooting in the harsh light is probably the best advice but it gets depressing when I have the time and motivation to go out and shoot but I don't because the sun's too harsh. Or, I do but the photos are disappointing.
HDR is an excellent idea but I'm not sure I have the patience to set up a tripod and do bracketed exposures. I like to see a shot, compose it, snap the shutter and move on. But it's my fault that I don't take the time to do a proper job. I have to learn patience. I wonder if I could do several exposure adjustment layers then blend them to get something like HDR
I've found that the Shadow/Highlights tool in PS CS3 does a pretty good job in mitigating the glare caused by the harsh sun and in bringing out some detail in the dark shadows but the images wind up looking a little artificial to me and it's not the same as getting a decent exposure in camera.
Thanks again Guys. We'll just have to keep mulling all this over. Maybe there's a viable solution out there somewhere, but I'm guessing there's not.
www.socalimages.com
Artistically & Creatively Challenged
Hey Chuck,
As Chris said, this is just the "ideas and topics suggestion" thread. Check the bottom of the original post where links to the specific topics are currently taking place.
That list is updated each time a new topic is introduced. Enjoy!
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
Do we start a new topic about "Dealing with Harsh Light"? Or, what do you want me to do to make things right?
Chuck Cannova
www.socalimages.com
www.socalimages.com
Artistically & Creatively Challenged
You can always post a thread in the Techniques forum if you need an immediate answer. Or I think your question could fit in really well with HDR since that's one very popular solution to shooting in harsh light. Feel free to post in that one, since it's pretty well trafficked.
I would like to have only a couple of active discussions going on at one time and we have two going on right now. But this thread is always open for anyone to pitch a suggestion for a topic they'd like to see. Thanks!
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
I clearly and regrettably misunderstood your intent here. I certainly didn't mean to disrupt your thread and I apologize for doing so.
I'm going to repost my original post in the Techniques section so please feel free to delete this thread in it's entirety.
Thanks.
www.socalimages.com
Artistically & Creatively Challenged
Photos that don't suck / 365 / Film & Lomography
I think I may be on the right track though by slightly underexposing in camera then adjusting in post. I'll just have to work on perfecting that the best I can. I'm also gonna start experimenting with HDR. I've seen some pretty awesome work using HDR.
Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone here for their ideas and suggestions and apologize to Schmoo once again for messing up her thread.
www.socalimages.com
Artistically & Creatively Challenged
Any chance of DGRIN putting on a show in Toronto ? We have some beautifull places here up in the North, or making a discussion room for people form different countries that travel overseas to hook up with Dgrin ppl
Just Asking, i know alot of thinking will go into something like and probably a big project in its self,
Thanls alot
Eddy
T.O BOI.
Great understanding is broad and unhurried, Little understanding is cramped and busy" ..... Chuang Tsu